Film Production Jobs
Find film production jobs
No matter how genius the director or actors are, no film can move forward without people to fill the film production jobs that make all the rest of the film possible. A lot of work goes on behind the scenes. If you want to work in the movies but out of the spotlight, one of these film production jobs may be for you.
Production
The film producer sets up all the conditions that make the film work: hiring key personnel, arranging financing and finding distributors for everything from props to food services. Associate producers often start off apprenticed to film producers and through them learn what it takes to become a top-notch film producer; they also assist in all aspects of the film producer’s job. Associate producers perform many necessary pre-production and post-production tasks that move the film from concept to screen.
Screenwriting
Screenwriters are indispensable for any movie or television show. They are the ones who supply the lines, set the stage with their imaginations and generally make the film interesting. Without screenwriters, the films that fill movie theaters all across the country would be impossible.
Screenwriters may write entirely original storylines, or they may turn existing books or older movies into new movie adaptations. The screenwriter’s job doesn’t end when a script is picked up; constant rewriting may be needed depending on budget, logistics or directorial vision.
Design
Creative artists of all kinds report to the production designer, who oversees the look and feel of a show. Set designers and costume designers make any place come to life. Whether it is the trenches of World War I, the ballroom of a fantastic masquerade or the interior of an airplane, these designers make sure everything looks right and that the actors are dressed properly to convince the audience that the events on screen are real. Finally, makeup artists are the wizards who make the unreal seem possible; they make the bruises on Hillary Swank seem real or the ghastly images of a horror film turn your stomach. Makeup artists are some of the most highly-paid and in-demand specialists filling film production jobs today.
Finding a film production job can be a process that frustrates or elates, depending on how you approach the task. The first rule is not what you know; it’s who you know. If a friend of yours from film school is working, then call them up and see if you can get your foot in the door. If a professor of your film, art or business school knows of an alumnus who is working as a film producer or associate producer, they may be able to write a letter of introduction or give the person a quick call to at least give you a fighting chance at landing one of the film production jobs in Hollywood. You should also not turn down an intern job, even if it may cause you some financial trouble; Steven Spielberg began his career as an unpaid intern and look where he is now.
