The film and television industry is one of the most exciting and celebrated industries in the world. Working in front of the camera or behind the scenes has massive appeal to thousands of people, and there is no doubt that it is an exceptionally creative and rewarding and to top it all if you excel at what you do the work can also be extremely lucrative. With hundreds of people chasing just a handful of jobs it's not surprising that TV Channels and independent production companies like mine get snowed under with CV's from people looking for work or work experience.
In this short article I discuss the 4 key people to target when looking for work in the film and TV industry, what they do and why they are so important.
Target the right people.
Approaching the right people and letting them know you are out there is vital to your success.
Below are the main people that you should target. These people hire and fire crew and Production staff so they are the decision makers. However if you are fortunate enough to know someone on the 'inside' of the industry who doesn't fall into this category the by all means approach them because they may well be able to pull a few strings. In fact if you do know someone like this you shouldn't even be reading this right now, you should be already be working in the industry! For the less fortunate read on!
The people to target are the:
• Producers
• Directors
• Production Managers
• Heads of Departments
Let's look at why these people are so important to you.
The Producer
The Producer is one of the major players in the film and TV industry. They are responsible for virtually everything related to a production. (This includes hiring you!) One area they pay particular attention to is the Production Budget (The money allocated for the production). They have very high status, control the money and make all the major decisions regarding virtually every aspect of the production.
The Director
The Director is next in command. Directors are responsible for overseeing all creative aspects of a film or TV Production. They basically drive the whole production process from start to finish. Directors are obviously very influential and they too have the authority to hire you.
The Production Manager
The Production Manager is your best friend! They have many important roles but from your perspective you need to know that they ultimately responsible for employing all crew and production staff. Part of their many duties is monitoring the Production Budget and ensuring it stays on track. They negotiate deals and arrange contracts with the talent (actors), members of the crew and the production team. They also have the power to hire and fire and will most likely be your first point of contact.
Head of Department
There are many different departments that exist in film and TV production.
Each department has a one person in charge, or Head of Department.
Let's take the example of the Camera Department.
It is the Director of Photography (DOP) who is Head of the Camera Department. Usually the DOP will hand pick his preferred camera crew and the Production Manager who will then arrange any contracts and hire the recommended crew. If you can appeal to a Head of Department it may be very advantageous for you as they have the capability to give you the break you are looking for by referring you to the Production Manager.
In reality there are many people working in the industry that can help you, offer useful advice even recommend you, but in reality Producers, Directors, Production Managers and Heads of Departments are the ONLY people who have the power to actually hire you.
Chris Weaver has worked in the film and television industry for over 30 years, trained by BBC TV Chris has won numerous awards for his work and has extensive knowledge of the industry. Chris now runs his own successful independent film and TV production company.
Part of Chris's commitments includes training young talent to work the industry.
To find out more visit:
http://filmcameracourse.wordpress.com/how-to-get-a-job-in-the-film-tv-industry/
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