Breaking into the post production industry is First of all, don’t try to break into the industry. You should find another job, in another field that pays well and doesn’t make you work around the clock. That doesn’t involve getting clients coffee, taking people out to dinner and networking constantly.
If you enjoy time with family, consistent work hours and freedom to have time for other things, there are a lot of great jobs for you as a pharmacist or a business person, for example.
If you don’t like big cities, long commutes or spending years doing grunt work, maybe you should consider something easier.
Still with me?
Okay, so you really really want this. You will do whatever it takes and stick with it. Maybe you feel like there’s something really special and amazing about the weird people who work in this strange field. Dealing with rejection and constantly hustling is your bread and butter. You love the work so much that you’ll keep fighting to get better and better.
Welcome to the club of weirdos.
Truth be told, I say all of this because choosing to do post production as a profession is not an easy choice. You really need to commit and love this industry if you want to make it work. It requires a lot of sacrifice, hustle, and hard work.
But once you’re in, it’s the best thing in the world. You get to create dreams…forever.
Today, post-production is an ever-changing industry. The technology and business landscape for post-production changes rapidly every year. While the change brings new opportunities, finding out where they are is difficult in this
Below I’ll run you through a few paths you can take to jump start your career in post production.
Breaking Into the Post Production Industry – The Old School Method
This strategy is an old one. Traditionally, this method of breaking into the post production industry involves picking up coffee, going on runs and generally being a second class citizen for a little while, maybe even a few years.
Find a company that you admire. Figure out a way to work there at the bottom of the food chain.
This can be a tough proposition.
Most bigger or well known companies have internship programs. If you’re not in school, you’ll need to find a company that offers paid internships.
There are also smaller companies that offer internships. These are more difficult to get into, as they hire fewer people and might not have as many resources.
But if you can get in, you’ll have an awesome opportunity to learn in a small, accessible environment.
This is exactly how I started my career.
Who You Know
If you know anyone in the industry or have any connections to anyone who works in the field, ask them for help.
As sad as it is, nepotism is a large part of this industry. Those with connections will get ahead faster than those who don’t have connections.
While connections can help you get in somewhere, that doesn’t mean you have a free ride forever. A connection will get your foot in the door, but
Hard Work Pays
Once you do get that internship or runner or PA position, you’ve done the hard part. Now it’s up to you to work harder than anyone else around you. Having a good attitude is also really important.
If you work really hard, have a great attitude and can learn quickly, you will be really successful.
Too Many Cooks
One drawback of working your way up at a bigger facility or global company is that it takes much more time to gain access to doing creative work.
Many people at these companies spend years and years as assistants, juniors, etc. before doing the job that they want to do. And sometimes they end up getting that job and not really liking it anyway.
I know many former co-workers who no longer work in the field. Maybe they wanted to settle down in the suburbs or not work those long hours anymore. As you get older, a more settled life is hard to pass up.
But the payoff at the end can be beyond your wildest dreams. Having that dream job as an editor, as a colorist, or motion graphic artist is very fulfilling for those of us who love this work.
The New School Break In Method
There’s another way to break into the industry. Making your own way.
If you like to hustle, have a creative vision, and don’t have a lot of overhead like bills, kids, etc., this might be a good path for you.
More and more beginners are buying their own cameras and starting their own production companies.
While not strictly post production, a lot of people who go this route shoot, edit, color grade, and animate their own material.
How do you get started doing this without any money?
Work hard and save some money at your day job.
Cameras and software today are so inexpensive. You can buy a Blackmagic 4K pocket cinema camera for $1300. It’s an amazing camera. You can use that camera to shoot weddings, to create your own shorts, to market yourself.
Check out this link for an overview of the camera: https://www.newsshooter.com/2018/12/07/blackmagic-design-pocket-cinema-camera-4k-review/
Or you could invest in some software and learn how to create 3D VFX work from home. Shoot something with an iPhone, download Blender (free) and Fusion (free versions) and start compositing.
This website has a ton of free resources to help you get started learning about video also. Check out our free guides page to get you up to speed with editing with DaVinci Resolve or learning about frame rates here: https://www.thepostprocess.com/free-guides/
The Hustle
So how do you go from beginning enthusiast to full time professional?
Breaking into the post production industry this way requires hustle. Like a lot of hustle and rejection. If you have the stomach for it, it might be a great path forward for you.
Finding paying clients, developing creative pitches, shooting original content. You’ll need to make all of this happen while also paying your bills. It can be a tough way forward.
The Benefits
If you can get paid for the amazing work that you do, you’re in a great position. You won’t need to wait years to do creative work with clients.
By taking on that extra risk and hustle without relying on a company to support and feed you, you’ll have more opportunity for fulfilling creative work.
Going this route can involve sacrificing a lot of time. Hustling and making your own way is more than a full-time job.
If you can make it work, the creative benefits are really amazing and can be really fulfilling.
Creating Dreams
Whatever way you decide to pursue, it will require constant learning, hustle and sacrifice. This industry is really amazing if you learn to love it.
It can be dysfunctional and stressful and exhausting, but you get to create stories and build beautiful dreams with other people. What is better than that?
Good luck on your journey. Let me know in the comments where you’re at in your journey towards a career in this industry.
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