Jobs for the Major
How this major affects a job search
Movies are a huge part of American culture. In fact, we love movies so much that we actually made it into an industry. A lot goes into the production of a movie. There's the director, producer, screenwriter, light men, camera crew, special effects team, stunt people, high-powered, grossly overpaid actors…phew. If you've ever actually stayed in a movie theatre for the closing credits (Marvel fans), you already know—a lot of people take part in the production of a movie, so there's not exactly a scarcity of movie jobs.
So you've got your film-video degree, an idea, and an excellent digital portfolio. Time to visit Mr. Moneybags to see if he'll buy it. Okay, it's obviously way more complicated than that. Truth is, you'll probably have to get a job as a grunt before you take on more responsibility. Maybe you'll get hired to do a music video for some obscure, local band and get paid pennies. Hey, experience is experience.
You also may get the opportunity to work in television. Television offers its own unique challenges, but the pay is excellent and, if you're good (meaning everyone liked to work with you and you came in under budget), the work is consistent. But creative decisions in television are usually kept to a minimum. You pretty much just have to follow along and not screw up.
There are plenty of options in the film industry, but it'll probably take a lot of networking a social climbing to become a director. We don't know how they do it. Ask Quentin Tarantino.
Common Career Fields
Actor. Sometimes, studying film makes you want to jump in on the action. A lot of directors/producers end up doing both and act in their own films (Quentin Tarantino, M. Night Shyamalan), while others are partial to cameos (Stan Lee, Peter Jackson). Sometimes, the reverse happens—actors get tired of all the attention and instead get behind the camera (Drew Barrymore, James Franco). It sure helps when you're already famous, huh? In reality, most actors work in local theaters or take small parts on TV shows and movies before hitting it big.
Cinematographer. Also known as directors of photography, cinematographers are responsible for how a movie looks. They run the lighting and camera department and make the creative and technical decisions that decide whether a movie is bright and beautiful or dark and gritty. The cinematographer is one of the key creative people on a film production. Along with the writer and the director, the cinematographer has massive input on what the final result will be when making a movie. But don't get too power-happy just yet. Cinematographers fight tooth-and-claw for jobs in their field.
Director. The power of a director is deceptive. Technically, they're the boss. Everyone on a set takes marching orders from the director. If filmmaking is war, then the director is the general. However, like a general, the buck does not stop with the director. Not only do they have to play nice with the high-powered stars, but they also have to answer to producers, investors, the studio...yikes. In another type of business, the director would be upper-middle management. Most of the rank and file falls under him and he manages the project but, ultimately, he has a string of people to answer to. And make happy. And keep happy, if he wants to keep working.
Editor. On your way to becoming an editor, you should get a degree in film and video production. You'll need to know editing software and equipment like the back of your hand. An editor's job is to sit in with the director early in the film's development, perhaps even during the script review. Once shooting starts, the workflow begins. At the end of every workday, all the footage is downloaded from the set to the post-production facility where you work. An editor splices everything together so that the story makes sense and engages the viewers. Special effects, sound, music, and pace are all part of an editor's job.
Film Executive. A position as a film executive means you love making decisions, have a good work ethic, and are a total people person—at least, as far as businesspeople go. These power-hungry rascals get to decide what makes it to TV and the movies…and what ends up in the garbage bin. Executives hear dozens of pitches for TV series and films before giving the green light to only a small fraction of them. They're businesspeople, so they look for what will make money. How much can a film make that's about vampires falling in love? As it turns out, a whole lot.
Producer. Movies begin and end with the producer. But what do producers do? Aside from wearing three thousand-dollar suits and smoking rolled-up hundred dollar bills, producers actually have work to do. Important work. And a lot of it. The most important job a producer has is to find funding for their movies. Movies cost a lot of money—hundreds of millions of dollars sometimes. Flights have to be booked, salaries have to be covered, and equipment has to be rented. If the producer doesn't raise the money for every single expense, the movie can't be made. It wasn't just "movie magic" that put Johnny Depp on the big screen. It was a producer.
TV Commercial Director. Some people take great joy in creating little visual advertisements that everyone tries to avoid. (Commercials on Hulu Premium? Come on.) A television commercial director talks with ad agencies, art directors, copywriters, and other media types to create one cohesive image for a product. To make that vision a reality, this director must also work with the artist types: cameramen, set designers, actors, and producers, among others. Basically, television commercial directors need superhuman patience and teamwork abilities. This isn't a job for the kids who dreaded group projects in high school.
Current unemployment of the major
8%Percentage of majors who get a higher degree after college
13%Stats obtained from this source.