Do you work outside of Filmmaking?

A

AllanBourne

It's a very demanding career path. It isn't something that just comes, but at the same time you have to stick with it as long as it takes. The (it) being filmmaking. But at the same time, what do you do for money lets say, while writing? do you have a regular job?

My situation is a bit bittersweet. I landed a great internship for a production company here in NYC, it's an unpaid internship, but the potential is there for paid work. They're set to start shooting a new film in about 3 months, so I figure this is when some sort of paid work will be tossed my way(hopefully sooner). But now, I've come to realize that I need money (as evil as that sounds). Should I just pull through the next couple months and stay on the straight and narrow path, or should I get a part time job?
 
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I work a full time local government job. It's good money and I get to work 10 hour shifts, four day a week. So I have 3 day weekends every week.

The only thing that sucks is I get most of my ideas during my work day and I can't do anything about them until I get home. But after 10 hours, I seldom have the energy to work on them... I have to push myself all the time to write and develop stories.
 
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If you're fortunate enough to be in good health, hopefully early 20s, and no family you should easily be able to work a full time job, albeit at some pretty cr@ppy hours, to fund your filmmaking internship crack habit.

It'll get progressively more difficult to put that wear and tear on your body the older you get, and negligent if you've a wife and kids you care about.

GL
 
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i'm 26, full time job in aerospace industry. Been balancing work and filmmaking for the last year. So far - it works out pretty well :)

But then again, I don't have kids.

Source of money MUST come first. Without income you don't have a roof. Or, if you'll choose to move with your parents, you won't be able to afford food for your crew :) Or gas money..

So, JOB comes in first. After that - you can pick and choose whatever you want. What sort of the job? The one that pays the most :)
 
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Exactly - put a roof over your head first, then dream.

It's a bit slow for me now, so I can devote more time to learning how to be a producer. Then, when business picks up, I can take a break from movies and let it sink. That said, eventually, if you want to have two jobs, you have to learn to dig deep in yourself to find the energy to keep going.
 
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AllanBourne said:
But now, I've come to realize that I need money (as evil as that sounds).
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Why does it sound evil to say you need money? Does someone else
pay for all your expenses? If they do does it sound evil if THEY need
money to pay for all your expenses? Even YOU are hoping that your
unpaid internship turns into a paid job. When they start paying you
will that sound evil?

AllanBourne said:
Should I just pull through the next couple months and stay on the straight and narrow path, or should I get a part time job?
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Aren’t you the best person to answer that question? I could not survive
without having a job - a job that pays. Just couldn’t do it. Can you? If
you can then stay with your unpaid internship until they start paying
you. If you can’t (and you kind of say you can’t) then you need to get
a job that pays.

AllanBourne said:
But at the same time, what do you do for money lets say, while writing? do you have a regular job?
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I have always had several jobs because I have always been a freelancer.
I cannot afford to be without a job and I do not want to have a “regular”
job. I have never had a job outside of entertainment - film, theater or TV.
 
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AllanBourne said:
It's a very demanding career path. It isn't something that just comes, but at the same time you have to stick with it as long as it takes. The (it) being filmmaking. But at the same time, what do you do for money lets say, while writing? do you have a regular job?

My situation is a bit bittersweet. I landed a great internship for a production company here in NYC, it's an unpaid internship, but the potential is there for paid work. They're set to start shooting a new film in about 3 months, so I figure this is when some sort of paid work will be tossed my way(hopefully sooner). But now, I've come to realize that I need money (as evil as that sounds). Should I just pull through the next couple months and stay on the straight and narrow path, or should I get a part time job?
Click to expand...

I know your situation will be different, but I thought this might encourage you. I started out interning for 9 months straight for free at universal, I used every penny I could to learn as much as I could, then I got a job there. Now I all I do is make movies, I dont have a "real" job and I love that, I live off the royalties of my films and now I have to turn down investors that want to invest in my films. If you want something, learn it, do it, be it, dont let anyone tell you its not possible. Obviously you need to do what you have to, to make a living, but I just wanted to give you a bit of encouragement.

Nick
 
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Money is not evil. Paying your bills while pursuing your dream is not bad (doubly so if your dream involves buying gear).

Everyone's road is different (and of course, not everyone makes it). I hope this internship turns into paying work for you quickly, and you can maintain a solid stretch of work in the field you are pursuing. If not, there's nothing wrong with a part time job or two. I've worked a full-time job my entire life...I hope to eventually make my creative work my day job, but I've a long road to go for that.

If I make it, I'll be satisfied with my life. If I never do, but keep trying until my last, I'll be satisfied with my life. Giving up is not an option...but neither is complaining that my life didn't turn out the way I wanted it to! That's my personal philosophy on that, anyway.

Oh, addendum: at one point I was in IT, working 80+hour weeks. Didn't have time to do music, so I quit the job. Spent years making a fraction of what I did then, but enough to pay the bills. Even now, my job is 8-5, Monday through Friday and most importantly, I do not take it home. I am very rarely called upon to put in extra hours. This gives me time (sure, not as much as I'd like, but still) to work on my skills until I can do what I want to do.
 
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While reading these posts I realised I have a dilemma, too. I got 2 years to finish school and I'll go to the university. The thing is that I want to study film production or something similar. But now I see how hard it is to have a full-time job in this filmmaking industry. So even if I have a degree in Film Production, I might need to get another job which is likely low paid because I have no degree in it (I'll have to work as a waiter or sth :D ). So can anyone tell me whether it's a good idea to study it or only with huge motivation, inspiration and luck I will suceed after I graduate. What do you think, guys? :/
 
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Crownom said:
While reading these posts I realised I have a dilemma, too. I got 2 years to finish school and I'll go to the university. The thing is that I want to study film production or something similar. But now I see how hard it is to have a full-time job in this filmmaking industry. So even if I have a degree in Film Production, I might need to get another job which is likely low paid because I have no degree in it (I'll have to work as a waiter or sth :D ). So can anyone tell me whether it's a good idea to study it or only with huge motivation, inspiration and luck I will suceed after I graduate. What do you think, guys? :/
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Get a degree in a profession where it's easy to make money, like accounting, law, medicine, or psychology, and do a minor in film. Some people can even do a double major.
 
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I'm envious of all you guys that are doing this in your teens and 20's. I waited until I was 35 to make my first short film, and I'm always wondering where I'd be if I would have done something earlier in my life.

I turn 40 tomorrow and I've already built a life outside the movie biz. Because I waited so long to start, it just makes it all the more difficult to try doing it all now.

I've got a wife and two kids that I wouldn't give up for the world, but there's always that little gnawing feeling I get when I think, "what if..."
 
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LasVegasIRA said:
I'm envious of all you guys that are doing this in your teens and 20's. I waited until I was 35 to make my first short film, and I'm always wondering where I'd be if I would have done something earlier in my life.

I turn 40 tomorrow and I've already built a life outside the movie biz. Because I waited so long to start, it just makes it all the more difficult to try doing it all now.

I've got a wife and two kids that I wouldn't give up for the world, but there's always that little gnawing feeling I get when I think, "what if..."
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I'm a decade older than you, and I haven't even made a film yet. You can expect to work until your 70's, which still gives you three decades. As for your lifelong dreams, you'll have to work at two jobs - film and your other one - while raising your family. It's tough, but, hey, if you want it all, work like crazy.

That's what I'm doing.
 
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Aspiring Mogul said:
Get a degree in a profession where it's easy to make money, like accounting, law, medicine, or psychology, and do a minor in film.
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I know many people who chose this route - usually at the request
of their parents - and ended up in a lifestyle they could not change.
So the sacrifice it takes to make movies is put second. Years after
getting their degree in a profession where it's easy to make money
they are making money and not making movies.

I'm not saying when you put filmmaking second you will never do
it. Many will succeed in filmmaking as a second career. I'm speaking
only from my experience. I'm glad I never had a "real" job or a "day
job" or a back up plan. I can only do one thing so I am forced to find
a job in that field. It sure changes your perspective when you don't
have something to fall back on.

I'm also not saying I make my sole living as a writer or director of
films. So I do have something to fall back on in the strictest sense
of the word. But my fall back jobs are still in entertainment. And
that's because I did not take the advice of getting a degree in a
profession where it's easy to make money - I gained experience and
contacts in the profession I wanted to be in.
 
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It's so easy to find ones self riding a wave that never breaks, but instead washes one gently onto the beach...

At age 21 I landed a job at a small production company. Like most such jobs, it only lasted as long as the particular film they were making took to produce (little under a year). While looking for my next gig, I received a call from my alma mater (I'd graduated with an emphasis in film and video production). Their audio-visual tech. had quit with no notice and they needed somebody to fill in temporarily. Having nothing else to do that day, I went in.

23 years later, I was still there. Not a day went by during that entire time that I didn't wake up telling myself, "This is only temporary."

After 23.5 years, they eliminated the position due to budgetary shortfalls. I'm now back where I was, but this time there will be no compromising.

Never lose sight of your goal. 23 years is a lot of time wasted.
 
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One sentence : "Follow your dreams"

follow them wherever they may take you. Because when life is over, that is what you wish you would have done. At least give them a try. To have tried and failed, is better than to never have gotten up.

I'm 34 now. I have been trying out a lot of different jobs and careers. And i am very happy i did. I took the jobs i was interested in, not the highest paying jobs. As long as i had food on the table, and i like the job, i was happy. And i still am happy that way.

Some of my dream jobs, i have tried out. Others i have had to abandon for good reasons. (too bad physical shape and body, to become astronaut or policeman).

All of these experiences have led me to where i am now. Realizing that working only in a very creative job is what works for me for the rest of my life. But film school is expensive, so is working for free. I'd happily take a part time job to just make ends meet, just to get closer to my goal to make movies.

But also, be realistic. Does the free time you work, guarantee that you get a paid job in the end?

If not, i would do that only for weekend shoots and the likes, and then spend the rest of my time on making my own instead.
 
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