We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Minoti Vaishnav. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Minoti below.
Hi Minoti, so happy to have you with us today and there is so much we want to ask you about. So many of us go through similar pain points throughout our journeys and so hearing about how others developed certain skills or qualities that we are struggling with can be helpful. Along those lines, we’d love to hear from you about how you developed your ability to take risk?
My whole life has been about taking risks. I moved to Los Angeles when I was 19 years old. I didn’t know a soul here but I wanted to start a new life here, so I did it. Risk.
I wanted to be a film and television writer, knowing full well that most people who walk this path do not make it. I chose this road anyway. Risk.
I applied to network fellowships knowing the odds of getting in were 0.5%. There was a 99.5% chance my hard work of writing originals and specs would come to nothing. I did it anyway. I got in. Risk.
I’ve achieved every career goal I’ve had and will continue to keep rising because I am not afraid to fail. You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.
No risk, no reward.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
I am a film and television writer in Los Angeles. My credits include TRUE LIES (CBS), THE EQUALIZER (CBS) and TRUE WAR STORIES: MISSION REPORT (scripted podcast from Voyage Media). I’m also a producer at Prophecy Girl Films, where I work in film, television, podcasts, and events as a producer.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
The three most important qualities to success are:
a) The ability to listen instead of speak: When you’re first starting out, don’t think you know everything. Fake it till you make it is bad advice and the reason is in the statement itself — it’s fake! People can tell when you don’t know what you’re talking about. The best thing to do when you’re early in your journey is to listen to and absorb knowledge from those in the industry that know better than you. Go to panels. Read books. Take masterclasses. And just listen.
b) Doing the work: I meet a lot of people who want to be writers, but they’ve never written anything. They just have “ideas”. Okay. Ideas are dime a dozen. No one cares about your idea. People care about the execution of an idea. A writer writers. And not everything you write will be great. You cannot just write one pilot or screenplay and expect to be handed a job. I’d written 7 pilots and 2 feature screenplays by the time I got my first “big break”. And since then I’ve written even more. You have to keep doing the work. Without perfecting your craft, you’re not going to get anywhere.
c) Be likeable: Be a genuine, good, fun person who knows how to treat others and who knows how to cultivate real relationships rather than just “networking”. Everyone who has ever helped me has been a genuine friend of mine and has liked me for me, because I never treat people like a networking opportunity. Everyone I have ever helped, it’s because they’re my genuine friend. Know how to cultivate relationships instead of just expecting people to hand you things because you met them at an event once. Being a likeable person is actually key to moving on up.
Alright so to wrap up, who deserves credit for helping you overcome challenges or build some of the essential skills you’ve needed?
Have you ever wondered why Academy Award speeches have long lists of people to thank? It’s because it’s never just one person who is helpful in overcoming challenges or developing a career. In my life there’s been many people who have had that impact:
My parents, who let me leave India at a young age to find myself and grow instead of stifling me and expecting me to live by society’s rules. I was allowed to fly. This is a privilege I am grateful for.
My friends, who every time I’ve been down, they’ve lifted me up again and refused to let me give up.
My industry champions, from my lit manager to executives and showrunners and heads of fellowships I’ve gotten into, who took chances on me because they saw my raw potential and gave me the opportunities and tools to grow.
And finally, my fellow screenwriters, who I marched with on the picket line, who give me feedback on my projects, who always champion my work as I champion theirs. This is a strong knit community that I am proud to be a part of.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.minotivaishnav.com
- Instagram: minotivaishnav
- Twitter: minotimusic
