r/filmschool

This questionnaire is part of my Personal Interest Project, exploring how teenage friendships are represented in coming-of-age films and whether these portrayals reflect real-life teenage experiences.

• All responses are anonymous
• No right or wrong answers, just your honest thoughts & experiences
• Your participation is appreciated!

link: https://forms.gle/yLcz1T5aTFq71Jvm8

We're doing a survey on Film School Alumni Employment outcomes. We've received 101 responses so far. If you haven't taken it yet, please do on the link below:

https://forms.gle/9F4oz6giF1rWNjXk8

At what point after graduation did you first land any PAID film-related work?

Immediately (within 1 month) 33.7%
1–3 months 16.8%
3–6 months 11.9%
6–12 months 10.9%
1–2 years 9.9%
Never / still haven’t 16.8%

Here are some other findings from the survey:

What was that first PAID filmmaking job or role?

Assistant Editor

Production Assistant

PA

Assistant Director

Camera op

Post production

Creative Producer

Avid Instructor

It was before film school. 2nd AD on a miniseries. First after school was as senior editor for an internet startup.

Writer

I was already freelancing as a videographer in undergrad, but landed my first TV gig 2 years after graduation as a PA in reality tv.

Dailies Editor

Wedding editing

Cinematographer

Covering Script Supervisor

Videographer at UCLA

200

Script Supervisor

Editing feature

My first paid filmmaking job was as a production assistant on an indie film.

Pa / directors assistant

Working for a lighting rental house

Entertainment PR and Location Manager for 10 hotels in Vegas

Director

I did various paid jobs in school, and quite a lot of Union Set Electric work after graduation.

Production Assistant, Casey’s Pizza Commercial

Editor for a local small production company

Freelance advertising promo

PA Music Video

producer's assistant

Office assistant at indie film company

1st AD

I worked as a PA while I was still in school

Screenwriter for project development

Assistant at film international sales company

PA on Transformers

Videographer/Editor for youtube channel

Grip/electric

Production Assistant on an independent movie

Writers Asst

Producer

AD / Producer

Development Assistant

Grip

PA for a commercial

Assistant

1st ac

Executive Assistant to Filmmaker

Office Production Assistant

Editor

Assistant editing

Production Assistant - Reality TV. 4 months

Clinical Assistant Professor

PA on General Hospital

Digital Imaging Technician

Production Assistant

Screenwriter, TV miniseries

Art Assistant

Post Production Assistant

Admin Assistant

Line Producer for an independent short and a paid part-time development role, almost simultaneously

Freelance Gigs - Photography/Videography/Editing

producer assistant

Temp assistant to a major producer

Post Production Assistant

Talent Agent Assistant

staff writer on netflix show

directing a short film

Assistant at an Agency

Freelance contract jobs

I landed in Video Games (Production Coordinator)

Jr. Execuitve Assistant

Covid Compliance Officer

Avid Technical Support

Which department did this first role fall under?

40.5% of first jobs were in production.

What was the duration of the first job?

60.7% of these jobs were short duration (under 1 year).

What was this first filmmaking job's weekly salary (USD)?

What was the primary factor that helped you get that first paid work?

What was the primary factor that helped you get that first paid work?

Peer connections from film school 26.5%
Alumni network from film school 16.9%
Internship during film school 12%
Other Job Listings 12%
Family or non-film connections 9.6%

Please go into detail on how you secured your first filmmaking job

Got it through an alumni

Post gig through a friend

I worked as an event manager after graduating and those skills translated well to being a Producer.
I also freelanced editing conference sessions which I think was helpful to becoming a producer

Someone quit and they called me to fill in.

The producer on my thesis film who was a fellow student got a job and hired me.

COVID forced me to return to my home country to make my thesis film. My producer friend who helped me on the film ended up working with a company looking for new directors. He put in a word and showed my thesis to the company and they decided to take a gamble on me.

Best Friend and business partner was a PA on this gig and referred me.

Networked with alumni and called them when I moved to Los Angeles

One of my dad’s coworker’s wife was hiring

I was recommended for an assistant position while I was in school and took a year off for the job. I was hired by one of my professors to work on a project directly after graduating.

Other

Made a friend in uni who needed me to cover him for a weekend

Friend from internship/unpaid film work referred me to the job as she was leaving LA for NY to start over.

Aunt worked at Steiner studio

I explained to the Producer / Director why he needed script supervision.

While studing I was working mostly on documentaries. Profesors from documentary departament were visiting us in editing room for consultation and one of them liked my work. He asked me if I want to colaborate on his move as an second editor but after rough cut he decided to let me finish the movie. So I finished this movie as my master film and right after masters exames we went to premiere movie in Venice.

I secured my first filmmaking job through a friend I met in film school who recommended me for the role. They needed an extra PA for a short film, and I applied without hesitating. I showcased my eagerness and previous experience, which left a good impression.

Family friend knew a writer that had a film going into pre production. He got me an interview with the director.

A friend from High school worked at the organization already. He got me the interview.

By chance older brother had a connection with unit production manager

A contact at a Sundance film festival.

Secured financing for independent film I wrote and directed

Parents work in the industry, worked in the industry before and during film school

I signed up for Mandy.com and got the job there through however I sold myself. I remember trying to come off as both humble in personality and confident in skills.

I was the most motivated, charismatic and eager to learn and apply myself student in my class. I talked to my teacher about how mich i wantwd to work in the industry. I applied myself out of the classroom, which helped prove to him that i should be brought on.

I had interned at the company during my senior year, and they offered me a part-time gig editing for them. Was severely underpaid but thrilled.

I made a promotional video for a tennis facility that a coworker of my dads son trained at.

Internships from school and friendships from internships

My professor hired me as an assistant for her independent film company.

A graduate student professor that liked me recommended me to this company to work as a PA

I was recommended by a individual who was also getting into PA work in Washington, D.C. and Baltimore, they were often recommending me for jobs that they were unavailable for.

It had a lot to do with what I had learned at Film School: how to pitch in a professional environment, how to develop a writing project, how to properly cold email / self-promote.

Met with alumni who referred me to another alumni. That second alum offered me an unpaid internship, then as I was leaving they had a job open up that I took

Friend’s sister got me in

A peer from school who had graduated before me was working at this job and recommended me.

Fellow graduate landed on a job and got me hired

I partnered up with 4 other people from film school who wanted to move to LA. We all did together. One of us had a friend who was doing a lot of shooting in LA and wanted to start building his camera and G/E
Team. So all of us got a few small gigs right away.

I responded to a post on Facebook calling for PAs

Friend I made through USC script list put me up for the job

I worked with a Professor from my University before graduation and landed the job after graduation.

Was on Indeed, did well during the interview because of my Resume

Friend gave a word of mouth referral, my name got passed around to a couple productions and I booked the gig over a phone call.

From the school's listserv

After moving to Los Angeles (roommates) with acquaintances met at college; one of my roommates was asked to day-play on the evening of Valentine’s Day and it was unavailable. So she recommended me for the job.

Was put in touch through a film professor

USCs job person got me it

Met an agent at a party who hooked me up with an assistant gig to an actor.

Series was looking for a PA, an instructor from my MFA program recommended me.

My editing professor knew the VP of post production for Boardwalk Pictures and connected us. He hired me on for one of their shows.

Friends hired me for a low budget feature

Was living in San Diego and my friend was a PA in LA, he called me and asked if I needed work for a day, I said I sure as crap do!

My first filmmaking jobs were during and after undergraduate. Internships that led to office PA on a show that led to personal assisting for more than a decade. I went back to school later so I think I'm a different case. With all of my experience, it was easy to find a high-paid job right out of school-- although it's not related to screenwriting. That career is something I'm having to pursue on the side. My current job has some creative elements as my boss preps a movie he's written and will direct and produce.

An alumni working as a Production Supervisor and Coordinator in NJ/NY who I reached out to + have been in contact with offered me an unpaid internship on a feature she was working on. There was a change, and it turns out the production didn't have room for an intern. Few days later she reaches out to me saying that a full-time paid office PA role opened up and is mine if I'm interested. I took the job and started four days later!

A friend of a collaborator needed and editor for an indie project.

Referred

Close friend of mine from film school who graduated 1 year before me recommended me for the job.

I did teaching assistantships while in graduate school and then applied for many faculty positions during my last year of school. I also had an established successful record of film work with festival and award recognition. I found my first job through Higher Ed Jobs

They needed many PAs and asked film schools for us

My graduate program was part of an initiative of the Mayor's Office of Media and Entertainment in New York City. They were hiring students who could do below the line work while union members did department leads.

Landed an office job at a studio and hit up production companies from there. I eventually got a chance to work on a film from those visits.

Alum reached out to faculty member who recommended me.

A former colleague of my Mother gave me an opportunity to Interview

Peer connections from college friend > Unpaid internship > Paid PA job

Applied via EntertainmentCareers.net

It was posted on the SCA groupchat and the person hiring knew a guy at school that I’d produced a student project for and had heard good things about me.

I can't remember what my first gig was - but my main sources for gigs in the beginning was social media + connections from film school peers.

Applied to be an intern via the UTA job list and then our boss fired his asst, so he needed a temp asst while he searched for a person with more experience than I had.

Craig’s List

I interned for a talent manager in LA and through her I was able to get a job with a talent agency in Toronto (where I'm from). They co managed clients

i worked at the writers union (wga) and met a writer who staffed me

They had an idea and I went to pitch how I would write and direct it. They ended up hiring another writer but hired me to direct.

Combination of internship experience (important! Paid or unpaid) and networking with peers/alumni

I hopped right back in what I was doing prior to attending grad school, so it's hard to say what my "first" job after grad school.

My friend from undergrad ended up helping me secure an interview at that job

Gotta be honest, I don't know, I think I just manifested it. I got a call one day from a recruitment agency I had never applied to, but they had my resume and they got me the interview. No idea how they got my resume (I checked my Google search history and everything) but it worked

I interned at Avid during senior year of college and I worked hard while there. I must have impressed them where they asked if I wanted to be interviewed for the job.

What did you love the most and dislike the most about your first filmmaking job?

Loved the work I did, hated the company

I liked that I was thrown to the wolves and it was a full time position. I didn't love the commute or pay

Education was great but I needed more real world experience before I taught others.

Loved that I was working everyday. Hates the content and the executives.

I love the relative creative freedom they gave me for a first-time TV writer & director. I hated the low pay and the very short production time, but that's what the budget in Thailand could afford for a project of this nature.

loved the on-set experience gained and lifestyle, hated the long hours.

Loved getting full-time work with benefits; hated that it was nighttime hours.

Loved the pay, the environment, learning. Hated that it wasn’t “secure”, no benefits, I had to invoice them

Job was fascinating. Hours were utterly miserable.

Poor money

Loved the feeling - it was REAL. I disliked the script and topics covered.

No creative and career progression. Steady work every month from 2012-2019.

It was pretty simple which good and bad there no credit but I did see Steven Spielberg

Being a script supervisor is not a creative task, I considered it as part of building production experience for IATSE membership (call sheets). Discovered this was not for me.

I saw it as an oportunity to become real editor. What I didn't realized that time was that because that movie was directed by older generation and was succeful at festival etc I had a problem to get another work after that because I was no enough experienced for older generation but for younger generation I was over experienced so it took me another year to work on another movie.

What I loved most about my first job was the hands-on experience and the chance to work creatively with a dedicated team. However, I disliked the long hours and sometimes chaotic environment that came with short film shoots.

Access learning. Lack of respect

Loved learning about new equipment. The thing I disliked most was my boss' poor time management.

Wish it was more consiste

Cool experiences. Disliked the pay and hours.

I loved that I was on a big production in my own hometown, and i got a taste of what the professionals really do. I got to work around real working industry filmmakers and i loved it.
At the time, i disliked having to do the PA desk work at the end of the production. Not for me.

I like getting paid for film and being my own boss but it was a boring video. I also didn’t enjoy negotiating my own rates.

Cool subject, but bad working hours

I liked that I got a job right away and had a lot of autonomy and decision making, but hated the politics and dealing with egos.

I liked how much it paid me at the time as a college student, there wasn’t much I disliked

I love that I was working in the industry and that I was forced out of my comfort zone and just had to dive head first into learning and making sure the production stayed on track.

It happened right after graduation, and it gave me the impression that things were going to be easier than they ended up being.

Lots of good stories but being a PA was crap work. Min 16 hour days, plus drive time and getting ready before and after bed. I was lucky if I got 6 hours of sleep per night.

Very flexible bosses and owners who let me work on my own side projects as well. I disliked being the only one to work there and was very removed from any real film sets or jobs.

Loved I was working. Did not love that I was a PA.

It was fun to finally get paid and our equipment was in such better shape than film school. But the hours were long and physical.

As an independent, we had to do a lot of the locations work and driving work since we didn’t have a transpo or locations department. We also didn’t have a fully staffed team, so I operated as a 2nd 2nd AD for the PA rate. But I just loved being on a film set. And I loved the smaller size of the crew as it helped us make connections at all levels.

Toxic environment, but paid well

It was my first time Producing a feature film and I learned a lot. It was and is the most difficult job I have ever done for many reasons I won't go into here.

Good freedom but no overtime due to flat rates

Being on set. Hated the hours and low pay.

Liked - cammaraderi; Disliked - Long hours, night hours

Loved that I finally got to start working with real gear. Hated that it was overnight prepping gear to travel 4pm-4am.

Learned a lot on the job and continued making connections in the area. Wasn’t quite ready for a true 12 hour day was

I was a PA so great to be on a real, professional set. disliked how it was so temporary.

I loved that I was going to be mentored by a well known filmmaker. Instead I was shorted on pay for 3 years and received no help in advancing my career.

That it was a PA gig I was over qualified for

I wished I was paid more, I enjoyed the team and friendly atmosphere. I also learned a lot from the lead AE.

Fun to work on a feature with friends, low rates all around

Liked being on set, learning a bit about things, and free food. Disliked the 16 hour day, kept watching my hourly rate drop and drop!

I'm still working it! It's relatively low budget, so the lack of benefits (lunch, good crafty) is probably my least favorite thing. BUT the people I'm meeting are all really cool, and it's so amazing to see stuff I've only learned about being put into action.

It was barely paid.

It was a job

Loved getting to finally work in the business, cut my teeth on a tough job, and learn from folks who’d done it a long time. That said, it was docu/reality and I wanted to be in scripted, so it was hard at first adapting to the landscape.

I enjoyed teaching but didn't like the location (Huntsville, TX). It also didn't offer financial support for my film projects.

Being on set

I loved learning the needs for dailies. I disliked the unrealistic expectations that a DIT would also do Dailies processing along with media management.

Just enjoyed the whole process. I have nothing bad to say of the experience.

Loved research and writing; hated boorish Italian producers

I liked working with my hands and being on my feet. I liked the attitude of my peers.
Hated being shutdown.

Loved learning and being in the industry, struggled to survive on minimum wage pay

I didn’t want to work in Post so it really wasn’t my cup of tea but money is money.

Very chaotic leadership. Would be more cautious going forward about outlining responsibilities

I like the freedom, flexibility, and creative expression of freelancing. I don't love how much pay fluctuates, and how much self-promotion is required.

It was honestly a hellish job and I really didnt like any of it since the boss was very toxic. Only thing I liked was the idea that I had my whole career in front of me and this was just the beginning.

Meeting new people was nice but the pay was terrible

Lack of pay

I loved everything about it. Though it was covid and zoom rooms were hard

It was a small production but very fun and organized, well paid.

Love: the experience, learning a lot, meeting a lot of peers; Dislike: the hours, lack of creativity

Flexibility

I love getting to work on video game trailers and work alongside my awesome coworkers. Hate how women don't seem to get that many creative jobs here. Also some of the men are pretty toxic

Being an assistant at a production company could be super boring at times, especially and unscripted TV one. But I liked the people and I learned a ton about unscripted development

I loved that I had an Avid at my desk and was trained all about the system. I learned how to edit with it, take it apart, reinstall everything, and troubleshoot problems. I also took all of the official Avid classes and eventually got certified to teach the Avid classes. The least favorite part was actually doing the phone support which was my real job. I was able to help people which was great but doing phone support is never fun. My coworkers were great though.

Quick 5 minute survey for my senior year capstone project!
If you fall under the demographic of student, prospective student, or parent of either of the two, I would be extremely appreciative if you are able to take the time to take this survey for me.

My name is Brieanna and I am a current senior working on my capstone project. I am conducting research for a student project on how prospective students evaluate the value of a creative degree. This survey also examines what information students want from colleges and how creative colleges could communicate its programs and resources more clearly.
Participation is voluntary, anonymous, and responses will be used only for academic research. The survey should take approximately five minutes to complete.

https://forms.gle/CQf2DYvoWANwzqEh9

Thank you again!