Taking the next step....

HOW TO MAKE THE NEXT STEP AFTER GETTING INTO FILM????

Hi,

i have floated around the forums for a while now and made a couple of posts... i just have a question that in the time i have been here i have not seen come up too often if at all....

A lot of people have come on here and asked about the first steps of getting into Film Making etc... but i guess i want to know how to make that step from making films in your spare time around your day job to making into a career...

I have made films ever since i was young and coming back from family holidays, getting the family video camera and editing together a video on VHS.... the past 6 years i have worked in the music industry, booking tours for artists all over the world here in the UK. I became quite disillusioned with the music industry and came back to my first love, film making.....

Over the past year i have been very lucky and always had a project in the near future to work towards (this is mainly due to my music links) most of the work however has been live filming, which in actual fact has allowed me to learn a lot very fast.... i have been lucky enough to film national band competition finals, live bands, ive done the odd wedding and recently ive just finished filming the Cambridge Folk Festival which is a world renowned music festival.
Its been a great year and although i have a bit of a lack of self confidence, i have been privileged to work on some great projects, its allowed me to learn as i go along and earn a little bit of cash along the way... yes people are actually paying me for my services!!

which kind of leads me onto my actual question.... i really enjoy doing promo videos for companies and events.... videos that go along to music that inspire and excite people.

I just am struggling with the next step... i would love to make this into a career!
I have no film school or any educational film background, my experience is reading a hell of a lot of books, and just getting out there and throwing myself into things.

Right now, i work in my dads company which is nice and safe and i can have time off when i like really, its a source of a steady income. But i would really like to make that transition into working in film with a nice income, im not looking for anything to earn millions (just yet!) haha just something to support myself.

Is it worth going down the route of getting a low basic admin job with a filming company or studio? (the only drawback to this is the few jobs i have looked at they seem to like people with educational background in film or graduates, which unfortunately i am not.

Or do i put my energy into promoting myself and building a small company up around the limited contacts i have and the avenues i have yet to pursue...

i really feel at a crossroads and dont know which road to take...

sorry for my rambling and any advice would be greatly appreciated!!

Best Wishes

Mark
(P.S for those i have not said hello to yet... send you a big HELLO!)
 
I just am struggling with the next step... i would love to make this into a career!
I have no film school or any educational film background, my experience is reading a hell of a lot of books, and just getting out there and throwing myself into things.
Many directors working today have no film school
or any educational film background. If they can do
it - you can do it.

You love doing promo videos for companies and
events. Charge for your services. You won't get high
paying jobs immediately, you will need to make a lot
of them for free to build your reel and client base,
but this is something people pay for.

Is it worth going down the route of getting a low basic admin job with a filming company or studio? (the only drawback to this is the few jobs i have looked at they seem to like people with educational background in film or graduates, which unfortunately i am not.
You might be right. I've never even tried to get a
basic admin job with prodCo or studio. Interesting that
those "low basic" admin jobs are filled with film school
grads. But you should keep looking.

Or do i put my energy into promoting myself and building a small company up around the limited contacts i have and the avenues i have yet to pursue...
You can do all of the above.

You can keep working for your dad to pay the bills. You
can keep looking for admin work at the studios. You
can start your own prodCo, make promo films, shoot
events and make shorts, while building your limited
contacts.

As you know, there is no, clear path to earning a living
in production. So keep walking all the paths.
 
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