If you're on the hunt for film industry jobs, you're not alone. I have seen my fair share of Hollywood hopefuls get chewed up and spit out by the machine. And it's obviously much worse in 2020, due to the Covid-19 Pandemic. But filmmaking will come back. People want movies. And movies have to be made to fulfill that need.
Landing film industry jobs is not tough. If you're willing to put in long hours, ignore your friends and family and grind yourself silly for minimum wage, then I promise there is a job for you. The tough part is finding the inner strength to keep pushing forward when everything sucks.
The 5 Laws For Landing Film Industry Jobs
If you decide to enter the entertainment arena, you will need to have very specific goals. What do you want to accomplish? What is your plan for doing it? And are you willing to do the work?
To help you on your journey, I am going to pass on some advice I gleaned over the years. The following five laws will help you succeed in film industry jobs:
1. The person who fetches coffee today, will control the money tomorrow. So the rule here is to treat everyone well! No matter if they're the Producer, the Director, a PA, or a grip. Be friendly all around.
2. If the call time for your film industry job is 7AM, arrive on location at 6:45 AM. You don't want to go nuts and be there 6am… that could cause problems. But stick to the rule that if you're early, you're on time, if you're on time, you're late, and if you're late, you're forgotten.
3. If the work feels overwhelming, ask for more work. Busy people are rewarded. I've seen the people that really want to work rise up the ladder in the blink of an eye.
4. Your word and your work is your reputation. Do not violate this rule. If you agree to do something, you do it. No excuses.
5. If you turn down freelance work, always say: “I'm already booked.” Don't talk about vacations or your need for time off, or the fact that the pay would be too low. Otherwise, you'll suddenly have more vacation than money!
And check out this video which highlights why you should “Play by the Rules” on a film set!
Hopefully now you can go back to your search for film industry jobs with a little more direction. And if you enjoyed reading this article, make sure you grab a copy of The Filmmaker Roadmap.
