Film Jobs Beyond Directing and DP: What Else Is Out There?

[4knewave]

I was looking at other forums to post this question but I figured this would be the best one.

I'm currently going to be a second year student at film school, and everyone wants to be directors or DPs and make million dollar movies right out of school. I'm a cinematography major and also editing and I realize that it's a business of working your way up.

Well my question is, how do you get the job of a loader, AC, or camera operator? My friend's father who is actually a Camera Op and sometimes acts as a second unit DP for all of Tony Scott's films, started off as a loader. When I asked him how he got the job he said "My uncle is a producer."

So not having any family in the business what's the best way to get into the electrical or camera department? Also is it hard to get into the IATSE union?

 

[David Mullen ASC]

The union isn't really the place for people right out of film school anyway; there are some minimum experience requirements, but for the camera union (Local 600 IATSE) they aren't too onerous:

You have to prove that you have worked for 100 days, paid, in the job category you are applying in, over a three-year period dating back from the application date. And the work has to have been done in the U.S. or its territories.

I didn't join the union until I had shot 23 features as a DP, about 12 years after I graduated film school, not that you have to take that long if you are trying to join as a loader or camera assistant.

I've only ever worked as a DP, so I can't really comment on how to get loader jobs, but generally I've noticed on my shoots that the AC's find the loader, so I recommend that you start getting to know AC's, maybe by hanging out at the camera rental houses.