This event is designed to help UMB students, both undergraduate and graduate, find pathways into the wide range of jobs available in the local film industry. Since the tax credit program was made permanent last year, film in MA, and especially in Boston, has exploded. The program requires that a significant portion of on-set workers be MA residents, and productions are in desperate need of workers of all kinds to meet these quotas. This is great news for UMB students as there are a lot of great jobs to be had working on major productions right on our doorstep.
The event involves a presentation from one of the major industry unions in the Northeast, IATSE 481, which represents workers in 13 different trades related to film production. They will give an overview of the local industry, the kinds of jobs available, how to leverage entry-level positions into other areas of the industry, and some practical information to help students secure freelance work in these areas. There will also be several guest speakers who are members of the local and represent area businesses working on these productions (production companies, location scouts, set construction etc.). Students will have the chance to ask questions as well as informally network with these professionals and make contacts that will help them find work. Plus, there will be free coffee and cake!
IATSE represents not only creative professions and trades; they also represent the production/businesspeople who coordinate logistics in these areas (“office jobs” tied to creative practice, rather creative practice itself). So, this event is a great opportunity not only for students who are interested in creative careers related to sets, costumes, video production, lighting, props, sound, special effects etc. It’s also an excellent opportunity for students who would like to work in a creative industry but whose talents/interest lie more in organization, logistics, or communication.
So, if you have any interest in working in film or would like to know more about the kinds of careers the industry offers and how to break into them, this event is for you!
For more information, please contact Sarah.Hamblin@umb.edu
For disability-related accommodations, please visit www.ada.umb.edu