Pocket Film School

It’s BLACK FRIDAY!! And one thing we know all filmmakers love is a good discount! SO! We have our BIGGEST discount to DATE! Plus a little freebie because we like ya 😎

Head to the link in the bio!!

We've been quiet because we've been working! A career in film means that you are always hustling to the next job, the next shoot, or the next edit! BUT we haven't forgotten about our amazing community of filmmakers!

Before asking anyone to invest in you, invest in yourself first!

A PFS SUCCESS STORY

Connor became a Pocket Film School student in 2018, hoping to learn everything he could about each department in film.

Before, he volunteered on as many shoots that would have him, shortly after becoming a paid production assistant.

Connor completed the Pocket Film School "Filmmaking from Start to Finish" course and learned all about

✅ the paperwork details
✅ how to communicate with your team
✅ what to look out for in prep

and more!

With this newfound knowledge, Connor quickly jumped into the position of a 3rd and then 2nd AD.

3 years later Connor is an In-Demand first AD in the Toronto film scene, firsting features, shorts and even a 2nd AD on Drake's newest music video. 🤯

Dedication and the drive to learn it all can take you far fast in this world!

How to walkie talkie 👀

Swipe left for some essential stuff for every beginning filmmaker 📽😉

Finding the right people to collaborate with can be difficult.

These aren’t just the people you will see for a few hours working on video calls every day. Filmmaking in all of its forms is an intimate and intimidating experience where 9 times out of 10 you are doing something you’ve never done before.

⁉️How can you find the right people for your project?

( ✅ Bookmark this post for the future reference!)

🎥 Step 1: Try your best to define the type of person you need. Are they someone who records sound on set? Or do you need a cinematographer who has experience working with multiple cameras in the same setup? Work backwards from the problem that person will be solving.

🎥 Step 2: Start by asking the people you trust most and work outwards. Its not about what you know, but who you know - and the film industry is built on this. Reach out to some friends in film and let them know what you need - chances are they will have someone who can help.

If that doesn’t work, use a trusted source - Facebook and other communities have served us well in the past for helping to find competent and enthusiastic people.
If you can, check in with your networks and ask if anyone has worked with them before.

🎥 Step 3: Sit down and have a conversation with them. If you both aren’t vaccinated or don’t live in the same area, hop on a video call (make sure to turn your video on).

Meeting someone face-to-face will tell you a lot about their subtleties that can go unnoticed when emailing to DMing.

Try asking questions like:
- What do you love outside of film?
- Why do you love filmmaking or (insert job title here)?
- Share a crazy story you’ve had on set to see if they have one to reciprocate.

🎥 Step 4: Be honest and communicative with them. No matter what role they are filling, making sure they know what is going on at all times and why it is happening is the last crucial step to maintaining the trust you build.

📽⁉️How did you find your crew?

🤷Do you need 100 people to make a movie?

Short answer, no.

A dozen or so dedicated people who love the project will go a lot further.

Monsters (2010), which was directed by the now well-known director Gareth Edwards, was a little known indie film that got a standing ovation at TIFF in 2009.

Their entire main cast and crew stepped onto the stage which totaled less than 10 people 🤯

Gareth did all the Directing, Cinematography, Production Design and VFX himself. 🐙

Finding cast and crew who are dedicated to seeing your project succeed is really the foundation to any great film.

Don’t worry about hiring in every role and making sure they all have assistants. Think about what the movie needs first and put that into the world - the right people will find you.

Learn how to find your crew in our next post. 😉

You know virtual production? Used to create The Mandalorian? The Lion King live action?
😱

So, here’s the thing.

We think a creating a
✨Virtual Production course ✨

And luckily, you have the chance right now to tell us the price, length, and content of your ideal VP course.

Take our survey - click the link in our bio!

Feeling overwhelmed when scheduling your shooting days?

Our producing instructor made you a few key cards to bookmark 💪

What’s your biggest struggle when it comes to scheduling?

✨Midweek golden hour vibes ✨
Do you have a drone pilot certificate, an extra-light drone, or you're just sneaky? 😝

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