Talent Isn't Enough
🌟Career Coaching: In indie film and theater, talent may get your foot in the door, but the vibe you bring can determine whether the door stays open.
Hey, hey, check out this bonus post from our friends at FilmLocal on “Film Industry Trends 2025: What Every Indie Filmmaker Needs to Know Right Now”.
My producing partner and I were down were down to two candidates for a department head on a low budget feature. On paper, both looked stellar. The first one had worked on a lot of high-profile projects; the other had a much shorter list of credits but came with a glowing recommendation from a colleague.
The deciding factor? The second one arrived ten minutes early for the Zoom interview. They smiled. Made a joke. Talked about how they bike to set every day because it helps them arrive clear-headed. They asked questions, not to impress us, but because they were genuinely curious about how we liked to run things.
There was no edge, no desperate energy, no air of superiority. Just a person who clearly knew how to handle the stress of a shoot without passing it along to everyone else.
We relaxed. We leaned in. The job was theirs before the interview ended.
The Invisible Currency That Moves Careers Forward
In a world of overworked creatives and shrinking production budgets, your demeanor can be as valuable as your demo reel.
The indie space is not built for divas. It rewards the emotionally agile. It favors the people who can show up centered, communicative and open to the unknown. Productions get delayed. Weather isn’t controllable. A shooting location falls through and now the bathroom scene is being filmed in a garage. This isn’t failure; it’s indie.
What producers, directors and department heads are often screening for (whether they say it aloud or not) is this: Are you going to be the person who helps us adapt or the one who makes it harder?
This is especially true when hiring across departments. No one wants to work with someone who can’t shift gears, or who only brings their full self to the table when everything goes according to plan.
The Mindset That Gets You Hired (Again and Again)
The most in-demand folks in this industry aren’t just talented. They’re team-oriented and incredibly flexible.
They’re the ones who say, “I’m a boom op who can also handle production sound when you need it” or “I’ve never been a production accountant, but I’m good with numbers and would love to learn.”
They’re writers who offer to assist in the art department or P.A.s who volunteer to stay a bit longer for a late-breaking location scout. And when they do it with good humor and professionalism? People notice. People remember.
And yes, people rehire.
But here’s the subtle key: it’s not just about being versatile. It’s about how you frame that versatility. You want your versatility to sound like your superpower, not a survival tactic.
If you say, “I’ve had to wear a lot of hats because budgets are always tight,” it might sound like you’ve just been scrambling to stay afloat, or worse, that you’re a tad resentful.
But if you say, “I’ve worked across departments and love finding ways to connect the dots between them, especially on fast-moving productions,” now your flexibility feels intentional. Strategic. Valuable.
Or you say, “On my last short, I came on as a line producer but ended up also casting background actors and handling set decoration on a few shooting days when we were short-staffed. I realized I actually enjoy stepping into multiple roles. It helps me see the bigger picture and problem-solve in real time.”
That kind of framing doesn’t just tell people what you did. It tells them how you think. And in indie production, mindset is half the job description.
This doesn’t mean you have to say “yes” to everything. It doesn’t mean you should be the project’s doormat. It means you lead with your humanity and your skill set. You show up like someone who knows the job is tough and believes in making it easier for everyone involved.
The One Thing That Gets Remembered When the Dust Settles
When the shoot wraps, when the lights go down, when the hard drives are backed up or the run ends, people don’t just remember the work you did. They remember how they felt around you.
In this industry, your vibe is part of your craft.
So the next time you interview, pitch or apply for a role, don’t just highlight what you can do. Highlight how you work. Show them you’re a human who thrives in chaos without spreading it.
Be that person who makes everyone say: I want to work with them again.
