By Julianne Shapiro
Spartan Daily, San Jose State U.
(UWire)--The president and chief operating officer of the Motion Picture Association of America met with San Jose State University students and faculty on campus Wednesday (Feb. 4th). The event was a part of the San Jose State University Alumni Legends Speaker Series.
Bob Pisano, a SJSU alumnus, addressed an audience of more than 40 people at the Engineering Auditorium. He answered questions ranging from how to enter the mainstream film industry to how to finance independent films.
"Hollywood is a very closed society," he said. "People get jobs because they know somebody, not because you send a resume in.""...there is a one-in-a-million chance to enter the mainstream film industry without a connection inside the business."-Bob Pisano
He said there is a one-in-a-million chance to enter the mainstream film industry without a connection inside the business.
"Social networking is not only important, it's the only way," he said.
Hailey Lasnera, a senior theatre arts major, said she learned that social networking is key to being successful in the film industry.
"What I'm going to walk away with is a reminder that I need to touch base with the people I know that work for certain companies like Lucasfilm," she said.
Pisano advised film students not to submit their work without registering with the Writers Guild-the official union site representing writers in the motion picture, broadcast, cable and new media industries-beforehand or connecting with an agent.
He added that people working inside the studios would throw the work away due to the danger of a plagiarism claim.
"If you've done some work, if you've written a script, you got to find someone that can put you in the system the way that the development folks will look at it," he said.
Pisano also said that financing independent films has become increasingly difficult.
"You need to either tie it with one of the independent labels of the mainstream studios, or you have to do with what we call 'piece financing,' which is go around the world and sever off rights to your product, and get the financing to make it," he said.
Pisano said he is responsible for all day-to-day worldwide operations for the motion picture and television industry trade association.
"One thing I tell people is that I still put my pants on one leg at a time," he said.
Pisano started studying at SJSU in the fall of 1961, before President John F. Kennedy was elected.
"The school had a reputation of being the party school of the West, although it was academically quite good," he said. "I did my best to hold up the party school end of the reputation."
According to a news release from the Alumni Association, Pisano graduated from SJSU with a public administration degree in 1965. In 1968, he received a law degree from UC Berkeley and later studied comparative law at Columbia University.
While practicing law, Pisano said he was asked by one of his clients, the CEO of Paramount Pictures, to join him as an executive at the company.
"I thought it was an intriguing career shift after I was a lawyer for 17 years, he said. "It wasn't planned-it was a complete serendipity."
Robert Krakower, a junior television, radio, film and theatre major, said he found Pisano's career change an inspiration to those breaking into the film industry by just knowing someone.
Prior to working at Motion Picture Association of America, Pisano was appointed as the national executive director for the Screen Actors Guild. He also previously worked at MGM and Paramount Studios as the executive vice president.
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