Frederico Lapenda

10 Things to do to Break into Hollywood

By Russell Lee Oquist

Hollywood! The very name evokes visions of glamor, success and excitement. It is the dream of countless people to be able to have a career in the Movie and/or the TV industry. Most picture themselves being a famous movie star. Some are even drawn to the jobs which are behind the scenes; such as a writer, director, producer, director of photography, editor composer, etc. Whatever their individual goals and where they think that they will “fit in” they greatly desire to be in the entertainment industry. Everyday people are arriving in Hollywood with visions of a glamorous career. They are constantly looking for a way to break into show business. However, the competition is so great that even if you have considerable talent and are willing to dedicate yourself to this goal, making whatever sacrifices are needed to succeed, it sometimes seems difficult, even impossible to make the dream come true. Everyone is looking for the “big break” and to “be discovered.” The trade magazines are full of opportunities to auditions for upcoming productions. But the things you have to do seem endless and frankly you start to wonder if it is worth it.

I had the opportunity to meet up with Frederico Lapenda, a successful Hollywood Producer (producing numerous movies including the U.S.S. Indianapolis and Rage (Nicholas Cage, Danny Glover) and many other credits to his name. He is also the president of the Grand Jury for the Beverly Hills Film Festival and Tourism Ambassador to Brazil. I asked about how someone can get started in this exciting but difficult industry. The following is the result of this interview:

RLO: Greetings, Frederico. Thank you for granting this interview.

FL: You are very welcome, Russ. It’s good to see you again.

LO: As you know, everyone wants to break into Hollywood, but it seems so difficult to do. But you started out to pursue your dream with a couple of extra obstacles. You were born in Recife, Brazil, about 11,000 miles from Hollywood. Yet you came to Southern California as a high schooler. Did you specifically come to the USA with the dream of making it in Hollywood?

FL: Yes, I did.

RLO: That takes quite a bit of determination. People come from all over the USA with the same dream, but they grew up in the USA with many advantages of a fuller knowledge of English, the culture, etc. So, what did you do in your education to get caught up to speed?

FL: First of all, I was blessed to have a gracious American family who hosted me, named the Hansens. Billy, Michael, Carol and Bob were all wonderful to me. I studied in High School and college, and completed a degree in Cinema and T.V. from UCLA.

RLO: Since then. you have quite a career: You have produced over 40 films and documentaries, MMA events on T.V including many PPV (Pay Per View) events, video games and music concerts/ One of your most significant recent accomplishments was to produce a children’s book, along with Marvel Comics Founder, Stan Lee, the creation of Allies of the Amazon. This is a fascinating children’s book about the importance of the Amazon rainforest and teaches children many important moral lessons.

FL: Yes, I feel fortunate to see many of my dreams come true. I am also excited about what the future may bring.

RLO: What drove you to work so hard to bring all this about?

FL: There is no business like show business!!! Anywhere, that I have been around the world, I have always felt an incredible love and passion for the seventh art. I know you probably have friends who has memorized lines from different movies. We all have a friend who can impersonate Al Pacino playing Scarface. “ Say Hello to My Little Friend” hahahah. In my case the passion was so great that I moved 11K Miles, work hard and got into the Entertainment Business.

RLO: Yes, but it seems so hard to break into Hollywood.

FL: Actually, it has never been easier to break into Hollywood than now. When I graduated from film school in 1993, things were very expensive: it was hard to get into the University and movies were shot in 35mm. Now it has become super cheap and democratic. You can make a movie using your cellphone with your friends and edit it on your laptop. Then you can send the movie digitally, compete in many film festivals around the world and promote your own film using social media. Now, if a person truly wants to get into the movie business, there is no excuse not to try.

RLO: So then, I think that you are a good person to ask this question: Frederico, what are the top 10 things needed to break into Hollywood?

1. Learn your craft. I cannot stress enough how important it is to get proper training if you plan on getting in the business. You are talking about a business that attracts people from all corners of the world - they are full of drive and focus. And most of them have prepared themselves for many years. If you want to work in this business, you must go to school and learn the craft. The other great advantage of going to school is that you meet other people that are on the same path as you and you will likely work together in the future.

2. Make Short Films. Short films are a great way to sharpen your skills, network and participate in film festivals. In the beginning, try to keep the plot simple and use as few locations as possible. Every time you do a project you learn so much. if you were to redo this film, you would be able to do it better, faster and cheaper. Make as many movies as you can.

3. Intern in both small and big production companieS. Interning in a production company is a great way to elevate your game. You get to learn how to run a company, how to negotiate, and most importantly you get to hang out with people from the industry. I am a strong believer in networking. It is amazing how small this world really is. After working in the town for a few years you keep meeting the same people and you start to connect the dots. It is very important to build a good reputation. Build bridges, don’t burn them. Your reputation is everything and remember that the ass you kick today, you might have to kiss tomorrow.

4. Network by going to places where people from the industry hang out. If you are super focused on your career, then go to the places where the people in the industry hang out. If you are in the right place, you are surrounded by opportunities. You just need to reach out. One time I was in a meeting with a major Hollywood Mogul, and learned a valuable lesson. He felt that one person in the meeting was wasting his time, so he asked him. If I gave you 10 Billion Dollars, but by accepting the money you would be 100 years old, would you take the money? The man jumped up and said “NO” The Mogul then said, ”You see how time is too important, so don’t waste mine.” I took this lesson to heart. So, make sure that you are spending your time with people with the same goals and work ethic, so you can be of benefit to each other. You can’t afford any distractions; because time passes so fast.

5. Find a mentor. After college I worked a decade in TV, promoting MMA fights. But, my ultimate goal was to move to films and I was super lucky to find a mentor. An acquaintance introduced me to a man who introduced me to two time Oscar winner, John Daly (Terminator, Last Emperor). Mr. Daly was a great guy, who produced over 200 films. We had one thing in common - the love for the Fight Game. He had financed the famous Match between Mohamad Ali vs George Foreman, the Rumble in the Jungle. Hanging out with John taught me so much; the right mind set, approach, how to pitch a project, etc. Terry Dougas, a successful producer friend of mine, told me that early in his career he said to his mentor, a famous producer, “Treat me like I’m your partner, but I will treat you like your my Boss.”

6. Work on sets none Stop. Repetition is the mother of skill. The more you work, the better you become. The more quality relationships you make, quicker you will get to your goal. In the beginning of your career and even later on it, be willing to work for free, if the project is worth it to you.

7. Make Content. I had a valuable lesson in film school that shaped my career. I took a class from Producer, John Lenox (Splash). He told us that content was king and whoever owned content in the future would be in a great place. When I graduated, I started to produce and finance Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) events. The fact that I owned my content put me in the driver seat. So, my advice to you is to create your own content during your free time. Find something you enjoy talking about and produce your own content.

8. Get a job that gives you flexibility. Before you get your break and can support yourself, take a job that does not get in the way of your career; like Bartender, Doorman or Uber driver. You must be available during the day to work on your craft, go to meetings, do whatever is needed.

9. It takes 10 years to succeed. Be patient because it takes time for everything to fall in place. Sometimes we see younger people getting to higher places and it makes you feel that you are not moving fast enough. I learned that usually when you see an “overnight success,” they have actually been working on it for 10 years or more. Also, everybody’s fate is different.

10. Never Stop Believing in Yourself. This business is full of “naysayers.” it is very important that you don’t allow the outside force of negative people to destroy your faith in yourself.

RLO: This is a great list. How would you summarize your advice?

FL: The business we chose is super fun and fulfilling, but remember that have to work hard and eat, breath and sleep the industry if you want to make it.

RLO: Thank you for these valuable insights, Frederico. You are a talented man and you have worked hard, but I cannot help but believe that if you can make it, there are many other people out there who can as well.

FL: Absolutely!