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By Josee Brodeur |
If you ask anyone in the film industry, "How did you get started," almost everyone will say, "Well, I had a friend..." There are many opportunities in the TV and film industry in Canada; many have stumbled upon it by chance.
Most people who work in this industry are freelancers. Each film or TV series will hire you for the duration (usually three months for a film and five months to a year for a TV series) and after this time you're unemployed again and must find another production to hire you. To keep in contact, most people live in or near larger cities-Vancouver, Montreal, Toronto.
The pay can be very rewarding, but only because the work is so unpredictable. Its not uncommon to work six-day weeks and 12-hour days when in production. While employed, you're virtually on call 24 hours a day.
On average you're doing well if you work eight out of 12 months a year. When work is available, you take it; when there's a dry spell you live from past earnings.
In this business people usually 'start at the bottom'. The 'bottom' means different things in every department, but it's always a position which allows you to understand other people's roles.
Pre-production involves all the preparatory work leading up to the actual shooting of the script, hiring producers, directors, production manager, accountant, construction manager and other department heads.
In pre-production, the art director will break down the script and draft the blueprints of the sets which need to be built and pass them on to the construction manager. That person hires the crew and starts building the sets. The production co-ordinator will begin organizing the office. Casting sessions are arranged and actors and actresses are hired.
Production is the actual shooting of the film. Many changes occur during this stage; changes which affect many people. Production is very stressful. A small delay on one part may domino into thousands of dollars.
Post production stage of film-making involves the screenings, transfers of film onto video tape, mixing the sound and sound effects into the film, editing and timing. There is a whole different team involved in post-production.
The key is to make good contacts. Who you know will help you get the jobs you want. Of course, the contacts are only useful if you are good at what you do. Only the best survive.
tgmag@tgmag.ca