Though breaking into the film industry isn’t easy in any area, some areas are more cut-and-dry than others. Screenwriters, for instance, can submit screenplays to contests, agents and production companies in the hopes of getting their scripts read and recognized. Actors can create reels by editing together the film work that they have already done. When it comes to entering the film industry as a director though, things get a touch more complicated and expensive. Like an actor, you need a video-based calling card in the form of a reel. This often means making your own movies.
If you know a screenwriter with a good script, you may not need to write your own script. Writing your own script, however, gives you the ultimate control over the project, allowing you to play to your strengths. If you know how to create very realistic special effects, for instance, you can write numerous effects into the script. If you work well in comedy, on the other hand, you can write a comedic screenplay. Writing the script yourself also allows you to keep the settings within locations you already have available to you. If you have a house, for example, you could write a script set entirely in and around the house.
The next step to becoming a film director is to make your own film. Most successful independent filmmakers suggest making the best movie that you can for the money that you have available to you. If you have only a small amount of money, you may want to attempt making a short film first, which runs considerably cheaper than making a feature. You may also want to borrow additional money for a feature or better-funded short so that you can make the best possible project. The goal is to make a project good enough to get into film festivals and garner good buzz.
Once you have a film in the can, you must either edit the film yourself or work with an editor to get the finished project that you desire. After you clean the project up as much as possible, it’s time to get your film seen. Do this by submitting your film to festivals or putting your film on video-sharing sites. Once you make more than one film, edit clips of your film together to create a reel just like that of an actor to showcase your directing and get as many people as possible to see view your work.
