Networking in Media: How to Slay as a Creative Professional
Graphic by Anika Dua
The Salt City Film Festival, organized by our lovely editor Daisy Leepson, was an event meant to showcase the work of talented filmmakers while simultaneously encouraging connections among Syracuse students who are passionate about pursuing careers in media/film. We just came for the Amazon echo giveaway, though.
All jokes, all jokes. The festival was a wonderful opportunity to not only see some of the amazing work that has been produced here at Syracuse, but also a chance to learn how to effectively network your way into an internship - or even your first job!
At the “Behind the Screen” Panel, panelists Madison Tyler, Lucille (Luci) Messineo-Witt, and Kenneth Barrist gave their two-cents on how they found the confidence to pursue their creative careers in media and how they managed to network effectively in order to work on some really cool projects!
Every student is worried about what they’ll be doing post-grad, but these panelists stressed the importance of networking effectively, and maintaining hobbies outside of your professional interests in order to be truly successful. Luci expressed that while she is a talented film-maker and loves to work on sets, she also has a passion for writing. She said, “You can pursue things just because you like them, as well,” which is comforting to anyone that is unsure about their chances of succeeding while pursuing their creative passions.
We at Jerk also love to write about some niche things, and a lot of audience members wanted to know how they could personalize their careers to suit unique or unconventional interests. Kenneth, who has a passion for creating children’s media, says that “If you have an idea or a niche that you wanna explore, really dig in and show employers that you can be an expert in that field.” What a relief! So, if for some reason you’re really into… we don’t know, crocheting formal dresses for infants, there’s for sure a way to make a good living out of that!
Madison, a Black artist who emphasized the importance of promoting, studying, and surrounding herself with the work of other black creators, summed up the main idea behind the panel with just one sentence: “It’s really important to connect with your peers.” Those connections not only help to foster creativity within academic and professional environments, but they can also come back later in life when you’re looking for a job in the future.
Kenneth reiterated that sentiment, only rather than discussing peers, he encouraged the audience to “Network, network, network.” Straight-forward, but it’s anything but easy. All of the panelists expressed that they too have experienced anxiety about meeting the right people to open doors within their careers. But, in the same way, they’ve all had so much success just being themselves and meeting people who can relate to and support them. Luci even said that she met one of her network contacts in a restaurant before she even came to college - a chance encounter that resulted in years of camaraderie.
So, the main takeaway from these panelists was to put yourself and your work out there. Their insights are proof that sometimes all you need is one good conversation to have your dream job within reach. Networking is scary, but creativity is worth promoting and fighting for. Advocate for yourselves, and who knows, maybe you’ll have your own success stories to tell at the next Salt City Film Festival!