Brian Lerner

Tips for Success in Web Video

Tip #1 - Ride Coattails

When it comes to online video, with rare exception originality takes a backseat to happenstance and parody. Think about all the “viral” videos you’ve seen shared on Facebook usually with the accompanying message, “OMG! This is hysterical! You HAVE to see this!” More often than not, it is a spoof of some current events story, a crude home video capturing a cat hugging a dog or a new version of that other video you just saw two days ago only now with Auto-Tune. When seeking adoration and praise in online video it’s much easier and smarter to align yourself with something that’s already done the hard work rather than come up with a winner all on your own. After all, the Internet is a collaborative space right? What’s yours is mine and what’s mine is yours… until it starts making me money and then I’ll sue your fucking ass.

So, next time you’re ready to tackle the next big project that you’re sure will stand out from the sewer of content invading our lives everyday because it’s so clever and original and really exploits the beauty of the Internet in every way, just forget it. You will be much better off simply waiting outside the dentist office with a video camera waiting for some drugged up kid to piss on his mom’s leg on the way out. LOL! 

Tips for Success in the Entertainment Industry

Tip #8 - Have superficial relationships

Creating strong bonds with other human beings although essential to a healthy and happy long life will actually prove to be a huge obstacle when you need to climb over them on your way to fame and power.

The rationale here is simple. The weaker the emotional connection to other human beings the easier it is to leave them behind, take advantage of them, deceive them for personal gain and completely erase them from ones memory once you reach the pinnacle of your aspirations.

People not as ambitious as you will do nothing more than hold you back and those as ambitious as you will do nothing more than create additional competition during your journey. Keep both of these types of people in check emotionally and you’ll have no problem dusting them under the rug when the time comes. And let’s face it, once you’re a huge success you’ll have access to better looking, more important people. Save your energy for them.

Tips for Success in the Entertainment Industry

Tip #7 - Have more childhood trauma

Childhood traumas come in all varieties. Like Tip #1 coming from a broken home, nearly all other traumatic events that take place from birth to late teens will cause irreversible emotional damage. What ever the trauma may be, your brain will bury it deep in the depths of your subconscious only to arise in the most unpredictable of ways years later. Some of you may grow up to be serial killers, but the lucky ones end up being super stars like Debbie Gibson.

Trauma may include such things as being teased at school for your horrendous overbite, that time you shit your pants while having dinner at a friends house or maybe you simply got the crap beat out of you by your alcoholic father while your mom laughed in the corner wearing nothing but a pink tube top and stockings.

Don’t just sit back and expect trauma to come to you though. You need to do your part and instigate it as much as possible. Wear your jeans inside-out to school and see how your peers react. Steal the family car and let a raccoon have sex with a squirrel in the backseat while the neighbors dog masturbates on the stick-shift. Or keep it simple and pee on the floor of a 7-11.

When it comes to unlocking the inner ingredients to success, repressed and horrific memories are better than four years at Julliard.