Studio exec reveals Hollywood secrets

When Marc Rosen '98 held up two magazines — Variety and Hollywood Insider — and asked if anyone recognized them, about half of the roughly 40 undergraduates in the audience raised their hands.

Rosen, a senior executive at Heydey Films at Warner Bros., congratulated them, calling these publications required reading for anyone looking to break into Hollywood.

Rosen shared his secrets about how to make it in the entertainment industry in a Friday lecture organized by the Princeton Film Foundation, Tigervision and the Office of Career Services.

Though entertainment and Princeton are not typically said in the same breath, the talk's sponsors wanted interested students to have a shot in the movie business.

"The entertainment industry isn't a meritocracy," Rosen said. "There are a lot of dumb people in it and no one will care that you went to Princeton. You have to educate yourself, and the best way to do that is to read about the business."

Rosen explained that there are three branches of the movie industry: artists, makers and representatives. Artists and makers include actors, writers, directors and producers — the area in which he concentrated most of his speech. Representatives are lawyers and agents.

"If your dream is to become a famous actor, I wish you the best, but there isn't much I can say to help you because the process is so subjective," Rosen said. "But there are pretty standard routes to follow if you want to be a screenwriter or movie exec."

He advised students to start their careers in Los Angeles and not be too selective when choosing a first job. Their goals should be to learn as much as possible and get to know people, he said.

PFF and Tigervision are two campus organizations trying to help students make connections in Hollywood. The organizations' more general mission is to help graduates of the University transition into entertainment careers.

Kiran Chitanvis '07, an audience member, said she appreciated Rosen's lecture because "there are not a lot of film opportunities on campus. It gave me a better understanding of the individual jobs involved in movie-making and a better idea of how to get into the business."

For the past five years, the organizations have placed roughly 30 University students into summer internships each year. The jobs typically entail traveling to Los Angeles for several weeks of unpaid employment. Rosen admitted interns are mainly asked to get coffee, pick up dry-cleaning and set schedules. The value, he said, is the opportunity to interact with big name celebrities and executives.

"When you get your first job in Hollywood, it is like starting out as a college freshman," Rosen said. "And internships give you some of the background experience."

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Despite his advice about getting into Hollywood, he encouraged students to maintain perspective on the issue.

"You need to be a real person. Don't just focus on movies all your life," Rosen explained. "The greatest thing Princeton can offer is a liberal arts education. That education will give you other stuff to talk about, when you're not filming for instance."

He said that social skills and the ability to have intelligent conversations are crucial. "You need to be able to discuss things like biology, politics as well as films."