Welcome to The Friends In Film Blog

The film industry is a freelance business. A wider, stronger network will speed up your career progression. If you get stuck in a scarcity mentality, your career becomes dependent on one or a small number of professionals. You might feel secure because you put so much time and effort into these few relationships, as though you could damage them to look elsewhere too, when in actuality this both holds you back and puts your long term career in jeopardy.

Here’s an example: You work for the same production company for a long time because it feels safe and you have a good relationship with the person who does the hiring. They get you enough work. Then, they move up into another position, maybe even to a different market. They are replaced, but this new person already has their own list of professionals they offer work to. Now you’re out of the job, and worse, you’ll realize you slowed down your career by limiting the size of your network.

The film industry is an exciting place to be, so focus on the right things. There are opportunities everywhere to push your career forward. You can climb this career ladder when you develop relationships and have the right mentality. Focus on the result you want and not on your fears.

When you hear the words, ‘focus on results’, what do you hear?

You can leave the 9-5 grind and be working in the film industry sooner than you think. During dry spells (like the pandemic we’re experiencing now) you can continue to develop your confidence and maintain relationships with people you’ve worked with so far. A-list Mentor Crystal worked hard to break into the industry and move up the ranks and has been able to remain active even during the shutdown:

Crystal is like a lot of people. They go to film school, graduate, and then find themselves unable to break into the professional industry and get consistent work. This outcome has nothing to do with their technical knowledge or motivation. It happens because they lack relationships and don’t know how to go about making the right ones.

Jeremy left a well-paying job in marketing and is now a successful headliner comedian. He’s become a peer and friend to comics like Michelle Wolf, Hasan Minhaj, Jim Gaffigan, Kurt Metzget, Sarah Silverman, Ali Wong, and Brian Regan. At one time he felt isolated and disconnected from his goals and aspirations, only to later become a huge success.

When you’re working a 9-5 job and want to work in the film industry, you can feel like Jeremy did— disconnected from your dreams. The people around you probably don’t understand your desire to work as a creative person. Working in that environment day after day, month after month, year after year (!) will affect your wellbeing.

In the film industry, your success depends on reaching out and following up. It’s a relationships business, so you need to know how to make and maintain connections. In many ways this network will literally become your career.

Many film professionals get stuck doing the same job for a long time. It’s not uncommon to hear about people who were production assistants for five, even ten years. They had aspirations of moving into a craft but instead found themselves stuck doing the same thing. They were trapped because they didn’t know how to make the connections that could have moved them forward. If they’re lucky, they at some point have an opportunity to progress randomly land in front of them. That isn’t at all what we want for you.

Like many people in the film industry, A-list Mentor Crystal went to film school thinking a degree would get her ahead in the film industry. Upon graduation, she found that not to be the case, and was having a hard time figuring out how to even get in. There’s another, better way to break into the professional industry.

Film is a creative field built on something very similar to apprenticeships. When you’re getting started in the industry, you’re going to need mentors to teach you and help point you towards resources and connections if you want to move fast. There are many opportunities to create these kinds of relationships on set.

Watch this Hotels.com shoot at my house! Getting into the film industry can be a great decision. There are all kinds of creative career paths you can take in the film industry. I work in commercials and I love it.

Are you dissatisfied with your regular job?

I came across a good article about pain many African Americans experience. I read an article that really impacted me. Below I put the section that stuck with me the most.

I feel that what people need is to be seen and loved. They need to feel validated, like they matter. There’s still work to be done, but more than ever before marginalized people are being given a voice without fear of being seen as lazy or like they’re complaining.

What actors think casting directors and producers want is often different from the reality of what they want. This knowledge can’t be found in film school and will drastically increase your chances of getting a role.

Bonnie Gillespie and Judy Greer came to my house recently. Bonnie is a casting director and Judy is an actress. I got to ask them what directors and producers look for in the audition room. Their answer boils down to this: they don’t want an actor. They want you— “1000 watts” of you, as they said. They want to see someone interesting and passionate, enjoying their life. They want a personality.

Parker is an inspiration to everyone hoping for a career in film. Through the network she built, she got a job with the Disney Channel in Maine. She was the only production assistant they flew out for the shoot. Parker hopes her story will inspire you to keep rolling.

In this video, notice how her connections lead to more work with more responsibility. Her success isn’t an accident, it’s something she built intentionally.