First time post - sorry if I'm violating any sort of etiquette here.
I'm currently a law student at a decently high-ranked school, not in LA or NYC. I'm realizing that I think my major motivation for going to law school was to feel properly "educated" after an unimpressive undergrad experience and, frankly, to get out of the type of work I was doing before.
Since day one of law school I've been saying that I want to go in-house at a major production company, for reasons that ultimately boil down to proximity to filmmaking. I have absolutely no experience in filmmaking; I've just been a massive fan for as long as I can remember. They've just always played a pretty big role in my life. I was lucky enough to speak to a former entertainment lawyer, who now works at a film school, to talk through career options and goals. I know very little about the structure of the industry, so I described what my dream job would be in terms of vague ideas and job responsibilities. He said that what I had described is the role of a producer or production executive.
I essentially told them that I don't need to be a screenwriter, director, cinematographer, or whatever. I just want to be the person that gets films made. I want to take on a project, get it done, and help make that project successful. I think I'd like some creative input, but not at the level of other positions that amount to real artists.
They suggested I look up a particular MFA in producing. I watched a promo video and, without getting excessively corny, literally shed a tear because I had no idea that real people could just become a producer. I've been spiraling down every rabbithole I can find on the internet learning everything I can about producers, which I've since realized is the most ambiguous position title I've ever encountered, and I'm certainly interested. To clarify: I would absolutely finish law school first. I made it this far.
My questions and why I'm posting any of this:
How do you know if you want to be a producer? How can I, a law student with heavy time constraints, figure out if the role is right for me? How necessary is a creative background to getting into producing? I'd like to think I'm creative (don't we all), but I've never had any real creative education or any creative outlet to show for it. For those of you that applied, attended, or are looking to apply, why? How did you know it was right for you? Is there something I can do, given my circumstances, to really get my feet wet and decide if this is right for me?
I'm essentially having that moment in my career where I'm realizing I should do what I love. I just want to be sure that this is, in fact, it, and that I'm not just throwing caution to the wind simply because I love movies.
Advice or input of literally any kind is welcome and very much appreciated. Thanks.
I'm currently a law student at a decently high-ranked school, not in LA or NYC. I'm realizing that I think my major motivation for going to law school was to feel properly "educated" after an unimpressive undergrad experience and, frankly, to get out of the type of work I was doing before.
Since day one of law school I've been saying that I want to go in-house at a major production company, for reasons that ultimately boil down to proximity to filmmaking. I have absolutely no experience in filmmaking; I've just been a massive fan for as long as I can remember. They've just always played a pretty big role in my life. I was lucky enough to speak to a former entertainment lawyer, who now works at a film school, to talk through career options and goals. I know very little about the structure of the industry, so I described what my dream job would be in terms of vague ideas and job responsibilities. He said that what I had described is the role of a producer or production executive.
I essentially told them that I don't need to be a screenwriter, director, cinematographer, or whatever. I just want to be the person that gets films made. I want to take on a project, get it done, and help make that project successful. I think I'd like some creative input, but not at the level of other positions that amount to real artists.
They suggested I look up a particular MFA in producing. I watched a promo video and, without getting excessively corny, literally shed a tear because I had no idea that real people could just become a producer. I've been spiraling down every rabbithole I can find on the internet learning everything I can about producers, which I've since realized is the most ambiguous position title I've ever encountered, and I'm certainly interested. To clarify: I would absolutely finish law school first. I made it this far.
My questions and why I'm posting any of this:
How do you know if you want to be a producer? How can I, a law student with heavy time constraints, figure out if the role is right for me? How necessary is a creative background to getting into producing? I'd like to think I'm creative (don't we all), but I've never had any real creative education or any creative outlet to show for it. For those of you that applied, attended, or are looking to apply, why? How did you know it was right for you? Is there something I can do, given my circumstances, to really get my feet wet and decide if this is right for me?
I'm essentially having that moment in my career where I'm realizing I should do what I love. I just want to be sure that this is, in fact, it, and that I'm not just throwing caution to the wind simply because I love movies.
Advice or input of literally any kind is welcome and very much appreciated. Thanks.
Last edited: