Where do you look / How do you find work?

Michael Solomon

Michael Solomon

Well-known member
Aside from craigslist, mandy, and going off referrals, how do you guys source & look for work? I'm hoping there's a secret website out there that I haven't found yet =)
 
There is no secret website...just get out there and make friends. They'll give you the jobs. :)
 
You will always get more jobs by word of mouth. I just moved across the country, so I'm resigned to the internet at the moment. But hopefully the word of mouth will start soon!
 
Ah yah... referral work is better, but I do need other gigs in between (at this stage) to make rent etc. Is there nothing else to browse aside from craigslist and mandy?
 
You live in LA. Call one of the thousand producers around there and offer yourself up as a PA. Send em your resume and call em every week asking whats going on.

Network! Meet people! Then call them every single week for work. First it'll be a slight trickle, but once everyone finally meets you and works with you, it'll just start pouring in.
 
Any advice on where to track down producer contact information? Most of the my attempts in the past end up at automated phone numbers/email responses that don't go further than that. I'm debating investing in an IMDB Pro account and just spamming the **** out of productions I like ><

Side note: My ultimate dream is to work on HBO's Game of Thrones. Especially season 3 (book 3 was my favorite hands down and they'll be wrapping season 2/book 2 soon). Any ideas for leads to get on the production crew? I don't care if I'm the official ass-wiper to the PA's assistant, I just want to be on the set =). Though being the "camera trainee" I see in the credit would for me, be better than winning the lotto.
 
Michael Solomon said:
Any advice on where to track down producer contact information? Most of the my attempts in the past end up at automated phone numbers/email responses that don't go further than that. I'm debating investing in an IMDB Pro account and just spamming the **** out of productions I like ><

Side note: My ultimate dream is to work on HBO's Game of Thrones. Especially season 3 (book 3 was my favorite hands down and they'll be wrapping season 2/book 2 soon). Any ideas for leads to get on the production crew? I don't care if I'm the official ass-wiper to the PA's assistant, I just want to be on the set =). Though being the "camera trainee" I see in the credit would for me, be better than winning the lotto.
Click to expand...

I would bet that the "Camera Trainee" position listed in those credits is someone from Local 600, the Cinematographer's Guild. You may want to reach out to the Unions now and at least get your face out there to them. I wouldn't hold my breath on much help from them, but I would keep my eyes and ears open to what they are up to. They may offer open seminars and such that you may want to show up at. Here is the local 600 link:

[video]https://www.cameraguild.com/Home.aspx[/video]
 
I'm so far from even being eligible it's sad ><

Almost everything I work on isn't a "legitimate" paystub. I think you need ~150 hours non union with "legitimate" paystub records. Too bad I usually get paid in personal checks, money orders, or just have invoices that don't count the hours.
 
If you want to work in the camera department, go get a job at a camera rental house....or intern at one. The first step is knowing all the gear.

Do you have any friends in the business at all? Maybe they could help point you to a producer friend or something. I only know things for Northern california unfortunately.
 
i know it sounds uncool, find someone who works at HBO or the production company and start kissing butt, toadying and sucking up fast! That's the only way to get on quick. Massage egos!
 
I think kissing butt is the wrong word for it...Just show them you can show up and work hard with a smile. That's more than most people can do.

I feel like sucking up to someone makes it seem like you're the only one gaining in the situation, but really the producer gets a good PA, and you get a good job. Everyone wins.
 
I find that if, for example a producer or big time person says "Anyone have some scissors", you should jump up and say "Ill find them" and then start searching frantically or buy a pair with your own cash. Jump at least like a inch off the ground for extra points. They *love* that.
 
Haha thanks for all the tips.

I do have family that works on a cable television show. But I'm saving that contact... I don't know if the philosophy makes sense, but, they can only introduce me to a couple of the higher up/influential people once. And when that time comes, I want to make sure I have enough to offer. So I'm holding out on that front.

I do try to be the overly optimistic/can-do/hard worker every set I get on. And it has led to some referral work. It just seems like such a wide deep dark chasm between the low-budget indie/craigslist/mandy scene to a syndicated television show/budgeted film (at this point in my career, I'll consider anything with a $500,000 budget to have "made it")
 
Side note: Do you LA guys know rental houses that I can look at Job wise? The only ones I'm familiar with are Wooden Nickel and Birns & Sawyer.
 
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