How to Land Video Production Jobs in Chicago

The film scene is notorious for a challenge. It’s hard to get your foot in the door, and equally challenging to remain actively working film sets, especially in a city like Chicago where the competition is more fierce than most. Despite the challenges and difficulties that come along when trying to land video production jobs in Chicago, as the industry slogan goes – “the show must go on.” We’ve got some tips to help aspiring filmmakers that are looking to land video production jobs in the Windy City. 

1. Keep a Positive Attitude

If there’s one thing that is important in your effort to find a job in the Chicago film scene, it’s to stay positive. It’s easy to get discouraged or to feel like giving up, especially if you find yourself at consistent dead-ends or with constant rejections, however a positive attitude will help you to continue to shine and will ultimately help you land a production job.

Even if you find yourself with a less than meaningful position on the set, or if you find yourself having to provide your services on a volunteer (free) basis, keep a positive mindset.

Know that any work on the set is good work because it’s allowing you to add more skills to your resume, providing you the opportunity to network with other industry contacts, and helping you to gain even a slight opportunity to begin to work your way up the ladder.

You’ve got to start somewhere.

2. Work on Your Resume & Cover Letter

Actively working on your resume is an important part of landing video production jobs in Chicago.

Your resume is the first impression may hiring managers, producers and others in the film industry will have of you — make it count! 

If you’re not really good at writing, or you’ve noticed that you’re not getting much traction from your resume after a few weeks, consider hiring a professional resume writer to help you improve your changes.

You can hire low-cost contracted resume writers on freelance sites like Upwork or Fiverr that can improve your resume and incorporate the appropriate keywords that will help your resume to show up in more algorithmic searches for hiring managers. 

3. Provide Volunteer Services

There are certainly a lot of opportunities to get your foot in the door if you’re willing to provide volunteer services in Chicago.

However, it’s important that if you’re trying to land video production jobs in Chicago, you shouldn’t be providing volunteer services to a degree in which it errs on the side of exploitation.

Make sure that any volunteer production work you provide is:

• Short-term. The goal is only to provide the work to prove your worth, not to provide a long-term free service.
•  
• Local. If the work requires travel, the employer should be willing to at least cover your travel expenses.
•  
• Helpful. The work should be adding to your skills and helping you to gain additional value that you can use for future work assignments.
•  
• Flexible. Volunteer assignments certainly should not ever get in the way of your ability to take on work assignments that will be paid.

4. Network with Other Chicago Film Scene Professionals

Working the film scene in the Windy City is certainly something many aspiring filmmakers wish they could do more frequently, but it’s a competitive environment.

Even those with a laundry list of experience may find it challenging to land a paid position on a film crew. Networking is important.

It provides an opportunity for you to meet with more people that are involved in the film scene and can help you land more work.

Connect with the Chicago Film Office to find other producers and filmmakers that are active in the scene.

This is an excellent opportunity for you to network and grow your personal connections which can later lead to more positions.

5. Be a Risk Taker

The film scene is certainly busy, competitive, and full of mixed opportunities. The greater the risk, the greater the reward!

Landing video production jobs in Chicago will frequently require that you take risks and be open to change.

If a dream job comes up, and requires you to change your path, quit a volunteer position, move or otherwise take a major risk — do it!

You never know when a dream opportunity in the Chicago film scene will come up again (or if it will)!