Hello beautiful people!
Let’s get to Googlin’!
Because you’re building relationships with fellow creatives with whom you would never compete for a gig (you’re not the same type, the same vibe, the same age, the same ethnicity, the same gender identity or expression for cryin’ out loud), you have zero stress sharing resources, and that means your community show bible is potentially massive.
Think about the power in that!
Of course, with a massive, powerful show bible comes the potential for overwhelm and that’s why it’s so important to create a practice of updating — and refining — your show bible on the regular.
Listen up!
You already have a show bible brewing. Right? RIGHT?
You have a list of everyone you’ve ever worked with. You have a list of those you want to work with. You have a list of leaders whose leadership style you want to model. You have a list of people whose work inspires you. You have a list of well-known creators whose voices already speak the stories you want to help tell. You have a list of lesser-known creators whose voices are starting to whisper the stories you want to help tell.
And you have access to IMDb-Pro, The Futon Critic, iSpot.tv, IBDb, IOBDb, CastingAbout, and the Internet Archive Wayback Machine, plus dozens of industry rags, trade publications, gossip blogs, Twitter feeds, YouTube channels, podcasts, Clubhouse rooms, livestreams, the credits running on every bit of content you consume, and convos with fellow ninjas about who’s inspiring and delighting them.
But you can have all the information in the world and if you don’t purposefully manage and “yes, and…” that info, you’re nowhere.
Today’s work: Update your Google Alerts. Dig in there and delete any superfluous ones that you no longer need to keep tabs on. Add refinements to ones that are coming in too busy or unfocused (like adding the word “cast” to a Google Alert on someone’s name that’s returning way too many hits that are not the casting director but instead the little league coach by the same name). Remove those former-tier targets from the regular rotation.
Get more purposeful with your “yes, and…” action for the information coming your way via Google Alerts. Put on your calendar a regular date for doing this if you didn’t do it the last time this was part of your homework. *ahem* Clock in regularly to get up to speed about your world and to build your fluency with the people, projects, and details you’re tracking. You only lose the advantage of a long-forgotten bit of work you did if YOU drop the ball on tracking its progress through the festival circuit.
Look at the advantage I now have with the film I discussed in today’s MP3! I can reconnect with the team to rekindle our relationship. I can be sure I’m involved in the festival run or distribution plans for this project. I can pitch myself to podcasters seeking interviewees using this “hot new release” as a reason I’m relevant. I can have my team put out a press release. I can update my resume with notable festival or distribution entity developments. If I were an actor, I could use this as an opportunity to send out postcards and do a blast to my newsletter, update the “latest” section on my website, grab footage for editing my demo reel. All this new energy off ONE hour of having clocked in on my tracking work.
What advantage can you get from what you’re tracking? Can you find a blurb about yourself out there that could refresh your reviews section on your website? Is there something going on with a target that gives you a chance to send a quick email or social media DM letting them know you saw their good news and wish to celebrate them? Or is it just about clocking in to do more focused work with what’s already headed into your inbox right now? How can you be more purposeful with your tracking action starting today?
’til tomorrow… stay ninja!
I actually cleaned out my Google Alerts on the Show Bible day early in this course. I had so many and it got overwhelming with the new data I had from the GIGNY that I noticed I was avoiding looking at what came in because it was too damn much. My main focus in my show bible research right now has been representation, and it’s been super helpful (and calming) to start small and build the muscle of consistently doing the research. Today I’ll add my name and recent projects, that should be fun! As I start getting stronger in this I’ll add more alerts for the shows/filmmakers I want to work with, but cleaning out my alerts and starting small again has definitely helped.
I also use a separate gmail account. Super easy to do. And FUN FACT: If you use gmail, you can make your background theme Ninjas. 🙂
Bahahahahahahahaha! That’s awesome! Well done, Aly!! Yay!
NINJAS!!!!! 🙂
Alyson, I also love your reference to starting small to “build the muscle of consistently doing the research.” I recently did that with my Show Bible and mailings, because I had WAY too much going on in there, and I realized I needed to narrow my focus even more. Makes me think of a photographer, adjusting the lens to get sharper focus on the subject.
Or… working macro to micro. 😉 Good job!
Yeah, this is gonna take some Spring cleaning.
You can do it!
Just made a new Google Alert for my studio feature (coming out in a month) and realized we’re having a special screening–wait for it–IN JERSEY next week. I immediately let my publicist know, in case I could, y’know, go and represent with Zach Braff and Michael Caine. <3 Hopefully yes!
Yeah ya do!!!!!!
Yesterday I started doing my next tier agent research by combing through IMDB on my target show. I saw some agents come up a few times so have taken note of them.
Today as I started my google alerts I looked to see if my target show was going to be renewed and found a site premiere date.news which for me is wonderful for a couple of reasons.
1) my target show has yet to be renewed. Maybe move on to a show that has been renewed.
2) this is a great resource for finding shows in the UK that have been renewed and that I may not have watched before.
I now have a list of shows that fit with my brand that I’m going to watch and then mine deeply.
This is the strategy/work/play/point of creation I have been looking for.
Thank you Bonnie!!!
How wonderful! <3 Love the action you're taking!
Andromeda, thank you so much for this fantastic resource! I’ve been looking for something like this that covers UK television for ages!!
Ahhh, I don’t know why I never thought of setting a Google alert with my own name… Makes a lot of sense!
I am still working on getting the past six years into this beautiful showbible of mine, but just had the idea to start my writer’s showbible now that I am at the beginning of being published. Google alerts here I come! 🙂
Awesome! How cool to get going at the start of the journey! Imagine the massive data you’ll have in no time! 🙂 And YES — self-Google ’til it’s not your business to see what’s out there. Eventually, you have people to filter that for you.
Show Bible in early stages. I’ve been gathering data and continue to do so. I’m going old school with the index cards for people I have relationships with for now. This is when I wish I was more computer savvy. I’m also compiling a list of target reps from IMDB by copy/paste into a Word doc for now. Also printing the Cover Page of target shows from IMDB and adding them to my Get In Gear binder. What can I say…… I like paper. Maybe some of you are groaning at the lack of efficiency?! But that’s where I’m at for today. I think I’m going to have to start paying my computer science major son as my IT department. He’s been very sweet. Looking at using Evernote and, yes, I did create a google email just for Google Alerts last week actually. It’s nice to have it separated.
Hooray! 🙂 I love paper too so you’re in good company! 🙂 Whatever system WORKS. That’s the deal! 🙂
What a cool way of using google alerts! I revisited my list, and found that it’s actually a little too small, so I’m not getting enough good data. Time to fix that.
Another reason why they’re not serving me as well as they could have is because my show bible process has a few kinks in it. I’ve gotten really excited about shows only to discover that they shoot in Canada, or cast people that are wayyyy higher-tier than I am at the moment. To fix that, I jotted down a few notes on a more efficient workflow:
1. Find out where a show shoots. If I can’t be a local hire, cross it off the list.
2. Watch at least the trailer and determine if it is on-brand or not.
3. Gather data on the most recent season’s costars. If they’re too fancy for me, put a pin in it.
4. Input the show into OneNote. Fill in my template with all of the key information and personnel. Run their names through the search bar to see if they’ve shown up elsewhere.
5. Set up a Google Alert! Google them a bit and save or take notes on their best recent interviews.
This way, by the time that alert reaches my inbox I *know* it’ll be useful or relevant. Alerts on people who aren’t working on projects I could be a part of will be intentional rather than accidental.
Hope this is useful to someone! Anyone have refinements?
Beautiful tweaks! So very wonderful, Katie! Good work as always. 🙂
Thanks, Bonnie!
Great Katie! Thank you I’m going to use your excellent tactics to re dig into my alerts. They got stale. I also have to refine my alerts to be more specific.
Excellent day! Thanks Ninjas! Thanks sensei, Bonnie!
Deb
*smooch*
Glad this was helpful!
LOVE THIS SYSTEM! Thanks for sharing!!
I’m a newbie to the Show Bible and what felt most comfortable to me what taking a notebook and just going to town in it. I am sure I will switch to a different route once I get deeper in. But it did feel good to start. I decided to go with casting directors I had auditioned for 1st because it seemed to be the path I had the least resistance to and I wanted to get started. It became kinda fun! 🙂 I also just set up a google alert on myself and it gave me this giggly, little kid feeling. I like it!
Yay! That’s huge progress, darlin’! Celebrate!
I love this stuff!
My google alerts were pretty outdated. I decided to narrow my target shows to the top four and plugged in everyone involved in casting them, their showrunners, and a writer or two.
I’m laughing because for all the times I asked myself how I was going to get information about reps, it never occurred to me to set up alerts for them! Just plugged in my top 20 list.
Also, thank you for the suggestion to add a separate email address for this. I had thought that would be too hard (spoiler: it wasn’t), and it was causing my obsessively organized self to just delete most of the emails I had from alerts to keep from cluttering everything. Waaaaay more useful to have it all in one place where I can then set aside time to go through it and add to my ol bible.
I already had my own name in the alerts – thank you so much for the idea to add all the misspellings! Finding some gems under Shepherd and Shephard and Sheppard. 🙂
Hooray! 🙂 Love seeing this become less overwhelming and therefore more manageable in the day-to-day, therefore more useful and powerful over time! 🙂 Hooray!
LOVE THIS DAY. thanks to SMFA book and just tons of bon vids, I’ve been slowly building my show bible. and truth be told, it HAS gotten to be a little tougher to visit recently because i’ve placed “this is us” in it. im super stoked for all its emmy noms/wins, but that just aint my tier, YET. so i’ve updated it with all those in it’s casting dept’s names (thanks to castingabout.com) as well as separate alerts for each member of the shows casting department.
thank you bonnie!
(im back after a 5 day trip to alaska for a cousins wedding!)
Excellent! And yay for Alaska! I was there last year and OMG, how beautiful! Welcome back and hooray for show biblin’!
Round 2: I can honestly say I have come to love this day. 🙂
Just went through my alerts and said bye to two shows that just don’t seem to be loving me back. To be fair, I don’t know that I was ever bringing my real self to the room when I read for them in workshops!
I was really happy that a three week class I took with the head casting director for my dream target show loves me and my work. I brought so much “I am enough-ness” into that class and it was suuuuuuch a great lesson in the benefits of being myself! She’s definitely my demographic and vice versa. It was cool to just read an interview with her that came in courtesy of my google alerts – now that I know her a bit, it’s so much easier to fit it into the puzzle of the show/the people who make it/the actors who light them up…love it.
Yayayayayayayayay!
nice post
Thanks for this day, so perfectly timed!! Thursday is one of my two days per week I make it a point to do some show bible updating. Strangely enough, I have not updated my Google Alerts in a long time. Since I have recently updated my target shows list, and am working on updating my target reps, this is a clear “aha” moment on how to make it easier!
Also never thought of my name- kind of exciting 😀
Yay! 🙂 Hope tightening this up will be helpful on your show bible days.
Makes it clearer, as always!
I am SO many weeks out of this program at this point, but I’m not giving up. I’m jumping back in full-blast. A lot has happened, but I’m moving fast-and-furiously to the point of getting this dream career of mine into my foreground. Google Alerts are being set based on the shows I know I’m right for, as well as for shows I know shoot in my general vicinity. Especially! New York shows shooting currently according to the SAG production show sheet.
STOP THINKING THIS WAY!!!
Right now.
Instead, think this: You are moving through this program at the speed that you need to be moving through it.
Stop thinking there’s a “right way” to do this work. You need to experience the Get in Gear program based on who you are and where you are in your life.
What I see you doing is using your path through Get in Gear as the means of beating yourself up and making you feel bad… I will not let you falsely use this program for that purpose. You are disallowed from doing so… Stop it.
There is no one “right way” to do this program (but please don’t tell Bonnie I said that…).
Love this, Keith! There are a few days’ worth of GIGFTNT in my inbox at the moment and I had to stop myself from thinking I was “behind.” There’s already so much (unnecessary) self-applied pressure, why add more? We’re exactly where we need to be!
This program has a habit of unfolding for you right as you’re in need of receiving what it’s giving…
Be patient with yourself, and the world really opens up for you.
Soooo true, yet always surprising!
Go Russell!! You got this!!
Love all the suggestions! I had setup a seperate e-mail address (that’s my 5th one…at least…I really need to do some digital decluttering!) for the google alert and it already helped. It does become a little overwhelming but yes it is a good idea to schedule some weekly (every week) time specifically for google alert/show bible upkeep. I already feel more tuned in bc of the google alert. I have the trade publications on another e-mail.
Wow and look at that…just as I added someone I’ve worked with in the past (which I didn’t really have on the google alerts before the suggestions here). I find out more about one of his ‘in development’ projects on his IMDBPro..a historical drama instead of his usual comedy. Good to know!
Heeeeeeyyyyyyyy! Check out that badassery! 🙂
This was a great reminder. I set up my original google alerts a while ago and a lot of them are just outdated. This was very fun adding several projects I’ve been a part of this year that have been racking up big buzz. Before I was just doing a google search about once a week to grab new materials, but this makes it a hell of a lot easier. Not sure why I didn’t remember this tool! I also added some target show CD’s and show runners, as well as an upcoming Broadway show that I am SO right for. Added the CD, Director, etc – turns out the director has a show going on in LA right now! Gonna go see it! My old alerts were feeling so stale, but now that I am adding projects that I feel so fired up about, I just can’t wait to continue to dive in and work this new info!
Hooray! <3
Ok, I think one of the reasons I’ve been so resistant to the show bible, was because copying & pasting information I already had elsewhere into a new place felt so tedious & like busy-work. So, since the majority of my information about people is already in my phone’s address book, I’m going to use that as the place for my show bible. There’s a “notes” section, so I think I can use it basically the same way I was attempting & failing to use the Airtable app. I can keep everyone’s contact info where it already was, but just add MORE details & information. I updated my phone addressbook to include a lot of the contact info I only had on my laptop. So…I’ll see how this new show bible attempt works out for me!
Totally! Mine is mainly in my contacts app! 🙂 It’s awesome.
It just feels so much easier. Already liking it more.
Me too, I use my Contacts app as well, works good! I mean, for the IMDB target show research I’m maintaining a separate list for, but will add those later to the Contact app.
Thanks for the tip to add “ cast” to the name. I’ve been getting some random alerts with people who have the same name. I still have a lot of work to do on this and my show bible. Small chunks.in Crossfit we call this “ a chipper”. Just keep chipping away.
Love it! That’s a great bit of lingo for use in this work! 🙂
“Create a separate email account…” <– THIS is brilliant! My google alerts have been coming in all haphazard from a couple of different accounts since I started this many years ago. I am now streamlining this into ONE separate account where they will ALL come in and I can go visit, regularly, to update my show bible (as I get THAT going) keep tabs on what's up out there on me, and cut the clutter coming IN to my email. I NEEDED this!! YAY! Done and DONE!
Fabulous! You’ll love the focus!
Alerts updated! I added projects that I’ve worked on in the past as well as more CDs for my target shows. Excited to get creative about the ways I can “yes, and…” the alerts to come. 🙂 I’m still working on getting my first co-star so this is a great place to practice and come up with various “yes, ands…”
I wanted to ask, Bonnie, about the negotiation process for actors. I recently negotiated for gas money for a project that was slightly below my floor for pay. Is it odd for an actor to negotiate for producer credits that far along in the process? And if I’ve added improv lines to a scene (on request, of course), are there ways to negotiate writer credits?
Some of this is a little too specific for me to answer in this format (but you’re more than welcome to cover this in coaching with me, should you wish to explore that). But IN GENERAL, contracts are always open for negotiation, so it doesn’t hurt to ask. I’ve found it’s never too early to offer filmmakers a way to spend LESS money in exchange for beefed up credits. I’m serious. I’ve cast films on which they’re over the moon excited to call everyone a producer in exchange for paying them less. 😉
The writer situation is more delicate if we’re talking about a project on which a member of the WGA was already paid and credited. It’s not just about your ability to be called a writer; there are ripple effects. Obviously, if you’re talking about a non-pro-level (meaning no union members, even at the writer level) production, you could certainly give it a shot just like the producer negotiating above. But once we’re in a situation where union members wrote the piece — and especially if you’re a union member acting in it — and you ad-libbed and want some writer cred, that’s a wee bit stickier and way more specific than I can generally advise about, here. 😉
I love this reply which aims to address the query at multiple tiers!
Thanks. And you betcha I’m well aware there are generations of ninjas coming through these pages and learning even if they never comment. 😉 Many tiers are represented here… so I’ve gotta leave behind teaching for ’em all. Thanks for noticing the badassery.
This is so exciting! I’m really focused on updating my Show Bible and am doing a deep-dive on my target show/target reps for Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt! Season 4 is being released soon. Looking at co-star roles, target agents, shooting location . . .
I have several actors, writers and directors in my Show Bible who I’d like to work with — WHO ARE WAAAAAAY above my current tier haha Definitely channeling them, their words, and writing content that aligns with their wavelength. Putting the energy out there that the content I create is seen by them and sparks interest. <3
Right on!
Wellll I’m a fool because I forgot to add google alerts to my show bible homework entirely!
Which is great, because it means I can get purposeful with them from the get go 😉
I’m going to use them to track a couple larger projects I’ve worked on that I want to track for my own “latest news” section, and once I have my newly updated target list I will use google alerts to track only a few targets. I want to be incredibly purposeful with my alerts and not overwhelm myself with oodles and oodles of notifications!
WHY AREN’T THERE MORE COMMENTS HERE?! lol
This day is actually really exciting! With just a little bit of energy, you’re allowing all this information to just come to you. ~
. . . Now it’s time to actually open those emails and read them hahaha
But seriously, this is such an awesome way to keep up with everything our target industry folk are doing. <3
🙂 Glad you’re excited about this. I sure am! It’s a great — easy — flow of show bible data and the popping in to keep ’em tuned up for where we’re headed is so easy. Hooray!
It’s like having a personal assistant to do your scut work 😀
Round 2: Great reminder to check that email account, which I hadn’t done for several weeks now. And look there — a bunch of emails that were NOT on point. I deleted them all and re-jiggered that Google alert so now it should only bring me the ones that I specifically want. And I went ahead and added a couple of new ones that have come up in the meantime. Whew! That showbible could be a full time job if I just had the time… or, more precisely, if I wanted to take the time away from ALL the other projects I’m working on! LOL!
Woo hoo! 🙂 I swear, any smart ninja out there looking to build a side hustle that supports other ninjas could run a massive business just DOING the show bible research for them. I keep putting it out there. Someday someone will monetize this service and make a buttload of money!
It’s ironic you mention that Bonnie, because I have been offering my admin services to others, etc., that could involve anything from book keeping and researching, etc. I suppose I haven’t been very aggressive about it, but I do offer these services and no one has taken me up on it yet.
🙂
Hmm… do you have a simple page at your website that explains what it is you are capable of? I think promoting this in the Saturday Facebook thread would yield some bites. Heck, just knowing that *I* could point interested parties to you is pretty awesome!
Just added a google alert for MYSELF! How next tier is that? I finally finally really worked on my show bible and put together a little producing newsletter. Whew.
You’re such a badass. 😉
Dude, that’s badass.
I had never even heard of google alerts until this class so will have to try them out. I’m going to talk to my mentor and see if she has any tips, because if I get too many emails, I’ll just write them off in my head as *spam” (which is what happened to THR emails, and I rarely open those now).
Yeah. You definitely don’t want this to be clutter. Strategic use of them is what makes them so powerful. Good for you, looking to your mentor for advice!
Never heard of Google Alerts before this – NINJA. Thanks for all the tips and advice. Have set up a separate account with a badass password fueled by newfound respect for my own enoughness. I don’t comment often but I am reading everything and thank you ALL again for sharing.
Use them sparingly until you get used to them. They can get overwhelming.
Fabulous, George. So excited for you to explore this! 🙂
A while ago I had deleted most all of my Google Alerts because I was getting off-topic ones, etc., so started not checking them…yadda yadda yadda. So I’ve set a few new ones with the CD’s name in parentheses and the word cast. That should target better. Ready to use that info “on purpose!”
So grateful for this information and inspiration to get back at working the biz!
Thanks!
So for some reason, I haven’t really set too much tracking on pre-existing relationships, mostly people I have set at next (or current) tier targets. HOLY COW am I missing out! This is my HW for later this afternoon. Because I get so caught up in looking towards the next people to add to my list that I forget to foster the people I have at least a tiny connection with already. And this year has been mega in terms of new people I’ve met, so this might be a big project. However, I did learn a couple days ago that I can consolidate my alerts into a daily or weekly digest!! Because I’ve been getting like 6 emails a day, and it gets lost in the shuffle. But with this digest, I am able to just set a weekly time to look at this one email and ALL of its delicious goodies inside!!
Perfect!
Looking forward to doing more show bible updating! I have a few Google Alerts set up, but I’m making my list of what other targets to add. I’ll also add myself!
I’ve been using AirTable and am loving the ability to have all kinds of lists accessible in the same place. I love lists. I need to do some googling about how to do use a cross-listing/search feature, but I’m already inspired by the possibilities.
Ha!!! I LOVE that my comment from last round is the last one in here… Hooray for staying in the game!
So, I’m currently reorganizing all my data., so Show Bible is getting some love.
I had to create another email for the Google Alerts, as I was getting overwhelmed with all the info and tended to delete what I didn’t think was immediately relevant. Especially since I work off my phone a lot, and it was clogging up my inbox. Now I have another account, decorated with NINJAS! I can happily send ALL my alerts there, check-in when I’m scheduled to do a Show Bible/Alerts session and not get flooded.
I still need to figure out how to make the info more useful for me on a day-to-day basis. I think I might filter out some of the Google Alerts to be just my targets for representation at the moment. That’s my current goal and sometimes I can get distracted by the “shiny penny/squirrel” phenomenon. Focus, Kearns!
Happy to feel that I’m starting to get a habit formed for adding people to my show bible as I go. For a long while, I’ve been doing “post-audition thoughts” and recording all the data. So now I’m mining those recordings for any details that can go in my bible, along with data from my Google Calendar.
Learning to connect the dots!
Fabulous work! I love a separate email address for this (I use so many for “air traffic control” of my inboxes) and YES to having different shifts in the focus over time. Like this time of year is great for adding data about agents/managers if you’re hoping to submit come drop season! Then shift to casting directors a bit more after that… and so on! Use that Aligned Hustle Calendar for best timing! So dang good. 🙂
Catching up catching up – I created a protonmail accoun t just fo the alerts – awesome idea.
It’ll help keep it from becoming overwhelming and then forgotten. 🙂
Ok so I made a list on a word doc divided into CDs I’ve met/target shows I belong on, agents, showrunners, and managers so far. I will now go figure out how to make a google alert, uhh yikes. I joked to myself after listening to the mp3 that I am just a lit’l burgeoning bebeh ninja, cooing and wide eyed for all this shit I have never seen or done before. But with the help of everyone here I shall grow strong and tall in ninjahood! I shall! lol 😀
Yes you shall!
Loved so much the idea to set an alert for misspellings of my name. Tres useful!
Also, really appreciated the idea to do an alert for the subtitle for my book. It’s long and Google was like: “No one searches for that!” But I was all: “Someone will, Bonnie said so!” Then Google was like, “Oh, okay.”
This was exactly what I needed. Everything else has been a giant maraschino (LOVE) cherry on top. One that I didn’t know I wanted, but the little girl version of me did. She’s so happy that I’m getting organized so we can play without thinking about all the things we should be doing. Cuz they’re getting done!! See you on the swings!
Tee hee! That’s all so playful and awesome (like YOU)! It’s not terribly often that the Google Alert for “Getting Down to (Show) Business” shows up but it absolutely has happened when a college bookstore lists that as the title… and that lets me know another school has picked up the book! Hooray! 🙂
so I updated my google alerts a couple days ago, just coming back for some share-sies.
So I put Sheila Kelley into my google alerts – she was one of the people I had on my leader list from one of the very earlier days of this course. I had her on my list because of what she’s created with S Factor, and how not only has she built this teaching empire but also gone on to do TED talks with her work and I want to emulate what she’s created in my Burlesque and Body confidence teaching world.
So it popped up on google alerts that she has been due to be in Season 4 of The Good Doctor ( supposing it all goes ahead with COVID-19) and im like.. huh.. is she doing a little cameo of herself or like an actual role ( coz I never watched the show) I go to imdb and my good god… palm to face.. she’s been a working actor since the late 80’s, she was recurring in “LOST” how did I miss that?? I’ve binged that show a billion times!! So many shows!!! She blatantly STARTED as an actor and turn out from her bio that she built S Factor out of inspiration from a film she produced and starred in about pole dancers – Acting was her main thing and the pole stuff was the sideline hustle.. and here I am thinking she’s t’other way round.. I now have even more reasons to deep dive on Shelia Kelley and her trajectory in both businesses.
If google alerts hadn’t popped up I would never have had the impetus to have put in on my radar to check her out further than the S Factor world as it just wouldn’t have occurred to me to throw her name into IMDB.
Oh hello rabbit hole!
In fact, I’ve cast Sheila’s hubs before — and she was pitched on that same project! 🙂 She’s lovely and for SURE had a big presence as an actor long before she explored the power of pole and then created an empire around it. She’s a GREAT pace car for you! Awesome!
Updating initiated!
😀
All right, we’ll give ‘er a go! I tried Google Alerts in the past, but it didn’t yield much information for me (perhaps I just had a lot of recluses on my list, ha ha).
Regardless, this update had me circling back to an agent for more show bible info, then into IMDB, then updating a film title to include the nomination we received but it didn’t get listed. So all in all, a productive task, despite having not received an Alert yet!
Make sure you’ve got those settings to show ALL results and do them AS THEY HAPPEN (the defaults for those two are “best results” and either weekly or daily I think on the timing). Those tweaks can make a big difference on volume!
Ah, interesting. All right, done. Let the data flow!
I um…haven’t ever used Google Alerts soooooooo….. LOL!
I’m excited to put some specific alerts in though! Which I just did, and finally pulled the trigger to get on IMDB PRO, and start diving in to some info I’ve been curious about, rep wise…
I’m just now remembering some things I was connected with…so I’m happy to finally add that into the alerts as well.
More so, I’m looking for someone to rep me, so this is the exciting part for me to dig into.
Yay! Let that excitement flow! 🙂 Google Alerts get REALLY fun the better we get at the wording we choose! Yay, data!
I’ve been show bibiling every Friday since it was introduced, but completely forgot to set up Google Alerts. I just set up Google Alerts for the real name and company name of all the people in my show bible. I also added a checkbox to my Notion for show bible entries to check off when I’ve set up a Google Alert for that person.
I set up a mailbox for the alerts and my process will be to flag them as gray when they arrive once a week and move them into the mailbox. Then on Fridays, I’ll start by going through the alerts to update entries or clean up alerts that aren’t working for me anymore. Once I’ve processed it, I’ll remove the flag so that I know that it is dealt with. Then I’ll move on to adding new people.
I’ll need to do some thinking about how best to use the information after that. If the person is someone I already know, then I can reach out to them about it sometimes to congratulate them, keep in touch, etc. I’m sure other ways to use it will become apparent as I start getting alerts.
Yayayayayay!
I have not historically been a Google Alert gal because I’ve had enough work fielding my other targeting inbox flow, but maybe it’s time to change that!
I like my Show Bible with a cup of black coffee and hours of deep dives. I tend to add to it in big chunks instead of a little bit every day, though I do *use* it almost daily. Today I’m going to plug in info from my recent submissions and catch up on adding more local people.
Works for me if it works for you!
What I use Google Alerts for is more of a “Oh, shit! THAT is happening? Cool. I’m glad I know about that” way more than comprehensive updating recon. 🙂
I realized as I was reading up on today that I don’t have these lists you’re talking about (leaders I love, creators telling stories I want to tell, etc)!!! I did at one point in this journey start a list of all the people I’ve worked with. Where is that list, you ask? NO IDEA. And ya gal LOVES good list – one time I had a list of lists I needed to make lol. Sooo today is going to be about getting my show bible tools organized, setting up those Google Alerts, and just gettin down to business over here.
Maybe you left your list in the comments on Day 2? Wherever it may be, I’m glad you’re using today as a time to get your show bible and its Google Alerts in order. Woo HOO!
I have imdb-pro alerts but not google alerts so adding that into the mix. I do want a separate email as I see a real need for this amount of info. Also setting appointment weekly to check said email. On it.
Cannot recommend an “Alerts” email address highly enough.
I got it all set up. I am ready to receive! 🙂
Perfect!
You just gave me a great idea about creating a new email address just for the Google Alerts. I’m currently quite overwhelmed by my email INBOX. Ever since I set my emails up to have an auto reply. Now I get so many “error” messages from those that don’t accept an auto reply. And also my Sent messages are a big off the hook right now too.
.
So keeping the Google alerts in their own email address. I’m On It.
BTW, autoresponders are the #1 way to increase your spam level. Yup. When your address gets confirmed as a REAL address (which a reply confirms), your address suddenly becomes way more valuable to sell into spam collections. So, you exponentially increase your incoming spam just by turning on an autoresponder.
I recommend ONLY doing that if you’re using it with an address that is not actually YOUR personal address; it’s a filtering address (like our help@bonniegillespie.com). 🙂
Glad you’re creating a dedicated show bible address/Google Alerts address. Hugely helpful for focusing the work of targeting!
got it! Ok, changing my auto stuff.. and back for the rest.
I just googled “How to set Google Alerts” and have got some going now. I’m sure I will be one who eventually sends them to a separate email address for ease of management.
I had already started some separate groups for tracking on IMDB but I’m not sure where those alerts get sent or how to access them after the fact, so I will be looking into that more as well.
Yay for learning the tools and “tricks of the trade.” 🙂
Yay! Well done!
Round two. #Imonit. I just have to say whenever I pop in and the lesson has a Bon Vid or Bon audio it simply brightens my day!
Love the tip on adding key words to the google alerts, I’ve noticed that I’ve started ignoring some alerts because I know that most of the time they’re about someone else. My google-alerting has been pretty slactor-y, so I’m looking forward to refining the process up a bit so that I can USE the information!
I actually never set up Google alerts, so this will be my first foray. For now, I’m using my main Gmail account. I have too many email accounts already. If it gets too overwhelming, then I’ll create a new account. I’m already tracking and creating lists on my IMDb Pro, so I guess this is another tool for keeping me updated.
Oh, goodie!! 🙂 HAVE FUN setting the alerts up! They’re really cool.