Welcome to The Friends In Film Blog

My story: Breaking into a who-you-know industry. I never attended film school, and I am at the top of my field. There is a different way than film school to get into the film industry. Getting on set is a matter of networking with the right people.

Most people approach the film industry the same way they do the corporate world. The problem with this is that there are tons of people who want to get inside. They send resumes cold or ask for coffee, which usually doesn’t work. Film professionals easily get hundreds of resumes a week and they often don’t bother to look at them.

This is how you get any job you want in the film industry. Become an actor, director, producer, screenwriter, cinematographer, gaffer, grip – whatever it is. Many roads to craft jobs go through production assistant work.

When you’re a production assistant, you’re the support for the entire shoot. Many people out of film school, as well as others who want to zoom straight into their crafts often don’t understand how valuable production assistant work is.

Unsure of how to get into the film industry? Try every department. Become a PA. Film industry jobs are made of specialized crafts. Working as a production assistant gives you the opportunity to try out many different departments. The production assistant is the support for the entire production. This means you can see the crafts in action, be it wardrobe or make up or anything else that interests you.

The production assistant is the entry level job for the film industry, so it’s important to keep an open mind about it. Some people don’t like the idea of starting with an entry level job. If you are unwilling to work as a PA, you aren’t going to work.

What is your shortcut into the film industry without film school or acting school? The cost of film school is extremely high, and it may not get you the work you want. Top film schools and film making courses do some teaching in a classroom instead of a real set. You’ll spend a lot of money to start out in the same entry level job as others do without the degree.

The  cost of going to film school can be as much as $100,000. Many people who go to film school wind up in debt.

Want to work for the BBC? Want to make $1500 per day? Friends in Film baby! The FIF Into The Industry Certification program shows a different way to get into the industry and learn while you’re on set. Don’t go into massive debt to get into the film industry.

Most people who want to break into the film industry go to film school, going deep into debt. They don’t understand the reality of the business. The film industry runs on connections. When you start out, your resume or your technical skills often isn’t the most important thing. Everyone starts out as a production assistant, whether they went to film school or not.

Here is more info: How a pandemic will change the industry (and why it might be good news for you). The coronavirus pandemic has shuttered film production. From coast to coast to across the world, cameras are sitting idle and studios are closed. Don’t assume that nothing is happening, though. Think about all the stuff you’ve been watching at home. You can’t even live without entertainment.

Most people look at uncertainty and get nervous. Uncertainty paralyzes people from taking action and doing. This pandemic has definitely thrown us into uncertain times.

One of the top concerns beginners have when starting out in the film industry is how to get film jobs without looking desperate. They want something and they’re nervous about asking for it. It’s a common worry, one people could easily overcome.

The main issue people have is that they are in their own heads, thinking about themselves. When we’re stuck in our heads, it affects our entire personality. We give off the wrong vibes, and that affects our relationships. In a business that thrives on relationships, we want to do everything to build the bonds that keep us working.

For those of you who want to be actors, the first step to success is to discover why auditioning doesn’t work. Using auditions is the traditional way, and that doesn’t work anymore. For example would you try to find your way into the industry via a traditional acting agency route?

The film industry has changed a great deal. You need to do things in a way that others aren’t. The faster you learn how, the sooner you will be a regularly working actor.

How to get acting roles without auditioning is an insider secret. Many people ask if it’s really possible to get acting roles without auditions. Everyone does acting auditions. Everyone has an audition tape. It’s just the way it’s done – so everyone says.

The problem, though, is that almost everyone who wants to act is trying to get in front of the camera the same way. Actors in auditions are faces in a huge crowd. All many hear is that dreaded word – NEXT!

Something you might not expect but IMPORTANT: Look like the job you want to do! Film industry jobs are made of crafts. In order to get ahead, it matters that you look like, talk like, and have the energy of the people who already do what you want to do. When you know how to fit in, insiders think of you as a professional.

You can be highly skilled at the craft you want to do.  You can get stuck in your career though by ignoring things like dress, talk, and energy.