So you got Todd Phillips email address. Or you found Kristen Stewart's Facebook account. What do you do next?
You want advice, or you want them to cast you, or watch your film.
My advice is: be careful how you play that card.
These people get harassed all the time by wannabes, and you don't want to be a wannabe.
Thing is, you're certain you're ready, it's time for the big break. But then you remember five years ago when you were certain you were ready, and you sent Danny Boyle your terrible screenplay. Years later you really really wish you hadn't.
If your brother is Juliet Taylor's cleaner, or your best friend is a hacker who got Scott Rudin's email address, then good for you, it's great to feel like the people you admire are within touching distance.
But remember they don't know you. They don't owe you anything. And tons of other people send them headshots and screenplays, promising them "watch my stuff, I think you'll like it as you're a big influence!"
It may work. It happens. But just think about what you're doing. Do you really want to approach them now? People have a tendency to harrass successful people about seven years before they're any good, and the result is forcing Eli Attie or Kevin Williamson to sit through your agonizing short film. The problem? Five years later when you really have something good, they won't be interested!
This came up today when an actor I met said he was thinking about getting his friend from a famous British comedy to do a few comedy sketches with him. My advice was, well, that's great. But you might not want to play that card yet!
Amen to that.
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