This article neatly puts into words the way I’ve learned to do things here in LA. It is a bit rude and presumptuous, but one is only very rarely offered opportunities, and by simply asking, all sorts of doors tend to open.
That isn’t to say that there’s not an art in knowing when and how to ask, but not many people just volunteer to be a part of your project, so it’s important to ask — and to accept a “no” gracefully and with good charm.
“In Ask culture, people grow up believing they can ask for anything – a favour, a pay rise– fully realising the answer may be no. In Guess culture, by contrast, you avoid “putting a request into words unless you’re pretty sure the answer will be yes.” The Guardian
