How do I get a job in filmmaking?

So You Want to Be a Filmmaker? Buckle Up! I won’t lie to you—filmmaking is hard. It’s exhausting, messy, and sometimes downright heartbreaking. But if you’ve ever found yourself staring at a screen, completely lost in the magic of a scene, feeling like this is what you were meant to do… well, there’s no turning back.

Welcome to filmmaking.  I remember the first time a film made me feel something deeper than just entertainment. It was late at night, the glow of the screen washing over me, and suddenly, I wasn’t just watching—I was living in that world, breathing alongside the characters. And in that moment, I knew. I knew I wanted to tell stories that made people feel something just as deeply.

To become a filmmaker, you'll need a combination of creative vision, technical skills, and practical experience. This includes learning about screenwriting, directing, and various filmmaking roles, along with building a network and gaining industry experience. 

But where do you begin when all you have is a dream and a heart full of ambition? If you’re anything like me—someone who loves films but doesn’t have industry connections—you have to build your own path. Let’s talk about how you can actually make this dream a reality.

 1. Forget Waiting—Just Start

There was a time when I thought I needed some kind of golden ticket to enter the world of filmmaking—connections, fancy equipment, permission from some invisible film gods. Turns out, none of that matters. All you need? A camera (or a phone), an idea, and the guts to hit record. Make something—anything. A short film, a sketch, a dramatic monologue of you pretending to be in a Scorsese film. Just create. The more you do, the faster you’ll learn.

2. Learn Like Your Life Depends on It

Filmmaking isn’t just about pointing a camera at stuff. You need to understand storytelling, lighting, editing, sound, and a hundred other things. But don’t let that scare you! The internet is FILLED with free resources. YouTube alone has more filmmaking knowledge than any overpriced film school. Devour it all—watch breakdowns of classic movies, study how directors use camera angles to manipulate emotions, analyze great dialogue.

Every movie you watch from now on? Watch it like a filmmaker, and if you can go to a film school, why not! Just enrol in the best film school and keep learning. 

3. Find Your People

Filmmaking is not a solo sport. You NEED a tribe—people who will hold the boom mic, run around adjusting lighting, stay up all night editing with you, and scream at the monitor when something doesn’t export correctly.

Go to film festivals, join online communities, and connect with local filmmakers. Some of my best experiences have come from just saying, Hey, I want to make something. Wanna join? And trust me, teamwork is everything.

4. Build That Portfolio Like a Boss

People don’t care what you say—they care what you show.

Want a job in filmmaking? Start building a reel that proves you know what you’re doing. Shoot a bunch of projects, edit your best work together, and create a website or Instagram showcasing what you’ve made. Even if your stuff isn’t perfect (spoiler: nobody’s is at first), keep putting it out there.

5. Rejection? Yeah, You’ll Get a Lot of That

Brace yourself—this industry will humble you real fast.

You will apply for jobs and get nothing but silence. You will send scripts to competitions and never hear back. You will pitch ideas that people laugh at. It’s normal. The people who succeed in filmmaking aren’t the ones who never fail—they’re the ones who fail and keep going anyway.

6. Discover Your Voice

The film world doesn’t need another generic storyteller. It needs YOU. What stories do you want to tell? What perspective do you bring? What weird, beautiful, raw emotions do you want to capture? Don’t chase trends. Chase authenticity.

7. Keep Creating. Keep Dreaming. Keep Going.

There will be days when you’ll want to quit. When the dream feels impossible. When you wonder if you’ll ever get your big break. But filmmaking isn’t about the big break—it’s about the love of the craft. So don’t wait. Grab your camera. Tell your story.

Because the world needs more dreamers like you.