Hand-On Training on Real Film Jobs

Once concentrated almost entirely in southern California, film jobs and film internships have become much more common throughout the United States as production continues to migrate to “third coast” areas. With more and more film production now occurring in various locations all over the United States, the demand for skill around the country has risen significantly. Southern California, in the past the virtually exclusive sphere of Film and TV production practices, however, continue to be a major hub of the industry. The best professional people – editors, actors, writers, film directors – are still in the LA region. In The Meantime, New York City has also witnessed an increase in production with many network and well acclaimed cable TV series making use of it as their home base. The city also maintains a healthy level of commercial and feature film production. The “third coast” locations, located between the coasts, has become a wholly new era in feature film production. Over the last ten years, Texas, Louisiana, and Florida – also called gulf states – witnessed a significant growth in production. The essential positions are still being imported from Los Angeles but the production crew have been hired locally.

As a result, there has been a big increase in the number of film jobs offered along the gulf coast. This has created an elevated claim for talent asked to fill these vacancies. Metropolitan areas such as Minneapolis, San Francisco and Chicago have also began to found themselves as production hubs. For example, TV drama, “The Beast” (featuring the deceased Patrick Swayze) and leading film production “The Dark Knight” have been the filmed in Chicago. The entertainment business has established itself to be resilient during the past economic turmoils – but this doesn’t mean that the field is totally recession-proof. During difficult times, people often seek escapist kinds of entertainment such as those seen in TV and motion pictures. Key developments in digital film production have also created an increased demand for talent with the skills to take film production into the next level. Today, the demand has never been greater especially that film production has been done virtually anywhere and in novel ways. Just as films require new film directors and writers, the industry also wants new faces. Still, the increased need for “below-the-line” talent to work in key production positions is also rising.

As you recognize, sound people, grips, cinematographers, art film directors, and lights men are precious to any film production. The demand for these skilled, trained professional people to work film jobs and film internships in new media and in new locations shall proceed to rise as long as film production continues to migrate from the coasts and broaden.