7.6.14

The Entry Level Film Jobs NYC Students Can Do

By Sally Delacruz


Looking to get your foot in the door of the movie and television industry? These film jobs NYC students can qualify for can be competitive to win, but confidence goes a long way. If you've ever wanted to be part of the entertainment game, these jobs might be your first step to success.

Production assistant is a catch all title for the lowest rung on the ladder of a working film set. You might do anything from tape cables to get coffee. As long as you have a lot of energy and a winning smile, you probably qualify. You can learn almost everything else on the job.

Although you won't spend all your time on set, the way you do when you're a production assistant, another interesting job is being a personal assistant for someone with a film career. You'll see a different side of daily operations in the entertainment field, which can be quite valuable. You can make lots of personal contacts in this job, so if you are good with people and have a patient personality, look into becoming the right hand man or woman for a filmmaking power player.

Movie careers aren't just about how films get made. There are lots of jobs on the film festival circuit, and Manhattan hosts some of the best annual cinema festivals in the world. An internship at a festival is a great way to meet everyone from media critics to real producers at events and galas, and the interns you work alongside may prove to be important professional partners later in your career.

Although scooping popcorn kernels at a neighborhood cinema might not seem like a glamorous job, there's a lot to be said for starting out as a staff member at a small independent cinema. You'll get a steady paycheck along with the priceless education of seeing all the latest arthouse movies, plus you'll start to gain a feel for what trendy NYC audiences like. Check out the small theaters in lower Manhattan, especially the Soho and village theaters, to see who is hiring.

Extra or background work isn't a reliable source of income, as jobs are sporadic, but the occasional day or two of working as an extra does get you on the set. Sometimes, directors will pull from the supernumerary pool to give an actor a speaking line that hasn't been cast until the day of the shoot, so who knows? You may show up to stand in the background, and end up on the big screen.

In the age of youtube and digital cameras, you don't need to wait for an industry job. You can make your own! Collaborate with other aspiring filmmakers, and see how far you can get together. You just might be the next big thing, without having to climb the ladder of working on someone else's set.

Those are a just a sample of the many different kinds of entry level film jobs. The more you know about the industry, and about your own strengths, the more likely you are to find the right position for your. Learn everything you can about the different career paths available in the entertainment field, and keep growing your skill set. The more things you know how to do, the greater the chance that you'll look useful to someone doing the hiring for the next big blockbuster.




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