Finding work in the film industry is a dream come true for many cinema-minded college grads, but navigating the world of freelance crew work when you’re starting out can be daunting. 然而, a solid foundation of on-set basics 和 intelligent job-hunting techniques can make all the difference. 电影制作硕士 grad Louis Brown has l和ed consistent work on both reality television 和 scripted productions by putting professionalism 和 networking first.

Louis decided to pursue an advanced degree in film after he took a cinema course during his undergraduate studies at the Wofford College in Spartanburg, 南卡罗来纳. 满帆’s 电影制作硕士 program was a perfect fit; he particularly enjoyed his 电影装配课程 教练比尔·本顿. Bill taught Louis a great deal about dub stages 和 the post-production audio process; he also helped Louis’ class win a student regional Emmy award. The program’s emphasis on professionalism 和 communication helped Louis find plenty of post-graduation work.

“Communication is one thing we were taught on sets [at 满帆] as well as leaving your ego at the door, 成为专业人士,他说. “It’s really helped me out because I’ve had people tell me I’m a great worker… I’m not there to goof off, 我们是来工作的.”

自2019年毕业以来，路易斯已经在许多片场工作过. 他是Disney+的外景管理助理 正确的东西奥布莱恩(Soledad O Brien)的一集节目的制作助理 破坏 & 拆除的制作助理 网瘾 在一个&E，以及其他角色. Recently, Louis was a Producti在一个ssistant for the second season of 《街头亡命之徒:美国名单 在探索频道. The street racing reality show had unique needs that necessitated a large crew 和 quick thinking.

“当你在片场的时候 街的亡命之徒] you act as a liaison between the production office 和 the rest of the crew. The crew on this show was about 70 people; we had about 10 PAs. 有A组，B组和C组. 你在赛道上安排了摄像师, 和 you assisted the production office with these crews throughout the day,路易斯解释道.

That might mean swapping out tapes with members of the audio crew as the show is filmed, 为摄制组提供新电池和标签胶带, 拿加热器和其他用品, 完成生产办公室的行政管理工作, 和更多的. Louis’s work on reality television sets is very different from the work he does on scripted productions. 例如, he worked with a smaller group of crew members as a First Team Producti在一个ssistant for Miramax’s indie flick 满月 保罗·贝坦尼主演.

“It was completely different because that movie was a SAG-affiliated union production. So, 你实际上每天只做一个姿势, whereas a non-union shoot you could be doing multiple things that change day-to-day. [On 满月我主要是和有才华的人一起工作, 第二和第一助理导演, 让第一组为每次拍摄做好准备. 确保他们是有线的, making sure they’re changed over to the next costumes if they need it, 确保他们的发型和妆容在每次拍摄时都很好. I was just working with the first team for that entire production,他说.

Louis has found consistent gigs in the film industry by getting to know the other crew members on set. Once a job is finished, he makes a point to email the production coordinator 和 thank them. The next time he has a break in his schedule he reaches back out with a fresh copy of his resume 和 asks if they need more help. He also regularly speaks with the 南卡罗来纳 film commission to find out about open jobs 和 stays in touch with crew members he’s worked with in the past.

“每个人都在同一条船上. 我们都在互相帮助. 如果某人的职位更高, 他们以前也经历过你的处境, 如果你有努力工作的精神和决心, 他们愿意帮你找到下一份工作. 这也是我每次工作时所关注的. 我能多努力工作? 我每天能做得更好的是什么? And then, once the job's done, how can I stay in touch with these people 和 reconnect with them?”

这些策略对路易斯很有效，他是来自 满月 helped him find a role as an Additional Set Producti在一个ssistant with the AD department on Disney’s upcoming remake of 鬼屋, 和 another crew member submitted his resume for the third season of 正义的宝石 在HBO. He’s keeping an eye out for jobs on productions that will help him earn working days on-set for his Director’s Guild of America Membership, which would put him closer to his ultimate goal of becoming an Assistant Director. He’s also using his networking strategies to work his way up to larger projects with top-name directors 和 talent.

“这总是关于你如何推销自己, 项目对项目, how you can network each project with the people you're working with 和 how you can get the next gig through that,路易斯说. “因为你主要是通过社交网络找到工作的. You're not necessarily going to get work just by someone calling you up unless they know you.”