If you are passionate about bringing life to stories through the silver screen, don't hesitate to get started in the film industry.
While the COVID-19 pandemic could have been a significant setback for the industry, the entertainment field managed to stay stable with the PVoD releases on streaming platforms like HBO Max, Netflix and Amazon Prime Video.
To create a resume for a film career, use the following guide.
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Film Job Titles
Current Trends in the Film Industry
There are many exciting trends in this industry. The most important is the move from a theater exhibition to a home theater model. Services like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video, for example, have already changed the way we consume movies, spending more than $20 billion on original content, changing the financial landscape of studios, and upending old notions of theater-only release standards.
There are also technological evolutions. One impacting the film industry is Virtual Reality (VR). This technology, which fully immerses a viewer in a story, already had a global economic impact of $29.5 billion by 2020 and is expected to grow more in the future.
The industry is also witnessing a cultural breakthrough focusing on relevant social issues, including diversity acceptance and celebration of LGBTQ and race issues, highlighting political unrest, and fostering unity across different populations.
The film industry is an ever-growing industry paying over $181 billion in wages annually to 2.5 million people in the U.S. alone and will continue to grow.
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Salary and Employment Outlook for Film Jobs
The average salary in film varies distinctly. To create a movie from scratch, individuals or teams with different roles and responsibilities are involved, and their salaries differ according to the duty they perform. Take a deeper look below at how the wages of other film jobs vary.
Creative film jobs
With more internet-only platforms, the number of shows produced is increasing. This is great for creative jobs in the film industry, like video editors and camera operators. The largest employers of these creative jobs are motion picture and video industries, radio and television broadcasting, self-employed workers, professionals, scientific, technical services, and the government.
Job Outlook 2020–2028
Video Editor
Due to the increased demand for special effects and overall content, the overall employment of video editors is projected to grow at a rate of 18% from 2019-2029.
Videographer
Out of nearly 51,000 jobs held by television, video, and motion picture videographers and video editors, more than 26,000 jobs are owned by videographers.
Animator
From 2019-2029, the employment of animators is projected to grow 4% due to increased demand for visual effects and animation in movies, video games, and television.
Source: Videographer: Payscale
Film management jobs
A producer or a program manager does management in film. They are responsible for tasks including developing the budget of a project and overseeing all the business decisions. They work alongside crew members and play an important role in bringing projects from conception to realization.
Job Outlook 2020–2029
Producer
The employment of producers is expected to grow 4% from 2019 to 2029.
Program Manager
The Project Management Institute predicts the need for 88 million individuals in project management-oriented roles over the next six years.
Source: Producers and Directors: Occupational Outlook Handbook (U.S Bureau of Labor of Statistics)
Source: Program Manager: Payscale, Project Management Institute
6 of the Top Soft Skills Needed for Film Jobs
Making a film involves different stages of production. The process includes conceptualizing and writing a story idea in the development phase; researching, casting, and location scouting in the pre-production phase; shooting in the production phase; editing and arranging the footage in post-production; and sending the final product to theaters, DVD, or streaming services in the distribution phase. Every stage incorporates creative fields like editors, videographers, and animators, and management fields like producers and program managers.
Even though there are different sets of people working on other areas of the film to bring it to life, and each of them requiring different sets of skills, there are specific skills that every filmmaker should possess, irrespective of their role.
Here are the top six skills to become a successful filmmaker:
Technical knowledge
As a filmmaker, you must have a technical understanding of every piece of the filmmaking process; this includes camerawork, sound, special effects, lighting, design, post-production processes, and more. You need to understand different filmmaking tools and software like Final Draft, Movie Magic, and Adobe Creative Cloud used in various stages of film production. The idea is not to be an expert in every software, but familiar with almost every software.Flexible creativity
The soul of a film lies in the creativity of the people producing that film. Whether you’re working as a producer, director, actor, or post-production coordinator, you need to visualize the story creatively to present it in the most appealing way to the audience. Flexible creativity means your creativity shouldn't just remain in the field of your specialization; you should be able to contribute your ideas in other areas of film.Written and visual storytelling
Even if your job doesn't include script-writing or creating visuals, it's essential to understand the story you are trying to tell as a team. You need to understand, evaluate and analyze reports, including written scripts.Effective communication
Being a filmmaker, working on set with countless other crew and cast members, you should communicate well with everyone to bring about a collective result. Without effective communication, you won’t be able to channel your ideas to different crew members. To work towards the common goal of bringing alive a story, you should be a good speaker and listener.Building strong connections
Apart from your talents and experience, your stability in the film industry is determined by connections. Good collaborators are always helpful for your career. Therefore, make sure that you nurture your ability to build strong relationships.Knowledge of the latest trends
The film industry is an evolving industry that goes through significant change every decade. As a filmmaker, you should be able to track those changes. You should be aware of the latest technological trends like 3D printing, autonomous drones, virtual reality, and cultural trends.
Educational Requirements for Film Jobs
Degree
Even though the film industry relies on creativity and experience, having a formal education will fill the gaps of attaining technical skills and understanding the history of filmmaking.
The minimum educational qualification is to earn an associate degree in filmmaking. This will introduce you to the basics of cinematography and production. Going for a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Fine Arts, undergraduate degrees in film studies will equip you to become producers, screenwriters, lighting directors, and scenery supervisors, among other roles, as it covers more broad topics on film. Those who wish to know more about the world of cinema can go for a master's degree in film.
Vassar College, the University of Illinois at Chicago, the University of California-Los Angeles, and the University of California-Irvine are some of the best film schools to enroll yourself into and kick-start your filmmaking journey.Certifications
Institutions like TISCH and the University of California-Los Angeles offer certificate programs to those aspiring to add a certification to their film education. You can also earn software-specific certifications from widely used software in the film industry like Adobe Premiere Pro CC and Apple Final Cut Pro X. Online platforms Udemy and Skillshare also offer courses in filmmaking where you can get certified.
Film Resume Examples by Experience Level
To create a unique resume that makes you stand out from the crowd, you need to know the art of writing a resume. To create a resume as unique as you, pay attention to specific details. For example, if you craft a resume that matches an entry-level job and you apply for a mid-level position, your resume will be immediately rejected.
Animator
Producer
Director
3 Tips to Stand Out and Get the Job You Want
Write an impressive cover letter.
You can expand on your achievements through the cover letter, show your personality, and convince the employer why you are an asset to the company. So you should take great care while writing a cover letter.
A strong introduction. Convey to the recruiter why you are interested in the position and the company. You can add details which show that you have good knowledge about the company and its principles.
A peep into your personality. A cover letter is an insight into the person behind the letter. Since it is an opportunity to show your personality, tell them what makes you unique and different from other applicants.
The story behind your achievements. It is the perfect space for you to expand on your achievements and tell the story behind them. You can fill the missing gaps in your resume by elaborating on events relevant to the job.
A stand-out resume
While it may seem easy to craft a resume, you need to pay attention to specific details to make it stand out from the rest.
Keep it short and direct. No one wants to spend time reading a highly descriptive resume. The trick is to convey all the details concisely and professionally so that the employer gets an overall idea about you in a short time.
Choose your templates wisely. Be careful choosing a professional template that reflects your professionalism. It is also advisable that you make necessary changes in the template so that it looks more customized.
Optimize your text. Since everything nowadays has gone online, optimizing your text is very important. If you do not use the keywords mentioned in the job description, you may not appear in the search list of the company website while they go through different applications.
Use correct language. Using strong action words like "achieved," "improved," and "established" will help you to stand out.
Crack the interview with confidence.
Once you craft your resume, the next important task is preparing yourself for the interview. This might take a lot of research and practice. You should have a thorough knowledge of the company and the position you are applying for. It is always better to look up frequently asked interview questions for your job position before attending the interview. You should also practice how you will present yourself with confidence in front of the interviewer. Your desire to work and grow should be evident in your words and actions.
4 easy steps to build an interview-winning film resume
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FAQ
Which institutions are involved in the film industry?
The film industry incorporates technological and commercial institutions that are involved in filmmaking. These institutions in filmmaking include studios, production companies, and crews.
What is the global growth of the film industry?
With worldwide box office revenue has grown consistently for years and amounting to more than $42 billion in 2019, the global film industry shows healthy projections for the future.
Is the United States the wealthiest film industry in the world?
Yes, the United States was the largest filmed entertainment market in 2018, with $32.23 billion in revenue. China was second place, with revenue of over 15.82 billion, followed by Japan, the United Kingdom, and Germany.
Which is the most expensive movie ever made?
The most expensive movie ever made is 2011's "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides," with reportedly $376.5 million after-tax credits. The movie was filmed in England at the historic royal naval college in Greenwich and Pinewood Studios, where the production used the vast majority of the sound stages.