Catching a break in the film industry can be tough. Even decorated filmmakers like Ridley Scott and Akira Kurosawa had to wait till their 40s before producing their first feature-length films, as thousands of would-be directors are and were all jostling for the same funding.
When you do land your first film, you want to do a good job. This is understandable, as those around you will be scrutinizing your performance while on set.
Working hard will win the favor of your new coworkers. However, you must avoid burnout if you want to last the long haul. Left unchecked, burnout will undermine your focus, cause fatigue, and take the fun out of working.
Understanding Burnout
Burnout is extremely common in high-pressure industries like film. You’re constantly working overtime and may find that the long hours start to take a toll. While there’s nothing inherently wrong with working hard, you do need to guard against burnout. Common symptoms of burnout include:
- Exhaustion
- Poor performance
- Alienation from activities
Chronic stress and burnout can also undermine your physical health in unexpected ways. For example, if you work long hours, you may notice that your oral health starts to decline. That’s because stress weakens your immune system and causes illnesses like gum disease.
Fortunately, burnout can be overcome — even if you’re halfway through a shoot. Subtle changes to your routine, like journaling and delegating, can have a profound effect on your stress levels.
Stress Management
Stress management is key to your long-term health and wellness when working on films. Effective stress management can make you more resilient, too, which will come in handy when your rigging goes wrong, props go missing, and your lead actor gets a cold. Start learning to manage stress in a high-pressure environment by:
- Striving for Work-Life Balance: We’re all guilty of overworking from time to time. Do your best to set boundaries while on your first shoot, as this will set the precedent for your whole career. If you struggle to assert yourself, consider speaking to a more experienced co-worker who can advocate for you.
- Delegating: As a new employee, you’re almost certain to bite off more than you can chew. Instead, focus on doing a few things right. If you don’t have the capacity to take on new tasks, politely explain that you’re focused on a pre-existing task at the moment.
- Practicing Self-Care: You need to make the most of your time off when working on a film. When you have a moment to yourself, consider starting a gratitude journal or get some exercise in. This will refresh you and improve your focus when you return to work the next day.
Managing your stress is key in a creative field like film. You won’t be at your best if you’re constantly overwhelmed and overstressed. Use your free time to destress and reflect as this will help you problem-solve when you’re on set.
Destressing doesn’t require a dozen incense candles and an hour of hot baths, either. A quick journal session is all you need to take the weight off and refresh your mental faculties. Consider, for example, journaling about the basics of film production and reflecting on your attitude, relationships, and performance while on location.
Problem-Solving
It’s easy to become overwhelmed when working on your first film. Everything is new and you don’t have experience to rely on when things go awry. You may find yourself becoming frustrated with coworkers, too, if they aren’t performing up to your expectations. However, berating your cast and crew will only lead to frustration and resentment on set.
Keep your stress in check by creating affinity diagrams. Affinity diagrams can help you visualize complex problems and gather unique viewpoints. This is particularly important in your first film when you face a particularly complex problem. Ask folks from all departments to contribute their insights, as you may find that prop masters or costume designers are able to draw on past experiences on different films.
Once you’ve drawn up your affinity diagram, take stock of the ideas your team has generated. Move ideas around the board and start to trim down the ideas to focus on the best candidates. You’ll find that this method yields creative solutions to the complex problems that you’ll face in your first film.
Protecting Your Health
Everyone wants to work hard when filming. After all, your first movie probably has a tight budget and you want to show executives that you’re capable of running a tight ship. However, you can’t afford to compromise the health and well-being of your cast and crew — even if you’re behind schedule.
You can protect the health of your crew by prioritizing mental health while shooting. Host weekly meetings where folks can share their thoughts without reprisal and try to keep an open-door policy throughout the shoot. Talking about mental well-being can protect against common health hazards like fatigue and minimize the risk of accidents.
Reassure staff who come to you by providing appropriate resources to those who are struggling. You have a duty of care to those who work for you and should know where to send them should they experience burnout. This is particularly important today, as 1 in 8 employees in TV or film say they’ve worked over 60 hours in a week, while 78% struggle with work-life balance.
You should also guard against common safety hazards on set. Folks tend to disregard health and safety protocols during a long shoot, but slips, trips, and malfunctions can put a stop to your filming indefinitely. Keep everyone on-task by remaining vigilant and insisting on set-specific safety guidelines.
Conclusion
Getting your first big break in film is exciting. Years of hard work have finally paid off and you’re ready to make your name in the industry. However, you may find that the initial excitement wears off and is quickly replaced by fatigue, frustration, and burnout.
Guard against burnout when working on your first film by prioritizing your health when away from work. Use your time off to keep a journal and try to reflect on the challenges you’ve overcome while on set. Encourage others to do the same by delegating tasks appropriately and using affinity diagrams that encourage critical thinking. This will help you visualize the challenges you face and may help you overcome the cinematic gauntlet on your first film.
Amanda Winstead is a writer from the Portland area with a background in communications and a passion for telling stories. Along with writing she enjoys traveling, reading, working out, and going to concerts. If you want to follow her writing journey, or even just say hi you can find her on Twitter.
