How To Start Your Career At A Corporate Production Company

By Author: Samuel Arthur
Total Articles: 340
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Whilst they may be a very lucrative and high paid job around the corner, it takes a lot of hard work and unpaid internships to get to these positions of power. For many prospective film producers, the journey begins at college or university, there are a number of courses and specialist education facilities dedicated to the production of film and whilst many of these are over-subscribed, these courses have the facilities to help you hone your craft and get the qualifications you need to progress.

As well as a number of universities and colleges offering specific courses in production, there are a number of short courses and summer schools that provide aspiring producers and directors with the skills they need to succeed in film or television. A number of production companies run excellent courses headed up by the producers and directors that work in the industry today, offering the perfect place to develop your skills and get your work noticed by the industry professionals who matter. You can source a number of courses across the country by visiting the British Film Institute's website.

After studying film, media ...
... studies or video production at the college or university, the next stage (if you haven't started already) is gaining work experience within your chosen niche or similar. Experience and contacts count for a lot in this particular industry and many find that the skills they learn on the job rival any university course, making work experience a great route straight out of school.

Whilst the majority of work experience placements and internships at film companies London are unpaid or expenses only, they provide the chance to make the right impression on the people above. The film production industry is notoriously popular, meaning you'll have to compete to get a paid gig so make sure your CV is packed full of relevant and interesting work experience as well as all the necessary qualifications, whether learnt in the classroom or on the job.

Almost all film directors and producers in the industry start their career as a runner, this is a popular but testing point of entry into a corporate production company but the long hours, menial work and low pay are all worth it when making those all-important steps up that ladder. The average runner earns just £59 for an eight hour stint and can easily clock up 40 to 72 hours a week whilst working on a busy film or television set.

Competitions also provide a great way to stand out in the very competitive film industry, showcase your skills in a low-budget film or amateur ad, win funding and get the recognition you deserve to kickstart your career in the British film industry. If you put in enough work and impress the right people, the sky's the limit – find out about opportunities on websites like Grapevine and institutions like the BFI.