Friday, September 2, 2011

Careers in Filmmaking

So after our discussion in class about how the film industry really is, I decided to start looking into miscellaneous facts about what it's like on the set. I feel like many of these are pretty accurate, but I'd like some second opinions if anyone else can find differing figures


From http://www.ehow.com/facts_4926753_facts-careers-movie-making.html

  • [skipping past the introduction of what the industry is]
    Warning
    On set jobs have long hours during production days. Many of these days can run 16+ hours a day, 5 to 6 days a week if local and 6 to 7 days a week if on location.

Potential

  • The movie making business is all about moving up the ladder and who you know. The potential to move up in responsibility and try new things is always there if you're willing to work hard and maximize contacts. No matter what your job in the movies, be open to possibilities and opportunities that may come your way.

Fun Fact

  • Commercial directors on average make $35,000 to $70,000 a year. Film directors on average make $52,000 to $136,000 a year.
    ________________________________________________________________________

    What Do Employers Look For?

    Dave Owen
    Television Director
    Experience
    There's no getting away from it - someone with experience is more desirable. However it's not always critical and you shouldn't be put off if you don't yet have it. Lack of experience will make things slower for you at the start but it needn't stop you.
    It is also possible to be "over-experienced". If I interview someone with extensive experience for an entry-level job, I might be concerned that this is a fill-in job for them and they won't stay long. Sometimes it suits me to hire someone with a lot to learn because I expect them to stay with us for at least the duration of their "apprenticeship".
    If you have no experience, the good news is that there are jobs available. You could look for entry-level positions such as camera and sound assistants, cable-runners, etc. Once you have a foot in the door you have made the hardest step.
    Motivation and Commitment
    The quality of our television production depends heavily on how motivated our operators are. As a director I rely on things like camera operators finding good shots. One highly motivated person can contribute more to the programme than several ordinary ones.
    Reliability is essential. If you're the sort of person who always makes sure you use your full entitlement of sick days, you are unlikely to be popular in television. If you're tardy with time-keeping, forget this career. In live TV, one person being one minute late is all it takes to ruin everyone's day.
    Natural Talent
    [...]You need to be honest with yourself and seek genuine evaluation. This is a competitive field and if you don't have at least some natural aptitude you will always be at a disadvantage.
    People Skills
    You will be required to work with people from many walks of life, often in high-stress situations. You need to be able to get on with people - those you work with and those you deal with as part of the job. For example, a typical camera operator or presenter may have to do things such as:
    • Make people comfortable appearing on camera for the first time
    • Elicit information from reluctant sources
    • Focus on the job whilst being harassed by members of the public
    • Deal with people who are grieving, under stress, in trouble, etc.

    So feel that the advice and facts are pretty accurate, what do you all think?

1 comment:

arturo said...

Although the article is pretty interesting and useful, from the POV of posting is basically a cut-and-paste operation, which I discourage. Instead what you can do ist simply link to the article and write in your own words your thought, agreements, disagreements or other ideas or questions about the subject in such a way that others are encouraged to read further and check your sources.

Furthermore ALL the posts so far are missing the labels! which to me are an essential element. So please go back to EDIT your post and simply add relevant tags.

Remember, tags are keywords that people use in Google or any search engine to find articles (or posts) relevant or even loosely related to their interest. Be creative with the tags.