Learning to make a Negative into a Positive in the Film Industry  

From the beginning of my search for work placement, I knew this was more than just another assignment set to us by our university to pass the school year because the reality was I was coming to my final year at Queens University Belfast, and sooner rather than later I was going to have to take my first steps into entering the what seems like a daunting place: the film industry. I will be using the Rolfe et al model of reflection to reflect on my journey through my work placement so far. I will be using it due to the sheer simplicity of the model. I will ask myself What? So what? What now? 

[1]

The Positive

From the start, I knew I wasn’t going to be picky about which company could take me in and give me work placement. Sometimes it seems survival of the fittest in the industry and for me to say no to an opportunity that was given to me seemed wrong… right? Needless to say, I wanted to try and get into one of the places I had researched, and call it one of my first picks. I ended up in contact with John Leslie who is one of the two company owners of WEE BUNS FILMS. I had sent an email previously but with each passing day of no reply, I knew I needed to take action some other way It’s no secret that my generation has gotten used to the idea of texting and messaging rather than calling and speaking however I was well aware that now having tried emailing it’s time to make a direct call. After speaking to him he got me into contact with Roisin Browne who was one of the producers of the film Four Letters of Love said to be starring Pierce Brosnan.  

I learned that to stop being stuck I needed to make calls to people and not be nervous about the answer I might receive from them. I also learned that whilst people may not be able to help you directly themselves, they are willing to think about who may be able to help you. The connection between two people talking directly to one another is far stronger than any message or email that could be exchanged. Overall, I was proud of myself, I managed to get a work placement on a film that’s starting its pre-production and featuring one of the world’s most famous actors and I was allowed to come and go as I pleased. I felt like the luckiest person alive. 

On the 19th of September 2022, it was my first day of placement, I got placed with the production department at A1X Entertainment which was all busy working on the paperwork leading up to the shooting days which would happen on October 31st, 2022. It was a good thing I was working alongside a producer as 81% of film workers get recruited by word of mouth. ‘That means that they were approached directly by a director or producer because they had been recognised as being an effective professional.’ [2]

I started my first day of placement by being asked to put together costume racks. It was a simple enough job of hard labor. The job that needed to be done that nobody else wanted to do but I knew that it was what I was going to be doing upon first entering this. I wasn’t offended or angry they are giving me jobs no one else wants to do because I was determined to prove myself. At the end of the day, both making and supporting are vital to the success of an industry that depends on generating revenue from a commercial (and artistic) endeavour. [3] 

The Negative

After two weeks of being on placement, I found out that the film we were working on had funding issues and I had lost my work placement. I took action trying to speak to all the people in different departments trying to understand what was happening and what it would mean for everyone working on the film. I tried to contact Roisin Browne asking for guidance and help. She ended up ignoring my calls and emails and that’s when the harsh reality of the film industry hit me. Many people from the company had now been left jobless for who knows how long and I wasn’t the only one affected. Now what? I started doing research again into other potential companies that could take me on and this time I wanted to be pickier about where I end up. I wanted to end up in an editing and post-production house so that I could finally get editing experience as that is my main dream job which also ties into the fact that the big salaries were reported to be in editing and post-production work. [4]  

I contacted Yellowmoon production house in search of someone who could facilitate the rest of the 76 hours that I needed to complete my placement, whilst they couldn’t facilitate the whole of my 76 hours, they are willing to give me 16 hours. This stops me from being stuck without a work placement, at least for a while, and helps to reach my ultimate goal of 100 hours. I will also gain experience and learn something new which in return could help me get another work placement and help me reach my goal. Ultimately, I can’t think of a better industry that would help me learn to turn negatives into positives to keep thriving though and eventually build a career. 

References:

[1] Rolfe, G., Freshwater, D., Jasper, M. (2001) Critical reflection in nursing and the helping professions: a user’s guide. Ebrary [Online]. Available at: https://my.cumbria.ac.uk/media/MyCumbria/Documents/ReflectiveModelRolfe.pdf (Accessed 24th November 2022).

[2] Gregory, G., Healy, RJ., and Mazierksa, E. (2008) Careers in Media and Film: The Essential Guide, Ebrary [Online]. Available at: https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/qub/reader.action?docID=420885. p.114 (Accessed 24 November 2022).

[3] Gregory, G., Healy, RJ., and Mazierksa, E. (2008) Careers in Media and Film: The Essential Guide, Ebrary [Online]. Available at: https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/qub/reader.action?docID=420885. p.112 (Accessed 24 November 2022).

[4] Gregory, G., Healy, RJ., and Mazierksa, E. (2008) Careers in Media and Film: The Essential Guide, Ebrary [Online]. Available at: https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/qub/reader.action?docID=420885. p.113 (Accessed 24 November 2022).

Link to blog: https://blogs.qub.ac.uk/ael3001-2022/2022/11/24/learning-to-make-a-negative-into-a-positive-in-the-film-industry/