The Zack Arnold Podcast How to ‘Get In the Room’ and Work with Producers Who Will Value & Respect You | with Matt Nix
"Do your work every day, and stay focused on what you care about. Work-life balance doesn't just happen, you have to schedule it."
- Matt Nix
There's no question that the start of any successful career requires a certain amount of hard work, grit, and even a bit of hustle. If you want to excel further than those around you, there will be times when you have to make sacrifices or trade-offs to reach your goals. But your career shouldn’t come at the expense of your relationships, your health, or your sanity. That’s why it is so important to be clear on what you want and what your values are so you can build relationships with the right people who will respect you.
My guest today is writer/director/executive producer Matt Nix who has created and/or run shows like Burn Notice, The Gifted, The Good Guys (an underrated favorite of mine!), and Turner & Hooch. Matt is not only an expert in networking and negotiating, but he has also learned to manage his time effectively so that he and his crews can work reasonable hours while also having a life outside of work. In short, he never asks anything of his crew he wouldn’t be willing to do himself.
Regardless of what your career goals are or what industry you work in, building relationships and adding value to the lives of others is an ongoing skill that you must develop and hone if you want to climb to the top. Matt gives us a rare perspective on how to both network and succeed while also setting healthy(ish) boundaries around his time and his creativity. He also shares the secret to “getting in the room” with people at his level. And equally as illuminating is his perspective on how he creates a fair and balanced work environment where people are respected and allowed to have lives outside of the work. See...it can be done!!!!!
Trust me, this is a conversation you don't want to miss.
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Here's What You'll Learn:
- Matt's side of my “Burn Notice origin story.”
- KEY TAKEAWAY: Be relentless and an opportunity will surface.
- Matt coaches young writers about their outreach emails to him.
- KEY TAKEAWAY: Being familiar with the work of a potential mentor or job interviewer is essential to making a good impression.
- The advice Matt gives to film students and the $20 challenge he gives them.
- The best and worst times to reach out to a show runner to make a connection.
- KEY MINDSET: Play chess not checkers.
- What not to say when a producer gives you notes and what is the better attitude to take.
- KEY TAKEAWAY: Be the person the show runner can count on.
- Matt’s philosophy on work and being a boss.
- KEY TAKEAWAY: A good boss will never ask you to something they aren’t willing to do themselves.
- The difference between a patriot and a mercenary and which Matt prefers to work with.
- Lessons he’s learned from his early days of show running and how his process has evolved.
- How to get through the pressures of Hollywood.
- Matt recommends reading the War of Art to all aspiring creators.
- The origin story of Matt's career.
- How five ‘sure things’ turn out to be only one actual job.
- Matt's first pitch on Burn Notice got passed up.
- The art of negotiation.
- Why you should only have 2 rates: Full rate and free.
- KEY TAKEAWAY: Don't allow anyone else to set your value.
- The story of Matt's failed script.
- His advice to his younger self and the story behind it.
Useful Resources Mentioned:
IATSE Stories (@ia_stories) • Instagram photos and videos
The War of Art | Steven Pressfield
Craig Siebels - Contact Info, Agent, Manager | IMDbPro
Watch Burn Notice Season 5 | Prime Video
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Guest Bio:
Matt Nix graduated from UCLA with a degree in Political Science. He started off writing and directing several award-winning short films, which led to a career writing feature film scripts. As a screenwriter, he worked at most of the major studios writing movies before turning his attention to television. He is best known as the creator, writer, and executive producer of the USA Network hit series Burn Notice which ran from 2007 to 2014, spending several of those years as the highest rated show on basic cable. He created and ran The Good Guys for Fox and Complications for USA, co-created and co-ran The Comedians for FX, and developed and co-ran APB for Fox. Most recently he completed two seasons of the Marvel/X-men show The Gifted which he created and ran for Fox, and is currently creating and running the Turner & Hooch series for Disney+ and is about to produce the pilot for TRUE LIES.
Show Credits:
This episode was edited by Curtis Fritsch, and the show notes were prepared by Debby Germino and published by Glen McNiel.
The original music in the opening and closing of the show is courtesy of Joe Trapanese (who is quite possibly one of the most talented composers on the face of the planet).
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