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Graduating in May!


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I'll keep this short. I am a senior film student at Boston University (good school, but not the most recognized film school). Upon graduating, I will have a couple good shorts and hopefully a feature screenplay. The shorts are good and can possibly win some festivals. But as a Director/Cinematographer, where do I go from here? These are the things I wish we learned in film school, but there seems to be no clear path.

 

I'm not asking for a road map. I'm asking what is profitable, realistic, and challenging for someone who can edit, shoot, and maybe write a little.

 

Besides reading until my head hurts about fog filters and copyright attorneys, where do I go just to get work?

 

What do you wish you had done when you were 22? What is possible now? And does anyone know a good therapist?

 

I really respect each and every one of you that posts on this site. It is truly educational and inspiring.

 

Thank you.

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This has been covered many times before and the short answer is you basically do anything available to you. There is no one way.

 

I hate the fact that you have to ask here rather than the school having helped you out. Getting a job in the film industry is like any other, you have to send out resumes and call people at production companies. keep an eye on trade papers and websites for jobs listed and most importantly go to where the local film people gather to network. This is usually at a group meeting of an organization like MCAI, AIVF etc. and local film/video groups.

 

I spend time every day of the week searching, calling and going to anything that could lead to a job. I send out reels freely, which costs. That's the down side is you have to spend a LOT of time networking/pounding the pavement until you get an agent. In my case I have Dallas and Austin to network in and I travel just to network if the opportunity is ripe. Dallas and Austin don't equal L.A. or N.Y. though and that's another thing to give a hard look at is this industry is mostly concentrated in two locales. That's just a fact. If you really want to mine diamonds Africa is the place to be.

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What do you wish you had done when you were 22? What is possible now? And does anyone know a good therapist?

 

That's the right question.

 

I would do one thing and do only that. I would not let anything distract me from it. I would do anything I could to get closer to that one goal and check myself everytime I did something new or something new entered my life - was it taking me closer or further away from my singular focus.

 

Some people here may disagree, but I would not advise pursuing being a director and a cinematographer. Pursue one, they're both hard to do and if you are willing to settle for anything but directing, you will. If you want to make a career change at some point, apply the same rules to the new choice.

 

If you decide you want to pursue cinematography - do not tell people you have a desire to direct. Directors don't want to work with people who might take their job from them someday. Directors are insecure like that. Shoot a lot - shoot stuff for free if you need to build your reel. Shoot anything you can until people want to start paying you to reserve you.

 

Live cheaply so that you are hungry for success and can dedicate time to developing your skills.

 

Read all the advice that's been given here before and figure it's all 7% valid (except for mine which is nine percent valid because I make the rules in my posts).

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I'm not asking for a road map. I'm asking what is profitable, realistic, and challenging for someone who can edit, shoot, and maybe write a little.

 

 

Well like Mark says (sounds like a lou reed song) choose one

And then do it good

 

Editing might be the most profitable, realistic, and challenging

It's the definitely the most stable.

 

Writing is the least stable.

(Everyone thinks they can write and won't pay someone else to do it)

 

Shooting is somewhere in the middle.

 

J. L. K. makes a point about moving to NYC or LA--you'll find more work

And also more competition and definitely the more popular choice

 

But you might opt for a less saturated market

Also look for ways your skills can benefit everyday people not just filmmakers

(something many filmmakers forget in their quest to make movies)

Shooting commercials in a small market might be your niche

Or music videos or weddings or the News anything interesting

 

It's the age of technology and information

Being skilled in the visual arts has got to be worth something...

 

Firgure what you want to do, and don't be in such a hurry

You're 22 and still got a long time so enjoy life it don't last long.

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Hi,

 

> What do you wish you had done when you were 22?

 

Found something else to do!

 

Seriously - go into this knowing that failure is almost inevitable. The stats about filmschool graduates have been quoted here often enough. The thing is, at 22 you actually don't have that much time - if it hasn't started to happen in two or three years, which is the absolute minimum it's known to take, you'd better have a pretty good exit strategy. Be prepared to find yourself sitting staring glumly at your bank account details in about 2008 realising that it hasn't worked out and you have no experience in other fields, and are more or less unemployable.

 

Phil

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Guest Y.M.Poursohi

If you want to stay in the production field, try PAing (production assistant). I do it here in NYC and even though it has been commercials only I have learnt alot in the past 2 years. The thing is there are long hours, prep days 12 hours easily, shoot days 12-20 hours. But you get used to it after a while, and not all days are that long. I am in my mid 20's and have been doing this for 2 years freelance, and it has thought me a lot of good stuff, not just technical but also about dealing with people and gaining CONFIDENCE. That seems to be key for the folks with the money if you don't have it, they walk. On a recent job the director who was half the age of the DP was well not very confident and the folks in the video village seemed not interested in any of his ideas (he won't be getting work from them for a while). To sum it up, try working on tv spots, features, tv series as a PA, there you'll get an idea as to what department interests you (lighing, sound, camera, production, etc) from there you can make a more informed decision as to where you want to put your hours working for free or next to nothing ( shooting students'/people's shorts for free, if you want to be DP). As a PA be prepared to consume lots of ramen noodle and peanut butter sandwiches in the winter time, since there is very little work.

 

To get PA gigs you might have to do a few freebies unless if your uncle or dad is an ad agency producer. Call up a few local Production managers and coordinators and offer your hard work. On the set never say "Well in film school....."

 

Good luck

Yousef

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Seriously - go into this knowing that failure is almost inevitable. The stats about filmschool graduates have been quoted here often enough. The thing is, at 22 you actually don't have that much time - if it hasn't started to happen in two or three years, which is the absolute minimum it's known to take, you'd better have a pretty good exit strategy. Be prepared to find yourself sitting staring glumly at your bank account details in about 2008 realising that it hasn't worked out and you have no experience in other fields, and are more or less unemployable.

 

Phil

 

Phil, you leave me speechless. That's literally the most depressing thing I've ever read.

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Phil, I worked for three and a half years in an office job after graduation -- at Transamerica Insurance Company, as a forms designer. I made films on the weekends and went to film school when I was 27, graduated when I was 30, and then started my career.

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Phil, you leave me speechless. That's literally the most depressing thing I've ever read.

 

It may be depressing but it is quite accurate. Perhaps realistic is a better way to describe the situation.

 

It's easy to be enthusiastic when starting out, but after a year or two working for little to no money (in comparisson to industry-standard rates, not what you could you'd making working at Borders or Starbucks...) and it doesn't get any better, it becomes hard to keep your enthusiasm from flagging.

 

Psychologically, the fact of the matter is that if you are not really and truly going to become clinically insane by _not_ working in film, you're probably better off doing something else. The potential rewards, financial and creative, are quite high, but the chance of failure is essentially so high as to be guaranteed. All of this is of course rendered moot if you're within one degree of someone with Coppola as a last name.

 

If the options were starting over in another career or work on crap productions the rest of my life, I'd choose something else.

Edited by Matthew McDermott
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Guest Richard Deppe
Phil, you leave me speechless. That's literally the most depressing thing I've ever read.

I agree with Nate, I came to this industry late in life and feel that I have done quite well considering. I think that most people who work in this field realise that it is a"vocation". We do it because we love it, the chance to create and be part of a team with like minded individuals. I guarantee that if "Graduating in May" is a hard worker with a reasonable attitude, who does'nt gossip, is always willing to learn from EVERYONE he meets over the next 50 or so years and has a solid understanding of his own finances and also those of the people who are hiring him he will do just fine. I am dumbfounded that people can be so negative to suggest doing something else to GIM. I think that they should probably heed their own advice before dispensing it so readily to someone who to me seems to be making all the right moves.

ps Always be on time.

 

Rick Deppe

Discovery Production Group.

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Thank you everyone,

 

I really feed off of this stuff. It really gives me hope.... some of it. I would be perfectly happy deluding myself, thinking I could make it, for the rest of my life, as long as I got to work with film and music. If I don't have a cent on the day I die, at least I can say I did what I wanted to do. Someone just look after my kids for me ok?

 

And Phil... it sounds like someone needs a hug. But I appreciate your honesty.

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I guarantee that if "Graduating in May" is a hard worker with a reasonable attitude, who doesn't gossip, is always willing to learn from everyone HE meets over the next 50 or so years and has a solid understanding of HIS own finances and also those of the people who are hiring HIM, HE will do just fine.

 

Rick Deppe

Discovery Production Group.

 

 

I think He might be a she...

Lindsay can be a woman's name as well....

 

Just being anal :)

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If the options were starting over in another career or work on crap productions the rest of my life, I'd choose something else.

 

Well then why don't you start over and choose something else

I mean if you're that unhappy--> then simply change

 

As long as there is life there can be change

Haven't you seen Rocky IV? {I can change! You can change! We all can change!}

 

I mean you're not 70 and about to retire are you?

It's funny how often people in their late 20's and 30's

complain about their life being over when they've still got so much left

(unless you die suddenly by some reason--it can happen

Now that's depressing.)

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Guest Frank Gossimier

"Seriously - go into this knowing that failure is almost inevitable. The stats about filmschool graduates have been quoted here often enough. The thing is, at 22 you actually don't have that much time - if it hasn't started to happen in two or three years, which is the absolute minimum it's known to take, you'd better have a pretty good exit strategy. Be prepared to find yourself sitting staring glumly at your bank account details in about 2008 realising that it hasn't worked out and you have no experience in other fields, and are more or less unemployable. "

 

 

Phil,

 

Your words are an inspiration to us all as always :D And as always you are right to a degree.

 

Phil, have you considered putting this talent to good use? You could design a line of UN-inspirational tapes, CDs, books, wall hangings.

 

You know those cheesy things people buy...pictures of an amazing sunset with the words "Follow Your Dreams" across the top.

 

Yours could be like this Phil...a picture of a guy on death row with the words "Your Life Will Most Likely End Up Like This" across the top. Come on, you'd probably become hugely rich!

 

You know what I'm going to do Phil, get you a job as 1st AC on massive Hollywood feature filming in London. Then you'll have to post here and tell every one how it "finally happened" for you :blink:

 

Frank

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What do you wish you had done when you were 22?

 

1. Realized that I was destined to become a cinematographer and started early.

 

The word destined is always interesting; watch and listen to the 'The Matrix' a few times for the Pop Philosophy. It deals with this issue very elegantly and clearly I find. It is the ultimate frustrated office worker film, that film students always do so badly!

 

2. Found a way to make a regular living within the industry such as a camera assistant or whatever to pay the bills.

 

3. But still kept my original goal to shoot as much as possible as a DP and did so in my spare time with friends, when not working, whilst making as many contacts as possible along the way and learning as much as possible from the experience.

 

Remember:

 

'There is no spoon.'

 

;)

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Guest Frank Gossimier

Phil,

 

I don't have the effects budget to create the devil ice skating to work.

 

I can however make a pig fly! Will that do?

 

But, I hear ya...way too many young people out there sold way too big of a bag of goods by all the film schools out there.

 

I've often thought that if I ever taught at a film school I would have a door frame and a door set up in the class room. Then before the start of each class I would have one student come up in rotation and slam the door in their face 50 times!

 

I would do this as the start of every class to drive home the point.

 

This is the great business of "no."

 

Frank

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I think talent is a big factor here, maybe at 22 you need someone to tell you whether you have it or not so you can make that all important decision!

 

Where is that person by the way cuz I'm 22?!

 

Do they not do critiques in your school? Seems like a lot of schools have removed this process. I had to do it in the college courses I took. The still photography courses were the worst. You had to get up in front of the class and the class, teacher, department head and the Dean would just rip your ass if you brought crap. You had to be able to explain yourself and back up your choices clearly. It's like taking a meat cleaver to the field of candidates, the ones who have "it" will survive. All the house mothers trying to enrich their lives are gone the very next day.

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Years and years ago I had a still photography teacher who was amazing.

 

She would just tear your poop apart! "This is not a photograph, this is a snapshot . . . " as a girl runs out of the class in tears. It was good because she was honest about your work. She expected a lot, but you were inspired to give her a lot.

 

 

 

Kevin Zanit

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Hi,

 

I wish someone would tell me that sometimes.

 

In almost all the circumstances in which I work, notwithstanding my almost complete inexperience, I am generally the most experienced camera person around. This is not good for one's perspective. As it happens I know damn well I'm mediocre at best at camera-related stuff, but it'd be nice to have some backup on it!

 

Pihl

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