98: How to Break Into Sony Pictures With Becky D’Anna, Sony Pictures Entertainment [Espresso Shots]

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Email | TuneIn | RSS

Becky D’Anna is the Executive Director of International Marketing Partnerships at Sony Pictures Entertainment and has been obsessed with movies since she was a child. By the time she was 15 she knew exactly what she wanted to do: market movies.  She figured her best bet was to go to a university in the Los Angeles area. So, she applied to USC and got in. During her studies in LA, Becky interned at two different film-related companies– first, at a literary management company and then a film production company. While these were amazing opportunities that gave Becky the chance to experience many sides of the industry, she knew that her dream was still to market movies. When the late Brett Dicker– a former Disney marketing Executive– gave a talk at USC, Becky’s dream was reaffirmed. She knew that marketing movies was a viable career choice and that she wanted to pursue it at Disney. After graduating from USC with a B.S. in Marketing, she spent months temping at Sony Pictures and 20th Century Fox, where she was able to, once again, view the film industry through many different lenses. While she hit a few bumps in the road, Becky discovered an interest in the international section of marketing and knew that that was another thing she wanted to pursue. She even spent some time on the other side of the industry where she represented Burger King and tried to get the fast food franchise connected to films. Today Becky continues to expand her film education and loves every aspect of her job. Press Play to find out some secret tips and tricks on how you can make it in the ever glamorous, and super competitive, movie industry!

WHAT YOU’LL LEARN ABOUT IN THIS EPISODE:

• What are the entry-level roles to break into the  movie industry
• Why interning, while you’re in college, at a movie studio or an agency, a literary agency or production studio are great “life experience” to have
• How to find those internships through the UTA (United Talent Agency) job list
• Why you should watch the movies:  Swimming With Sharks and The Player  and read It’s All Your Fault:  How to Make it as a Hollywood Assistant  and Hello He Lied & Other Truths About the Hollywood Trenches to better understand the movie industry
• Why creativity, passion and common sense are the skills that most interest Becky
• Why the key to success is plain and simply passion
• Why you don’t need to be a cinephile to be in the movie industry
• To learn more about Becky’s current job and her career listen to her main T4C episode #46