ASK & DISCUSS INDEX

10 years, 10 months ago - Andrew Johnstone

The stock answer to this question is "start at the bottom and learn on the way up".

My advice would also be 'don't offer to do stuff you are not capable of' and 'develop relationships with people that are working and try to impress them'.

With the availability of cheap digital production kit making your own film is the very best way to start, but it depends what you are trying to achieve. If you want to make docs & TV, then the critical issue is to develop your journalism.

Feature film is a different animal and requires many more working parts to make it happen. In this case you need to find like-minded people to work with.

10 years, 10 months ago - Tim iloobia

And one last thought. Stay communicative. There have been some generous replies to your question in terms of time and advice on this thread but i cant see you back here to follow up on any of it. That is not the most encouraging sign. Its a highly competitive field to enter into so lasting impressions can really matter. Of course its only advice but you never know, one of the above might be a future work contact.

10 years, 10 months ago - Max Latey

You're doing a film production degree and they don't tell you how to get work? I'd ask for my money back! But yeah, to back up what people have already said, if you want to make films, you'll have to find funding and produce them yourself. If you want a job *in* film, just read the previous comments..

10 years, 10 months ago - Daniel Johnson

Hey man!

I think there's no right answer. You just keep working, keep shooting, keep meeting people, and you carve out a niche for yourself.

I wouldn't worry about a day rate at first. In fact being paid nothing when you start out is kind of useful, you'll be exploring the craft and creating great (and terrible) work as you go.

And eventually you get paid more because you're so valuable! They'd rather pay you hundreds every day than get someone else for free because you have such a unique style.

But that takes time.

Keep filming! Stay positive, and it will all work out!

10 years, 10 months ago - Paddy Robinson-Griffin

Just a quick additional note - the degree in film production is nice to have, but is typically not practical enough to count as experience in industry. If you do a quick straw poll of people who completed a film degree, then took their first job on a feature, who felt ready, prepared, and up for it, and who felt overwhelmed and like they had to learn more or less from scratch again, I suspect you'd see quite a few on the second option

10 years, 10 months ago - Tim iloobia

Hi Joseph,
when i began my freelance career a few years ago now, my main focus was on building up samples of work that demonstrated my strongest skills that were likely to get me paid work - in my case at the time it was editing and animation. I spent all my time making little short videos, animations, stings and promos just to have some footage to cut into a reel before i got any commissioned work.

Saying you are a freelance film-maker is a bit vague for most people to know what to do with you, so i would suggest being more specific and sell your most proficient skills. What are your strongest skills? Camera?, editor?, animator?, producer?

Regarding day-rates, try to take what you can get at first and then work your way up a more steady and meaningful figure. I still to this day quote my top day rate to begin with but am always prepared to go down if i know the project cant accommodate my price but its worth doing.

Free work is another thing. sometimes its worth it , sometimes not, and it can boost a portfolio, but it can also be a timehole with little return. Just don't get caught up doing it all the time.

Once you have a reel of some kind, i would go around as many post houses or studios you can and arrange meetings to show them what you can do, but also that you are a diligent individual who is going to turn up on time, a positive person to work with who wont download every problem you have on the client, get a quality job done by the deadline and not be a precious diva about it.

Good luck - its not easy but the first year will be a baptism of fire and if you make it through that you will know if its for you or not. And let us know how it goes.

sorry - i could ramble all day but got to get back to work……

Tim

10 years, 10 months ago - Marlom Tander

To me "Freelance Filmmaker" is someone making interesting docus off their own bat and carving a rep that way.

Not someone you hire (not until they have made their name anyway). As Dan says - you hire a cameraman, a director or whatever.

10 years, 10 months ago - Dan Selakovich

What Paddy said. I might also add, drop "Freelance Filmmaker" as a term. You're a camera operator, an assistant editor, a P.A. ... Freelance filmmaker is a little vague.

10 years, 10 months ago - Paddy Robinson-Griffin

1) Offer to be a runner on anything you can get experience on
2) See 1) above
3) See 2) above! You'll start off on intern/expenses kind of rates, you only get paid a 'rate' when you're worth one and people agree to pay it!