Hey, Filmmakers Network!
My name is Shannon Litt and I'm an aspiring director, currently finishing up my last year at university (for film production, of course :P). Now that graduation is around the corner, I need to start looking for a full-time, fulfilling job. Basically something to pay the bills while I continue to make my own productions to gain more exposure as a director in my own right. I've worked on a number of productions in my 4 years at school, and have compiled a solid demo reel (http://vimeo.com/35018889) and a web-series that is almost ready to be released.
My question to you folks is this - what's the best way to approach finding a full-time, fulfilling job in the film/TV/new media industries? Cold-calling advertising agencies and offering my services as a director/director's assistant doesn't seem to work very effectively. Should I join a union and focus my efforts on art direction or another technical aspect of filmmaking in the meantime? Should I freelance for smaller projects? Should I invest my own time and money into producing a stunning short film or feature film to bring in more exposure for myself?
I figured I would ask Filmmakers Network since you're all industry professionals. How did you get your first paid, full-time positions in this tough industry?
Thanks for the feedback :)
Cheers,
-Shannon
Hi Shannon, I'm not an industry professional but I am an aspiring screen-writer. Life is always complexed. I'm currently writing a micro-budget horror flick to be filmed this summer. I'm dying to work on multiple projects this year. Perhaps we can work on 1 or 2 shorts? Building my resume or "filmography" is basically what I'm after this year. :)