oddballstocks Posted March 30, 2016 Share Posted March 30, 2016 Thank you all for sharing the experience and advice. We live in Toronto and my son majors in Economics at NYU. His passion is in film-making, but realizes the only job available after graduation is to wait on tables :( Why? I posted a few months ago on Craigslist looking for a videographer in Toronto, I received a LOT of responses, was your son one of them?. All hungry film makers looking for work. Most had terrible pitches, bad portfolios and nothing to show. A few had really nice portfolios, it would have been easy to select one. We ended up going with someone who came recommended from the hotel we're working with. But regardless, these guys were out hustling trying to find work. I have a friend who's a filmmaker in Pittsburgh. The guy is naturally funny, he and a friend started making this series called Pittsburgh Dad on YouTube as a hobby. They wanted to work in their medium. It was a big hit (https://www.youtube.com/user/pittsburghdad) and it pays for them to do it full-time. They're not making hedge fund money (but then again who really is outside of a few guys in NYC overrepresented on this board), but it's a really good salary and they get to do what they want. This will sound harsh, but if your son is going to school hoping to just get a good film job out of college due to his degree he's going to be out of luck. There are a lot of very talented people who aren't waiting for a degree, they're out making films right now. I think that's what your son should be doing, he should be making movies, posting on YouTube and building a brand. Film doesn't care where you went to school, just the results. You need to seriously evaluate his talent, but it might be a better investment to stop sending checks to NYU and instead use that money to seed him. What if he used his tuition to make films? He'd have a huge head start. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buffett_Groupie Posted March 30, 2016 Author Share Posted March 30, 2016 Thanks for the advice, I'm pulling him out of school NOW! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
premfan Posted March 30, 2016 Share Posted March 30, 2016 Thank you all for sharing the experience and advice. We live in Toronto and my son majors in Economics at NYU. His passion is in film-making, but realizes the only job available after graduation is to wait on tables :( Why? I posted a few months ago on Craigslist looking for a videographer in Toronto, I received a LOT of responses, was your son one of them?. All hungry film makers looking for work. Most had terrible pitches, bad portfolios and nothing to show. A few had really nice portfolios, it would have been easy to select one. We ended up going with someone who came recommended from the hotel we're working with. But regardless, these guys were out hustling trying to find work. I have a friend who's a filmmaker in Pittsburgh. The guy is naturally funny, he and a friend started making this series called Pittsburgh Dad on YouTube as a hobby. They wanted to work in their medium. It was a big hit (https://www.youtube.com/user/pittsburghdad) and it pays for them to do it full-time. They're not making hedge fund money (but then again who really is outside of a few guys in NYC overrepresented on this board), but it's a really good salary and they get to do what they want. This will sound harsh, but if your son is going to school hoping to just get a good film job out of college due to his degree he's going to be out of luck. There are a lot of very talented people who aren't waiting for a degree, they're out making films right now. I think that's what your son should be doing, he should be making movies, posting on YouTube and building a brand. Film doesn't care where you went to school, just the results. You need to seriously evaluate his talent, but it might be a better investment to stop sending checks to NYU and instead use that money to seed him. What if he used his tuition to make films? He'd have a huge head start. This seems to be gary vaynerchuck's philosophy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Picasso Posted March 30, 2016 Share Posted March 30, 2016 Thanks for the advice, I'm pulling him out of school NOW! Wait, what? I just picture the kid in school getting a call over the intercom to come home "now." He then gets lectured on how he should be the next YouTube sensation because someone named oddball on a forum thought it was a splendid idea. To be a fly on a wall! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eclecticvalue Posted March 30, 2016 Share Posted March 30, 2016 If his passion is film-making. He could transfer and become a film major at NYU. NYU is known for film-making. Now does he want to work on the business side of films. It's possible to get an internship but that requires networking or start at the bottom at some company and work your way up. OR could intern at a new media company. Edit: Tell him to learn the film making industry and talk to film makers to truly understand the career. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jurgis Posted March 30, 2016 Share Posted March 30, 2016 This thread is shaping to be fun. Perhaps someone should make a movie about it. Hint, hint. ;D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
petey2720 Posted March 30, 2016 Share Posted March 30, 2016 Dairy Queen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
writser Posted March 30, 2016 Share Posted March 30, 2016 Don't do your son's work for him. Tell him to get a job and see how it goes. He's a university student - I consider that an adult. If he was interested in getting hired by anyone here, maybe he would've joined and started messaging people? I'm guessing he hasn't done that, so maybe you can draw some information from that fact. +1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uccmal Posted March 30, 2016 Share Posted March 30, 2016 A few years later I wanted a job doing computer stuff during the summer. I typed up a resume and letter and went in person to a number of different companies that I found in the phone book that all had tech-y type names. Looking back that was a ballsy move, but it was good experience. No job from it, but some interesting conversations. Most places were just impressed that a kid showed up trying to pitch themselves for a job. Before anyone told me it wasn't correct my m.o. for finding a job was to go to an establishment, ask to see the owner, give them a resume and pitch myself. I did a period of dropping resumes in person, and cold calling people on the phone, in the early 1990s during our most severe recession. I figured just mailing them was pointless. I would tape myself on my little cassette recorder to rehearse, build up the courage, and make a call. It took an enormous amount of will power to do it. Among the most terrifying things I have ever done. The personal visits didn't amount to much... too many gatekeepers. The phone calls bore fruit. I went and talked to one guy about my most recent job... he didn't have anything but gave me the time. At another company I talked to the VP. He said to send a resume. So I did, and noted in the cover letter that I had called him and spoke with him. I got called for an interview and the person I met with had the fact I called underlined on my resume. I got the job. I truly think direct contact is best whenever possible. Everyone can email resumes all day long. I have done many jobs (some of the dirtiest you could imagine), run a couple of small businesses, and even worked three years in an office ( torture). In the mid 90s I had dozens of job interviews (I dont interview well - the very characteristics that make me a good investor). Around that time I read Lowenstein and decided I had enough of trying to impress stupid people and was going to get wealthy enough to never have to look for work again. I am there. No linked in.. no pimping on FB... ooh the joys I have missed. So, I am in the camp of getting out there and doing something, on your own, no matter what it is. As they say, one thing often leads to another. In the rearview mirror, everything looks connected now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LC Posted March 30, 2016 Share Posted March 30, 2016 Yeah I'm going to disagree with just about everyone here. Get him an office gig, it gives him a pedigree which makes it easy to get the next one, etc. etc. etc. It's real easy to be a plumber, film maker, or whatever other barely-profitable passion project you have when you're 35 years old and have enough cash in the bank and a house paid off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jurgis Posted March 30, 2016 Share Posted March 30, 2016 Yeah I'm going to disagree with just about everyone here. Get him an office gig, it gives him a pedigree which makes it easy to get the next one, etc. etc. etc. It's real easy to be a plumber, film maker, or whatever other barely-profitable passion project you have when you're 35 years old and have enough cash in the bank and a house paid off. Hear, hear. He should do Mike Lewis ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Lewis_%28author%29 ) 8) Sorry Buffett_Groupie, this thread has taken a movie life of its own Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buffett_Groupie Posted March 31, 2016 Author Share Posted March 31, 2016 This is his short-film which won him US$200 when he's in high-school: :'( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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