The film and television industries are by and large prestige industries. That is they are appealing, exciting, high status industries to work in. Being able to say that you’ve worked with Scott Bakula (true) or Samuel L. Jackson (almost true) carries with it a certain degree of pride and cultural power. After all movies and television shows make up our cultural mythology, the heroes and villains by which we derive our values, our world view, even our identities. There is a lot more money to be made in the energy sector, in telecommunications or countless other industries. Hollywood despite all its glitz, glamour and excess actually accounts for very little of the wealth out there, but its so conspicuous and loud that we’re bedazzled by it and being a part of that spectacle is for some highly appealing.
Personally my desire to be a part of the entertainment industry is rooted farther back in time in the sacred traditions of the shaman and the storyteller. Stories and myths are what define a culture. They are tools for teaching life skills, potentially providing wisdom, courage, inspiration… Starlets with perky breasts have more to do with ratings and box office dollars, but that’s part of the industry too and frankly its sometimes a welcome distraction.
Speaking of distractions let’s get back to the issue at hand.
Since this is a prestige industry there are a lot more people who want in than there demand requires. Film & television is always an employer’s market. As a result employers can get away with murder, treating their employees like total crap, at least until they reach a certain level of proficiency and recognition at which points the tables start to slowly turn. Near the bottom of the barrel, fresh out of film school (or having not even gone) are videographers like me. At the bottom are PAs. Poor bastards.
A professional, established videographer can demand anywhere from $500 to $1500 per day or more for shooting depending on their skill, equipment and market demand. People like me who are just starting out will work for free one day, for $20/hr another, food, or a $175 day rate, all of which are blatant rip offs. Often you get no breaks, or you may be asked to work under appalling conditions. More often than not people who don’t pay professional rates also don’t operate in a professional manner. They can be thoroughly disorganized, often they don’t even know what they want you to do. “You’re the professional, you figure it out.”
On the plus side you will make money and more often than not you’ll make more than you would at McDonalds. You will also learn your equipment inside and out. You will learn what works and what doesn’t. You’ll learn how to be prepared and how to streamline and simplify your workflow so that you can accomplish more with less. You’ll learn how to negotiate and what compromises you’re willing to make (and which you won’t). If you’re lucky you’ll also make contacts that can help you in the future. “Remember that music video I shot for you for free?”
Think of it as a kind of solo apprenticeship, getting started, getting the tricks of the trade down deciding whether or not its something you can see yourself doing in the future. This is serious stuff. If you want to get into the photography union you need lots of prior camera experience, and when you start as a camera assistant you will be getting paid the same or less than the kid behind the counter at McDicks. Everybody wants to be the director or the cinematographer and this is how they cull the weak ones from the herd.
