At the last Making Moves and Movies meet up of 2022 we asked all of our wonderful attendees to write down the industry advice that they would love to give to their younger selves.
We've riffled through the letterbox and dug out all the brilliant advice that was written down and posted!
Some of the advice is really practical and some of it is more abstract, have a read and see if any of it resonates with you?
Get insurance on your kit / stuff! As someone who was robbed without insurance you will never regret it.
If you think you’ll like it, give it a try. If you don’t like it, try something else.
Stand up for yourself, if something doesn’t feel right it probably isn’t
Watch a lot of movies, shows, documentaries from around the world & keep a record (spreadsheet) of the thoughts on all of them.
You are better than you think! Keep believing.
No one really knows what they’re doing, don’t be afraid to use your intuition
BACK YOURSELF
Don’t undervalue yourself! You have ‘knowledge’. Trust you. You’re great.
To those who think intimidation is so scary. 99% of the people in this group have been there and will help you. Don’t be afraid to ask for help!
Take any job and be flexible - focus on relationships and transferable skills.
Never stop shooting for fun - always have your passions at the forefront.
Whatever aspect of film you want to get into, make something for your portfolio, in order to get into it. Just make anything that sparks your interest and it’ll lead and jobs relative to what you like.
CONTRACTS! Get signed contracts if you ever work for anything or anyone. Doesn’t matter if you are working with a friend!
BACK UP YOUR FOOTAGE!
Know your worth - don’t be afraid to charge more even if you lose work
Don’t always go for the money!
Work out what you stand for and use that as a guide when making big decisions
Build some hard skills along with soft - they will both be needed!
Dream BIG. Never think your goals are too high to achieve or your dream agency is too good for you. Create the work you want to make!