How I Position Myself as a Filmmaker to Land More Jobs

Over the last 10+ years of creating, directing, and producing films & TV series, I’ve realized that sustaining a career in filmmaking isn’t just about the work you produce, it’s very much about how you position yourself and your work. 

My number one priority is creating a quality body of work, but I’ve found that in this day and age solid work isn’t always enough.

My secret? 

Positioning.

Over the years, I’ve refined my approach to landing gigs and building lasting relationships with my clients.

And today, I’m going to teach you my exact approach to positioning with real-life examples.

Scroll to the bottom for visuals.

My Top 3 Positioning Tactics

1. Find fresh ways to present my films

I don’t just send a link to my portfolio and hope for the best.

It can create a lot of work for the other person to click the link, navigate the homepage, look for previous work, and watch it all through. 

I’ve learned that the key to positioning is customization. 

Instead of sending a mountain of links, I send my director’s reel, which has all of my top work. 

In my experience, a reel is a non-negotiable material to have as a filmmaker.

But something additional I’ve been doing that has proven successful is sending a mood board that showcases a curated selection of my past work.

When I tailor this mood board to the client, I study their brand, their tone, and past projects. 

I want the client to see exactly how my style aligns with what they want, before they even get a taste of the final product.

2. Show proof I can do the work

Recently, I created a special deck that includes samples of relevant creative treatments I’ve written in the past.

I hand pick a few pages from each to include.

I’ll send it before even creating a treatment for the client, just so they can see how I think, how I approach a project, and what the final result could look like.

It’s about showing what I’m capable of doing. 

It’s about demonstrating that I can take their vision, their idea, and bring it to life. 

The more proof I give, the easier it is for clients to feel confident in hiring me.

Stay tuned for my full pitch deck & director's treatment framework.

3. Share my creative approach to filmmaking

Picking up a camera was a culmination of moments, experiences, and a natural evolution of who I am. 

My upbringing played a huge part in this.

Growing up in Los Angeles, my mother was a single-working parent and public school teacher. 

We received government aid and often faced uncertainty. 

Despite our circumstances, my mom had an unwavering commitment to supporting my passion for sports. 

She would seek financial aid and scholarships so I could participate in sports camps and clubs, which led me to excel, and even receive a D3 college sports scholarship.

I went on to study journalism and make documentaries about elite athletes around the world.

It makes perfect sense to me that I ended up here, working in filmmaking and sports. 

And I use the values instilled in me from a young age to fuel the approach to my work every day.

Here are a couple examples of my creative approach to filmmaking:

• Nuanced & authentic storytelling & visual style
• Women in front of & behind the lens
• Character driven narratives that highlight the human behind the athlete 

Now, write out examples of yours! 

Summary

Positioning yourself is everything. Here are my top 3 positioning tactics:

1. Present work in a fresh way

2. Show proof the work can get done

3. Include a unique approach to filmmaking