ASK & DISCUSS
INDEXEU exchange program winner-Advice: How to find an assistantship chance(working fo free) in a good Drama feature film company?
9 years, 5 months ago - Sergio Falchi
Dear all,
I’m a writer who strives to become a director and would like to develop my skills in this area. I’m looking to shadow/assist a director throughout a feature’s production, without being paid.
I’m the winner of an EU commission exchange mentorship program bursary. It is part of the “Erasmus Young Entrepreneurs Program” which allows the winner to be mentored. The bursary funds me for a maximum period of 4 months, but I’m willing to consider a longer period according to the company/producer/director's needs.
My aim is to develop a career as a writer/director in the UK and above and what better way to learn than by doing.
I didn't received any positive reply from more than 250 film companies I contacted(the majority of listed as indipendent company, but also single producer's company and others..)
Actually I received only some polite answers and the majority of them don't replay at all.
Probably I'm supposing too much, even if I'm only looking for a free of charge opportunity to work(and learn) on a feature set the fact is that I have no real credits and no one knows me.
In the 90% of the other e-mails I sent, I also added that I would be fully available to start again from a simple floor runner position if needed; sometimes if not allowed I avoided to attach documents of any kind or purpose, but as a results no one seems to be interested. If not strictly forbidden I just attached a one page pitch document properly explaining the meaning of this attachment.
Maybe the word "mentorship" could be misunderstood or suppose too much, actually why a producer should give to a never know person who qualifies as an aspiring writer/director( and a foreigner one) a chance? But honestly why it should be so difficult even if he/she is just looking for a runner position? the EYE scheme should be intended as a win/win agreement between an estabilished professional and a newbie but it would entails a minimum positive attitude towards a mentorship.
That's why I spent 6 months in writing a feature screenplay in a non native language,(The plot structure the rithm and the scenes flowing were well considered by a former screenwriting lecturer at Northern film School but he also told me to re edit dialogues and to better tailor the story on a single characters, the spelling and grammar was corrected by a professional script editor). Consequently I prepared a modified treatment and storyboard plus camera schemes of same scenes etc..I did it just to be able and ready to show something useful to support my request...even if for an entry level position. But no one gave me a chance. Please note that I never ask to consider the pitch document or the script proposal as material to be considered for a production at this stage.
It's very tough and honestly as I am in my early 30es I really don't know how I can break into the movie industry if neither the indipendent's one could give me a single chance to work for free for a few months just filling a couple of forms for the Exchange scheme... but that's it.
I also tought to start from a trainee scheme , like the Creative skillset one but both Film (and also TV areas) entiles credits or references OR an approved course. I have a very little experience as a runner and Photographer, A mixed 1AD assistant and casting assistant, and only in Italy several years ago.
I would be very grateful if you could suggest me a correct approach conceirning a proper way to make my first step in the UK also restarting as a runner if in a serious feature company, considering the funding I could use for the EU EYE scheme or even not considering it( but I can't afford to work for free without the scheme's funding). Please note that I already have a Bsc and a Msc(1st class both ,in scientific subjects) plus other vocational arts courses so I think I can't also apply for an apprenticeships(16-24 ) scheme.
I really apologize for the naive and unconventional request but I am wholehearted, and asking for(if possible) advice and help it is the only thing I could do..
I could join small production's that are going to shoot shorts as posted almost daily here on Shooting people but I can't be funded from the EU program for a so short period, so it's why I'm looking for a more structured company where I could consider to work almost for free( the scheme funding is about 1000 £/monthly) for 4 Months.
I am currently developing a short drama that I could shoot in the next month(April/May) and I 'am considering to do it in English. This could be the key to achieve more possibilities to get into? But this is another topic to be developed perhaps in a following question.
I would be really grateful if you could tell me In your kind opinion if there's something different that I could/should do.
I apologize also for my english, that is not perfect at the present time.
Thank you so much to everyone is losing time in reading this poem.."Ars gratia artis" shooters.
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9 years, 5 months ago - Paddy Robinson-Griffin
Hi Sergio,
I think you're facing the same problem as several thousand other film school graduates face every single year - there's more people looking for work than the other way around. And as you come within the Erasmus scheme, it actually makes you harder to place than any old random -
You're asking for a 4 month period shadowing a director on a feature. Features don't take 4 months to shoot, so most of the time you're doing nothing. During preproduction you are getting engaged, but it's a mixture of meetings and private redrafts of the script. The meetings aren't appropriate for your level (financial implications) and the redrafts are essentially private laptop affairs.
Production will be several weeks where you can see some stuff happening and get some value, although the director isn't likely to want a shadow during one of the most stressful times, so yes you'd better engage in the AD department as a floor runner. Your grade wouldn't be high enough for a hotel room or to travel you to overseas sections.
Finally the edit - a minimum of 10 weeks where you've again very little engagement as it's the director popping into an edit suite to check progress a few hours a week.
When I spoke with someone from the scheme, they said they needed to place sometime for the 4 months (they wanted to place someone with me) and it's just the wrong size, shape and fit of project. Out of 4 months you might get 3-6 weeks of productive time, and that would be as a runner, which you can probably get outside the scheme too. And it wouldn't trigger your payment, so no help there.
The competition is huge, but I don't think the rigidity of the Erasmus bursary is any advantage in an industry which has short but intense periods of activity during which millions of pounds will be spent and there is little scope for having to explain everything (for you to get value, someone would need to spend time with you right at the time they're working 60+ hour weeks) when busy. If you were looking for regular film runner work, where you would just do as you're told and keep your eyes and ears open with the occasional chat over lunch with crew, you might get more traction. Needing anything of the director's/department heads time during by definition the busiest, most stressful and expensive and if their year is probably less attractive for a production!
Hope this gives a bit of background why you might be struggling.
Response from 9 years, 5 months ago - Paddy Robinson-Griffin SHOW
9 years, 5 months ago - John Lubran
I think Paddy has nailed it Sergio. The notion that the Erasmus scheme is a "win/win" for everyone is untrue. The people who live and work in these institutional ivory towers, ticking boxes and dreaming up ways to spend public money, do appear to be living on another proverbial planet. However you are very well qualified in the sciences and marine biology; look out for production work that also involves those things, that would give you a big advantage. One thing leads to another.
Response from 9 years, 5 months ago - John Lubran SHOW
9 years, 5 months ago - Sergio Falchi
Dear Paddy and John ,
thank you so much for your kind reply...I forget to clarify here that the period could be flexible between 1 to 4 months. apart from this detail I completely understand that the win/win theory simply is not tailored for this field...no surprise about it 'cos in my past experience in italy i saw what a mess there's in a direction department during a feature shooting(and during a preproduction)but I've been just thinking that a free help it would have been a plus...When approaching medium level and also small but well sounding indipendent company(at least with a recent feature with a theatrical release)I also wrote that I wasn't pretending to be "formally" mentored but that my aim is to help to let the shooting smoothly and to have the chance to learn just observing the shooting and directing process..but I'm suspecting this is not a so original and intriguing request...however the word "runner" was well underlined as a possibility( a mixed runner/apprenticeships position).
I've just send you a personal message. I would be very grateful if you could spend a couple of minutes about another specific question.
Thank you so much for your help
Response from 9 years, 5 months ago - Sergio Falchi SHOW
9 years, 5 months ago - AndBut Films
Which are the four months during which you are seeking an Erasmus placement?
Response from 9 years, 5 months ago - AndBut Films SHOW
9 years, 5 months ago - Sergio Falchi
Dear Andbut films thanks for getting in touch. I've just send you a private message.Thank you.
Response from 9 years, 5 months ago - Sergio Falchi SHOW