How To Find Mentorship In The Film Industry?

How to find mentorship in film can be a bit tricky, but it is possible. Let’s dive in to see how I went about obtaining it.

My mind is wandering in all sorts of directions at this point. Thoughts, such as, “Do I do this? Do I do that? Do I go left? Do I go right? This was my mental state for a few days after I’d received the Budget Top Sheet for my short film. I suddenly thought about stopping the whole entire film project.

With the fact that I’m a full-time employee and an MBA student you can imagine how crazy I thought I was when I decided to embark on this astronomical journey. I knew in the back of my mind; mentorship was the only way to get through this.

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What Is Mentorship?

Mentorship is a pure and authentic relationship between an individual who has many years of experience in a particular industry/field (mentor) and a beginner (mentee) who is also trying to succeed in that same field/industry. A mentor is willing to the help the beginner succeed in their career by always telling the beginner the complete truth no matter how bad the truth may seem.

When a mentor sees you stepping out of line and running too fast, they will be there to slow you down and get you back in line to save you and your career.

What Does Mentorship Provide?

A Roadmap. Mentorship will guide you to the right connections, people, places, services, festivals, grants, etc. to help you decrease the time it will take to get to your film goals. Most of all, mentorship is incredibly patient.

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But how was I going to get it? As I’m pondering this question, I get the internal nudge to visit one of my favorite websites called, “The Theatre Lab: School of The Dramatic Arts”. I just wanted to see what courses they were offering and surprisingly, they were offering private 1-hour coaching sessions for a limited time.

So, I sign up. I later receive an email from the Program Administrator, Bryce Sulecki in which he asks me what goals I wanted to focus on. I respond by telling him that,

“I need a plan for a short film I’m trying to produce. I want a curriculum to follow”.

At that moment, I decided that I was going to do whatever it takes to get as much experience and knowledge in film as possible. No matter how little the opportunity I was going all in.

Bryce pairs me up with Brenna McDonough. A 35-year actor and author who founded her own studio called, “On-Camera-Training”. I reach out to her via email and arrange a time to meet via Zoom two weeks away.

Then, we finally meet. I begin by telling her my intentions. How I have a script that I wanted to produce, how lost I felt and if she can help me?

Her response: “Yes. I can help you. And based on what you just told me, yes, YOU ARE LOST. Here you are, you made it to the top of the mountain, but you’ve missed everything in between”.

My response: (Complete silence). My heart literally starts beating so fast and hard, I thought it was going to come out of my chest. My body began to get hot.

Her response (Continued and In Summation): “But, there’s a way and to get through this successfully and you need to start by doing the following:

Fire your inner critic. Just do it. Slow down the voices in your head.

Throw yourself out there. Get in the company of other actors and film personnel and keep training.

Get out of your head. Most mistakes are made when you move too fast.

The more you repeat the better you’ll get.

She also mentions that I need of a film headshot, resume, email signature, and to get involved with centers such as: Every Man’s Theatre, Arena Stage, The Washington Improv Theatre, Ford’s Theatre, and The Shakespeare Theatre. (Just to name a few).

To also get involved in classes such as: Improv, The Meisner Technique, Getting Started in TV & Film, On Camera Scene Study, Intro to Acting (Check), The Theatre Lab’s Honors Conservatory 1-year Program, Acting in Closeup, Voiceover etc.

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How Do I Find A Mentor In My Industry?

Start locally in the town/area you live in. Find out where the nearest theatres, acting classes, and/or acting studios are and see what mini, short courses they’re offering. Many people want to go big too soon, move out to Los Angeles, Atlanta, the UK, or New York, and join huge acting programs. Although that’s a great and ambitious, try seeing if you really like and want to be in the entertainment industry by taking smaller steps locally.

Walk before you run. I know you’ve heard of many stories with people who went big too soon and came back only to realize that it wasn’t what they thought it would be.

So, take your time. You’re on no one’s timetable.

By taking small steps and getting involved in local theatres and film productions you actually get more interaction and quality attention from teachers and veteran film professionals. They’ll have so many film stories and experiences to bestow upon you and they’ll be more available to you when you have quick questions that need to be answered.

Mentors want serious mentees. They want mentees who are willing to persevere, put their advice into action, make an impact and do the work. Serious mentors don’t want mentees who are in it for quick fame. Film is a long, hard, and tedious process. It may take years before you see any ounce of real success.

I mean, it took me 8 years (on and off) before I actually got the opportunity to intern under a Hollywood actress. (Like I said, the process is long and hard).

I also remember emailing Taraji P. Henson’s assistant years ago to ask for advice. I remember getting a response back telling me to go to school and get training, but I didn’t have any money. I was completely broke, at the age of 21, and living in my parent’s basement.

How To Connect With The Right Mentor?

First, figure out what it is that you’re looking for in a mentor. Are you looking for a mentor who can help you produce your first film? Become officially known as a filmmaker? Actor? Land distribution? Sell scripts? Etc.

You have to get very clear.

Second, once you get clear on what your goals are, then you need to do your research and see what filmmaker or film personnel has achieved what you desire to achieve. Be realistic. Reach out to them. See if they have a website where you can contact them. Remember, start small. Start locally. Put yourself out there on social media.

Never mind that people don’t take you seriously at first. In due time, they will, if you’re serious.

How Do I Find A Mentor In Hollywood?

Start with social media. Find your desired Hollywood mentor’s social media page(s), follow them, and humbly start commenting on their posts. Get in front of them. See what podcasts, film festivals, events, webinars, panels, appearances, and schools they’re following / hosting on social media and find out how you can get featured on them or in them. If they own a film production company or have a film in production, see if they’re hiring and apply.

Do whatever it takes. Get out of your house and go to them!

Direct Message (DM) on social media if their profiles allow it. Better yet, connect with people in their inner circle or who already work for their company and create a genuine connection. Hell, take out social media ads, build a social media following around you and your film career.

Get creative! Be prepared to keep following up and putting yourself out there! Be relentless!

What Does The Mentor Do In Movies?

As mentioned above, a mentor provides guidance, wisdom, and training to the protagonist to help the protagonist reach his/her goal. The mentor gives the protagonist all the information needed to execute their plans strategically and successfully.

Mentors in movies aim to break the protagonist down mentally, physically, and emotionally to identify all their weaknesses and strengths so the protagonist can be built back up stronger than ever.

Check this video out.

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As my coaching session with Brenna continues, she also mentions at auditions that I should beware because they’ll ask the talent for their I-9 (your Employment Verification Form or your ID / Driver’s License).

At commercial auditions – it’s all about the imagination – make believe you’re talking to someone you know because the camera responds to personality and confidence. Whenever you have a script, always ask yourself, who am I talking to and why am I here? It’s all about conversational reality.

After trying to retain all that information, I moved into a sense of wonderment and asked her what the difference was between English and American actors. She responded by saying:

“English actors train very young in theatre. They’re subsidized. They start at a preparatory school and have no interest in becoming movie stars”.

All in all, by the end of the call, I left with more clarity and relief than when I first started, and this further proves the power of mentorship.

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How To Find A Free Mentor?

Real mentorship is free! Point, blank, period. A real mentor, unless it’s a paid coaching session with a set price, will charge you absolutely nothing to give you (a mentee) advice. Why? Because they believe in you. Real mentors want to find trustworthy people in the younger generations to give their expertise to. They don’t want to take all their knowledge with them to their graves. How else will their names live on?

Just imagine having to pay a mentor whose been in the film business for over 10 years. That’s going to be very pricey especially if you’re young, new, or just starting out.

Mentors who’ve been in any industry for a very long time are innately ready to retire but they can’t because they haven’t found someone who they can trust.

Think about it, why are we encouraged to have children? To pass on our good looks, name, and brilliance of course! LOL.

How To Authentically Find Ways To Impress Your Potential Mentor?

In my experience, I think the best way to impress your potential mentor is to have integrity, be humble, and always keep your word. When I decided to take the long route and actually get in the field, grind through the dirt, make things happen, own up to my mistakes, and persevere – it’s an energy that no one can deny.

Be organized. Be prepared. Go above and beyond. Implement on all advice given to you. That’s how you become authentic.

Check out this video I made:

How Do You Get A Lead Role In A Movie?

Well, you audition, of course. LOL.

At the same time, it depends. If you’re looking to get a lead role in an independent (indie) film, it’s best to get your headshots taken and start submitting them to open auditions. There are so many local indie film productions happening today, you can find them on sites such as Backstage or Actors Access.

But please be mindful that many productions may ask you to submit a demo reel, which is just a short video of mini clips of your past acting jobs. So, you may need to get experience first.

You can also do some research and find local talent agencies in your area or near you and see when they’ll be having their next open call for new talent.

Now, if you want to get a lead role in a Hollywood movie you can:

Go big. Move out to Hollywood, Atlanta, the UK, or New York, start auditioning, land a few gigs and get an agent. Or, go big without an agent. I remember reading how Rachel Zeglar was able to land the lead role of West Side Story.

I believe she worked consistently to build a following on Twitter as a musician for 2-3 years. When news broke online of the production, she reached out to Steven Spielberg on social media and asked to be a part of the film! Anything is possible!

Start small. Land a few local film gigs, build a rapport, create a solid demo reel, and reach out to casting directors on social media who cast for major television shows and movies.

Major indie film production companies. Follow them on social media such as Megamind Media who work with major Hollywood celebrities and reality TV stars and keep a look out for when they post for open casting calls. And apply.

Theatres. There are so many stories of big-time actors who were found after being scouted by a talent agent who happened to watch them perform in a stage play.

What Is The Difference Between A Director And A Mentor?

A director is the main leader of a film production set/project. The director is the main individual who is tasked with helping the producer take a story from script to camera all the way to a well-polished finished film/movie product. The director is the person who yells “cut, action, let’s run the scene again” on set. They will do this as many times as necessary to make sure the producer gets the desired product.

A mentor is a confidant who works with you behind the scenes to ensure that you have the proper mindset to overcome any and all obstacles to help you achieve your goals.

What experience(s) did you have in which you knew that the only way you could move forward is by seeking mentorship? Let me know in the comments.

Other posts you may be interested in:

• How To Create An Epic Movie Poster?
• How To Obtain The Copyright To Your Film Script?
• How To Navigate Between A Film Copyright & Trademark?

Disclaimer: 

The author is not liable for any losses or damages related to actions of failure to act related to the content in this article. If you need specific legal advice, consult with an attorney who specializes in your subject matter and jurisdiction.