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Advice for Crew/Technicians

There are many different technical roles within the film, television and theatre industry and the method of finding work can vary between the roles. There are a few suggestions however which generally apply:
  • Have the right information. Read PCR (or our sister publication Filmlog) so that you know what is happening in the industry, who is working on what, and where you may potentially find work. We are dedicated to helping technicians find work, as we not only tell you what is in preproduction and development, we also tell you who is involved and how you can get in touch with them. Networking events - such as the evenings run by the NPA  - are also good places to find out information on who's working on what and to make those elusive contacts.
  • Use the correct technique when contacting potential employers. There is no point writing to a director, if it is in fact the line producer who would be the person who hires you. You also need to find out the best time to get in contact. For example, if you are a storyboard artist, you may come on board very early on in the process, when only an executive producer is on board. Runners, on the other hand, generally start in preproduction, and often work under the guidance of a production manager or assistant director.
  • Make sure you know who's who on productions - although it may sound as though an executive producer and a line producer do the same thing, they don't!
  • Take a professional approach when contacting potential employers. If you are just starting out, it is always best to send your details by post, with a politely worded and enthusiastic letter and examples of your work (where possible). Remember, emails can be easily deleted and it's a tad difficult to show your work over the phone! If you are a bit more experienced and see someone mentioned in PCR that you have worked with before, it is worth trying to get in touch with them directly by phone or email.
  • Your personality should come through in your application, but don't be overly flippant or sarcastic. Explain specifically why you want to work for this company or producer, and show that you have done your research. Make sure the information on your resume can be read quickly and contains absolutely no spelling, punctuation or grammatical errors. Once a production is mentioned in print, the company is often deluged by phone calls and letters - it is essential that your application stands out above the rest.
  • If you've tried all this, and you still haven't got anywhere, don't despair - make your own work. It's not hard to start up a small production company - you just need to be resourceful and knowledgeable about how to find finance. We list a number of funding/competition opportunities in PCR every week, and organisations such as Skillset and the regional film boards have many schemes to support up and coming media stars.

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