Brian Dzyak - What I Really Want to Do on Set in Hollywood: A Guide to Real Jobs in the Film Industry

What I Really Want to Do

What I Really Need to Know

Where I Really Need to Go

What I Really Need to Have

What Am I Getting Myself Into?

Okay, lets cut to the chase. If youre reading this, you really want to know how to get a job in the entertainment industry, be it in movies, television, music videos, or commercials. You want to know where to go, what to do, and who to meet. Fair enough. You need answers to these questions if this is the field you believe you want to enter.

But theres one question that most people who want to be in the business fail to ask themselves before jumping in: Do I really want to do this? Success can bring great prestige at your next class reunion and perhaps even lots of cash. But theres more to a career in the entertainment business than just showing up and making movies. Breaking in takes enthusiasm and perseverance. Maintaining a viable career begins by being realistic about what youre really getting yourself into.

Every year, millions of people watch the glamour of Hollywood from the comfort of their own homes and dream of sharing in a piece of that fantasy. And every year, thousands of those people pack their bags and head west, with little more than dreams and enthusiasm, intent on finding a job that will make them rich and famous. Some hit upon the success they are looking for, but many more do not. The expectations are almost always different than the harsh reality of life in the biz. However, with just a little guidance, you can increase the odds of building a successful career and finding that fame, fortune, and artistic outlet you crave.

What I Really Want To Do on Set in Hollywood gives you a taste of the experience of working on a movie SET by explaining the nuts and bolts of the industry, the various departments, the jobs within the departments, and how they all interact with one another on a shot-by-shot basis. With this detailed information in your hands, you will then have a very good idea of how the industry really functions, how you can find a way in for yourself, and what your own life will be like while doing it.

Whether you are a college grad in the Midwest, a thirty-something parent of two along one of the coasts, or an already established member of IATSE, SAG, the DGA, or the T EAMSTERS in Los Angeles, knowing more about the minutia of how movies are really made will enable you to embark on a career path in a much wiser fashion.

To get your career search going, you first have to figure out what it is you really want to do. It isnt enough for you to say that you just want to make movies. That kind of general ambition is fine when youre young and just having fun, but creating an actual career that pays your bills and affords you the lifestyle youre looking for requires you to be more specific. All of the jobs done on a small student film are still involved in making a big-budget projectonly when more money is available, more people can be brought in to help. Consider Hollywood as the major league of the entertainment business, where art and commerce are merged within the world of high finance. Its the ultimate playground, where big kids get to play make-believe with the best toys at the highest level.