2.1 Explain the working culture of the film industry
Explain the working culture of the film industry
What is it like working in the film industry? (Consider hours, travel, freelance, working on set and budget. What are the pressures? What are the positives and negatives?)
It is really hard to work in the film industry because it is unpredictable and you might not always be employed. Say if you were working on one film, it might only shoot for 2 months and then for the rest of the year you have to find other jobs. It is really long hours and sometimes you have to work over night. It can be quite busy and hectic in stages of production where as pre-production might just be rehearsing so a slower calmer build up. Pressures of working in the film industry is working to a tight schedule and budget.
What qualities do you need to work in the film industry?
Hardworking, persistent because you need to never give up. It can be really disheartening when you first start out. Teamwork skills as you have to be able to get on with other people. Basic skills with a camera as you have to execute someone’s vision. Video skills. Acting skills if you want to act. The most important quality for all film people to have are a positive attitude and the ability to get on and work well with a team.
What have you learned about the working culture of the industry from masterclasses and working on your own film production?
To get in the film industry is really hard because the skill level you need is very specific. You have to have a track record of good past experiences to get in and be reliable.
2.2 Describe a range of key job roles and responsibilities in the film industry
KEY ROLES
DIRECTOR: I have been a director a couple of times for the charity that I make videos for. I know directors can be bad, and I used to want to be a director when I started college but I was unsure if I had enough experience. The director I had at college was really bad and I had to help him so much because he didn’t understand the script. When I tried directing in college, I got a lot of positive feedback. Calm, clear instructions to crew members and actors, but they can be frustrating work with. Director should be understanding and give helpful advice and not shout. They have to control the space and make sure the camera team, lighting team are exactly how they want them to be.
SCRIPT WRITER: I am currently in this stage, doing character designs for the script. This is the author of the idea in the film, they are the owner of the idea and the characters. Some scriptwriters create the story from scratch, but some actually take ideas from a book or tv show and they just recreate it and they have to get the rights because it’s from a different source. Often they do take ideas from other sources and have some creative control. They get the first script done and check with the rest of the crew. Get it confirmed and read through so everyone’s happy, script is the first bit to take palace before director is attached, and then given to the actors to learn lines
ACTORS: I am asking my friend’s boyfriend to be in my production but he’s not that into acting. Two of my friends might act in it as they do GCSE Drama
CAMERA-PERSON: They’re very important. Without them you don’t have a film it would just be a play, a bit like an opera. There won’t be green screen effects or anything to edit. They’re responsible for recording the film, controlling the camera movements and angles. They may use tripods or track equipment to help with these.
EDITOR: The very important otherwise you don’t have a configured film. Without an editor you don’t have a film, you just have loads of footage. In my experience they put sequences in films together and get rid of unnecessary footage. As well as adding affects, CGI and doing the stuff with green screens.
PRODUCERS: They get your film out there. The producer helps to publish the movie and build advertisement for the movie. Mostly they are responsible for getting the money to pay people for the film. They hire the whole team, hire the director, in charge of the money but also in charge of what happens creatively with the film. The director producer and writer work together and the producer does schedules, make sure everythings safe with risk assessments and when the film is completed they try to sell the film to distributors.
AUDIO MIXERS: Music, score and licensing of film in post-production
ARTISTS: Make the storyboard
LIGHTING PEOPLE
ADVERTISERS: Distribution and marketing companies in the post-production stages of the film
2.3 Outline the potential progression routes into the film industry and wider sector
You have to start with smaller jobs so rather than being the script writer you’d have to first get experience in script editing and supervising. There are apprenticeships in the industry with people like Film 4 and Channel 4 which help you learn skills.
There are also BFI residentials which I could do like a residential in editing or screenwriting to help me improve those skills more. I could do an entry level job when I finish school to help me learn what it is like to be on an actual film set and not just the one I have made in my charities basement
Getting your film into film festivals is a good way to be noticed and luckily my film is being shown at the Spirit of Independence film festival so I am more likely to get noticed.
University is good for some people but not always necessary. Its a good idea to learn how to drive as some film sets can be out in the middle of nowhere.
Personal Progression Plan
What areas/ specialisms in creative media would you like to work in?
I want to do filming and editing, maybe writing scripts. I want to make my own videos and I don’t mind editing other peoples stuff either. Im inspired by filmmakers to make my own films and always thinking how would I do that
Would you like to further study film / creative media?
Yes. I am still doing college but after college honestly I don’t know what I want to do. I’m just going to keep filming so I can get bet about that. I want to do more filming and would like to do further education if I got in but right now I have to focus on college.
What courses interest you? Give reasons
Maybe a BA in filmmaking or a short course on video editing
Which local media companies would you be interested in working with? Give reasons
I’d really like to work with Marvel studios
What are the options for making your own content?
I can make my own films at home like I did over lockdown. I mostly get asked to make films and edit stuff for sparkle the charity I am a part of.
What are the options for funding and distribution?
I can get a BFI Film fund to support me in making my first film, but before I do that I have to try and make a few films with no budget and be as cheap as possible so that I can then show what I can do with no money to BFI and they might give me some funding for a short.
What networks will you join?
SYFN. I also will help my charity to make films. BFI Film Academy ALumni network
What do you hope to gain from these networks?
Skills, experience and networking with other people.. So I’m going to stay in touch with everyone from the BFI Film Academy so that I can work with them in the future on projects.
What are your next steps?
Just carry on filming and see if I get noticed by anyone by sharing the stuff I am making on social media, facebook and youtube, and by emailing directors I aspire to be like. I like watchng behind the scenes so I can learn how they were created.
Site Title 