A friend of mine from Toronto, Emily, recently called and asked how actors break into filmmaking. She’s studied acting. And she’s got the stereotypical bar/restaurant job and does a little marketing on the side. And, oh, yes– she’s got some experience in producing.
This is a common question I get asked by actors like Emily over and over again:
“I’m an actor – how do I break in?”
Actors have two choices: Wait for the phone to ring, or go and make their own movies and learn how to market and monetise them.
It kind of goes like this:
Remember the first time you told a friend or family member that what you really want to do is to become a filmmaker? I call that first time “The Announcement”.
Have you then made the announcement repeatedly over the next few weeks? Or months? Or even years? Be careful or your friends will start thinking you are all talk and no action. All you need to do is make a plan, as Emily is doing now.
7 Ways Actors Break Into Filmmaking Without Breaking
1. Make a showreel
Actors showreels have changed. No longer do you need clips from actual films you’ve made. You can construct them youself to show a range of emotion. Show scenes of emotion. Show your range. Be careful not to make these common actor’s showreel mistakes. Keep it short (2 minutes) and make sure you label the lower-third throughout so it’s easy to find your name and contact details.
2. Network
The film industry is a people industry. It’s not what but whom you know. You need to network, network and network. Don’t worry if you are an introvert – here’s some networking tips for introverts.
3. Finding an agent
Getting an agent won’t get you work. An agent’s job is to negotiate on your behalf.
Find out who your local casting agents are and send in your showreels and inform them of your upcoming productions, on-and-off screen.
4. Set up your production company
Sometime soon someone is going to want to pay you hard cash for your work. Why not take the leap and set up your own production company? Consult with an accountant and lawyer to see what local laws you need to satisfy. Remember to keep this company squeaky clean. You’ll need a bank account too. Here’s some tips I wrote for setting up a film company.
5, Get your social media profiles up and running
Social media is a must-have for anyone in the creative industries. Decide which platforms suit you best, and knuckle down and get them going. Remember, the effectiveness of your sociual media can often be the deciding factor of how people get hired. Those with little or no social media presence often lose out to those who have a certain gravitas about them on their social networks.
6. Don’t give up the day job
Everyone’s got bills to pay. Getting ready to launch yourself is going to take time. Why not keep the dull and boring day job (for now at least)? You can fit your career ambitions into the hours you have available after the boring 9-5? It’ll be a lot less stressful than being forced to couch-surf!
7. Make a plan
The first 100 days are going to be the toughest. Here’s my suggestions for your first 100 days as a filmmaker. Devise your own plan. Make shorts on your cellphone. Build your team of writers, fellow actors, directors and producers. Before you know it you will have made some ‘test’ pieces.
Here’s a short test piece made by a friend of mine with Naomi Watts of all people. Back in the day they made pieces like this to keep in shape. The total budget for this film was just $100.00! It was shot in a weekend on a basic video camera.
Fade out
Give yourself permission to make mistakes. Remember you are honing your craft. Sooner or later you will get noticed.
Before you go, check out Emily’s social media. Stroke her ego: Like and follow her profiles.
Emily’s Twitter | Emily’s Facebook
Message Emily and collaborate!
Let’s make movies!
Did You Know?
- Raindance Film Festival is considered one of the top fifteen film festivals in the world?
- 2022 Submissions close June 13th.
- Raindance Film School London offers HND, BA and MA in Filmmaking and Screenwriting?
- Let Raindance guide you on your filmmaking pathway. call +44 (0) 207 930 3412 or email filmschool@raindance.ac.uk
- Raindance members support indie film, and enjoy a range of benefits
Photo Credit: Bertie Watson
I founded Raindance Film Festival in 1993 because the British film industry was closed, polite, and congratulating itself while shutting new filmmakers out.
I co-founded the British Independent Film Awards in 1998 because British indie film deserved more than a shrug, a pat on the head, and a Tuesday night screening.
Raindance didn’t start as a brand. It started as a rebellion: film training without gatekeepers, a festival without permission, and a community built by filmmakers who weren’t waiting to be invited in.
Later, we took it global: Toronto, Vancouver, New York, LA, Berlin, and Brussels, because independent film doesn’t belong to one city, one class, or one accent.
I’ve produced 700+ short films and seven features, including Deadly Virtues (2014) and ALICE, which won the SXSW Grand Jury Prize (2019) not because someone “discovered” us, but because the work earned its place.
I’ve written three books used by filmmakers worldwide because too many courses taught compliance instead of survival.
In 2009, I was awarded a PhD for services to film education, ironic, given that most of my career has been about tearing down the rules that education insisted you follow.
I don’t believe in waiting for permission.I believe in making work, building systems, and forcing the industry to catch up.
Specialties: Independent Film (the real kind) · Producing · Writing · Film Education · Festivals · Breaking Broken Systems
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