A Day in the Life of a Filmmaker at Humanist Films
A filmmaker's day is a whirlwind of multitasking, juggling "three balls in the air" simultaneously: shooting, post-production, and pre-production on different projects. Ming's work constantly involves "talking with the team," securing funding, and navigating distribution, reflecting the multifaceted nature of the filmmaking profession.
Project Management, Communication, Teamwork, Problem-Solving, Overcoming Challenges
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Ming Lai
Filmmaker
Humanist Films
UCLA
CSULB, M.A., English
English
Arts, Entertainment & Media
Creative
None Applicable
Video Highlights
1. A filmmaker's day involves multitasking on various projects simultaneously, including shooting, editing, and distribution.
2. Ming juggles current projects (communication with the team, prepping gear, writing, and arranging interviews) with post-production tasks for previous projects (distribution, screening arrangements) and pre-production for upcoming projects (fundraising and attracting interest).
3. The work requires juggling multiple stages of film production—pre-production, production, and post-production—across different projects, similar to how Spike Lee operates, according to Ming's observations.
Transcript
What does a day in the life of a filmmaker look like?
Many filmmakers tend to multitask all day long. You're constantly working on whatever project is at hand, but also finishing a previous one and looking forward to the next.
If I'm in the shooting phase, I'm talking with my team, prepping gear, and writing. As a project unfolds, I'm editing footage that I just shot. I'm following up with people to say thank you, arranging more interviews, or talking with talent, meaning actors.
That's with a current project. If I'm following up on a previous one, I'm looking into distribution. I'm following up with people who may want to screen it.
If I'm prepping for a new one, I'm trying to raise money, which is always difficult. I'm also trying to get people interested in a new concept or film idea.
It's constantly juggling these balls, which makes it exciting but also very frazzled sometimes. I remember reading about Spike Lee, who was always on post-production for one project, pre-production for another, while filming yet another. It's constantly these three balls in the air, which makes it exciting.
Advizer Personal Links
humanistfilms.com, craftofspeed.com, visionsofwarriors.com