I just graduated into a recession. So did a lot of people. But I’m me, not them.
The past few weeks or so, finding a job has been my priority. Everywhere I walk, retail and fast food joins are hiring. No disrespect to anyone working there, but I did my time working those positions. I’ve worked at:
Dunkin’ Donuts
Italian Restaurant
East Village modern American restaurant
Pool supplies store
All of these places, plus a few tutoring positions here and there. Going back to those kind of jobs is a last resort. I have a college degree! I shouldn’t be working at Panda Express…
I’ve been applying to all sorts of jobs. The most obvious are those in the film industry. You know the type: entry-level positions at agencies, studios, production companies, and those exclusive paid internships. Yeah. I’m doing all that. These are crazy competitive jobs.
The common wisdom says go for these kind of jobs. Mailroom at an agency. Studio or production assistant. Do whatever you can to get your foot in the door, then work your way up, make connections and all that.
I spoke with my screenwriting professor about this; a very smart guy. I asked him, candidly, “What should I do immediately after college if I want to write and make films professionally?”
He told me something that no one else has told me before. Here’s what he said:
You can go get a job as an assistant somewhere, at a production company or talent agency or management company. That’s well and good. However, this will suck up 110% of your creative energy. This is what most of you will end up doing. There’s nothing wrong with this… BUT, if you truly want to write, and you’ve got to really want it, go get the easiest job you can get that will pay the bills. Anything. Something simple that gives you plenty of free time. Then, use ALL your creative energy towards writing. Practice. Get a writer’s group together. Put up scenes and short plays. Pass around your work. Improve together. Someone will notice, eventually.
Rough paraphrase, but I think the point is conveyed. This stuck with me. It came back to me when I stubled upon this Werner Herzog quote:
The best advice I can offer to those heading into the world of film is not to wait for the system to finance your projects and for others to decide your fate. If you can’t afford to make a million-dollar film, raise $10,000 and produce it yourself. That’s all you need to make a feature film these days. Beware of useless, bottom-rung secretarial jobs in film-production companies. Instead, so long as you are able-bodied, head out to where the real world is. Roll up your sleeves and work as a bouncer in a sex club or a warden in a lunatic asylum or a machine operator in a slaughterhouse. Drive a taxi for six months and you’ll have enough money to make a film. Walk on foot, learn languages and a craft or trade that has nothing to do with cinema. Filmmaking — like great literature — must have experience of life at its foundation. Read Conrad or Hemingway and you can tell how much real life is in those books. A lot of what you see in my films isn’t invention; it’s very much life itself, my own life. If you have an image in your head, hold on to it because — as remote as it might seem — at some point you might be able to use it in a film. I have always sought to transform my own experiences and fantasies into cinema.
I’ll talk more at length about this and his thoughts on film school some other time, but the point is that he was pretty much in agreement with my professor about being cautious of “bottom-rung secretarial jobs.”
So… I’ve taken to looking for some different kinds of jobs.
For one, I have a bit of experience in Unreal Engine. I’m looking at entry-level positions at game development studios and AR/VR companies.
I’ve applied to some marketing positions at some very unique companies. Marketing is something anyone can do.
I’ve applied to assistant positions in museum curation, architectural firms, tech companies, and even NASA. I’m probably under-qualified for all of them, but who knows! Maybe someone out there is willing to take a chance. Most jobs desk jobs, I would venture, are not that difficult. Most things can be learned on the job.
I’m adventurous with my search. I tried this COVID canvassing gig where I passed out masks and helped people get signed up for testing/vaccinations, but that job wasn’t for me. At least I have another story to tell!
Jobs don’t have to be first steps to a career. They can be cool opportunities to learn about something new and widen your perspectives and see more of the world. All of these things make your voice as a writer more unique. Get out there and live! Then you’ll surely have something to write about.