Best Jobs While Waiting For The Big Break in Film

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  • Best Jobs While Waiting For The Big Break in Film

    1) TV Show Runner - $80,000 - $125,000 an episode

    2) TV Writer - $10,000 - $30,000 an episode

    3) Computer Technology - $75,000 - $110,000 a year

    4) Finance - $65,000 - $150,000 a year

    5) Government $40,000 - $90,000 a year

  • #2
    Re: Best Jobs While Waiting For The Big Break in Film

    6.) Stay At Home Dad -- (negative) $50,000 a year in coffee and pizza

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    • #3
      Re: Best Jobs While Waiting For The Big Break in Film

      7.) Male stripper + 1 billion dollars (I meant trillion).
      Bruh, fukkin *smooches*! Feel me? Ha!

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      • #4
        Re: Best Jobs While Waiting For The Big Break in Film

        Originally posted by kdmccaskill View Post
        1) TV Show Runner - $80,000 - $125,000 an episode

        2) TV Writer - $10,000 - $30,000 an episode
        That is some crazy sick money. No wonder people are so desperate to get in.

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        • #5
          Re: Best Jobs While Waiting For The Big Break in Film

          Never once thought about money when I began writing... I bet most of us didn't including you.... now I do as I would like to buy some stuff...

          Just saying, yes many screenwriters in the 90s and 2000s were thinking easy $$$ -- but most writers do this out of passion. And everyone on this board (99% of us) that are still going after getting kicked in the face -- do it for that reason.

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          • #6
            Re: Best Jobs While Waiting For The Big Break in Film

            Originally posted by Bono View Post
            Never once thought about money when I began writing... I bet most of us didn't including you.... now I do as I would like to buy some stuff...

            Just saying, yes many screenwriters in the 90s and 2000s were thinking easy $$$ -- but most writers do this out of passion. And everyone on this board (99% of us) that are still going after getting kicked in the face -- do it for that reason.
            I thought we did it because we're all f*cking nuts.

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            • #7
              Re: Best Jobs While Waiting For The Big Break in Film

              Originally posted by Bono View Post
              Never once thought about money when I began writing... I bet most of us didn't including you.... now I do as I would like to buy some stuff...

              Just saying, yes many screenwriters in the 90s and 2000s were thinking easy $$$ -- but most writers do this out of passion. And everyone on this board (99% of us) that are still going after getting kicked in the face -- do it for that reason.
              True, but the reason I switched back to novels is because I began to understand what "success" as a screenwriter meant in a lot of cases and that totally killed the passion for me. Anyway, yeah, I think the amount of money people make in that biz is mind-blowing and in most cases ridiculous, but good for them

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              • #8
                Re: Best Jobs While Waiting For The Big Break in Film

                Originally posted by Rantanplan View Post
                True, but the reason I switched back to novels is because I began to understand what "success" as a screenwriter meant in a lot of cases and that totally killed the passion for me. Anyway, yeah, I think the amount of money people make in that biz is mind-blowing and in most cases ridiculous, but good for them
                I would love to hear what you mean. Also I didn't realize that your other thread "loving your character too much" was related to a novel. I don't think that changes my advice, but did you say that? Or was it a script.... anyway...

                I've been thinking about novels because well I am 41. I need to start bringing in some money -- I am a stay at home dad, but kids getting older.

                So also I know I'll never move to LA fully. East coast baby. Never wanted too, but now it would be unfair to the family and wife's job and also I really don't want to live there. I like when I visit and if I had to go out there for months, but fun, but being 3000 miles away from grandparents seems selfish dream at my age.

                For some reason you need to live in LA to write scripts to have meetings that go nowhere, but novels they expect you to live anywhere in america. Makes sense right? So I do like that I'm writing from east coast and that's normal and I'm not some freak who didn't get the move to LA memo.

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                • #9
                  Re: Best Jobs While Waiting For The Big Break in Film

                  Originally posted by docgonzo View Post
                  I thought we did it because we're all f*cking nuts.
                  THAT MOST OF ALL!

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                  • #10
                    Re: Best Jobs While Waiting For The Big Break in Film

                    Originally posted by Bono View Post
                    I would love to hear what you mean. Also I didn't realize that your other thread "loving your character too much" was related to a novel. I don't think that changes my advice, but did you say that? Or was it a script.... anyway...

                    I've been thinking about novels because well I am 41. I need to start bringing in some money -- I am a stay at home dad, but kids getting older.

                    So also I know I'll never move to LA fully. East coast baby. Never wanted too, but now it would be unfair to the family and wife's job and also I really don't want to live there. I like when I visit and if I had to go out there for months, but fun, but being 3000 miles away from grandparents seems selfish dream at my age.

                    For some reason you need to live in LA to write scripts to have meetings that go nowhere, but novels they expect you to live anywhere in america. Makes sense right? So I do like that I'm writing from east coast and that's normal and I'm not some freak who didn't get the move to LA memo.

                    Yeah, I should have explained. What I mean is that when I was starting out, I naively thought that being a screenwriter meant selling a script and getting a movie made. I assume that's what a lot of people think going in and that's the dream; that's WHY we do it. But then, hanging around these boards, I realized that what happens more often than not if you're lucky and talented enough to move forward, is that you land a rep, who loves your script, which doesn't sell, which is now a writing sample, which may or may not land land you an assignment or which may or may not get you staffed, which, according to Gucci in another thread, could mean actually not even writing for a year. Sitting in a room bouncing ideas around for someone else's show, being hired to polish someone else's dialogue, being hired as writer #10 on some blockbuster, etc. So basically a writer for hire as opposed to an artist. The money would be awesome, and it would be a better day job than most people have, and you would be "working in your field," and those are great things, but I just don't know if to me it's that attractive a notion. So personally, since I already have a day job that I like, which happens to be a writing job, and which I can do from anywhere in the world on my own time, I think I'll stick to that and write novels and go that route. I will probably be inspired to write a screenplay again, but if and when that happens, I'll pitch to production companies directly, which I prefer anyway, and leave it at that.

                    So that's the plan Stan.

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                    • #11
                      Re: Best Jobs While Waiting For The Big Break in Film

                      Originally posted by Bono View Post
                      East coast baby.
                      P.S.: Aren't you in NY? There's got to be some HW writing action in NYC, too, no? OR: write a play, get it produced on Broadway, have it sell out for 2 years, boom, problem solved

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                      • #12
                        Re: Best Jobs While Waiting For The Big Break in Film

                        I think the best job for an aspiring screenwriter is to get a job in professional writing. Copy, ghostwriting, academic writing, journalism. It also helps to absorb as much writing in all contexts as possible -- literature, screenplays, poems, news, slogans. Other good jobs include occupations where you're likely to meet interesting people, or travel to interesting places. If you're wife is great enough to let you be a stay at home dad, that can work too, if you can get some writing done in between handling the minions.

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                        • #13
                          Re: Best Jobs While Waiting For The Big Break in Film

                          You can do anything, really. It doesn't matter. I'm the CEO of a company. I think there is a big myth about what you have to do to make it. Write well and don't get discouraged. Those are the only rules in my opinion. Everything else is make it up as you go.

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                          • #14
                            Re: Best Jobs While Waiting For The Big Break in Film

                            If you are a showrunner or staff writer, you aren't really waiting for any big breaks. You're in. You are getting paid really good money and you are working in a part of the business which has skyrocketed in the last few years to all new levels. Most of the "work" and money is in TV right now. We list more deals for TV than film and it wasn't that way years ago. The people working at that level in TV aren't too worried about film. (Not saying they might not be interested in writing features, but they are fine.)

                            In terms of a job "before" breaking in, I wouldn't suggest looking at it quite like that. Considering most writers will never break in, find a job that you at least like, that pays you well enough to live and allows for you to write.

                            Along with the various suggestions above, personally, I would say, depending a bit on the person, find something that doesn't mentally tax you so much that by the time you get home, your brain is too fried to write and your eyes are tired. Find a decent, stable job with reasonable hours so you can write at night or even get up in the morning and write before you go in (at say, 9am). Hopefully the job wouldn't require weekend work, or at least not often. Or too much travel which might prove disruptive. And depending on your own personal likes & dislikes, think about whether a writing "day" job is too much writing already before you start to write for you. Everyone is different, so make the best decision for you, of course.

                            I love working in production and I'm glad I started out that way. It's great to be a part of the entire process from development to release. Not necessary for a writer to really know, but I think good to know. The hours are long and I only ever got writing done when we were in post or between films.

                            Quite a few folks out here work as servers and bartenders so they can more easily switch shifts for meetings or auditions; and even get time off for actual film & TV work. Temp gigs, Uber driving, etc. can also work for some in terms of flexibility. (A screenwriter drove us to the airport about eight weeks ago. I'm friends with writer who drives so he can write.) I wouldn't suggest a mindless job, but again something pleasant enough with some freedom and not overloading literally or figuratively. You might be in that job for awhile so make it count at least towards a decent life.

                            Hope this can help in some fashion and not muddy the waters.
                            Last edited by Done Deal Pro; 10-13-2019, 09:31 AM.
                            Will
                            Done Deal Pro
                            www.donedealpro.com

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                            • #15
                              Re: Best Jobs While Waiting For The Big Break in Film

                              Although I rarely post personal stuff, I thought I'd share news about a gig that's worked well for me. For the past 20 years, I've been a reservist with FEMA, often deployed to a disaster for 30 days or more, mainly serving as a writer at a field office during the day and staying at a nice hotel at night. (Over the past two years, I've spent 30 days at a Spring Hill Suites in Tallahassee, 30 days at a Fairfield Inn in Omaha, 4 days training at an old army base in Anniston, 30 days at a Residence Inn in Raleigh, and 45 days at a condo on the beach in St. Croix.) While deployed, I've written anything from a news release on how to restore flood-damaged documents, to an op-ed piece for the Washington Post by a federal coordinating officer, to talking points for the Secretary of Homeland Security.

                              Good pay and perks. Interesting work. Plenty of time to write. Home base can be anywhere in the country. For those interested:
                              Reservists (On-call)
                              FEMA consistently seeks talented and hard-working people who are eager to assist disaster survivors and first responders on an on-call basis as Reservist employees. They are the main FEMA workforce during an emergency or disaster.
                              Reservists travel, receive training, build professional networks and support those in need. The work is available intermittently. Applicants must commit to working on an on-call basis, be available to travel within 24-48 hours, be deployed for 30 or more days and possess a strong work ethic.
                              How to Apply
                              Reservists are also hired to a position within a Cadre based on their skills and experience. Cadres are groups of personnel organized by operational function. If interested, please review the cadre options below and see where your skills and interests align.
                              Applying for a Reservist Position is easy! You can apply to be a Reservist by emailing your resume to [email protected] and include the reservist "cadre" of interest in the subject line.
                              External Affairs
                              The External Affairs (EA) cadre engages and communicates with stakeholders in Congress, the media, state, local, tribal, and local governments, the private sector, and internal FEMA employees. They also serve as advisors to FEMA program and support offices on decision making, development, and maintenance of policies and programs.
                              If you are interested in a position in the External Affairs cadre, please email your resume to [email protected] and include "External Affairs" in the subject line.

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