How to Make Money as a Film Student

The ultimate goal: To make money doing what you love. As a student or a young professional, it might seem especially difficult when what you love is film, entertainment, or the arts. You are told that the industry is rocky and volatile. You are told that you don’t know the right people. You are told that only one in a million make it. But you are a hardworking, driven artist who is going to find a way to make money doing what you love. 

Here are some ways to start making money as a student of film and media arts. But first, there are some important ways to set your mindset to ensure you have the best chance at finding jobs and opportunities to make a little extra cash. 

The Mindset

While there are many different ways to make money creatively, it is important to note that you need to be ready for anything that is going to come your way, be it good or bad. You can’t start hustling without confidence and knowing what you want.

The filmmaking equipment company, Zacuto, released a series about 6 Dirty Secrets: How to Make Money as a Filmmaker summarized here. The key points they discuss are: be a “predator,” go corporate, BYO audience, keep budgets low, always be hustling, and knock on the door of the future. You want to give yourself the best chance at finding not only jobs that pay but also jobs that will lead you to the next one. You have to go after what you want like a predator, keep hustling, and also continue to learn where the industry is going. You don’t want to get stuck trying the same things or wasting your money on big-budget projects that can’t become your stepping stones to greater success. Find and bring your own audience that will support you and help get you to the next step.

Outside of Zacuto’s six secrets, remember to trust yourself and your skills. You need to believe in yourself and have confidence in your skills in order to get others to do the same.  Even so, keep an open mind and cut yourself some slack. Sometimes you might get a job that you don’t necessarily think is right for you. Other times you might be in a slump and feeling like you have failed. You have not failed. Good things take time to happen and you could find the right job or project any day. Just keep hustling.

Things to Keep in Mind

You don’t have to have super fancy equipment. Use what you have and make it work. If all you have is an iPhone, a small DSLR, or even just a computer with free editing programs, start working with those. Over time, you can save money from smaller jobs to invest in better equipment for larger projects. 

Diversify your projects. When you find one thing that works, you don’t have to do only that for the rest of your career. You can be a senior portrait photographer and also edit YouTube videos, or you can be a PA on set while writing your first short. And while not all of your projects can make money, keep being creative and stay in touch with your creative communities.

Finally, with more experience, you will find your niche. Diversifying your projects will show what works best for you. If one thing doesn’t work, try another!

The Ways to Make Money as a Film Student

Being a student might seem like a bad place to be when you want to make some money and think that no one will give you the time of day, but it is the best place to play with new ideas and be creative in ways to earn you some extra cash. 

1. Use the skills you are learning in school - This could be editing, photography, cinematography, marketing, and more. Use all your skills to your advantage and find ways to make them profitable.

• Social Media & YouTube: In today’s world, anyone can be a star and make money online, so you can, too! Create your own videos or content. You have the freedom to make this content about whatever you want. Build your audience, seek out ways to get monetized, and find brand deals.  If being on the camera isn’t your thing, you can manage someone else’s social media marketing and help new creatives grow, edit their videos, or shoot the content. Make sure to set fair and reasonable rates and be clear about services so that you are not taken advantage of and other creatives know what they are paying you for. 

• Shoot Commercials: These do not have to be for big corporate companies. Bring your services to local businesses and show them what you can do and what ideas you have to help them. 

• Shoot Music Videos: Are any of your friends musicians? Do you know any artists? They might want a music video or promotional material so offer them your services. You can even try to find your favorite rising artists and reach out to them or their managers with samples of your work. 

• Freelance Photography: Photography is one of the easiest to juggle school with because you can pick your hours. Some common types of photography jobs that are easily advertised are senior portraits, graduation photos, professional or talent headshots, and athletic pictures. 

• Sell Your Pictures or Videos as Stock: Another side hustle that many photographers and filmmakers do is selling some of their work to photo licensing sites. Pick some popular, searchable topics or subjects like diversity, corporate, cities, or music, and take photos or videos that other creatives or companies can license for corporate use. Common sites that you could license your photos and videos on are Shutterstock, Alamy, 500px, SmugMug, Adobe Stock, Pond5, or Storyblocks. Before doing this, make sure you know the site’s policies. 

• Sell Your LUTS/Presets: If you create and use presets or LUTS when you are editing your photos or videos, you can also sell those. Some easy ways to do this are using a personal website or online store like Koji or Etsy.
  

• Podcasting: If audio is more your thing, and you have something you are passionate about, or you like telling stories, podcasting might be for you! Similar to social media or YouTube, it will take time to build up a following and monetize your work, but your hard work can pay off when you build your community. 

1. Use Your Films - As a film student, you probably have a few projects that you have worked on or some ideas you are developing into shorts. While these are great ways to practice before you enter the workforce, you can also monetize them.

• Film Festivals: Enter your films into festivals and see how they do! Many festivals offer substantial cash prizes. It is important to note that some of these festivals might require an entry fee, but going to film festivals is also a great way to network and find new opportunities. 

• Self-Distributions: While this may be a little harder, the World Film Communities Network suggests that a good way to earn money as a student filmmaker is to find ways to distribute your film. This could be through platforms like WFNC’s Canvas or finding a theater in town to show your film.

1. Internships and Other Professional Experiences - At the end of the day, you are still a student and should be looking for learning opportunities as well as paid ones. 

• Internships: Finding internships in the film industry will not only help you make a little extra money but will also help you learn about how the industry runs. Some popular internships to look for are programs run by major studios (like Disney, NBCUniversal, Warner Bros, or Paramount), established production companies, or reputable talent and management agencies (like CAA UTA, WME, or IAG). It is important to note that you should never do any work for free; it must either be paid or for college credit. The experience is important and invaluable, but do not let others take advantage of you. 

• Getting on Set as a PA or Assistant: If you can find an opportunity to work on a professional set, that is one of the best ways to make some extra money on your weekends or free days while networking and learning about the industry. You might not be on set for your dream role yet, but by being a production assistant, you will learn and observe what it is like to work in the entertainment industry. This said, be careful of scams or dangerous working conditions. You should always do some background research on the people you are working with. Some popular places to find jobs are staffmeup.com, mandy.com, or Facebook groups. 

How to Ensure Success Monetizing Your Work

To help you get on the right track for finding ways to make money as a film student, Docfilmacademy.com offers great advice and steps for how you can turn your passion into profit. 

Some steps for you to consider:

1. Nurture Your Filmmaking Skills: Your work will get better the more you do it. Take your classes seriously and find every opportunity to learn more and better your craft with any masterclasses, workshops, or seminars offered by your school. The internet and professional mentorship are also great ways to learn. 

2. Create a Portfolio: Give your future collaborators something to understand what kind of work you can do. The best way to do this is through a portfolio. You can learn more about what a portfolio is and get some tips on how to make one here. 

3. Learn to Market: Good marketing and social media will help you find new clients and work.

4. Network and Make Genuine Connections: The key to finding work is to know the right people, so go out there, meet new people, and form genuine connections with them. This can happen in-person as well as online using platforms like Auteurnet to discover new creatives to work with. The people you know will help you find more opportunities. 

Remember that everything takes time, and once you start finding ways to monetize your work, you can build on those and find more opportunities. As a film student or early professional, you are in the beginning stages of your journey, so try out different things and find what works for you!

Learn more about Auteurnet and how we can help you build your creative community here.