#yes im talking about cfc

[fentybucky]

i really don’t know how to feel tonight ✌🏻☹️

[scifrey]

how does one go about getting in with film peoples? I have aspirations for screenplay and the like, but do I have to have college experience for that? im assuming there's a lot of networking involved

Hello, friend! Good question.

I did not go to film school. Some of my screenwriting friends have, some haven’t, some did intensive workshop programs like the CFC Writer’s Lab or the equivalent at a local film festival, some have not. Some have only watched the online master’s workshops.

For me, I was largely self-taught. I went to drama school, and took some writing courses, and some playwriting courses, but mostly everything I learned about screenwriting, I learned from reading books about it, reading actual scripts themselves (you can find free databases of Oscar-winning films online), and speaking with other screenwriters.

I had a bit of an advantage in meeting fellow screenwriters in Toronto, as I worked with The Writer’s Guild of Canada (the screenwriter’s union) for two years. I was thrown together with writers of all kinds of different formats, lengths, genres, an fame, and they were mostly amenable to letting me pick their brains.

But the best and most important connections I have are with people met at, yes, Networking Events. There’s a few Facebook Groups I joined - Inkdrinks here in Canada, and the Game Writer’s group, and a Toronto Webseries drinks night - and just lurking there and taking in the discussions has been invaluable. These groups also do meet-up events sometimes, and in attending a few of these, I formed some wonderful friendships with other writers. Not only did I gain some informal mentors, but also great friends who are willing to help me introduce me and my projects around when needed. (And you know, are just rad humans on the whole, whom I am very happy are in my life.)

I also volunteer every year with TOWebfest, the local webseries festival, which has given me a look at the behind the scenes of film festivals and how scripts/writing are adjudicated.

Getting a film project made is really about who you know, so I can’t recommend these networking events enough. If you’re not super comfortable with talking to strangers, ask them about their projects and let them ramble on until you’re feeling ready to engage. Everyone loves to talk about their own project and what they’re proud of!

My biggest piece of advice is to not talk about your own right away - let people get used to you as a newcomer, soaking everything in, before you start seeking out advice or connections. Don’t be aggressive or predatory - these need to be real friendships, or at least, genuine acquaintances.

I would also recommend volunteering on local film sets, for student projects or webseries, or low-budget indies. So much about screenwriting is learning how someone else translates your blueprint from the page to the screen, and seeing it first hand will give you invaluable experience in that. 

If you’re in a city that sees a lot of film production, also consider becoming a film extra. I did it for two years and learned loads about behind-the-scenes film making, but also made friends with some of the ADs and PAs, who in turn let me know when there were jobs available on other sets - being a script PA or supervisor, or an office PA; all of those are an in to a career as a screenwriter.

Once you have friends in the indie scene, and you’ve worked with them on their projects, you can try mounting a production of your own, or at least writing a script and asking your friends to come do a table read with you. You’ll learn a lot that way, too.

The broader your connections, the better your education will be. Hanging out with other screenwriters is important, but so is spending time with directors, producers, actors, techs, PAs and sparkies. A broad group of friends will provide broad connections, and a broad education.

Lastly, you’ll likely need an agent to get most mainstream work opportunities - writing big feature films, on prime-time TV, etc. - and while you can get an agent on the strength of your pitch package and spec scripts alone, agents tend to consider people recommended to them by their own clients more seriously. So if you have a friend group of writers, when you’re ready to start shopping your scripts, they’ll be able to show you the best way to do it, and may be able to give you a hand up.

(Of course, the understanding of all of this is that when you’re established, it’s your turn to help out a new writer.)

Going to film school does have it’s perks, don’t get me wrong. It will give you not only a good education in film, but it comes with baked-in networking: teachers and fellow students who find work in the industry will be valuable connections (and friendships, of course.)

But if you can’t attend film school, or don’t want to, then getting out there and becoming an active part of the local indie film/webseries/48 Hour Film Festival type of things where you are is a great first step. Also, find out where the filmmakers converge and attend the public meetups.

I hope this was helpful! Best of luck with your project!

[fentybucky]

i wish i could have back my today’s wasted hours 🌝