How to Start a Career in Independent Producing
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Webinar hosted by: Jim Young
Award-Winning Producer (Sundance, TIFF, Tribeca & More) at Animus Films
Jim Young of Animus Films is a leading independent non-fiction producer, with almost two dozen films under his belt. Jim has created a successful career producing true-story films such as THE CATCHER WAS A SPY with Paul Rudd, LIFE OF A KING with Oscar-winner Cuba Gooding Jr., THE MAN WHO KNEW INFINITY with Oscar-nominee Dev Patel, LOVELACE with Oscar-nominee James Franco and Amanda Siefried, and the upcoming film, THE PEOPLE VS. VEGAS DAVE. Jim has a long history of producing critically acclaimed features and documentaries including YEAR OF THE BULL at Showtime, THE WORDS with Oscar-nominee Bradley Cooper and Zoe Saldana. Animus Films productions have released through Showtime, Paramount Pictures, CBS Films, Millennium Entertainment, and Image Entertainment. His films have also premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival, Sundance Film Festival, Los Angeles Film Festival, and the Toronto Film Festival. Full Bio »
Webinar Summary
There aren’t a lot of jobs more challenging than that of an independent producer, but there also might not be any job as rewarding. It’s the producer who turns a bunch of ideas and dreams into reality and a singular product that can be enjoyed by people all over the world. What can be better than essentially creating something out of nothing? From conception and pre-production through distribution and beyond, the producer is with the film from beginning to end, builds the team, and makes the decisions that ultimately make the project a failure or success. This role is an enigmatic one, though, since it covers so much. This can also make it feel difficult or overwhelming to break into. So how does someone actually start off a career in producing in the first place?
There is no one correct way to become a successful producer, especially in the indie space. However there are three main paths that most working film producers have taken to get to where they are today: the executive path, the production path, and the independent path. Each path comes with its share of obstacles, but each can also provide the education, connections, and wherewithal to spark a successful career making movies. Better understanding how to find success through these tracks can help you turn your aspirations of becoming a working independent producer into a reality.
Jim Young of Animus Films is a leading independent producer, with almost two dozen films under his belt. Jim has created a successful career producing true-story films such as THE CATCHER WAS A SPY with Paul Rudd, LIFE OF A KING with Oscar-winner Cuba Gooding Jr., THE MAN WHO KNEW INFINITY with Oscar-nominee Dev Patel, LOVELACE with Oscar-nominee James Franco and Amanda Seyfried, and the upcoming film, THE PEOPLE VS. VEGAS DAVE. Jim has a long history of producing critically acclaimed features and documentaries including YEAR OF THE BULL at Showtime, THE WORDS with Oscar-nominee Bradley Cooper and Zoe Saldana. Through years of successes and challenges, Jim has learned what it takes to be a working full-time producer and is excited to share what he knows with the Stage 32 community.
Jim will explain what it means to be an independent producer and the three main paths you can take to become a full-time producer of your own. Jim will first talk about the main skill set and duties of an independent film producer and give you an honest explanation of what this job really looks like. Next he will explain cow you can start your career as a producer through the three most common career paths: the executive path, the physical production path, and the independent path. For each, Jim will talk about how to get your foot in the door and how best to use these opportunities to learn what you need to get yourself ready to become your own producer. Jim will then teach you how to find longevity as an independent producer and share with you some of the biggest lessons he’s learned through his career.
If you’ve ever been interested in starting a career as an independent producer and making the types of films you’ve always been passionate about, Jim will give you the tools and tips you’ll need to make that actually happen.
Want to work more closely with Jim?
Send your script to Jim and speak with him for an hour by clicking here.
What You'll Learn
- What It Means To Be An Independent Producer
- Skillset and duties
- Starting Your Career Through the Executive Path
- Types of companies to start your career
- How best to develop relationships within the industry
- Learning the discipline of development
- Grasping broad production
- Understanding the principles of valuation of projects between casting, genres, and budgets
- Tips to “climb the ladder” and find new opportunities through this system
- Starting Your Career Through the Production Path
- How to get started in the world of physical production and what will make you hirable
- Working your way up the ladder of the production hierarchy
- How to learn what you need through the process
- Starting Your Career Through the Independent Path
- Finding material
- Getting equipment
- Putting together finance
- Getting cast
- Crewing up
- Finding Longevity in Your Career
- Tips on building your network How to continue to find talent and material
- Ambition vs. staying in your means
- Jim’s Biggest Lessons Learned as an Independent Producer
- Q&A with Jim
About Your Instructor
Jim Young
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Nancy Bevins Okay, great, but wish he didn't say, "you know" so much.
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