Career Opportunities Film

[Nadal Braymiller]

Thisarticle is intended as a reference and does not represent a guarantee or implication that NYFA graduates or others reading this article will obtain a job in their chosen career nor can salary be predicted since each job and the salary associated with it depends on the individual attributes of each applicant and on circumstances not within the control of any applicant.

Director Career Path: Getting onto the first rung of the ladder can be highly difficult. A good internship on the set of a movie is usually the first stepping stone to becoming a fully-fledged director.

From the blueprint level to the finished construction, a set designer usually has to take the rough drawings and ideas from the production team and turn them into realistic, fleshed-out builds that can be used by the film crew and talent.

Set Designer Career Path: While specialist training in this field is available, it is wholly possible to start out on small-scale and indie productions (especially in theatre) before attracting larger gigs from an ever-increasing range of contacts.

More than simply being able to draw some outfit ideas on paper, a costume designer is charged with a heavy amount of research depending on the genre of film as well as the conception and creation of costumes. An imperative part of the role also involves fitting the costumes correctly to the acting talent, as well as negotiating contracts and overseeing any clothing rentals.

Costume Designer Career Path: Fashion school rather than film school is the way forward for any costume designer, although someone with sufficient skill and talent can work their way up from low-level theatre positions.

Prop Master Career Path: Some prop masters go down the academics route with a related design, art or history-related degree, while others work their way up with on-the-job training (often getting into it while performing other roles on set, such as set design).

Individual in charge with the application of makeup on the actors, actresses, and extras. The Make-up Artist is also responsible for preparing a makeup schedule and for supervising and coordinating with other members of the makeup department, including assistants, body makeup artists, special effects makeup and hair stylists.

Movie Editor Career Path: Most openings call for specific qualifications, experience or extension knowledge on industry standard editing tools, and a good show reel is equally as important for securing paying work.

One of the very last (but no less important) people to add their work to a movie is the composer. Arguably up there with the acting talent in terms of breathing emotional life into a movie, the composer works directly under the director to provide an original score over the top of the final cut.

All programs and workshops are solely owned and operated by the New York Film Academy and are not affiliated with Universal Studios, or Harvard University. GI Bill is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government website at Not all programs are offered at all locations.

While there are plenty of things that need doing on set, breaking into the UK film industry will be your first challenge - explore the full range of film roles and discover what goes into making a feature film

This is a notoriously competitive industry to get into. Many film jobs aren't advertised in the traditional sense, qualifications aren't as important as experience and film graduate schemes aren't readily available either.

Instead, you'll need to be proactive in contacting film production companies and studios through speculative applications to enquire about any vacancies. Even then, you'll find that structured entry-level programmes such as film internships are scarce.

Graduates may be able to secure a week or two of film work experience as a runner, but you'll need to grasp the opportunity by impressing the film crew with your skills and by turning your hand to anything asked of you in order to land a contract for the next shoot.

If you didn't go to film school or study the subject at university, you can develop your filmmaking skills by working on student or local productions. There are plenty of resources online to learn about screenwriting, or you could join likeminded individuals in making a short film through relevant social media groups. You can also get more information about film industry training for 16 to 25-year-olds at the British Film Institute (BFI).

Despite the fact that careers in film can be incredibly rewarding, they typically come with a low level of job security as you'll usually be hired on a film-by-film basis. Wages, working hours and locations vary, depending on the size of the production you're working on and the level of funding behind it.

This involves managing budgets, holding meetings with all departments at the planning, execution and post-production stages of filming, and concisely and effectively communicating your vision for the film.

While a degree in film production will provide you with a deeper understanding of what's involved in making a film, practical experience will help you build a network of contacts in the industry and allow you to develop your filmmaking skills.

Otherwise known as cinematographers, the director of photography (DoP) will work with the film director to realise scenes in line with their visions. They manage the camera and lighting crews on a film set, make artistic and technical decisions and review footage in the post-production stage.

You'll need an in-depth knowledge of camera and lighting equipment and what will and won't work for certain shoots, an excellent eye for detail, the ability to make reasoned decisions quickly, and be prepared to both give and take direction. You'll oversee film crews, but if the director has specific intentions, you may have very little control over how a scene is shot.

Progressing to this senior role as a film producer will require genuine passion and creativity, carrying out work experience and networking at any opportunity. You may have to start in a junior role, such as a runner or programme researcher, to get your foot in the door.

Working with raw footage in post-production to compile an end result that's suitable for release, a film editor will often work closely with the director to ensure their work is in line with the director's intentions for the film.

It's no simple task - crucial, 'invisible' aspects of film, such as comedic timing, pacing and suspense, are what often elevate a production from good to outstanding quality and are the result of sharp, seamless editing. This may involve changing up the order of scenes or removing some completely.

To become a film editor, you'll need to build a wealth of experience working in TV and on smaller productions before progressing to editing feature-length films. You might enter the industry as a runner, trainee or second assistant, moving up the ranks to first assistant before becoming an editor in your own right.

In any film, good lighting is crucial to creating the right atmosphere. This is what a lighting technician brings to the production process through technical knowledge, a good level of physical fitness for lifting heavy lighting equipment as well as creative flair.

Whichever route you choose, pre-entry experience into this role is essential - whether that's through finding a job as a technician, helping on student film projects while you're studying or securing work experience with a professional.

It's a runner's job to carry out administrative tasks and aid the smooth running of film production. Your film work will involve setting up locations for a shoot, hiring props and transporting equipment, among other tasks required by the director, actors and other members of the film crew.

Many runners are hired by being in the right place at the right time or through their contacts rather than their qualifications and can remain in the position for a year or longer before progressing onto researcher roles.

A location manager is responsible for researching, identifying and organising access to sites for film shoots. It's a demanding role, where you'll need to manage both cast and crew to ensure your stints on location are completed within the time and budget constraints.

While you won't need a degree in a particular subject, those related to media or production will give you an advantage. You may also look into completing a course accredited by the industry's skills body, ScreenSkills.

It's the job of a sound technician to operate the equipment needed to record, mix and enhance the audio of a film. In this role you could either be working on set, liaising with producers to meet their sound requirements and monitoring the recording process, or in post-production where you'll integrate audio with visual content and create and alter sound effects.

Many film productions require a team of sound technicians in order to run smoothly, so you'll have to be an excellent communicator and good team player. You'll also need patience to work with the meticulous attention to detail and timings the role requires.

You don't need a degree to become a sound technician in film. However, as you'll need an in-depth understanding of the technicalities, equipment and practices the role encompasses, studying for a relevant HND or degree would be to your advantage.

As well as using the internet, film archives and museum collections to carry out your research, you'll be responsible for gaining copyright clearance for the use of music and literary material in the production.

Providing a crucial visual aspect to any film, hair stylists and make-up artists ensure the actors in a film appear authentic to the time period the film is set, its geographical location and age of the character they're playing.

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