Good day folks.
I am about to graduate "film school" shortly and have received a lot of advice on avenues to go after. I am looking for any and everyone's experience in breaking into the industry. Who gave you a chance, how did you meet them, how did you survive the early years, what hardships and worries did you have and what did you do to overcome. I'm looking for life stories that will open the eyes of many like myself who have less direction.
Thank you all.
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I moved to LA. But you’re living in the 21st century with the Internet and have access to everyone. Still, I would suggest a job at a talent agency, work the mailroom, get some show biz vibe in your blood.
I did the mailroom and I hated it. I quit after 6 months but in my time there, I built a small contact list and someone offered me a PT job doing websites which became a FT job and back in the old days, website designers made a lot of $$!. So find a steady job that pay bills and gives you Time to do your movies/tv hustle!
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I never went to film school. I was at UCLA as an English Major. I audited a class in the film program. The instructor was a producer who had a buddy who was producing a film and needed Production Assistants for a big background day. I volunteered. The film was Born on the Fourth of July. From that I hooked up with a non-union team who did low budget films. I was a PA on a film where the 2nd AD quit and I suddenly became a 2nd AD. The team liked me and I kept working as a 2nd AD till I got in the DGA. Now I'm a top first AD in television. Expect to have to suffer through a lot of low paying jobs. But persistence pays off.
I'll always remember working for $100 per week on a really low budget film. But at the end of each week, the Producer would pull out this roll of hundred dollar bills and peel off an extra hundred and hand it to me 'cause he liked my hustle. I was still getting paid below minimum wage, but the acknowledgement felt good. He went up the river for racketeering a few years later. This is such a messed up business...
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Most importantly stick with the people that are graduating with you. This is your cohort. Drag each other along. In 30 years you will be the industry and people in film school will be wondering how you got there.
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Good advice Craig. And in 30 years, people will be asking about your overnight success.
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Build your personal brand that includes BTS on your projects & how you got there BEFORE you got there... Film the struggle ... It's hard but will be real wonderful when you make it... Filmmakers post events all the time - Go out & film BTS on location sets & you'll start to get the feel of what is really working with people & how they think to make scenes work... Here is some of my work & I'm NOT part of the production just part of the BTS for myself & help the Art community (This was for CrypTV & Actor Ben Munoz ) ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=30T1VOMQ3_o you can see the camera that was used & the setup etc... Small production but works.... You'll get a feel for what you like when you do enough of these... Hope this helps...
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Deonta: that's some really excellent advice from Shanghai Jack and UK Bill. When I had my comedy group in Chicago, I rented a sound stage and we taped our show. The owner of the sound stage was an artist himself, and he did a Behind-The-Scenes "documentary" of the making of the show. I have a tape of the show, and a tape of the BTS. I watch the BTS more than I watch the actual show, bro.
You're a filmmaker...you know how to combine the elements of filmmaking...not only will you learn something with each BTS shot, but many years from now, you'll be watching your BTS stuff, and you'll be grateful that you made that stuff, bro..
And yes to UK Bill's advice....don't limit yourself...don't give up...obey those rules...and stay focused. Best of luck to you, D.
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Which "film school? UCLA? USC? NYU?
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Bill Constantini - I love your advice & take on what we all know is the right path - Document your documentations... Learn from it & grow from it ... The important moments happen later on that you remember like Bill & / Others - myself... Go from book knowledge to activity knowledge & back & fourth so you will grow but you can NOT plant a seed & expect a harvest instantly so .... It's time to Grind & Brew with your stories & filming....Here is another example of us at 2:30 AM & we're really tired & needed some added fun to stay awake 19 hour day & another 3 hour drive home... (When Hollywood Calls you gotta love it)... You can see the one & only Richard Tyson & Actor Ben Munoz also myself --- BTS is funnier than the actual movie... We all talk about this moment & just die laughing & we grow from it.. I've got so many funny moments that are all VIRAL but some I can NOT release due to it's just not right when people trust you to film BE CAREFUL how you handle people's images & that you could film stuff that could TANK someones life in acting these day's ... Having fun is one thing but becoming "TMZ" isn't a good thing for a BTS person ... you'll never be invited back on any set... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-w3W-_oezUo - The important thing here is that on Stage 32 - People here are real Professionals & not FB Packs hunting for political credit... I love this forum... Thank You all ;)
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Bill Costantini - Amazing work there - Fun & Pure - (Some really deep layers within your piece & it's Wonderful) --- I'm building a Network of people on FB - Not sure if you are there or anyone - (Everyone is welcome to come & see what I'm building that will support the Art Industry - Internationally as well) --- It starts with a vision that becomes the center point for everyone to get involved... We all do need to help each other grow & help leverage brands that help support... I get burned a lot because - I create a lot very fast & film with 3 cameras 4 audio sources lots of LED Lights - Green Screen & a 12 foot crane when I need to use it... My productions are bigger than some but I have to also put on a show when I film events ... So many layers that you will use one day but you must document it... ;) Hope this helps... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bvykKXByVjQ Quick productions can happen any where... Like this one I did really fast but works...
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Shanghai...you're the kinda guy who can buy me dinner anytime, bro....breakfast and lunch too. I'm an amazingly flexible foodie who is easy to please and will eat anything that doesn't come out of a can.
Deonta: man, bro......seeing what Shangai is doing....that's how you do it....put together a team...use your resources wisely....you can do that too, Deonta. Look what Werner Herzog has accomplished, bro....dude grew up during the bombings of WW II....never saw TV or a film until his teens...read about filmmaking in an encyclopedia...stole his first camera as a teen....put together a team...used his resources wisely...never compromised his vision...and is recognized by his peers today as the most respected filmmaker alive.
That's a great way to live, D.....that's a great way to live. And kudos to you, Shanghai....most people dream of doing what you're doing....you're living the dream, bro...living the dream.....
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Bill Costantini - Having lived all over ASIA growing up there & then coming here to America - Decided to dig in deep with filming as that was my craft in Japan also animation in the 80's.. Pareidolia rules apply & the smallest details reflect the largest wakes... Turn any & every moment into "Happy Clouds or Waterfalls" (Bob Ross)... Ever Up Ward... Keep testing your limits... Make the impossible a reality... That moment when they find out that you've been living as a filmmaker - Filming BTS your whole life is BTS!!! (I have since the 80's & will be putting the story within the story some where) Bill you are right when I finally realized that all this filming that I've done for decades had to be applied to some sort of brand & then some sort of feeling about it... I've pushed myself to produce 4 to 6 Terabytes of filming per month every month for about 4 years now & just buy another HD in a month to develop that NEO moment in the Matrix movie... When you can see it all for what the "ID" is ..... Now you can shape minds & belief... Scary what happens when I release my first 3 to 5 films the reaction will be a NEW Culture of filming & editing... We will all rise with the tide... ;)
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Thank you all for all the grand advice. And nope unfortunately not one of the fancy film schools I will be graduating from KD conservatory college of film and dramatic arts here in Dallas
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Agree with Bill, never give up. For those who can't rely on nepotism, perseverance is key. I kept hammering away at doors, sending out spec letters (this was before emails were really a thing!) while working jobs I didn't care about until I finally got a response, expressly because they'd seen I'd written many times before. This was from Leavesden Studios while they were making The Phantom Menace. Long story short, I got the job. Just a lowly studio runner role, but I worked my way up very quickly by working bloody hard. I got to talk to lots of film industry people and make real contacts. Before I knew it, I was the sole contact for all productions at the studio and this led to future roles in the industry. So back to the original point: never give up.
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Deonta, have you been able to get internships? My son is in film school and his professors have been very helpful in helping him connect with internships and other opportunities. He’s also worked the last two summers at a small production company.
If you are getting ready to graduate, you should already have made some connections that can help you. Talk to your professors, fellow students, etc about potential jobs and internships. I know Austin isn’t super close to Dallas, but it is a mecca for the arts and you might consider a move there if you can line up work.
Good luck!
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yes I have already worked with a few of my instructors on their projects and networked with a few different people in the LA area. We are currently working on a short film for our final that we will showcase to people within the dallas area. I also produced and co wrote a short.
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1748pom6AQIxwjL-Tc8aPXLehvbk9ZhnH
It's not a lot but it is something. If y'all wouldn't mind watching.
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Hustle for a spot in the DGA program. Two year paid fellowship with health benefits.
https://www.dga.org/Resources/Training-Program.aspx
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Produce 1 commercial a WEEK Challenge ... Keep it tight & pack everything in : 1:30 or so... Really fill up the moment ...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WQBuNReKbSs - Here is mine... 1 per week... Short & to the point... Dig deep for that 1:30 thoughts & build up on it...
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SGN is right about that - I still shoot some B roll for a couple of Japanese auto companies. It's good money per film minute and their agencies pay quickly. I've found that the European auto companies work thru NY agents - and they are PITAs to work with. Don't know about domestic auto companies.
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Dan that is exactly what my plan was. Submitting my applications for both new york and LA this week
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Meanwhile, cultivate inexpensive tastes so that you can ride the lean times!!
Great question! I spent all my free time either on crew sites (applying to every entry level position), doing odd jobs or making shorts with people I went to film school with after I graduated. If one of us got a job and the company hiring were still looking for crew, we'd try to get as many of the others on it as possible. You'll work on some great shoots (and some terrible shoots) but you'll meet more people and expand your network while making lifelong friends along the way. Also, when you get on a shoot - work your ass off! As a runner you'll be amazed how many friends you'll make if you're the one willing to do the 3am coffee and chocolate bar run! Good department heads notice who's worth keeping on their team for the next shoot.
"I like you - you're a grafter!..." (said by a 2nd AD with a heavy cockney accent) "...Are you free next week?"