All The Jobs Require Experience!

One of the most common frustrations for people trying to enter the film industry is the requirement for experience.

You may see a job advertisement labelled as ‘entry level’ and assume that it is designed for people who are completely new to the industry. Then you read the description and discover that the employer still expects some previous experience.

We call this the The Experience Required Catch 22

This situation can feel like an impossible puzzle.

How are you supposed to gain experience if every job requires experience first?

Everyone encounters it at the beginning of their career. It is annoying!

But you are in control! Read on…

The reality is that even entry-level roles on professional film sets involve real responsibility, fast-paced decision-making, and on-the-job problem solving. Film productions are complex operations where timing, safety and coordination are extremely important.

For example, a Production Assistant may be responsible for managing communication between departments, assisting with logistics or helping ensure that the production schedule runs smoothly. These tasks require a basic understanding of how film sets operate.

Allowing someone with absolutely no experience onto a professional set can create risks for the production. As a result, employers usually look for candidates who have already gained some foundational experience.

Recruiters also like to see candidates ‘go above and beyond’, ultimately they have their pick as too many people want to join this industry than there are jobs available. Knowing that a career in film is not all glamour, but hard work and sacrifice, recruiters like to see motivated, driven candidates who independently, beyond university or college, have studied, created, networked, volunteered or put simply made themselves standout. This level of motivation is key to building experience and a career in film. Anyone can do it, you just have to want to.

The good news is that there are clear ways to build that experience.

Sadly, a degree is no longer enough. We strongly recommend a specific professional development courses to match your chosen career, not just one, but several. Not only are they an easy way to confirm to yourself you have made the right choice career wise but it looks passionate and motivated to the recruiter.

So many of these courses are online too so are less expensive than you might think. A quick google and you will see many courses from film schools like the NFTS, MetFilm School, Escape Studios or London Film School. There are also plenty others for specific careers and skills like Script Reading, Development, Introductions to Production. Whatever you career choice there will be a course for you. Yes it’s an additional expense but it also is an investment for a 30 year career.

Book a call with us and we can help you find the right course for you.

We mentioned this previously in another Survival Guide, but having the right skills is as important as experience. Each role will vary but an excellent starting point for anyone would be the following skills:

1. At a minimum, be able to use a DSLR to shoot a simple professional shot

2. Be able to edit that footage, ideally with Premiere Pro

3. Be able to manipulate and use that footage, posting it on websites and social media

4. Confident using the entire Adobe Creative Cloud software range.

5. Ideally have your own car, but as a minimum be able to drive. Experience driving a van can be a determining hiring factor too.

From these foundation skills you will be able to demonstrate technical skills that will help you with any production or non production career. And each of them is something that you are in control of being able to achieve.

But don’t forget Non Production hiring managers will look for different skills and experience than production crew jobs. Production is more driven by credits than soft skills or education.

Doing several online courses, reading several books on production to learn the different departments, jargon and processes is easily achievable and the minimum expected of a green runner.

There is no point applying to any large budget feature without having multiple short form credits. So apply for the right roles for you and your Career Stage.

Short films, in particular, are often the starting point for many production careers. They allow new filmmakers to experiment, learn and develop their abilities in a supportive environment. Most film production careers begin with smaller projects such as short films, student productions, music videos or independent films. These projects provide valuable opportunities to learn practical skills and understand the dynamics of working on a set.

When choosing which projects to work on, it is important to consider the experience of the team involved. Productions led by experienced professionals are more likely to maintain professional standards and provide meaningful learning opportunities.

Our Short Film Golden Rule is something you should live by:

Only work on short films where the HODs have significant professional experience. Ask to see IMDB links and bios. Why? It will mean a safe professional set and hopefully if you impress them, they can take you with them on to their next paid gig!

Gaining experience takes time, but each project you complete brings you closer to your goal.

So whilst you may see entry-level job adverts requiring experience, you are able to circumvent this with some clever study and volunteering. You are still in control!

Once you have developed a solid foundation of skills and credits, applying for larger productions and paid jobs becomes far more realistic.

If you’re unsure which projects or experiences will actually help you progress, My First Job In Film helps early-career filmmakers identify the right path and build relevant, industry-ready experience.