For those who don't direct full time... (Side Career/Work)

B

Basilskite

New member
A little background first, I'm just getting started in video/film making. So far, I've PA'd for a webseries and a university student's short, I've been volunteering at my local television station, I've directed and edited a promotional video for a band. I just graduated college and am now working a data entry job, which is full time.

Don't get me wrong, being able to have a full time job is great! But...it is boring and it takes time away from learning about/working on films. I'm not sure what I'd like to do yet. Ideally, I'd like to eventually make independent feature films. Maybe even direct tv shows. I wouldn't mind editing full time either. Now my question is, what kind of work do you people do for a living, if not film making?

P.S. I'm really tired and I apologize for such an inarticulate post.
 
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By the way, here's the video I directed/edited. Please, feel free to critique harshly (but justly) to the best of your ability! Criticism is a great teacher.
 
Find something more flexible and try and PA and direct as much as you can to figure things out. My friend used to drive a cab when he was starting out. He only worked a couple days a week, and when he got a job he always could find someone to cover him. I'm sure there are other things out there that can work with you and your schedule.
 
It depends completely on where you live.

If you live in a major production area, such as L.A., NY, Atlanta, or New Orleans, then I suggest start looking to get jobs as a PA on a TV Show, Feature, or even Commercials. As soon as you get a PA job, quit your current job. Hopefully the PA job will lead to another. Funny thing is, if you get on good productions, you will actually make more money as a PA than you will at a Data Entry job (probably a lot more actually). The benefit of this approach is that obviously you make money AND connections, you learn a lot about how films are made on a large scale.

If you don't live in an area where you can feasibly live as a PA, then I suggest for now you keep your job and try to shoot something every weekend if possible (it usually won't be, but it's the ideal). After you get a good enough portfolio and have hopefully saved up some money from your job, consider moving to one of the big production areas.

Most important thing, if you want to direct, you need to make shorts, commercials, music vids, whatever you can, and as often as you can. You will only learn by doing.

As for me personally, I live near one of the big production hubs so I do as much PA work as I can, and do videography for universities and businesses when I can't find PA gigs. It's hard to find consistant work, but i've only been at for a year or so, and everyone I meet says the first 2-3 years is pretty hard.
 
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