6 Super Filmmaking Job-Scoring Tips from Colaborator's Head Of Production!

Charlie Chappell, Colaborator’s Head of Production, give you tips straight from the vetting process on how to make your application shine!

Charlie reviews applications every day, hundreds of them. If you really want to get the job, and stand out with your Colaborator profile and application, this is what you need to do to set yourself apart from the rest:

1. Know what level you’re at, know what you’re capable of, and apply accordingly (ie: if you’re fresh out of school with no field experience outside of student films, applying as a Senior Producer on a high budget project is just going to irritate the employer and they may not look at you later for a gig you are qualified to handle). You’ll see your hiring rate go up significantly if you’re only spending time on positions you know you can fill. (Check out our Jobs page for open positions in all levels of production)!
2. Read the job listing carefully and follow all of the instructions in the listing. Some jobs require specific submission materials. If you can’t take the time to read directions and give the employer what he/she is looking for, it’s seen as you being lazy and serves as a big warning sign to the employer that you don’t really want the job.
3. DON’T MAKE EMPLOYERS LEAVE COLABORATOR TO VIEW YOUR MATERIAL. The employer is using Colaborator specifically so that he/she doesn’t have to search through multiple sites to find necessary information about the applicant, so if you’re asked to add your reel and other samples directly to your application, do it. “But it’s all on my website” doesn’t cut it if you really want the job. The more work you make an employer do to find out what they need to know about you, the more you’re hurting your chances of getting hired.
4. Make sure you copy edit your personal messages and resumes. Typos in a job application make you look unintelligent.
5. As much as possible, make your submission materials specific to the needs of the employer. Yes, that means your submission should be different for different jobs. Look into the company that is hiring, know what they do, know how you can help them do what they do, or even do it better. Then write a small (and i mean small, keep it tight, serious, and without ego) submission note for each job telling them you know what it is they do and how you believe you can help. For example, if they’re looking for a camera operator to shoot a live event with large crowds, highlight any related camera experience you have right off the bat so that it pops, then proceed to show them your experience through your related materials.
6. Fill out your Colaborator profile in full. A blank profile says, “I could care less,” which is not the message you want to send to any potential employer (and trust me, they are looking at your profiles, not just your application materials, so make it look good):

• Keep your profiles simple, but make sure to include all of your most up-to-date, pertinent information, ESPECIALLY your skills and professions.
• If you have a reel up, make sure it’s current. If it’s older than a toddler, it’s generally no longer applicable to employers wanting to know what you can do in the here and now.
• If you have proper credits on IMDB, add them all. The more you appear professional, the higher the likelihood you’ll be hired.
• Keep your media galleries current. If you want the public looking at your work, show them what you’ve done “today” first, not what you did five years ago.

(For an example of a complete profile, log in and see it here!)

And that’s pretty much it! Not too hard, right? Follow these steps and you should be well ahead of the game the next time you submit for a job on Colaborator!

If you have any questions, feel free to leave us a comment below, or email us at help@colaborator.com!