Even Oscar winners have to make it on their own.

You’d think that winning an Oscar would mean you’d get the keys to do anything you wanted to do in the entertainment business, and you’d have a plethora of offers for the best roles rolling in.

But Frances McDormand wasn’t getting what she wanted.

So she sat back, hung out in her Hollywood mansion, and waited for the phone to ring.

Ha!  Wrong.

That’s exactly the opposite of what McDormand did.

Because she wasn’t getting the opportunities she wanted, she went out and made one for herself.

As you can read about here, she got the rights, signed on as a producer, picked the creative team, and of course, prepared herself to star in Olive Kitteridge, the new HBO series.

It was what she wanted to do, so she made it happen.

Because she wears so many hats, some might call Kitteridge a vanity project.  But as I wrote about in this blog back in 2007, a vanity project is only a vanity project if it isn’t any good.  No one calls Star Wars a vanity project . . . even though George Lucas did it all.

I know way too many super talented people out there that are sitting back, waiting for someone to hire them . . . waiting for someone to represent them. . . waiting for someone to give them money.

And sure, it might happen.  But that’s like playing the lottery with your life.  And who wants that?

You’re right.  Someone should hire you.  Someone should represent you.  Someone should write you a big fat check to do whatever you want.

But that doesn’t mean they will.

We live in a DIY world.  There are more ways for you to get yourself and your work out in the world than ever before . . . and for cheap.

So don’t wait.  Take a lesson from the lady with the Academy Award and find a way to get it done yourself.

 

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Ken created one of the first Broadway podcasts, recording over 250 episodes over 7 years. It features interviews with A-listers in the theater about how they “made it”, including 2 Pulitzer Prize Winners, 7 Academy Award Winners and 76 Tony Award winners. Notable guests include Pasek & Paul, Kenny Leon, Lynn Ahrens and more.

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