Good advice about surviving in the mean streets of Hollywood during this difficult time.
by Matt Jacobs
via Filmmaking Lifestyle
This has been a wild year for our industry. Film production relies on the teamwork of hundreds, sometimes thousands of people, often physically in one tight space.
We squeeze into small rooms and trailers, pack into transport vans, and gather around the crafty table.
Even if you don’t work directly on set, maybe you work on the post-production, pre-production, or agency side, you’ll be familiar with giant cubicle-filled offices, shared cafeteria food, and long nights crammed into conference rooms and editing bays. Content creation has always been an intimate, collaborative affair.
Leading up to March, film and series production in many states had seen a record-breaking uptick, then suddenly, poof!
COVID-19 changed everyone’s plans, and any sort of professional or social gathering became a thing of the past.
Working in our industry was never easy, freelancing was never easy, and this year can make it seem nearly impossible. But there’s absolutely hope and opportunity, and we’ve listed just a few ways in which you can unearth both:
1. Diversify your client base
No one can pandemic-proof their business or income completely, but the wider you can cast your net, the more clients, industries and projects you have your hands in, the more likely you are to find work even in tough times.
Easier said than done, I hear you. We chose our niche because we enjoy the specific work we do, and are good at it.
That said, this year has shown us that it is more essential than ever to branch out. A good way to start tackling this, is considering the different industries your profession touches.
If you work primarily as an editor on episodic television, hit up some advertising agencies and see if they can add you to their roster.
If you work as a set designer, are there interior designers you can reach out to and see what they have been doing to keep clients?
An introductory email or informational interview via Zoom is always a solid starting point to dip your toes into new career waters, and a great way to learn from other companies and professionals.
Don’t have existing connections in adjacent industries? That brings me to our next point….