Getting directing jobs

A

Aceism

Member
My question is twofold:

1) How does one go about securing larger directing jobs?

2) How does one increase the odds for signing with a production company?

In an industry inundated with directors, I'm actually really curious. I've done the standard have a website + great work + network + social media presence, which has gotten me to a certain level, but not enough to support me fully yet. (I still have to take side jobs) I want to direct more commercials and music videos. Most of the work I do is still for smaller clients. I feel like I've reached a plateau, though. I believe this is the plateau where most people give up and go home. So how does one break through?

With a rapidly changing industry, people are telling me to direct more "viral" videos to gain attention, while others insist on doing more spec work. An executive producer at a major production company you have to have that one "thing" that sets you apart from everyone else - while someone else said "it's still about who you know." Essentially the career definer. Some people said I should get a manager or agent. I entertain all of these responses with enthusiasm, but I value my time highly, so I want to focus on the best path that will accelerate my directing career. If a "best path" even exists. I just don't want to throw several things at the wall and see what sticks.

How does one secure larger directing jobs without a production company/manager/agent by their side? Is it possible? Or will major clients not even look at you with these assets?

And as far as production companies are concerned, I've sent my work to many (200) of them - I've gotten "not hiring right now" / "great work but we're not signing anyone right now" or "not for us." How do you break through this? Do more spec work? Or is it a matter of timing?
 
It's the million dollar question. There is no direct answer. Networking, luck, fate, connections, managers, agents, location..... These are all part of the formula and there is no one thing that can get you there.

I know a person that works for one of the top feature film production companies. This person has wanted to direct his entire career (30 years). He is a premiere person in his field of work (not directing) and has won Oscars for his work. He as worked sided-by-side with the most famous feature film directors and producers. Yet he has never broken through.

There is no one thing that makes it happen. You need to take every advantage.
 
What kind of directing? Commercials? Corporate videos? What?

If you want to direct for TV, you need to get a job with a TV production company and become an AD; then look for opportunities, make contacts and little jobs will start coming your way and you keep climbing to full-time TV directing.

If you want to direct features, there really are only three plausible ways. One, you write or get ahold of a script and self-finance some footage - this can be as little as a scene and try to shop it around to get financing and interest, all the while being attached to direct, or go ahead and finance it fully yourself and/or find investors to get a feature; once the feature is successful, or at least enough of a calling card, you can repeat the process, or if very successful (think major festival winner) you can start getting studio offers. The second is to get ahold of, or write an extremely desirable script that won't cost too much money to make (no $100,000,000 budgets!), and shop it around with you attached as director - hopefully you'll get majors or mini-majors or a production company to bite. The third way is to write a script and manage to attach a bankable star somehow and get attached as director. The last one (getting talent attached) is pretty much impossible, unless you have access to a name actor that's bankable and who wants to do your script with you directing - because he loves your script, or you, or you have something over him or his loved ones. That leaves the first two. The second is harder - much harder - than the first. So most feature film directors get started with the first method. If you do well with your first feature, you have a shot at a career.
 
You find a guy, a company, a business an organization that needs a video or you convince them that they need a video. You bring the project to production company under stipulation that you will direct. The production company takes the budget, pays you your fee and then tries to make the video for the budget given. You direct. Repeat. It's actually that simple (or complicated).
 
Depends completely on what you want type of directing you are talking about.

However I would say that in most cases, and especially in the commercial world, having a "niche" is extremely important. If a major company wants a specific commercial, say for a car, do you think they will just go and fine someone who has talent and get them to do it, or will they find someone who has proven they can direct car commercials? In most cases, probably the latter. People in the commercial world become known for very specific things, so you have some people that primarily direct car commercials, some primarily direct food commercials, etc.

And it's not even just about the subject of your work, but the style as well. If your style is all over the place, then when a company hires you, they are taking a risk because they don't know what they're going to get. But if you have a cohesive style, they know what they're getting into, and will be much more likely to hire you (assuming obviously your style is what they want).

The key is to find something that you can do better than most. Having an agent or being signed to a production company is honestly the only real way to get into the major commercial world from what i've seen, as the companies themselves will always go through an ad agency, and those ad agencies always have directors they work with.
 
you asked the hardest question in the world.
also: disagree with patryk and craigbowman.

everybody else gave some good advice - but really you have to start with the super hard question if you'd like to direct which is - what kinda of stuff do you want to direct right now? Then you can go from there.
The road to direct is different for every type of media and even in there there are niche as was mentioned.

Yes. We directors are a dime a dozen and there we are multiplying fast - and a huge percentage of us are mega talented. Now what...
 
john threat said:
you asked the hardest question in the world.
also: disagree with patryk and craigbowman.

everybody else gave some good advice - but really you have to start with the super hard question if you'd like to direct which is - what kinda of stuff do you want to direct right now? Then you can go from there.
The road to direct is different for every type of media and even in there there are niche as was mentioned.

Yes. We directors are a dime a dozen and there we are multiplying fast - and a huge percentage of us are mega talented. Now what...
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Most people don't have the luxury of directing what they "want" to direct, especially in the beginning. I have met very few people that truly love directing short films or commercials. Almost everyone gets into this field because they want to direct features, but we all know that directing shorts, music videos, and commercials is the most common way to get there. So instead, you must ask yourself "what CAN I direct right now, that will move me towards my goal?"
 
Me. Im that guy that likes doing shorts. Do not nor have i ever wanted to make a feature. Never know what the future holds i guess.
 
Thanks for the comments everyone. I know there is no right answer but I figured I’d throw it out there to see what you guys had to say.

Just for clarification, I’m pretty specific on what I want to direct: commercials, music videos and features. And this isn’t a case of wanting to do commercials and music videos just so I can do features – I actually love directing commercials and music videos. I watch hundreds of them and I can never get enough. In fact, I’ve watched this one music video over 3000 times because I enjoy the style. If the world were to end six months from now, I’d be doing these things: being with my family, traveling the world, and directing music videos and commercials. That’s just my passion.

And the kind of commercials and music videos I like? Indie, vintage, candid photography/lifestyle. I like the Levi Jeans campaigns, and music videos for bands like Passion Pit and Two Door Cinema Club. I’m a huge fan of Sofia Coppola, Michel Gondry and Spike Jonze. I would call my style “indie” – but if that’s too vague, think Instagram filters (I hate how I cheapened colorists putting time and effort into making those layers by calling it that, shame on me), cinema verite, French New Wave mixed in with the sensibilities and tastes of that show Portlandia.

What can I start directing now? Well, right now I am in the midst of putting together a narrative music video on spec, that’s quite large in scale (car chases, fight choregraphy, gun fights, crazy camerawork) but done with a very indie feel. Expressionistic color palettes, hipster clothes, et cetera. I hope to take this to several music video production companies to show them what I can do.

You find a guy, a company, a business an organization that needs a video or you convince them that they need a video. You bring the project to production company under stipulation that you will direct. The production company takes the budget, pays you your fee and then tries to make the video for the budget given. You direct. Repeat. It's actually that simple (or complicated).
Click to expand...

I like this a lot. Admittedly I’ve thought of this but instead of taking the client’s idea for a video to a production company, I’ve gone ahead and hired my own crew instead through my network. That might have been a mistake because in bringing the project to the production company I could have showed them my ability as a director while being marketable enough to attract clients. I shall take this into consideration next time.


Here’s my plan, feel free to criticize at will. I’m new at this:

For MUSIC VIDEOS: do a great music video, go to music video production companies with this, try to sign with them.

For COMMERCIALS: find a company that does both music videos and commercials, and after I establish credibility as a MV director, convince them to let me do commercials. In the meantime? Doing more spec commercials of fine quality and strengthening my reel.

For FEATURES: Write a solid indie script, get feedback, rewrite, try to sell it via my connections (my friend just closed a deal for his script with a production company, which he is directing). I am in the midst of writing my feature right now. After I get it into production shape, I will start shopping it there as well as a few other companies.

If I know exactly what I want to direct, and what niche/style I want, and with these plans, am I on the right track?

Also, if any of you more successful directors would like to share some anecdotal stories of how you got to where you were, I’d be happy to listen. I am sure plenty others are reading this and wondering the same thing.

Thanks again!
 
intern somewhere for a bit to meet people and kiss ass.

Unless the video has a zillion hits, if they dont know you - its really just another good video. They have no idea if as a company they can make $$$ on repping you.

Sounds like you are going to be fine and I'll be working for you.
 
Here is the thing: most people confuse "quality" with "value." No one other then the few people in the industry care about "quality" because it doesn't necessary bring value. Cat videos on youtube don't have any quality - often shot with people's cellphones but they have value - someone is willing to spend their time to watch it. Concentrating on creating value rather than quality and you are golden. With this though you might have to face harsh reality that things you as the member of the industry care about very few people out there share your enthusiasm. Most people simply don't care or don't have the abilities to know what to care for thus the lowest common denominator prevails. The proverbial cat videos (and any other intellectually shallow crap out there) is so popular because any imbecile can comprehend it - you don't have to acquire any skillset to judge it.
 
Patryk_Rebisz said:
Here is the thing: most people confuse "quality" with "value." No one other then the few people in the industry care about "quality" because it doesn't necessary bring value. Cat videos on youtube don't have any quality - often shot with people's cellphones but they have value - someone is willing to spend their time to watch it. Concentrating on creating value rather than quality and you are golden. With this though you might have to face harsh reality that things you as the member of the industry care about very few people out there share your enthusiasm. Most people simply don't care or don't have the abilities to know what to care for thus the lowest common denominator prevails. The proverbial cat videos (and any other intellectually shallow crap out there) is so popular because any imbecile can comprehend it - you don't have to acquire any skillset to judge it.
Click to expand...

This is true. What I'm trying to do right now is find that intersection between high quality and great value. It's difficult, but definitely out there, as I've seen a few directors' work which is high quality yet still attracting millions of views. Not as many views as the cat videos per se, but enough to get them attention. And there's always going to be a market for commercials as long as businesses exist, so I'm developing my career doing specs too.

It seems like high quality music videos are still popular on youtube, especially if they are engaging and clever. They seem to be the most watched type of video, on top of the cat videos. They're short, only require the basic amount of attention span, and engage right way. But then again, the highest watched music videos are usually brands (Rihanna, PSY, Justin Bieber). So it's a tough call.

I suppose I should just keep working away at my craft, while hoping to get that "viral" hit that'll land me some form of representation.
 
I'm no industry guy, but I heard about this thing that they invented recently, it's kind of like a free TV station, that gives you access to an audience of millions. Anyone can put anything on it, free of charge. It's pretty amazing, kind of like the doors to being "noticed" have been blown wide open.

It's called youtube.

Concentrate on making something damn good. And by "damn good" I don't mean that you shot on Red and got dolly shots. I mean something that wows and entertains because its rooted in a firm grasp of storytelling and cinematic grammar.

Again, I'm completely unconnected and have no industry cred at all, but I'm quite sure that's the best strategy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tT7FFVdl-kk
 
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