ASK & DISCUSS INDEX

10 years, 7 months ago - Vasco de Sousa

In the words that Forrest Gump might have uttered "gramma always said, treat others as you would be treated."

So, for the benefit of those on here looking for paid work, I'll let you know a few places where I found it.

I've been paid 10 pounds an hour for being an extra on my first corporate film. I was at a hotdesk when I got my first extra job, using a shared computer for £25 a semester because I couldn't afford my own internet. When I was offered the money, I was on break from writing a script on said computer (which I wrote in notepad and emailed to myself every day.)

Then, after a few other jobs, somehow, I got a scholarship to study at film school. I wouldn't have been able to afford it otherwise.

At uni, I was in the recording room of a religious documentary, as an observer, not expecting work, when I heard a lawnmower outside. The studio was leaking noise, and I pointed this out.

I got paid 20 pounds an hour to take on some extra crewing work.

I've gotten little jobs like this through connections as well. Someone said that I liked American history, so I was hired to write up a story on an historical event.

Networking is not about going to parties, it's about letting people who know you know what you're good at.

Now, about some of the longer term jobs I've seen.

BBC, ITV, and most TV stations and even studios advertise on their own websites. Occasionally, they'll advertise through a channel like The Guardian, or even The Stage.

Independent producers network at film school, at film festivals, and so on. I'm just starting to learn how that all works.

StarNow has paid work, but for the same kind of microbudget producers as ShootingPeople. It's mainly for actors, but there are some below-the-line jobs there. What it lacks are the discussions that SP has, and I haven't seen any option for writing jobs.

Casting agencies will often hook up with production companies to get extras. Follow the trade papers, see what's going to shoot in town, and let your casting agent know you're interested.

Manchester United needed an editor and advertised on Prospects.ac.uk. Other advertising agencies or companies that need similar work, and can't recruit through their websites, go to other mainstream job boards, or hire through sites like LinkedIn, or even on Facebook.

Word of Mouth is the favourite way to hire, and a producer will often ask a DP to recommend an AD, or vice versa, until the crew is filled that way. In fact, this is how many experienced producers tell aspiring producers to do things. "Get a good AD, and ask them who they know." or, "find a post production coordinator, and let them hire the musicians, editors, and so on."

Some guy from my old film school saw that I had a film company, and just sent me his CV in hope that I could offer work. The important thing is that he personalized the message and let me know that he knew who I was. And yes, I did read his CV and watch his show reel as a result. Not only that, I forwarded (the link to) one of the student films he was involved in to others I know. So, if he keeps this up, I think it'll pay off for him.

However, a lot of musicians spam me their stuff, and don't personalize their message, so I just ignore them. (Sorry to single out musicians, but they tend to be the ones, along with Voice Over artists, who do the least research when they contact me personally.) Make sure you don't write the same message to me as you write to Disney or the BBC, or I'll leave you in the spam box (and so will Disney and the BBC.)

Anyway, I could write a book about this, going in more detail, but I just want to let you all know that paid work is out there.

I often struggle to find paid work myself (perhaps because of my stubborn insistence on living far away from the urban world or because I don't drive, or because I'm so fussy on the kind of project I work on), but I hope this is useful to others. As Woody Allen said "half of it is just showing up."

And, if anyone knows any jobs involving PG or U rated feature films, especially comedy, (no torture horror or gritty documentaries please) let me know. I'm not paying myself anything other than deferred money to develop my current comedy, and it's gotten to that stage of development "hell" where I'm looking for an excuse, like another project to work on. ("When you're self employed, the boss is always an idiot" - old cliche) :)