1.1 - Outline the Culture of the film industry

What do you know about the working culture of the film industry?

The film industry involves many different components. While everyone has their own specific roles, they do all work together, this means that each job is important and needs to be done properly. If one area of the film industry is held up, then the whole production is reduced. Different areas of the film industry include; Directors, Producers, Actors, Camera Crew, Script Writers, Illustrators, Animators, Foley Artists and Sound Engineers. Each one of these areas are extremely important, without even one of these, the film would not be produced on time or even at all.

When working on commissions and in the film industry, there are always deadlines. This means time needs to be managed effectively. Everyone needs to be committed to the film they are work on, meaning a more than adequate amount of time needs to be put into the production. When the development of the film is planned out it makes the process a lot easier and avoids many obstacles. Since the film industry is so competitive, if your time management is not good, employers are not going to be impressed. Because there are so many different parts to a film crew, strict time limits need to be placed in order for everyone to be able to do their job properly and effectively. Every minute lost = money lost. Good time management also means that stress from the high pressure of the industry is reduced.

Due to the unpredictable nature of the process of film making and the amount of time it takes, the crew often have to work long hours. These hours can also be at unusual times depending on the setting and the lighting needed for the shot. This also means that the crew need to be ready to drop everything at any time. Therefore when working on a film, you never really get a break from working. Time is spent thinking about perfect shots with the perfect lighting with the perfect setting. If the director finds a particular setting that they want in the film, especially if the setting is outside and using natural lighting, the crew need to be there within a matter of minutes as the light changes quickly. When actually filming on location, people need to move around to work and film. Films are rarely just filmed in one place, meaning the crew often have long periods of time away from home. This emphasizes the need to be dedicated to the film you are working on.

When working on a commission, the contracts are generally short term. Meaning that your work is extremely unpredictable. You may have a funded commission one month, but then you may not get any work for the next year. A lot of a film makers time is spent pitching ideas to distributors.  

What qualities do you need to work in the film industry?

Because working in the film industry means working with loads of different people, you need to be able to get along well with individuals. Everyone will be different and often very eccentric, therefore if you don't voice your own ideas and have confidence in your own ability then you won't get anywhere. Whilst you need to have confidence in your ideas, you also need to listen to others. Film making is a collective process. Without listening to everyone else you might miss out on a whole range of good ideas. Using initiative is a key quality in order or you to convey your ideas and get on with the work.