9 Things That’ll Ruin Your Career as an Industry Freelancer
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If you’re a film industry freelancer, you probably know how to get started building a successful career. You certainly do if you read this blog, as I’ve written numerous posts on this topic. But some things will tank your career fast. Unfortunately, we sometimes make mistakes that can have a long-term adverse effect on the profession we’re trying to build.
In the interests of keeping us on the right path to success, here are nine things NOT to do as an industry freelancer:
- Neglect your contacts.
It’s all too easy to forget about keeping up your contacts when you’re working, but it’s crucial. No one wants to hear from you only when you need a job.
Email and social media make it easy to stay in touch without intruding on someone’s busy day. Did you see a colleague’s picture in an industry newsletter or read that the show they work on got picked up? Keep in touch and make it about them, not you.
Attend industry networking events at least occasionally, and you’ll see familiar faces as well as new people to meet. Now that things are getting back to normal post-pandemic, it’s time to get out there and meet people again in person.
Neglect your contacts, and you’ll see your career wither as your peers move ahead.
- Don’t bother to return calls, texts, or emails.
Sometimes returning calls and emails seems like a lot of work, especially when we’re busy working. But as film industry freelancers, we neglect this at our peril.
Nothing will piss off the contacts you’ve so painstakingly made as not returning their messages. They may need information, a recommendation, or even someone to hire. By ignoring them, you’re signaling them that their needs don’t matter and you’re too busy to be bothered.
People remember that, and not in a good way. So do yourself and your career a favor and return messages as promptly as possible.
- Have a bad attitude.
Have you ever worked closely with someone who has a lousy attitude? I have, and it makes every day seem like an eternity.
Yes, we often work under challenging conditions in dicey locations, but that’s a given in the film industry. So we should know to expect that by now. Sometimes a bad attitude has nothing to do with the circumstances but is just how someone is.
No one wants to spend long hours working with a whining pain with a crummy attitude, so don’t be that person. Instead, be a positive person who people don’t mind being around for 14 hours a day.
A bad attitude will derail your career, and a positive attitude will help build it. Your choice.
- Backstab your co-workers.
This one’s a biggie. Your reputation is everything as an industry freelancer, and the last thing you want to be known as is a backstabber.
I’ve had it done to me by someone I went out of my way to help, and I felt betrayed. So, needless to say, when I got a call from a colleague months later asking about this person, I didn’t hold back.
Once you’re known as someone who can’t be trusted, it will be difficult for your reputation to recover. So accept the fact that you’re not going to like every person you work with and move on.
- Date someone you’re working with on set.
Dating someone you’re working with rarely, if ever, ends well. You put yourself in an awkward position if things don’t work out. It’s also a lot of pressure to work long hours with someone you’re dating.
It can also turn into a sexual harassment issue if one of you is in a position of power over the other. Times have changed with the #MeToo movement, and this is no longer acceptable behavior.
It’s just not worth the potential problems to date a colleague on set. Instead, wait until the job is over to connect.
As an a.d. wisely told me when I was a trainee, “Don’t sh*t where you eat.”
- Gossip.
Sometimes gossiping seems innocent enough, but it can turn ugly fast. Remember that anyone talking about others may also be talking about you.
We work in a high-stress environment where people can misconstrue your intentions. That goes for things you say on social media, as well as what you say on set.
Protect your own best interests by not gossiping.
- Come to work unprepared.
Read the call sheet and come prepared for the day’s work. That means warm clothing for night exterior work and whatever else you need to perform your job.
If you’re working as an extra, bring a pen and have the information you need to fill out your voucher. If you’re a parent bringing a child to set for work, have their work permit and social security number.
Whatever your job, coming to work unprepared shows a lack of professionalism. It also creates more work for others.
Make yourself look good by thoroughly reading the call sheet and coming to work prepared.
- Resist change.
If there’s one thing we know to expect in our industry, it’s change. Schedules can change quickly, and we have to be adaptable and ready to pivot.
If you want a predictable job and panic at the thought of change, you’re probably better suited to a calm office job. However, if you’re an industry freelancer, accept that things can change quickly and be adaptable to change.
The ability to stay on your toes and not be afraid of changing circumstances is part of creative problem-solving. But you already knew that.
- Neglect safety.
If there can be said to be one good thing to come out of the pandemic, it’s that we’re now more aware of health and safety on set. And anyone working union jobs has taken at least one safety course.
Yes, we’re often under pressure to make things happen quickly, but cutting corners safety-wise can lead to accidents and injuries. Unfortunately, if you’ve worked for any length of time in the industry, you’ve seen your share of them.
We all need to commit to doing our jobs as safely as possible, even when we’re tired and rushed. So let’s not be the ones who cause an accident or injury.
Safety first.
Conclusion
Building a career as a freelancer takes grit, commitment, and a willingness to do what it takes to get the job done. We now know what it takes to succeed as an industry freelancer.
Let’s not sabotage ourselves by making easily avoidable mistakes.