The entertainment industry in India has an enormous number of eyeballs glued to it always, day-in and day-out. A million dreams in the hearts, young or old are woven by it. The ocean of fans outside the homes of our superstars speaks volumes of the super-influence that the entertainment industry has on Indians. The glitz and glamour of the showbiz world, without a doubt, looks like a cakewalk on the screen.

This popular industry has a prodigious follower base across the globe and it is only growing with time. With the proliferation of reality shows, advent of social media and unique content, the rat race of being in the eye of the audience has become a serious business.

When we see these celebrities coming to a show to promote their upcoming shows or movies, it appears as if they have just come there to watch it like the other audience in the studio. However, that is not the case. An immense amount of effort and research is put behind the way they behave and what they speak. A celebrity has to go for an interview fully prepared. It is no cakewalk for them. These promotions are hectic. Running around from one place to another on a tight schedule is not a smooth sail.

I am not stating the facts post an extensive Google search. I am able to do this for I have had the chance to manage the interview line-ups of a few television artists recently. It has taught me the three very crucial things:

1)                  Make sure everything starts on time: Start dropping reminders to the celebrities at least 2 hours prior to the interview. Start coordinating with their drivers and provide them with all the required details. I know celebrities have a reputation of reaching for interviews really late. However, I am of the opinion that a celebrity’s punctuality will always be a trait that the media will remember. Make them realize the fact that it will garner a positive reputation for them

2)                  Be pro-active. Think ahead: Prepare a list of everything that you will need to know. This is just like doing your homework beforehand. Every minuscule detail has to be taken into consideration. Look after the routes, make sure you have every concerned person’s contact details with an alternate number, check after the artist’s food arrangements, their requirements etc. You have to know EVERYTHING

3)                  Never reach late for a live event: When I say a live event here, I press more emphasis on the live event especially on a digital platform (Facebook live, Instagram live, YouTube live etc.). The advancement of digital media has allowed the fans to watch their celebrities interact with them real time. That means it leaves no chance for any kind of an editing. It is not the celebrity but the media outlet which will be on the receiving end of the negative response by the fans. Fans that are eagerly waiting for the celebrity to come online and interact with them. You don’t want the artist to lose credibility with the media, because such things spread in the media universe like fire. This might end up putting the artist’s reputation at stake.

I am sure these tips will definitely come into handy if you are about to start the job!

This article originally appeared on the author’s blog site.

-Shreya Dubey

Shreya Dubey is a student of the PG Programme in Public Relations at SCoRe. She has completed her Bachelors in Mass Media from S.K. Somaiya College of Arts, Science and Commerce.