It’s 2025. Production budgets are shrinking. Client expectations are higher. AI, LLMs, and automation are eating the rest of the pie, so what’s a new filmmaker with bills to pay to do? If you’re trying to break into the film industry or wondering how to get consistent work as a filmmaker, you’re in the right place.
My name is Christine, I go by “Da ChefGyal” online, and I can confidently say that I’ve been working consistently since I was a PA in the early 2010s. This industry really ain’t how it used to be, so if you’re banking on your gear getting you gigs or people begging you to come to set, you’re going to be unemployed.
Sorry, not sorry: your gear alone will NOT get you work. I’ve worked on projects using Sony Buranos and Venices, Angenieux and Cooke lenses, and I’ve also been on set with people using their iPhones.
It’s not the gear. It’s you.
How to Get Work in Film Production: It’s Not About Your Gear
Don’t Lose to a GoPro…
Technology has advanced so much that a person with a GoPro and the right computer can outperform the person with a Fujifilm Eterna, but even that highly technical person won’t stick around if that’s all they have. The barrier to entry into this field is gone. For filmmakers looking to get hired, the question isn’t ‘what camera do you bring to set? The question is “what do you bring to set that no one else does?”
Technical skill is necessary, but alone, it’s not enough to separate you from everyone else in the industry anymore. There’s a new metric for success, a new metric for “booked and busy”, even in an industry that everyone says is “drying up”, and I call it the 5 P’s:
Professionalism, Positivity, People, Problem Solving, and Personality.
Master these…and the work as a filmmaker will follow.
Professionalism
Your first impression starts before you arrive.
It may feel like “no, duh!”, but if you don’t know how to send an email with the proper greetings, how to CC and BCC correctly, how and when to reply and when not to reply to an email with a lot of people on it and to NEVER REPLY ALL on a mass email…you won’t get work. Landing film production jobs requires more than talent—it requires polish. Annoy the production manager enough with your bad email etiquette, and you’re not on the list for season 2.
Professionalism is talking to everyone in the way you need to, not too familiar but maybe not so uptight, either. It’s also about how you present yourself: do you LOOK clean and ready for work? Even your email address and your web presence – “bootybooty@gmail” is insane, but “therealpinkranger@gmail” is also eyebrow-raising. Be who you are, but be prepared to potentially get fewer season 2 callbacks, no matter how good you may be.
One final thought on Professionalism: how are you sending your estimates and invoicing? If you’re sending a nice PDF with line items broken out, great. If not, maybe start doing that.
Positivity
Energy is contagious, whether good or bad.
I’m not happy all the time, but you won’t know that. Honestly, it’s nobody’s business, so I don’t make it anyone’s business by showing it on my face or in my actions.
Nobody wants to work with someone who drains energy and brings up all the things that can go wrong, or is always down. If you’re not bringing good energy, trust me: everybody on set can feel it.
It’s also a mindset thing; you really do attract the energy you put out. If you’re saying, “I’m not going to do well,” or “I’m not going to get this,” don’t be surprised if it happens the way you feel.
I want to be clear: if you’re feeling sad or are in a dark place, it’s okay to not be okay. Regardless, it’s nobody else’s responsibility on set to deal with it. If that feels harsh, that’s fine. You want to get work in 2025, right? Your attitude goes a long way in that.
The glass has to be half full, not half empty.
People
People don’t hire Cameras – People Hire People.
People remember the people who care about them. Always remember this: the strongest memories are emotional – when you care about people and make their lives easier, it’s hard to forget that.
Building a filmmaking career means understanding that people hire people. It’s not about you “bowing down” to “walking on eggshells”, it’s about keeping other people’s experiences in mind and working with them.
The worst thing you can do is make this about ‘you’. Something as simple as “I’m going to bring some extra water back with me for that crew member” goes a long way. Most of the time, you’re not getting rehired because you did everything perfectly. Nothing ever goes “perfect” on set anyway. You made the people around you feel good, and most importantly, you made lives easier. What experience are you creating on set?
Problem Solving
Working as a filmmaker, something will go wrong; it always does.
Can you get creative when everything falls apart and be part of the solution and not just be part of the problem?
Here’s the thing: you probably thought I was going to talk about having backup SD cards and lights just in case the shot list asks for something we just can’t do and we have to change…nope: help other people.
Saying something like “that’s not my issue” doesn’t solve anything. Maybe the sound person is running low on battery and, hey! You just so happen to have a power bank on you. You’re a hero, that sound person will remember you. Someone spilled something on their shirt and, hey! You grab paper towels and help them get back to what they need to do, you hero. This isn’t mind-blowing, earth-shattering things: it’s just being helpful and solving project problems on set.
By the way, when you’re on set: don’t complain about a problem, no matter what. Either be a Problem Solver or be quiet. This has to be your mindset.
Personality
If you have a terrible personality…child…you gon have to work on that…
You’re not being rehired if you have a terrible personality, are a drag, and/or are as fun as a cardboard box if literally ANYONE else is available for your role on set. Be yourself, bring all of you, the professional stuff, and just have a good time. We all know and love people who help keep everything moving forward, even under the most demanding of situations.
If you’re reading this and wondering how to apply these 5 P’s, start small:
- Rewrite your email signature to present professionally.
- Read the call sheet and understand what everyone needs to do.
- Smile – even if the day is rough.
- Offer solutions before someone asks for them.
- Be yourself.
In short, you have everything you need to be successful, as cheesy as that sounds. The tools to succeed don’t cost anything; they require a little effort. Once you’re willing to put in the work, you’ll start to see a return. The camera doesn’t get you the callback; your character does. So while everyone else is arguing about Canon C50 vs the Sony FX3 on YouTube, you can be the person who actually shows up, solves problems, and makes people want to work with you again. That’s how you stay booked in 2025.
You got this. I’ll see you on set.
