There’s a fabulous panel and you’re in the room with 50 people who, at least in theory, could hold the key to your next job. Now all you have to do is identify those future co-workers or employers, get them to yourself, and make an impression. Except that you’re the kind of person who doesn’t like crowds and sucks at small talk. You’re outstanding with a storyboard or an animatic, but actually selling something—your script, your idea, your value as a team player—is a talent you’ve learned to use behind a computer or in a meeting once you’re actually employed.
So now you have to (gulp!) network. The people who excel at this kind of interaction will insist that working a crowd to your professional advantage, in addition to being part of building and maintaining a successful career, is also a learnable skill.
It starts with a willingness to get out of your comfort zone. Lawon Exum, who is very much a people person, noticed what happened to the process of networking during and after the pandemic, especially among introverts. The Entertainment and Media Director for Disability Belongs™, Exum helps oversee a summer lab that includes advice from entertainment professionals on a variety of subjects including networking.
First, Exum says, people need to get off their computers and phones: “We were in our houses for so long [during] the pandemic, and people are still going through withdrawal. They don’t want to be [out] in person. I get it, but the world doesn’t work like that.”
Much of it comes down to being yourself, maintaining perspective, and keeping your expectations realistic. If the very idea of in-person networking makes you—to quote that celebrated Network-er Howard Beale—“mad as hell,” consider the process in a different light, and take some comfort in knowing that you’re not alone.
Why Networking Matters
“Most people hate the word networking and the idea of networking because we all associate it with a hunt for work,” says Karen Wickre, author of Taking the Work Out of Networking. For those who find it hard to navigate in crowded situations, she suggests meeting just one or two people you can follow up with after the event: “Find someone you can pursue later and have a one-on-one conversation with.”
Wickre and other networking experts suggest viewing the process as a way of simply connecting with people and making new friends. Set aside the pressure of trying to find someone who has a job they need to fill. Instead, find someone interesting to talk to.
Even if you’re not working, and all the people you encounter are similarly between gigs, don’t get discouraged. That’s community building. “One of the reasons you get together is so that you know it’s not personal,” says David Avallone. “It’s not that no producers or showrunners or story editors like you.” Networking is easier to navigate, he explains, when you realize you’re not the only one searching for work or trying to make connections.
Avallone and Dan Salgarolo run events through the networking subcommittee of TAG’s Writers Craft Committee (WCC). Avallone sought out Salgarolo to join the subcommittee and share networking expertise gained from his own experience. He had attended a comic book convention where a fellow conventioneer—emerging from a networking panel—thrust a comic book he had created at Avallone and insisted he read it. Apparently, this attendee had learned nothing from the session. Avallone contacted the convention organizer and offered to do a networking panel the next year to help others avoid making similar mistakes.
Creating a Strategy
Smashing through the shyness/“what the %&*! do I say?” barrier can be a real thing. Devora Zack, CEO of Only Connect Consulting and author of Networking for People Who Hate Networking, says that extroverts “talk to think” while introverts “think to talk.”
When faced with a situation where they are expected to meet new people, individuals who know their personalities should lean into their strengths rather than try to play a role or be someone they’re not. Advanced preparation can help overcome some of the challenges. Zack advises folks to arrive armed with questions they plan to ask, as well as answers to the kinds of questions they might expect to receive in return.
Other tips include showing up early and offering to help out. While this may feel counter-intuitive for those who want to spend less time talking to people, a room that is quieter before the crowds arrive can be easier to navigate.
“A lot of times, introverts and even extroverts will not want to shamelessly self-promote or brag about how great they are,” says Zack. “That’s cool, and you don’t have to do that. Instead, if you’re volunteering—setting up or handing out name tags—not only are you giving yourself a focus at the event, you’re allowing people to see how helpful you are.”
For the record, Avallone’s offer to help co-lead TAG’s events with Salgarolo turned out to be an act of networking in and of itself. He recently signed with an agent who he met during one of these events.
Making an Impression
You’ve done it. You’re actually face-to-face with someone who someday you want to work with. Now what do you do? Well, if it’s a person you knew in advance would be in attendance, you’ll want to present yourself in a way that shows your value as a worker, a creative, and an individual. But that can feel like a lot of pressure.
“Be yourself and don’t be too concerned with standing out,” says Salgarolo, who advises to just be sociable and remember that you’re not going to fit in with everybody. In line with Wickre’s advice, he adds: “I prefer to find one or two people and spend the whole night with them because then you can actually get into a connection, something a little bit deeper.”
Case in point is an encounter Avallone had at Emerald City Comic Con in Seattle. He was at the bar when a friend he knew walked in accompanied by Kevin Eastman, co-creator of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Avallone didn’t know Eastman, but the two men struck up a conversation over their shared interest in World War II-era comics published by DC in the 1970s.
“The farthest thing from my mind,” says Avallone, “was the idea that the guy who co-created the Ninja Turtles would someday—as he did a year and a half later— say: ‘I’ve been working on this thing for 10 years and I haven’t been able to crack the story. Would you like to look over my notes and see if you can hash out a way to turn this into a screenplay or a comic book or something.’” Avallone ended up co-writing the comic book Drawing Blood with Eastman. It’s a project that exists, he notes, because the first thing out of his mouth wasn’t “I love the Turtles.”
Navigating Logistics
Getting back to the room—at an entertainment industry event, the chances are greater that the people you meet may be in your field and could one day help you get work. The only way to find out is to leap in. Wickre suggests getting started with some sort of soft introduction and small talk. Introduce yourself, ask about the other person’s interests and what brought them to this event, and then share who you are, why you’re there, and the kinds of opportunities you may be looking for. It’s the kind of casual exchange you can have while you’re standing in line to check in, waiting for coffee, or waiting for the program to begin.
Once you are networking with someone, you might have a finite amount of time. The days of leaving resumes or business cards are largely gone, but politely requesting an email address—and giving
Networking is easier to navigate when you realize you’re not the only one searching for work or trying to make connections.
yours—is still acceptable. Then follow up with an email within 12 to 24 hours and connect on LinkedIn, suggests Elise Powers, who teaches LinkedIn courses on networking and is the founder of Eleview Consulting, which provides training in networking skills. When you reach out, she says you should reference something specific that was discussed during the in-person encounter: “I’d really like to talk to you more about that zombie-robot-rock opera set in the Moulin Rouge you mentioned.”
“This message serves as a record for how you met, in case you both forget the context in the coming years,” says Powers.
And, of course, there’s the disengagement itself. After having spent a certain amount of time with someone, whether a potential connection or not, you’re ready to move on. Zack offers a handful of useful lines including “It’s been great talking to you, [but] I promised myself I would mingle,” and “I’m sure you want to meet other people, so thank you for your time.”
So, where are the networking events? Check in with friends in your field, as well as your school’s alumni association and professional organizations like International Animated Film Association (ASIFA), Women in Animation (WIA), Black N Animated, LatinX in Animation (LXiA), and Asians in Animation (AiA). You can also join one of the unofficial Discord accounts helmed by TAG members, and keep an eye on your official TAG and TAG Foundation emails. Along with Writers Committee events, other TAG committees and the Guild itself host events where members can make connections.
Salgarolo notes that people can often get frustrated at having to spend time networking, not realizing that their continued presence at events and gatherings is part of career success: “It’s important to treat [these] events and your relationship to TAG as a whole as something that is a marathon—like a long-lasting relationship that you need to find a way to sustain.”
Bottom line: stay calm and keep on connecting.
