The Black and Blue

Filmmaking Tips for Camera Assistants

  • Blog
  • Camera Guides
  • Menu
  • 
  • Blog
  • Videos
  • Free Ebook
  • Pocket Guides
  • Topics
    • Behind the Lens
    • Camera Assisting
    • Cameras
    • Getting Work
    • Industry News
    • Miscellaneous Tips
    • Production Stories
    • Toolkit
    • Website
  • Subscribe
  • Contact
  • About The Black and Blue
  • Sponsorship
  • Comment Policy
  • Privacy Policy
  • Disclosure
  • 
  • U
  • 
  • R
  • @
  • Q
  • ˆ
  • ‰
×
Why Your 2nd Job is More Important than Your First
Creative Commons License Photo: JD Lasica

Why Your 2nd Job is More Important than Your First

Getting your first job is huge. It's shoving your foot through the door and blazing onto the freelance scene. When you do that, you catch the attention of the room and you better have the goods to deliver. And while the first job is indeed important, it's really your 2nd job that you should be more worried about.

by Evan LuziGetting Work

  • 17

The inevitable question anybody starting out in film wants to know is how to get a job — their first job. The film industry seems to operate inside of a walled-garden: unwelcoming to those on the outside, and bearing fruits of labor to those on the inside.

Getting your first job is huge. It’s shoving your foot through the door and blazing onto the freelance scene. When you do that, you catch the attention of the room and you better have the goods to deliver. And while the first job is indeed important, it’s really your 2nd job that you should be more worried about.

The results of your first job will be directly represented by your ability to get another. In an industry heavy on networking and connections, making an impact on your first job is everything.

One of the reasons getting your second job is bigger than your first is because it shows you impressed somebody and that you’ve got the chops to make it.

Maybe it was the director of photography who saw you bust your butt, or maybe it was the first assistant director who thought you handled set etiquette better than any other PA.

Either way, keep in mind that crew are always watching and they want to surround themselves with hard workers. Crew members tend to recommend other crew because when films require strong teamwork, they want to be with the best.

I personally keep tabs on all the people I work with to perhaps work for me in the future or recommend them to others.

But you won’t always be recommended for your 2nd job — it may be your 3rd or 5th gig by the time you get called because so and so commended your work ethic.

That’s OK. Your second job will still be important.

It shows that nobody said anything bad about you, for one, and that your lone credit or experience was enough to warrant somebody hiring you again.

That 2nd time you step on set is big because it gets the ball rolling and once that ball is rolling, there’s nothing but yourself to stop it.

Evan Luzi

  • U
  • 
  • z

Creator of The Black and Blue. Freelance camera assistant and camera operator. Available for work: Contact Evan here. Learn more about Evan here.

An Essential Resource for Digital Cinema Filmmakers

Get the Complete Library of 30 Digital Cinema Pocket Guides

  • Canon C500 Digital Cinema Pocket Guide
  • Blackmagic Cinema Camera Digital Cinema Pocket Guide
  • Nikon D800 Digital Cinema Pocket Guide
  • Canon 5D Mark II Digital Cinema Pocket Guide
  • Sony FS700 Digital Cinema Pocket Guide
  • Sony F65 Digital Cinema Pocket Guide
  • Phantom Miro 320s Digital Cinema Pocket Guide
  • RED Epic Digital Cinema Pocket Guide
Click Here to Learn More

Read Next

Deciphering the Film Slate Mural

Deciphering the Film Slate (Part 3): Twelve Examples of a Completed Slate

I find looking at other slates to be extremely helpful. When I was first starting out as a 2nd AC, it was useful to see how others applied the principles I had learned about slating. So let's take a look at twelve completed clapperboards.

  • Fight Club as a Film and Novel: A Copy of A Copy of A Copy
  • Shooting with RED Epic #4: Use the LED Status Indicators to Save Time
  • The A to Z Guide to Film Set Etiquette
  • Film Set Lingo: Walkie Talkies and Radios - Part 3

Happy Labor Day: The Film Industry Should Treat Crew Better

Today is Labor Day in the United States and, as we recognize this national holiday dedicated to the achievements of the American workforce, it's important to acknowledge that the crew in the film industry – the labor – hold more skill, talent, and power than is being recognized and rewarded.

  • 'The Gift of Room Tone' featuring Martin Scorsese, Roger Deakins, Cristopher Walken, and More
  • Focus Puller Chris Silano on Using the Preston Light Ranger
  • Tom Cruise Isn't Messing Around with COVID Safety
  • 20 Holiday Gifts for Camera Assistants (That Your Family Can Actually Afford)
  • Most Popular
  • Most Recent
Becoming the Reel Deal eBook Cover on iPad

It Only Takes One Gig.

Becoming the Reel Deal is a free downloadable eBook written to help you get your first job on set in the camera department so you can launch your film career.

Sign up now to get your free copy and exclusive tips from The Black and Blue.

Get Your Free Copy
  • Disclosure
  • Privacy Policy
  • Credits
  • Contact

Copyright © 2025 The Black and Blue, LLC