2.1       Explain the working culture of the film industry

Explain the working culture of the film industry

Working in the film industry is an incredibly high pressured environment where you will be required to work long hours as that is the culture of the industry. There may be at times during productions moments of tension and people getting frustrated. This is inevitable when crews may be worried about not finishing on time and going over budget. Despite this though, people will be doing what they love which is making films and people will relish the opportunity to be on a set even if it is only in a small capacity. People may have to be away from home for long periods of time, however working on big productions may give people the chance to see the world. On most sets as well, there will be good camaraderie because people are working long hours, working in a team and having a laugh is what will get people through the stressful and tough filming days. Most people in the industry as well are freelance meaning no work is guaranteed after a job is complete. This means there isn’t a great deal of job security in the industry. However, this also means that there is lots of opportunity because most people working in the industry will not be tied to a permanent job meaning they are free to explore whatever projects that interest them.

A range of qualities are vitally important to succeeding in the film industry. On a set which can be a high pressured environment where the crew may be working under time constraints, it is important everyone is reliable and has good time management because you don’t want to be the individual who holds up production when the crew are short for time. Showing imitative and taking responsibility are two other qualities needed to work in the industry. If you take responsibility and show imitative, it shows that you are hungry and willing to learn. Also, if you take responsibility, it will lead to you being trusted with more responsibility and will prove that you are capable of having a more influential role on the production. It is vitally important as well you are a good communicator and are confident so that you are clear of your role and responsibility on a production and that you aren’t afraid to speak up if you are unsure about your role and don’t agree with something. Also, it is vital to be able to work in a team successfully as you and the rest of the crew are going to be working with each other for long hours and potentially for months. If a crew doesn’t have good team work, this will be of detriment to the production. Being hungry and passionate are qualities needed as well to make it in the industry. Due to how competitive an industry it is to succeed in, you will need to be hungry and passionate to have any chance of making it in the film industry.

2.2       Describe a range of key job roles and responsibilities in the film industry

The producer is essentially the person(s) in charge and is responsible from managing the production from start to finish. It is the producer who is responsible for getting the project off the ground. The producer will have to arrange the financing and manage the entire production team. The producer as well ensures that the project is working on schedule and on budget. The director is the person in charge of the actual filming process. The director doesn’t do this alone though, they have to collaborate with the whole team. The director will provide inspiration and direction for the actors into how they should approach scenes and the director will work closely with the cinematographer to get all the necessary angles. It is the screenwriter who writes the script what eventually is brought to life off the page. Screenwriters also though have the responsibility of shaping films because they don’t just write dialogue, they write in their scripts what is happening all the way through the film. They have to make sure that scenes transition to the next smoothly. The cinematographer is the person who films the movie. This person works very closely with the director because when the director wants the camera to achieve certain visual or atmospheric qualities, the cinematographer has the responsibility of making the directors vision reality. Th editor shortly after shooting begins starts to organise the footage and arranges individual shots into a continuous sequence. Even in a single scene, there may be lots of different shots that have been chosen to be assembled together. The editor’s choices about which shots to use and the order in which to place them have a massive effect on the finished film. The editors work will be completed closely with the director to achieve the best finished version of the film possible. Set designers have the responsibility of bringing a world to life of the page. Or the set designer may have to create a world that is reminiscent of a time period in the past such as how in once upon a time in Hollywood, 1969 Hollywood is recreated. Of course this will be a collaborative process where the director will share with the set designer their vision which then the set designer will try to turn that vision into reality. The costume designer has the job of choosing costumes that would be worn in the time period or in the world of the film. The whole idea of set creation and choosing costumes is that it is as believable as possible for the world that has been created and the film that they will be in. Films will also have assistant director(s) and assistant camera people. Assistant directors will break down the script into an organised shooting schedule and will communicate with all departments on a daily basis to ensure production moves forward smoothly. They will create call sheets too and will monitor set safety for all the crew. Assistant camera men or women will assist preparing and operating the camera. They will also monitor all of the recorded footage and will help manage any digital media. Sets will have a continuity person as well who will break down the script and manage the continuity of props, makeup and costume. It is their job to track the progress of the production through the pages of the script.

Everyone has to collaborate as successfully as possible on a film so that they can create the best film possible. The screenwriter may not necessarily be on set but if he were, he would potentially go over with the crew what a part of their script means or the intentions he had for a scene. This would potentially be something the director may take on board. If anyone has any problems on the set, they would go to the producer with their problems. The director and cinematographer will be in constant communication with each other as the director will tell the cinematographer the approach that they are taking for a scene. The director will also work closely with the editor as they try to edit the film in a way that allows the film to run smoothly. The editor will edit together their own cut which the director will then go over with the editor which is the directors cut. The film director makes the creative decisions, whilst the editor suggests solutions for problems or issues. After a film has a directors cut, it will then be shown to the producer and the film studios. This may result in changes to the film as the people financing the film may not be happy with certain aspects of the film. Based on the feedback given, the editor will then make one last cut which is the finished article and the one that will be distributed. Set designers have hugely important roles to play too because the worlds that look so realistic and believable on camera have been created and made to look like that by them. Of course this will be a collaborative process where the director will share with the set designer their vision which then the set designer will try to turn that vision into reality. The person in charge of continuity will make sure production runs smoothly and all of the props and costumes are ready for the filming day ahead. The person responsible for continuity will have to work closely with the costume, set designers and producers. Assistant directors of course will work closely with the director and the same for assistant camera people with the cinematographer  wherever they are needed.

2.3       Outline the potential progression routes into the film industry and wider sector

There are lots of different ways to try to progress in the industry. There are some apprenticeships available for roles such as runners and production assistants. This would get you to understand how the industry works and how sets are run day to day. It would also provide you with the opportunity to gain invaluable contacts which would stand you in really good stead trying to progress. There are a range of entry level jobs for people who may not have the work experience but have the ability and qualifications ready to do these jobs. These jobs tend to be of much more importance than apprenticeships. Entry level jobs would provide aspiring filmmakers with a hands on role straight away. A university degree would stand someone in really good stead for getting an entry level job. There are a wide range of university courses that relate to creative media. Courses include film production, media and creative writing. All of the time as well various companies have competitions about coming up with your own story, some of them have big prizes. Winning a competition for one of these could provide the budget for a film or could just help get your name out there as a filmmaker with great potential. An example of this is currently the BBC are running a short story competition with a big cash prize. There are lots of networking opportunities as well with the south Yorkshire film network and the film hub north. The pair of these are regularly organising events for filmmakers to meet up and discuss their work or share it with others. The south Yorkshire film network for example hold short film nights at the showroom cinema for local talent to show of their work. The only micro budget film festival is in Sheffield which if you had a finished film, there would be no better opportunity of showcasing your film than by trying to get it selected. Also other film festivals will accept micro budget films. Bafta have a range of opportunities for individuals wanting to make it in creative media. They have the BFI network x bafta crew which is year long professional development programmes for writers, producers and directors who are actively working towards their debut feature or first TV or online commission. They also have the bafta breakthrough which showcases and supports the next generation of creative talent. Students as well can apply for financial support off bafta to study a post-grad course. Bafta also run a yearly writing competition where their scripts will be performed by actors to see what they are like when they are brought to life.

Personal Progression Plan

The areas in creative media I would like to work in is writing because I believe that I have good ideas and would be good at collaborating over a project bouncing ideas around. I would also like to have some more experience at directing and to see whether it suits my strengths or not.I now have the skills and knowledge to make my own films. The only thing is that I myself don’t have any equipment. However, some members of the academy do and these are some of the people who I would like to collaborate with in the future. Equipment if it was needed could be booked out as well. Also, off the back of the academy I am now in the south Yorkshire film network on Facebook so that can definitely be a way to source equipment and potential collaborators. The films that I am a part of making next will be more than likely be a similar length to the one we made at the academy because with me most of the academy at sixth form or college and me working full time, we all other responsibilities so we don’t have endless amounts of free time. Films that are shorter are more likely to get shown at film festivals as well and can be made to a higher standard with less planning, filming and editing time needed than what there would be for a longer film. The options for funding are film hub north and screen Yorkshire. A great way to get my film out there that I had made would be sharing it with the everyone on the south Yorkshire film network as there is lots of people in it. Short film nights are held regularly locally as well where local filmmakers can share shorts that they have made. The next steps for me personally is to start making films and to get more contacts in the industry and to get some films out there that I was a part of making. I will keep a close eye on all of the different opportunities that come up in the industry through the BFI and Bafta. There could be opportunities at channel 4 too to work in creative media with their studios now in Leeds.