Everyone in film is closely watching how COVID-19 is changing the future of the industry. One thing’s for sure: it’s a good time to start a career in film. Although we’re seeing some changes in the way we do things on set, like wearing PPE, there’s a surge of production on the horizon and we’re seeing signs that it might be closer than people think.
For a while, production had almost completely halted. Union work was stopped entirely. But most of those shoots were delayed, not cancelled, and they are looking to start up as soon as possible. Combine those with the shoots that were already planned for the fall, and with content being written right now, and we’re looking at a lot of shoots battling for the same resources like production houses, crews, and equipment.
This means that film crews are going to be in high demand. Production companies and department heads won’t be able to hire their go-to people like normal because they might be working on other shoots. There’s simply going to be too much work, and to make up for that, a lot of people will be moved into higher level positions and as a result space will free up for people just breaking into the industry.
There’s going to be an explosion of work within a couple months, so NOW is the time to prepare yourself to take advantage of all the opportunities. You’ll want to be out there getting scooped up for this triple workload and be knowledgeable about all the changes happening because of COVID-19.
A-list Mentor Crystal is a production coordinator, producer, director’s assistant, and more recently a 2nd AD. In this video she shares some of her insider knowledge regarding regulations already put in place as well as procedures yet to be nailed down. She also thinks people may need to fight for their rates as budgets have to be reallocated into buying PPE and hiring personnel to enforce CDC guidelines. She’s even seen some sets with head to toe hazmat suits and sanitizer everywhere.
Even though these times are unusual, the techniques for launching a film career remain the same. We learn our crafts in mentor-to-apprentice relationships. You need insiders to see you as one of them. Film professionals love their crafts and their work. Once they view you as a peer, they are excited to share their know-how with you.
The film industry is a fantastic place to be. COVID-19 is temporary. The second production is allowed to get started, there’s going to be an explosion of opportunities.
