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misc Just Want To Make New Connections

C

CineYorkshire

Not sure if there's a thread for general networking, but I'm basically just trying to make new connections in general.

I don't have many industry connections (I literally only have two industry contacts, who are both in Los Angeles, and embarrassingly my Mum made those connections on my behalf), and I feel like this is holding me back in my attempt to break into the film and television industry.

Is anyone else in the same boat of just looking to build their industry connections in general?
 
Everyone here is a contact. If you have certain skills let us know and maybe you can jump on something be done by a member (remotely, or close to you).
 
sfoster said:
This is a very tough time for the industry.
I'm not part of the industry, it's my passion instead of my income, but everything I hear - it's really tough right now.
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I think part of a problem is a lack of stability. I'm not in the industry either but I know that those who are tend to be freelancers, relying on being able to jump from one short term/temporary contract to another.

I don't understand why these film and TV companies don't open up more remote working opportunities. It would be much more accommodating to those of us who are disabled, for instance, and may not be in a position to relocate. You could have entry level data wrangling positions from home, or other general admin duties, that could be linked specifically to the production companies themselves rather than a specific film or TV Show. It would be one good way to bring more stability and introduce more permanent contracts rather than short term temporary work.
 
I know four disabled people who work from home:
a pre-viz animator, an assembly editor on reality shows, a 2D concept
artist and an analytics manager for Netflix. A friend of mine works as
a copy editor/fact checker for a couple of YouTube creators – almost
entirely from home ad I know several music mixers and video editors
who work entirely from home.

Lack of stability has always been a big issue in entertainment. It took
me years to build up enough contacts to be able to jump from gig to
gig. And even then when your, specific, job dries up or gets too saturated
with people willing to work for less the stability vanishes.

Unless you're at the Exec level or a programer permanent employment
in this industry is almost unheard of.

What is it you want to do? What job in the industry would make you
happiest?
 
CineYorkshire said:
I think part of a problem is a lack of stability. I'm not in the industry either but I know that those who are tend to be freelancers, relying on being able to jump from one short term/temporary contract to another.

I don't understand why these film and TV companies don't open up more remote working opportunities. It would be much more accommodating to those of us who are disabled, for instance, and may not be in a position to relocate. You could have entry level data wrangling positions from home, or other general admin duties, that could be linked specifically to the production companies themselves rather than a specific film or TV Show. It would be one good way to bring more stability and introduce more permanent contracts rather than short term temporary work.
Click to expand...

This is an indirect result of how medical insurance works in USA - as a 1099 contract worker you are responsible for purchasing your own health coverage, the company gets off scott free.

If you became a full time employee of these production companies, suddenly they would have to pay for your health insurance.
Their payroll costs would SKYROCKET if they had to pay for every contractor's health insurance, so ask yourself again, why would they do what you're saying and take on all these full time employees? They are actively disincentivized.
 
directorik said:
I know four disabled people who work from home:
a pre-viz animator, an assembly editor on reality shows, a 2D concept
artist and an analytics manager for Netflix. A friend of mine works as
a copy editor/fact checker for a couple of YouTube creators – almost
entirely from home ad I know several music mixers and video editors
who work entirely from home.

Lack of stability has always been a big issue in entertainment. It took
me years to build up enough contacts to be able to jump from gig to
gig. And even then when your, specific, job dries up or gets too saturated
with people willing to work for less the stability vanishes.

Unless you're at the Exec level or a programer permanent employment
in this industry is almost unheard of.

What is it you want to do? What job in the industry would make you
happiest?
Click to expand...
My main interest is in screenwriting. That would be the job that would make me most happy. I'm working on an idea I had for a screenplay at the moment based on the customer services job I'm currently doing, which I'm hoping to get good enough to enter into the BBC Writersroom.
 
CineYorkshire said:
Yeah, and even things like tone meetings and readthroughs could just be done over Zoom without much problem. I think the main issues are getting the work noticed and finding an agent.
Click to expand...
Yes. That has always been the main issue. It might be even harder now.

I was a "reader" for a few years. The agent would get 100 to 250 scripts a
week sent to her - physical scripts sent by mail. Today she gets between
900 and 1,500 sent to her by eMail. Screenwriting competitions like the
Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting has had to limit the amount of entries
to 5,500 because they were getting too many to manage.

But new writers break in all the time. And there are more avenues than
ever to get a script made and seen.
 
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