Film Jobs
Start at the bottom to get the best jobs in production
The allure of Hollywood has many people looking for film jobs. But as any waitress in Los Angeles can tell you, the business can be hard to break into.However, most people simply need to open up their minds if they are really committed to getting jobs in the film business. When most people think about film jobs, they think of the actors and actresses, the director and the cinematographer. One look at the credits rolling by and you'll see that there are many more jobs in film.
If you want to get jobs in film:
1. Move to Los Angeles or New York City. These two cities are where the majority of film and video jobs are. There is a lot of competition for these jobs and a company is unlikely to hire someone that is not in the area.
2. Consider production jobs. There is less competition for the production side of film and video making than there is for the creative side.
3. Learn about film and video production in school. You will have a better chance of getting a movie job if you know what you are doing.
Get an internship to learn about film and video jobs
The film business is notorious for the saying "It's not what you know. It's who you know." If you want to gain permanent film employment, you need to have good connections. Since most people don't have a relative in the business, it is only natural that they would turn to internships.
Try: EntertainmentCareers.Net lists several internships, many at big film companies. The Vault Internship Board also lists several available internships. Keep in mind that most of these internships are in Los Angeles and are unpaid. You will need to have money for food, housing and transportation.
Search for film jobs in production to break into the business
Production jobs are a great way to work in the film and video business without being in front of the camera. Every production has several people working behind the scenes to make it all happen.
Try: Find several different production positions listed at ProductionHUB.com. Alternatively, you can search for production jobs at ACTORS and CREW.
Take care of business behind the scenes with film business jobs
Perhaps not as glamorous or physically demanding as production jobs, film companies need many people to take care of the business end of movies. This could include funding, marketing and accounting.
Try: Look for film marketing positions at Juju. No guide to film jobs would be complete without mentioning Variety, which is the industry bible. They conveniently list finance jobs in the film business on their website.
- Read industry magazines to stay current. Most film jobs require you to know about the latest technologies.
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