Landing Your First Production Job in Georgia

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Georgia is a hot spot for those wanting to break into video production. Whether its feature films, TV shows, or a little bit of everything, here are tips to landing your first job.

If you live in Georgia, you have no doubt heard about the firestorm of video production work being done in The Peach State. As more and more production companies find permanent footholds in Georgia, more and more opportunities for work in the film industry have arisen for the waves of graduates hungry for work. While it is true that the state is bustling with unfilled positions and has a dire need for skilled film crews, in my experience finding your first position is far from easy.

I graduated from college with what I considered to be a lot of momentum that would make finding any kind of media production work a cake walk. I had a degree from a well-respected journalism school, a wealth of media related work in a leadership position and an internship with a production company in Los Angeles. I thought I had checked all of the boxes and shown enough dedication to set myself apart from the competition. What I discovered is that even with what I felt was a well-rounded resume, getting that resume in front of the right people is its own challenge, one that requires a mysterious mix of hard work, luck and patience.

Too much time

When I returned to Atlanta, following my internship, I was ready to take my place as a part of the city’s booming film and television industry. I knew it was going to take time before I found my first gig, but I had no idea that it would be almost nine months before finding my first production position. I applied to as many positions I could through the conventional channels and did interviews for “entry level” positions that required at least two years of experience. Every time I received a rejection notice (or more often heard nothing at all,) I became more despondent. The trouble with job searching is that the only marker of progress is actually landing a job. I would spend weeks avoiding applying for positions, feeling that every attempt was fruitless.

Go get experience!

The major piece of advice I wished that I had received while I was looking for production work is pretty simple. In the world of production, your education is only going to get you so far. Productions need people they know they can rely on to get the job done. If you find yourself in the position I was in as a young, well-educated and eager graduate with next to no onset experience, you absolutely have to look everywhere for anything. Many will point you in the direction of the Georgia Film Board where a number of productions will post listings for open crew positions. The Film Board is an amazing resource, but these jobs are often for experienced crew members on large scale sets. While looking to gain onset experience, it’s not unheard of that one of these productions would hire you, but if more and more people are vying to fill these positions it is difficult to make yourself stand out against those with more experience.

Keep your head up and never say, “No”

Gaining that experience can be its own challenge. Finding a smaller production looking for extra help often means working for free on someone’s passion project. This can mean twelve hour days of hard work with no monetary compensation. Keeping your eye on the prize is important when you realize that a day of hard work that only adds a line to your resume can feel so much better than the weeks of sending emails with no response. Luck is also an important factor. A good job won’t just fall into your lap, but every little step forward while remaining vigilant in your search makes it easier to be in the right place at the right time. I was connected with ECG through a friend of a friend that I met at the restaurant I was working at while living at home. I did some blogging while volunteering onset and did everything I could to prove my worth. When something opened up, I jumped at the chance to work with ECG full time. Now I get to work at a company that lets me do what I love while learning more and more everyday. If you’re out there looking to get your start in media production all I can say is this. Everyone’s path is different. If you see your peers starting their careers while you feel stuck in the mud, keep your head up and follow every lead. Never say no to a job. Nothing is beneath you and every experience onset will get you one step closer to being an indispensable asset to a crew.

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