Lessons I’ve Learned Working in Film
Hi Folks!
Unfortunately, me and my partner have been ill over the last few days, which has led to a lot of sitting around and thinking. Other than being a little boring (and very uncomfortable) this illness gave me some time to think on how far I’ve come since I first started getting into creative arts. What are the benefits of working alone vs in a team? Freelancing vs agency? And who am I as a creative?
While I wasn’t able to get to the bottom of this existential crisis, I realised that I have picked up a few tales and lessons from my time behind the camera. These are the ones that are most important for someone starting out in film, and some personal anecdotes to help put them into context, in the hopes that they help you too.
Connection is Key
I worked in the production design and costume department, so having a catalogue of people who were good at DIY, who have big cars, and a couple of professional theatre costume and SFX artists has been infinitely important. Go to networking events. Go to local shows and film festivals, and talk to the people there.
One particular costume designer from a local theatre provided costumes for an extremely difficult fantasy film I shot for my final year of university. it was thanks to her styling help and background in costume that I was able to source interesting and fun materials for the film to use.
Stand up for Yourself
Especially as a young woman in the industry, I found that people were very quick to shift duties or blame onto me in difficult situations. It’s one of the reasons I had to take a step back from industry work. Speak up if you are being treated unfairly.
On my most recent feature film, I was blamed for a few things going wrong, and at one point was made to apologise to the owner of the property for footprints on the carpet. I had to put my foot down and tell the creators involved that I wouldn’t be able to work in a position where I was blamed for things that weren’t in my jurisdiction.
Just like outside the film set, people often don’t want to bare responsibility. Don’t let them use you as a scapegoat.
Trust your Gut
Filmmakers sometimes get so into their own head about an idea that they can’t see fault with it. If you think something is amiss with a project, it might be. Just because the creator thinks it’s wonderful doesn’t mean you can’t criticise or question if you think it affects your performance.
I’ve worked on projects where I’ve had to speak up about potentially misogynistic characters, unreliable locations, or even members of the team being left out of meetings and decisions. It’s never a un discussion to have, however it can be for the best of the film, the team, and your work.
A Small Idea can Make a Big Difference
The only way a group project is going to turn out the way you want is if everyone is on the same page. Communicating all ideas and suggesting any ideas you might have can turn a project around.
For a fashion project I completed, this involved completely changing the way we edited. Our director wanted something “classy but vibrant” and we found that we couldn’t make it work with the cycling athleisure we were advertising. Instead, when it came time for me to edit, I offered a rough cut that was action-packed and urban, but kept the vibrancy. This ended up being th direction we took the project in.
Make the Most of Resources
If you have something for free, make the most of it. Whether it’s a location, an actor, a prop, if you’ve been offered the chance to use something, it’s going to take a lot of pressure off later.
We were given a project in my first year of university. For whatever short film we were making, we needed to find three free props from friends, families, colleagues, etc. I was shooting a project set in the 60’s, and I came to set with a typewriter, a poster from a concert, and my grandmother’s skirt. People are often willing to lend things out and help as long as you know who to ask and prove yourself to be reliable and careful. This is always the best place to go when starting to get together a prop list.
Of course, there are an infinite number of lessons to learn on a film set; film changes each day and the people behind it even more so, but these are some of the universal tips that I think are important for anyone stepping into any role. What do you think? Are there any that resonate with you, or any you’d like to add?
I’m going to do some more reflecting on myself as a creative, and hopefully I’ll soon find that bracket that I think i fall into. Until then,
All the best,
Jae
