Interview Questions/Answers
1. Explain any mutual benefit experiences in the entertainment field you may have had? Mimi states, "I use mutual benefit bargaining on a day-to-day basis on my job. As a talent coordinator it is sometimes a struggle to get talent to do the things that needs to be done to get the job done. This ranges from awards shows to shooting schedules for production on reality shows. I often negotiate with my talent on reality shows by telling them that if they shoot a scene that they might not want to due to personality clashes, timing, etc. we will focus the next scene more on their ideas or give them more screen time. On award shows I often struggle with talent getting to rehearsals on time. They never feel like they need to be there as early as they are scheduled. When this happens to negotiate with free lunch, moving up their rehearsal time or allowing them to rehearse longer than they were scheduled to."
2. In your years of experience how do people get pass the answer of “NO” in the entertainment field? How will you use BATNA theory? Mimi mentioned, "I have gotten past NO using BATNA theory when soliciting other jobs. In the world of production it is a revolving door with new shows going into production on a daily basis. When I am contacted or when I contact a line producer for a job I start out telling them what I made on my highest paying job & I ALWAYS let them know that it is negotiable. The employers do not know that I may have only made this amount on a couple of jobs but that gives me wiggle room to get a good salary if they can't meet it. If they cannot meet my highest salary requirement I am usually offered something a little less than that which is what I probably made on my last job."
3. In the multi-media Entertainment field have you experience any Dirty Tricks? According to Mimi, "Yes I have experienced many dirty tricks while working in the entertainment field. I have witnessed cast mates leak information (whether true or false) about other cast mates to the media to make them look bad. I have witnessed performers going on longer in a rehearsal so other performers will not have as much rehearsal time for their performance. I have also seen how interviews can be conducted and certain sound bites will be taken from an interview and used out of context to make a person look bad. The world of entertainment is full of dirty tricks and is a major part of the way this industry works. Without them magazines would not sale, blogs would not be popular and reality shows would not have become so mainstream."
