How to get a film job

The film industry is notoriously hard to get into, and often it is who you know, not what you know. Despite this, there are obviously some things that you can do to give yourself the best chance of making it, and here we give you some tips on how to get a film job.

1. Decide what you want to do. For every major film made, there are probably hundreds if not thousands of working positions on that film. Many of them require very specific skills which you will need qualifications for and to follow this direction you will need to be very specific about what you would like to do. If you are looking for a more general role and just really want to break into the industry as a whole, then there are some conventional routes.

2. Get qualified. There is of course no specific college course to take if you want to get into film, but a good blanket course would be media studies. This is normally a wide ranging course that will teach about all aspects of media including film, and it will give you a great overview of the industry.

3. Expect to work for free. Lots of people who manage to get into the film industry start off as runners. Runners are the people who get the coffee, make sure that everyone has everything they need ,and your general duties are to make sure everyone who works above you in the pecking order is happy! This won’t last forever and you will be in the best position to spot opportunities.

4. Be pushy. But don’t be too pushy! Always show respect, but in this industry if you don’t ask you don’t get! You need to be speaking to the people that you are working with all the time trying to find out what is available and what is coming up, and when something does come up, you need to go straight to the line manager and tell them that you want to do it. People are generally too busy to immediately think of you as perfect for the position, and the chances are if you don’t jump on the opportunity someone else in your position will.

5. Be patient. It can sometimes take years to get the break you are looking for, but in film you need to be in the right place at the right time, and that means sticking around until it is your time. Hang on in there, keep making yourself heard and known, and keep working hard. In the end you will be rewarded.

It’s important to keep your head up and your spirits high, your opportunity might be just around the corner.