1) Do what you love and know your strengths and weakness. Don’t be afraid to challenge yourself and break out of your comfort zone; never stop learning. Try to always have a project going on, personal or commissioned; it’ll keep you sharp. Also, consider every board you get, even if the budget is low, it may be a great opportunity for the reel or a new relationship. I’d also like to recommend keeping a body of work that encompasses at least two categories. It’s tough to cover more than three without your reel getting diluted. If you can solidly serve two categories you’ll be submitted for enough opportunities to be consistently in consideration.
If you're just starting out, it's safe (and hopeful) to say that your best work hasn't even been imagined yet. My advice would be to explore your style of filmmaking whenever and wherever possible. Shoot as much as you can. Hone your skills and be constantly evolving. Craft a remarkable reel that demonstrates your range and strengths. And do all of this knowing that your competitors are already doing the same thing.
Relationships, relationships and more relationships. Forge relationships with people that believe in you, and your project, and who have the resources and insight to bring the project to fruition. In this age where so much content is being sponsored, in many ways it is easier to get funding for a film project than ever before. Create content that is beneficial to brands to attach to the project. Make a great trailer or sizzle and send it out in a lot of witty emails in hopes of getting it in front of the right person at the right time.
What to put and not put on a reel? This is the most important thing a creative professional can do to get work. Obviously you should lead with your best work but it should be unique and memorable, and showcase your creativity and wit. Avoid montages. They're fine as visual samples for DPs and food stylists but they don't sell you as a director to me and they don't sell us to our clients. Allow the audience to evaluate your work as a whole, and get a glimpse into your creative process, as opposed to showing just a few shots linked together.
Everyone is familiar with the big name film festivals – Cannes, Tribeca, Sundance, SXSW. But, there are many influential festivals out there that showcase cutting edge, innovative work. You should carefully research each festival, paying particular attention to the content that is being programmed at each to determine if you have a reasonable likelihood of acceptance, all the while making sure that you do not break the bank with submission fees. And, for certain, focus only on the showcases produced by SHOOT!!!
2) Learn from your peers and don’t be afraid to ask questions. Work as a team; you’re one of the players, both internally and with partnered vendors. Don’t be afraid to break new talent!!! Everyone deserves a chance and has to start somewhere. Learn and know how much things REALLY cost – you NEVER want to lower the bar in educating clients on budgets. Respect “the favor.” Always try to dissect how something was created.
I really dislike the term work-life balance, as it implies that work is not a satisfying or fulfilling part of life. To the contrary, we should just strive for balance in general. Work hard, but play hard too. Create a daily schedule, and do your best to stick to it. If you love your work, it just becomes a part of life, and must then be balanced with everything else. Life is hectic, but there are always moments of balance–integrate work with life, and make it as critical a part of the day as the time devoted to family, exercise or "me time.
It sounds overly simple…but don't be a jerk. The people who go the furthest in this business are the nicest people in this business. We're basically all independent contractors. From individual production assistants to entire ad agencies. Everyone is only as good as their last project and we move onto the next one about every two weeks. Be fun to be around and you'll keep getting invited.
