Get the Job in the Entertainment Industry: A Practical Guide for Designers, Technicians, and Stage Managers

by Kristina Tollefson, Jim Volz (Series Editor)

Looking for a job in the theatre and entertainment industry can be daunting, especially when you are newly entering the work market. How do you take the skills and experience acquired through study and present them to prospective employers in the arts industry? Where does your search begin and what should you consider as you plan your future career steps? What is expected in a portfolio and what should you expect in an interview?

This book provides straightforward strategies and practical exercises to turn anxiety into excitement and help you develop the job search skills and materials that will empower you to go after the job you want, and get it. If you are about to graduate or just ready to make a change, this book will teach you how to plan for your career as a designer , technician , or stage manager , and put your best professional persona forward when applying for jobs. Topics include resumes, cover letters, business cards and portfolios that will get you moved to the top of the pile; what to expect at an interview and how to answer any interview question; the how and why of negotiating for your worth; long term career planning, financial implications and much more. Filled with practical advice, examples of letters, resumes, CVs and portfolios, and with guidance from industry professionals, it will equip you to plan and succeed in your job search and career development in the entertainment industry.

Genres: Nonfiction

296 pages, Paperback

Published April 21, 2022

About the author

Kristina Tollefson, a member of United Scenic Artists (the professional designer's union), is an Associate Professor and Resident Costume and Makeup Designer at the University of Central Florida in Orlando where she also serves as Undergraduate Coordinator for the Department of Theatre in the School of Performing Arts. She holds an MFA from Purdue University in Costume Design and Technology and a BA Degree from South Dakota State University in Theatre and English where she also studied Art and Textiles & Clothing.

In addition to her work at UCF Professor Tollefson’s designs have been seen at places such as Prague Shakespeare (Czech Republic), Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery (DC), Shakespeare and Company (MA), St. Lawrence University (NY), DeSales University (PA), Maples Repertory Theatre (MO), Orlando Shakespeare Theater (FL), Orlando Repertory Theatre (FL), Purdue University (IN), Summer Stage Repertory Theatre (TX), Phoenix Theatre Indianapolis (IN), Florida Children's Repertory Theatre (FL), Prairie Repertory Theatre (SD), Emporia Summer Theatre (KS), Sioux Falls Playhouse (SD), South Dakota State University (SD), the East Dakota Water Development District (SD) and the UCF Alumni Association (FL).

Her book Too Much is Not Enough: The History in Harriett’s Closet with co-author Jodi Ozimek is available from the Florida Historical Society Press.

Reviews

[Rachel Pollock]

This book explains why--in America at least--a solo creative artist in the entertainment industry has to learn about business topics like invoicing, business tax deductions, contracts/riders, and so forth, and makes a solid case for why ignorance in these topics comes at your own peril.

Tollefson begins by covering the various areas in which entertainment professionals might find work--theatres, theme parks, cruise ships, and more--and goes on to deep-dive into all of the things new-career professionals will need to find employment: resumes, cover letters, portfolios, and so forth. She answers questions like "What's the difference between a resume and a curriculum vitae (CV)?" and "How can I plan for retirement? Or get insurance?" She demystifies interviews and shines light into the corners of business accounting and necessary paperwork, and how and when to hire professionals (like tax preparation and entertainment lawyers).

The text culminates in a chapter of career profiles, snapshots into the lives and work of people with a wide array of interesting creative careers from Yale School of Drama faculty to a lighting specialist for the WWE.

The book is similar to Margaret Peot's The Successful Artist's Career Guide, and covers similar ground with a slightly different audience. Peot's book is aimed at creatives across artistic disciplines--illustrators, sculptors, textile artists, etc. And in terms of graphic design, Peot's is more "artsy," while Tollefson's is more "textbook."

This is a valuable reference book for early-career professionals, a potential textbook for relevant courses and workshops, and an excellent candidate for inclusion in a personal or institutional library.

[Jenna Gilmore]

I had to get this book for a class in college, the Business of Show-business, and I certainly learned a lot from both.

As someone who wants to go into the film industry as an actress, this book is probably not the best for me. However, there is still a lot of good advice that I can take out of this book. I have a lot of different things highlighted within this book as it is advice that can be used across several different professions, not just the theater world. I also appreciate the profiles at the end that display how theater skills can transfer to other professions.

The problem is I got this as a physical book and it is very clearly formatted better for online. There are a couple of spots in the book where they shove all of the pictures, which is a bit awkward and annoying when you need to see the picture and you have to go 100 pages forward or backward to find it. Some of the chapters are also incredibly long, and I wonder if they could’ve been more easily broken up.

Overall, though, I think I gained some very valuable information out of this book and I might return to it one day to see what else I can get from it, depending on where the wind takes me.

Rating: 3/5

Recommend? Yes