Getting A Job In Film After Film School

How do you get a job in the film industry?  We all want that ever-allusive job, and the truth is that 50-72% of graduates land a job in the film industry, often before they even graduate.  The main reason is because film school puts, “you in front of the very people who have jobs to offer: working professionals.”  Now, most schools don’t get work for their students before graduation.  Most traditional institutions, which charge 30-120k, graduate thousands of students a year.  Immediately upon graduation they come to the realization that as they enter a “highly competitive” film market looking for profitable occupation, that without real world understanding they are hopeless.  

The truth is even with a diploma you might not get hired.  It’s hard to get a regular job is today's market, and even harder in the film industry. There are a few reasons why this is the case.

One reason is because a job in the film industry is what we call a “premier job.”  Let’s be realistic where would you rather work as a cashier or on location?  At this point “you are competing with more people for fewer film industry jobs.”   The second reason is because work in the film industry is not like that of the traditional market.  So when a position in the film industry comes up, industry people hire from with-in the business.  Think about it, you don’t see job for the film industry in the help wanted ads.  Rather they look to film professionals if they know of anyone. 
So the question, is how do you get hired?  It’s not what you know so much as who you know.  

Go to a school that offers on set, real world experience.  Get to know industry professionals.  Look for an institution that offers real world training.