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In the late 80’s along with Ralph Clemente and several others, I was hired as a consultant by Valencia Community College in Orlando, Florida to participate in the development of a community college curriculum for a work force development program to train individuals to work as entry level as filmmakers. Community colleges are tasked with developing training programs to provide properly trained individuals to work in local industries.More than one hundred working professional filmmakers in Florida were interviewed to identify what they believed to be the core skills and knowledge base an entry-level filmmaker should have (AKA Competencies). Regardless of what craft the filmmakers specialized in, anywhere from makeup to cinematography, they all included, a personal attitude focused on achieving success, professionalismand knowledge of the nomenclature of the industry, the common language, names and lingo used in film production.Below are the nine core competencies that were identified:Skills Required Of A Freelance Film Production PersonDemonstrate skills required to operate as an independent businesspersonDemonstrate ability to organize time, equipment, and suppliesDemonstrate human relation skills required to work within the production industryDemonstrate knowledge of production industry personnel hierarchyDemonstrate knowledge of industry hiring practices and working protocol and etiquetteDemonstrate knowledge of special industry materials, supplies, equipment, and publicationsDemonstrate knowledge of special industry nomenclatureInterpret printed materialsIdentify behaviors that will harm your careerHere are the details:DEMONSTRATE SKILLS REQUIRED TO OPERATE AS AN INDEPENDENT BUSINESSPERSON· Treat your occupation as a career rather than a job· Maintain professional attitude· Operate as a business· Create personal financial goals· Establish realistic employment goals· Create ultimate professional goals· Acquire credits (recognizing levels of experience in terms of hiring preference)Professional creditsRelated experiencePA-type experience· Determine career-advancement benefits of volunteer work or working as unpaid intern· Create a deal memo indicating:Payment for box rentalsAmount of payment for servicesDates and terms of payment for servicesPerson or corporation responsible for payment of salaryDescription of dutiesDates of employmentStarting timesHold datesSpecific job locationImmediate supervisor· Demonstrate networking skills· Establish personal system for collecting production contactsCollect call sheets"Hang out" at rental housesGet to know personnel at production/film commissionsGet to know personnel at labsIntroduce self to production company employeesIntroduce self to Production CoordinatorsGet to know personnel at student productionsEstablish relationship with rental house employees· Establish personal system for keeping track of production contactsRolodexMaster notebookPocket address book· Develop networking strategy· Demonstrate working knowledge of national and local professional organizations· Demonstrate working knowledge of benefits of union membership· Demonstrate marketing skills· Demonstrate knowledge of value of service offered· Maintain current resume'· Demonstrate ability to clearly and concisely summarize employment history· Maintain demo reel of work· Send periodic "remember me" letters· Periodically telephone contacts· Carry current business cards· Demonstrate ability to identify employment opportunities· Identify job openingsWord of mouthTelephoning contactsAds in trade publicationsArticles in trade publicationsFilm Commission hot lineLocal agencyUnionTrade or professional organizations· Evaluate company offering jobProduction qualitiesSafetyConformance to industry standardsPayment policiesPayment historyRate of employee burnout· Perform job search activitiesReturn telephone calls as soon as possible· Demonstrate ability to effectively apply for and interview for jobs· Wear appropriate (casual clothing)· Have tools with you· Apply for specific position· Know who to apply to· Have recommendation from past work· Don’t inflate your knowledge· Determine company's payment systemWhen employees are paidWhether payment service is usedWhether employees should invoiceWhether payment is in installments or at the end of the jobWhether payment will be handed out or mailedWhether payment is net 10, net 15, or net 30· Determine whether your time is booked or on hold· Determine company's policy in case of rain or other complication· Create and maintain proper records· Financial records· Tax records· Insurance records· Invoices· Own and maintain necessary equipment· Own and maintain tools of trade· Maintain dependable transportationDEMONSTRATE ABILITY TO ORGANIZE TIME, EQUIPMENT, AND SUPPLIES· Organize tasks· Organize tasks according to order in which they should be completed· Organize tasks in order of difficulty· Classify tasks according to person performing them· Plan day's work to best accomplish tasks· Organize equipment and supplies· Determine organizational system for equipment· Organize equipmentPersonal tools and equipmentEquipment truck and contents· Organize accessories and expendables· Quickly locate equipment, accessories, and expendables· Maintain a running inventory of equipment, accessories, and expendables· Label equipment and supplies· Track equipment and supplies through workday· Track equipment and supplies throughout shootDEMONSTRATE HUMAN RELATION SKILLS REQUIRED TO WORK WITHIN THE PRODUCTION INDUSTRY· Demonstrate proper attitude toward craft· Demonstrate enthusiasm· Demonstrate non-threatening ambition· Demonstrate drive and determination· Demonstrate willingness to learn· Demonstrate eagerness tempered by discipline· Demonstrate proper attitude toward industry working conditions· Work safely and efficiently under inclement weather conditions· Exhibit punctuality· Expect to work shifts that might be twelve or more hours long· Expect to work many days in a row without a break· Exhibit professional behavior· Maintain professional behavior under stressful conditions· Demonstrate proper attitude toward co-workers within discipline· Work as part of team· Ask questions in a courteous and respectful manner· Be flexible· Demonstrate willingness to learn new ways of accomplishing tasks· Demonstrate proper attitude toward supervisors· Respect· Willingness to take direction· Willingness to support supervisor· Work in a way that reflects well on supervisor· Don’t bypass chain of command· Anticipate decisions, but don't overstep authority in making decisions· Refrain from value judgments about project· Demonstrate proper attitude toward co-workers in other technological areas· Know names of workers in other departments· Demonstrate proper attitude toward employer· Don’t try to impose own artistic opinions about project· Perform in accordance with organization's goals and objectives· Demonstrate proper attitude toward talent· Demonstrate proper attitude toward management· Demonstrate proper attitude toward clients· Don’t speak unless necessary when clients are present· Never belittle client's project or judgment· Never question co-workers' performance or judgment in front of clientDEMONSTRATE KNOWLEDGE OF PRODUCTION INDUSTRY PERSONNEL HIERARCHY· Identify and describe major job duties of all above- the-line industry positions· Identify and describe major job duties of all below- the-line industry positions· Identify and describe official and practical reporting hierarchies within own industry technological area· Identify and describe in detail job duties of each position within six industry technological areas· Identify and describe in detail interaction, communication, and cooperation lines between six industry technological areasDEMONSTRATE KNOWLEDGE OF INDUSTRY HIRING PRACTICES AND WORKING PROTOCOL AND ETIQUETTE· Demonstrate working knowledge of industry hiring procedures and practices· Demonstrate working knowledge of local hiring procedures and practices· Demonstrate working knowledge of national and local union policies· Demonstrate working knowledge of industry conventions· Demonstrate working knowledge of industry etiquette· Demonstrate working knowledge of craft conventions· Demonstrate working knowledge of craft etiquette· Demonstrate working knowledge of set protocolAvoid eye contact with talentWork without being in talent's line of sightAvoid unnecessary speakingSpeak clearly and confidently when necessary to speakAvoid shouting across setStop working when such is requestedWalk quickly rather than running on the setNever panicDEMONSTRATE KNOWLEDGE OF SPECIAL INDUSTRY MATERIALS, SUPPLIES, EQUIPMENT, AND PUBLICATIONS· Demonstrate familiarity with regional sources of industry materials, equipment, and suppliesBuilding supplies storesTransportation companiesShipping companiesLabsRental companiesEdit housesPostproduction housesSupply companiesRetail stores· Demonstrate familiarity with national sources of industry materials, equipment, and suppliesTransportation companiesShipping companiesLabsRental companiesEdit housesPostproduction housesSupply companiesRetail stores· Demonstrate familiarity with regional trade publications· Demonstrate familiarity with national trade publications· Demonstrate familiarity with regional industry catalogs· Demonstrate familiarity with national industry catalogs· Demonstrate familiarity with regional industry source books· Demonstrate familiarity with national industry source booksDEMONSTRATE KNOWLEDGE OF SPECIAL INDUSTRY NOMENCLATURE· Demonstrate ability to use formal terminology and nomenclatureEquipmentProceduresPersonnel· Demonstrate ability to use informal terminology and nomenclatureEquipmentProceduresPersonnel08. INTERPRET PRINTED MATERIALS· Scripts· Line scripts· Call sheets· Shooting schedules· Blue prints· Lighting plots· Camera reports· Production report· Invoices· Requisition forms· Receipts· Petty cash forms· Check requisition forms· Federal Express forms· Postal forms· Laboratory work orders· Way bills· Purchase order· Street maps· Directories· Telephone yellow pages· Product information brochures· Instruction manualsIDENTIFY BEHAVIORS THAT WILL HARM YOUR CAREER· Thievery· Failing a commitment· Lateness· Misrepresenting abilities· Shirking duties at wrap time· Failing to ask for help when faced with a· Task you don't know how to perform· Spending an inappropriate amount of time on· Personal PR· Too much "schmoozing"· Talking too much· "Telling on" other employees· Failure to show respect for craft, production, or co-workers· Inappropriate comedy· Sluggishness at work· Moving too fast through set· Breaking things· Posing a threat to equipment or personnel

I'm limiting my response to three for the worse and three for the better...For the worse:1. Fewer phone calls. Reps are too dependent on email. For early stage prospecting, fire off emails to new leads to request a time to call or they reply to a lead form submission with an email instead of picking up the phone to talk to them. Later in the process, reps continue emails with 20+"Re:" in the string for simple communication like confirming the time and place of the next meeting, or for more complex communication such as handling objections.If the reps were required to use the phone, they would call directly to uncover the root cause of product questions - the "why?" behind the "what?" question.2. Less sales call preparation. WIth CRMs, reps are pulling up account and contact notes as they are dialing the phone, thinking that they can refresh themselves on an account as the prospect's phone is ringing.Before CRM software, reps had notebooks or notecards that they would lay out to link together a clear understanding of where they stood in the sales process and what they needed to accomplish in their next call.3. Too dependent on product demos. With screen-sharing software, jumping into a demo is far too easy. Reps are depending on the product to sell instead of performing fundamental needs assessment then proposing client solutions based on those needs. Before technology, leading a product demo generally meant an on-site meeting - an expensive activity because of the time investment and travel expense, therefore the demo took place far later in the sales process.Related to this, reps also fire off PowerPoint decks and product sheets instead of retaining that information for on-site conversations.For the better:1. Opportunity tracking. CRMs provide a much clearer picture on how long an opportunity has been live and it stage in the sales process. This enables managers to hold reps more accountable.2. More meetings. While reps make fewer calls, the screen-sharing applications do enable reps to pull together more decision-makers and influencers because they can locate any time during the day or week that the prospect and her team is available, instead of planning around plane schedules and weather.3. More contact with clients. iPhones > Pay phones. While seemingly growing larger with each version, I'll take an smartphone over a bag of quarters and an address book any day.

Don’t just wish you were better at it — do something to manage your time better!I think that there’s something incredibly powerful about changing the way you live your day-to-day life. If you find yourself going through the motions of waking up, responding to text messages, then rushing to school or work and handling tasks one by one, it doesn’t feel like you’re really doing anything different. In fact, it’s more like you’re in reaction mode most of the time — you react to events, tasks you must complete, even other people’s behavior.The truth is this: if you continue this way, you’ll find yourself having less and less time to do what’s important to you.So how can you make the change? Here are a few techniques that helped me maximize the day.Technique #1. Make the most of your circadian rhythm.When you get to know your circadian rhythm (the 24-hour biological cycle in which your body responds differently to physical and mental challenges at certain times of day), you can better select which activities to do when so you’re more productive in a shorter amount of time. How do you make the most of this time?Mornings are great when you need to be most mentally alert. Some scientists call this the brain’s peak performance time, and it's roughly 2-4 hours after we wake up. So, for example, if you wake up at 7, your peak times are between 9 and 11 a.m. Use this time for your hardest cognitive tasks: problem-solving, learning complex and challenging concepts for the first time, researching and taking notes, etc.Afternoons are optimal times for collaborating and performing physical activities. Use this time of day to schedule meetings, brainstorm ideas with others, and work together on group projects; or to do work that requires more coordination and physical strength (home improvement, construction projects, rock climbing and other types of physical exercise, repairing equipment or machinery, etc.).Evenings can be the ideal time for strategic thinking. Your brain thinks differently at the end of the day, so it can do its best work if you give it time to be more creative. If you're setting goals, either personal or professional, this is when you can outline your next steps and think about the big picture. You can also use this time for creative outlets: playing a musical instrument, painting, drawing, or writing.Technique #2. Stop overwhelming yourself with “to-do” lists.You can simplify your life and maximize your focus if you start each day by asking yourself this question: What is the one thing I am committed to completing today?Why should you start your day this way? This technique encourages you to think strategically about your day, it keeps you focused on your goals, it forces you to prioritize what’s most important, and it serves as a personal promise to yourself that you will follow through.How can you incorporate it into your day? It’s not an abstract question. Write it down in big bold letters on a sheet of paper and hang it on your bedroom or bathroom wall. Read it out loud as you start your day, and come up with an answer on the spot. Then, as you go through the day, make sure you’re working on completing what you’ve identified as your one thing.Technique #3. Practice a morning routine.The biggest benefit to creating a morning routine is that you become the master of your own time really early—you wake up your body and help your brain be more alert, you designate some time to start working earlier on things that are important to you, and you gain a sense of calm knowing in advance what your day will look like. What are examples of a morning routine?Eating a balanced breakfast. It should take about 5 minutes to prepare, and can be a combination of protein, fresh fruit, and nuts such as walnuts, almonds, and cashews.Doing a short workout. How short? It can be only 15 minutes! This really helps if you can’t find the motivation to keep working out on a regular basis. It can be anything from a morning yoga routine to a 20-minute power walk.Mapping out the day. Think about how you will structure your day as you’re having breakfast or going on your morning walk. Visualize where you’ll be going, how much time you will spend at each location (even if it’s just an estimate), and what you will accomplish while you’re there. This helps you think how you can manage your time better when it’s in smaller increments, which will give you a greater sense of control over your day.Technique #4. Use a timer for maximum impact.When you divide up your work during the day into smaller increments, it becomes more manageable, and your brain is able to focus better on each task. How and when do you use a timer?When you are learning new information. Set the timer to 30 or 60 minute blocks. When you're done with one segment, step away from your desk, and do something completely unrelated to work to give your brain a chance to rest: take a 5 minute walk, look out the window, grab a cup of coffee or tea, have a snack.When you’re working towards a deadline. Use the Pomodoro technique which gives your brain a 25-minute time block to concentrate, and then allows for a 5-minute break.When you’re taking a break from work. Don’t let your evenings pass you by. Give yourself targeted time to relax and do something fun: watch a movie, go out with friends, ride your bike, read a book. Before you begin, set your timer to 2 hours, then go do your thing. The benefit? You will learn where your time goes, and you’ll still have an alert for when it’s time to start unwinding from the day and prepare to sleep.Technique #5. Avoid multitasking.It’s a myth that multitasking helps us save time. We think it’s just routine, but every time we do it, we interrupt the work our brain is currently focused on. The result? It can take us up to 20 minutes to get our focus back. And it gets worse: a study from the University of London showed that this type of multitasking can result in a loss in IQ points. How do you change it?Set up a few intervals during the day for checking your email and social media apps. Pick 2–3 times: around lunchtime, later in the afternoon, and evening. Avoid the temptation to check “just for a few minutes” - this can easily turn into an hour of browsing, and you’ll need much more time to get back to whatever it was you were working on.Avoid browsing the Internet and reading the daily news early in the day. Leave these activities for later, after you've completed your important tasks. When is a good time to catch up? Try midday, during or after lunch; or, leave the news for your daily commute back from work or school.Technique #6. Remove distractions.Distractions are everywhere around us, from loud noise to phone calls and incoming text messages. The bad side to all this is that distractions negatively impact our focus and lower our productivity, which is why we have to be deliberate in removing them when we need to get stuff done. How?Be smarter with your phone. Adjust the setting to Airplane mode so that calls and text messages don’t interrupt your work. Screen your calls, and call back if something is urgent, but for the rest, follow up when the time is right for you. Don’t let other people own your time; that’s your job.Set expectations with roommates, friends, and family. Let them know you won't be available for a few hours when you need to do your hard work, so they don’t interrupt you with their requests or questions. Tell them you’ll call later or catch up in the afternoon when you finish up what’s most important, whether that’s schoolwork, an important project, or finishing your workout.Shut out the noise with noise-cancelling headphones or with silicone ear plugs, and listen to music that can help you focus better (for example, instrumental or classical music such as Mozart, Bach, or Vivaldi).Technique #7. Make the most of the “in-betweens.”The in-betweens are all the times you spend throughout the day going from place to place, whether it’s walking, taking the bus or train, or waiting in line at the grocery store or the subway. The good news? It’s still your time, and you can spend it on something that’s valuable to you. When and how?When you’re commuting to work or school. Use the time to listen to podcasts. Think of it as brain food—you hear interesting stories, find ways to gain a new skill, get book recommendations, stay on top of world news, or get an idea on how you can work on an important life goal.When you’re stuck somewhere waiting for a ride home. Whether it’s an hour or longer, use this time to work on a personal project. Always carry a notebook with you, where you can write down a list of what you want to do, books you need to get, the name of a documentary you were recommended by a friend, a podcast episode that got you curious, or something else that caught your attention. That way you are not wasting time, but rather investing time in yourself!