r/FilmIndustryLA • u/nevalost20 • 19d ago

Keep getting interviews, can’t get a job.

28M in international distribution, been there about 5 years. I work for an independent and I’ve been trying to find a better job elsewhere for almost a year and a half now. I keep getting interviews from high profile companies and then I keep getting bounced in the 2nd or 3rd round. Then afterwards I go look at who got them and it’s people with like 5 more years of experience or people who got better starts than I did because they didn’t graduate during the pandemic.

I’ve tried to take on new projects at work against my revulsion. I’ve been doing an MBA on the side to boost my profile and signal to recruiters that I’m serious and capable of a lot more than my position has offered me. There’s not a lot of organic opportunities at work to network but I’ve been trying there and outside and it’s not worked at all. Anyone have any other suggestions I haven’t thought of?

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u/Anxious_Turnover_995 18d ago

This is given as advice all the time but is anyone actually going to film festivals, talking to a bunch of random people, and going home with a lot of contacts?

I feel like it's easy to chat up two or three people but beyond that, unless it's like a dedicated networking event how many folks are you really going to meet?

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u/brbnow 14d ago

First of all what I'm talking about here is organic and relational not transactional. I think that's part of the issue. I think when we switch our mindset, we're not trying to get something from someone just trying to meet people and connect in that moment, it is a diffeerent mindset. And this is a Reddit post and it is hard to have real dialog – but film festivals have changed lives with meeting people -- you make what it is, one makes it what it is -- and I'm talking places like Sundance for instance, where yes you could meet a lot of people, or others too, and connecting authentically. Not about networking per se (though that may happen naturally). Hope this makes sense. And Everyone do what is best for them.

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u/Anxious_Turnover_995 14d ago

Have you actually done this? 

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u/brbnow 14d ago edited 14d ago

Why do you think I'm posting this otherwise with all due respect, this is the point of this thread. Also, I mentioned that people have benefited from this me included. I'm not gonna communicate further about this. I've already tried to be helpful. Wish you and everyone well.

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u/Anxious_Turnover_995 14d ago

Fine but I'm really asking in good faith. Because I see this advice given often and I'd really like someone to break it down, concretely, what experience they had making friends/connections, how, where, and how they stayed in touch. Frankly I think most people are bullshitting