So you are an Engineer or Doctor or MBA or any professional degree holder and have just completed your Education/have worked for a few years to realize that you love filmmaking and would like to pursue your Passion?

So what should be the next step? How you are supposed to start? Should you give it a try in Mumbai? Would you be able to survive? How long would it take you to earn? What if you fail?

One thing is for sure you need to understand it would take around 2-3 years (An optimistic number of years) for you to earn a decent living as an AD’s (though there are no rules but generally) and that too if you know something about filmmaking. Most of the Chief AD’s/1st AD’s preferred guys from film schools these days. If you haven’t done any course then it all depends on your attitude to find the right opportunities.

Now I think you need to decide for yourself how to go about it?

The basic needs are food, clothes, and home; if you can manage this then probably it would be much easier otherwise it’s really tough.  You would need at least some money to survive for initial 1-2 years. Your basic expenses would be shelter, food, traveling, and mobile phone bills.

Even if you manage to get a breakthrough as Runner/Clapper, you might be lucky to earn 5K-20K per Film. Generally, runners and clapper are paid for traveling only.

As a 2nd AD/3rd AD, you would be earning 25K to 1L per Film. It all depends on the production house also. Few production houses are professional and they pay well. If it’s a low-cost film then earnings would be certainly low.

And 1st Ad can earn anywhere between 2L -5L per film depending upon reputation and production house. 

Generally, a film takes about 4-6 Months for completing a film from Pre-Production to Post-Production. In most cases, only 1st AD’s or Chief Assistant Directors are part of Post Production so you may calculate your monthly take home. 

AD’s also do Advertisement films, which pay a good amount of money in a small amount of time. Since Ads are more quality work, you will get work once you’re known in AD circuit. 

There are no rules and one needs a sheer passion for getting into filmmaking but you would have to make arrangements for surviving the initial years of struggle. The struggle may last for months/years and you have to be mentally prepared for it.

You may get used to a certain level of comfort as you start earning so the decision has be to very concrete before you leave everything behind. However, I would personally advise you to not to leave your job without being 100% sure about filmmaking.

One may have an illusion of belonging of to this world, so please check if you really have it in you, ONCE AGAIN. So the next question may be “how do we know whether we belong to this world or not???”

These days anybody can make a film and thanks to the evolution of Digital filmmaking for making it is possible. So probably, you may invest in hiring/buying film equipment/Crew and make your few films. Also, you should remember that filmmaking is not like a lottery system. It’s not like you have given one hit and made your career. There are many ONE-FILM WONDERS, who disappeared after that one film.

You may also look at the option of many short-duration courses that you may do along with your job and it would help you understand the basics. Once you have made a few films then you would know yourself, and where you stand.

If your films are creating wonders in YouTube/film festivals then probably you may get an investor to fund your first film or you may get a grant also. There are many film grants available across the globe.

It’s a slow and steady process and there are no shortcuts. Hope you remember the story of the Tortoise and Hare. Remember slow and steady wins the race!

P.S Republishing this article written long back in 2010