Montana Opportunities in Film - How to Start a Film Career and Capitalize on Local Productions

Career PathwaysInterviews
Written By Melissa Paulsen

On Thursday, December 8, 2022, the Montana High Tech Business Alliance and the Media Training Center partnered for the webinar “Montana Opportunities in Film.” Guest speakers included Joseph Grady, event moderator and educator; Amanda Bearmedicine, trainee graduate of the Media Training Center and actress; Lynn-Wood Fields, award-winning filmmaker, educator, producer, and founder of the Media Training Center; Tyler Grutsch, award-winning television director, producer, and entrepreneur with Montana Video Production Rentals; and Jeri Rafter, freelance filmmaker. Photo via the Media Training Center.

December 30, 2022

By Melissa Paulsen

To help Montanans learn how they can participate in the state’s burgeoning media and film industry, the Montana High Tech Business Alliance co-hosted the webinar “Montana Opportunities in Film” with the Media Training Center. The discussion featured five diverse Montanans who have built successful careers and businesses while working in media and film. Panelists included:

  • Joseph Grady, moderator. Joseph is an educator who uses theater, art, writing, and music to share the culture and lifeways of Indigenous communities with the larger world and promote positive change for BIPOC people.

  • Amanda Bearmedicine is a trainee graduate of the Media Training Center. She has worked in various roles, including as a production assistant, 1st and 2nd assistant director, and actor on productions including The Woods, Yellowstone, Checkmate, and The Wild Frontier Season 2. Amanda is also an enrolled member of the Blackfeet Tribe.

  • Lynn-Wood Fields is an award-winning filmmaker, producer, and educator who created a new Production Assistant Rapid Training Course with support from Accelerate Montana.

  •  Tyler Grutsch is an award-winning television director, producer, and entrepreneur with Montana Video Production Rentals whose credits include Yellowstone, Maid, and commercials for Nike, Viacom CBS, Dunkin Donuts, and Frito Lay/Cheetos.

  • Jeri Rafter is a freelance filmmaker whose credits include films like Winter in the Blood and Mickey and the Bear as well as shoots for brands like Ford, GEICO, Google, and Subaru.

Each panelist shared the highlights of their careers, what a typical day on set entails, and their tips on how hard-working Montanans can break into the media and film industry regardless of their age or experience level. Questions and responses have been edited for length and clarity.

Please tell us some of the highlights of your career, such as some of the favorite projects that you've worked on.

Tyler Grutsch: I've worked on a lot of cool [projects] that have come through Montana throughout the years. Often, these projects are only a couple of days [or] maybe a couple of weeks of your life and then you move on to the next project. It's hard not to bring up Yellowstone, though. [Yellowstone is] one of the highest rated shows for CBS Viacom and we're fortunate they chose to move [production] from Utah and shoot [in Montana] full time starting [with] season four. So, [working on Yellowstone] is probably my favorite [project]. I got to light an interview for Kevin Costner and Harrison Ford. What could be better than that?

Jeri Rafter: Tyler [Grutsch] and I have worked on a lot of [projects] together. Every show is different, but one of my favorite things is that [during] the past couple years, [as] an independent crew, we’ve started to gel and become friends [and] like [a] family. The friendships [we form] and seeing people become successful and [the] progress is one of the most rewarding things about working in film in Montana. I love pretty much everything that I work on because I’m usually working with people I enjoy being around. Who you're in the trenches with and who's there to support you is what [working in media and film] is all about. It has been good working [in Montana] the past 10 years.

Lynn-Wood Fields: I don't do as much set work. I've been doing way more EP (Executive Producer) work and training. I have done a bunch of small projects, but the biggest thing I've been working on for a decade is Perma Red, which is a television series based off a [novel by] Salish author Deborah Magpie Earling. I [also] want to talk about the film incentive (Media Act) and where it's at [in legislature]. There is a bipartisan bill being led by Senator Greg Hertz for 30 million [dollars]. What we have to do as a group is really show that [the Media Act] is economically helping us to continue producing content. The thing I love about the film industry is that it is a green industry and a story-based industry. I want people to know that if we can get the [film incentive] up we could have a [media and film] industry in the state of Montana that's very sustaining. 

What does a typical day on a shoot look like?

Jeri: It's usually a pretty early morning unless we're on splits or doing nights. When you're working on a film [or] any production set, [the production becomes] your whole life because this industry is based on a 12-hour day, and that is just the hours that we're shooting. So, [those 12 hours] doesn't include getting up and getting [to location] or going home and decompressing and trying to fall asleep. If you're a PA (Production Assistant), or if you're in production, the whole crew [can] work more than 12 hours a day. So, on my sets, I really try not to do any overtime, [but], if we do have overtime, it's well communicated, and people are on board for working more than 12 [hours].

To start out, most productions are going to feed you what we call a courtesy meal [which] is breakfast usually. On average, it takes us anywhere from an hour to two hours to get set up in the morning, especially on feature narrative work. The first part of your day is getting set up, [such as with] lighting [and] getting [the] actors ready. [Set up] moves a little faster if you're working on a different kind of set [like] a reality set or a documentary set. Then we work for six hours until we get a lunch break. [After] we have a lunch break, we work another six hours and then we wrap. Sometimes we put everything away and move to the next location and drop stuff there and then go home. Sometimes we're lucky and we get to stay in one spot and come back the next day. You’re going [to] be on your feet most of the day, [and] actively listening [and] solving problems. Every department uses the same kind of interpersonal skills [such as] anticipating what's going to be needed [and] paying attention to what's going on. Film is a very interesting industry, [because] we tell you exactly what we're trying to do that day, and, hopefully, everybody as a team [will] come together to achieve those [goals].

Tyler: [A typical day] changes [based] on the size of the scale of [the] production. If you're working on the set of Yellowstone [which] is one of the biggest [productions] in the world right now, there [will be] 400 to 500 people working on just that set or that unit. In production, it’s all skilled labor, [so] it's very similar to a construction site or working an assembly line. Everyone has their own task and their own department and their skilled labor works together to [create] the completed product. Having a detailed, organized set is so important because it's so expensive.

A typical day on a set like Yellowstone has over 100 drivers, meaning there's over 100 trucks and trailers on set. You’ve got to figure out where you're going to park all those [trucks and trailers], how to get them fueled, and make sure all their tires are good. All those tiny jobs that you may think aren’t important [matter]. If you have to move the wardrobe truck from one location to another and [the truck’s] tire blows out and you can't get to set, and none of the actors can get dressed, that could cost $50,000 an hour. You have to get that production train on the tracks and keep it moving because [otherwise] you’ll have all sorts of problems. A typical day on set is 10 to 12 hours depending on what skilled labor department you’re in, [but working on set] is very team oriented. Person A must do their job so person B, C, and D, can then do their jobs.

Joseph Grady: As an actor in front of the camera, the days are long for different reasons. You tend to do a lot of waiting, sitting, [and] being in a holding pattern [while] waiting for camera changes and so forth. There’s a lot of sitting and waiting for those moments when you’re doing the shot or working as an extra.

The media industry often requires workers to be freelancers and entrepreneurs rather than full-time employees. Do you have advice on how to manage the business side of a career in film or television?

Jeri: You can get a full time nine to five job working in this industry. You could come to set and make content and have a more typical job with a 401k and a set schedule. Managing a freelance career has its pros and cons, [but freelancing] is definitely the way I want to live my life, and [allows me] to be able to see Montana. [Travel] is one of my favorite parts about the job. I get this freedom [as a freelancer] where I could say no to a job and take a month off. You do have to be [efficient] at tracking your own savings and spending and contributing to your own 401k [as a freelancer] [because] you’re the only person looking out for yourself. There are a lot of online resources for how to manage a freelance business.

The other important thing [to keep in mind] if you are going to commit full time to a freelance lifestyle is to have your own LLC and have a separate bank account. Make sure that you have an EIN number and that you're protected that way for legal [and] financial reasons. As a producer, one of the only ways that I can hire an independent contractor is if they have their own LLC.

Tyler: Managing your cash flow is the biggest thing you have to do as a freelancer. The busy season is typically June through September for productions in Montana. But [you should] know that you will have some months, some weeks, [and] some days where the phone might not ring [and] there might not be many opportunities [for work as a freelancer]. But [freelance work] doesn't have to be like that. What I focus on is the production side of things, but, once we shoot everything and produce it, there's a whole new industry in the postproduction [such as] editing, mixing, sound, color, all those [positions]. Those [positions] are more [like] a full-time office job. The hours can be long and [include] deadlines, but there's more consistency with that [postproduction] pipeline. Some people love the [freelance] lifestyle. You just have to know that [as a freelancer] you'll get paid and paid well, but [the pay] isn’t always consistent.

Lynn-Wood: I think film is a perfect fit for Montanans because we're such entrepreneurs. If you're going to get into this world, you do you have to see yourself as a startup business. You [also] have to diversify a lot. I pieced together my career over the last decade [through] a lot of different [roles], but I started as an editor, and then I helped with promo videos. I think there's a lot of people who maybe aren't all filmmakers, who are entrepreneurs, [or] vendors, and [are] really starting to realize that, as we increase this film incentive, that's where [Montana] can benefit as a tech industry. If you are somebody who has a skill or a talent, consider yourself a business from now on. Even if you're an actor or a filmmaker, you need to create an LLC so that you can get hired and start promoting yourself. This industry could really grow and have a lot of opportunities, so everybody could benefit as their own personal business either as a filmmaker or supporting staff to productions.

If an older person is interested in working in film, how could they break into the film industry?

Amanda Bearmedicine: In all honesty, age has no number, so that's the first way to look at [breaking into film]. Secondly, if you want to pursue something, just go for it. I jumped in to [the film industry] [with] a Craigslist ad that I had seen. I went from that [Craigslist ad] to being rejected [and then] meeting the right people at the right time. And now I’m an actress. I [received] the Festival Director’s Actress Choice Award at the Wild Bunch Film Festival. I then went on to [become a PA] by taking Lynn-Woods’ [rapid training] course. As long as you're willing to work hard, age is not a number. It doesn't matter where you start, because with a PA job you can skyrocket into anything else [in different departments]. It’s all about your work ethic and how you're willing to just jump in and give your all and [help] everyone around you. Promote yourself [by] networking [because] that’s how you move forward.

Jeri: I really appreciate people [on set] that are starting over, [or] they're trying something new, and they're not a student or they've been out of school for decades. I think [those candidates] bring a lot of life experience to set. I don't think there's any kind of age barrier [to working on set]. There [are] many ways to get to [work on] set. You don't have to go to school, you don't have to have an agent, [and] that's the beauty of [the media and film industry], if you have the drive and are committed to [the work] you can make [a career]. Just keep an open mind and know that it’s going to be long hours and that [the work] is physical at every level. Diversity is strength on set for sure [and] having different people come together is a real strength in a crew.

Lynn-Wood: Montanans in general are incredible on set. One of the big missions we have in the Media Training Center is getting more veterans, Indigenous, and Montanans on set because all groups work really well. When you are on set, your attitude will dictate the rest of your career. This [industry] is a pretty small network of people, [so] if you work hard [and] you work well with others, we will refer you over and over again.

Tyler: Veterans make fantastic crew members [because] they just take direction well [and] they know what their physical restraints are. [Film and media] are a fantastic transition career [for veterans]. [Film] isn’t like your traditional job where you have a resume and you sit down to have an interview. [Instead] it's all network capital base and referrals. Those relationships you [form on set] and network capital [are] the most valuable [aspects to working in film]. Are you a good person to work with? Do you do your job well? If you check those two boxes, you’ll get asked to come back and work again.

Jeri: [Working in film] is all about having positive people that take care of each other. I don't hold it against people when they make mistakes, because we're all going to make them [but] it's about how you bounce back. I would rather have someone that's made some mistakes and can recover from them than someone that tries to be perfect all the time, because we learn the best, and we learn the most, from making mistakes. Nobody has to be perfect in this business, but the way you recover is what really matters and that you become part of the group and contribute.

What are some of the ways people can break into the film industry?

Lynn-Wood: One thing I hear sometimes is, “If you're not in the loop, you don't know how to get into the loop,” and I want to make sure that people feel that this is something that's opening up. I have created a database through the Media Training Center [which is] a free [production] list and anybody can upload to it. This [database] is just a list in which I share as a concierge service to any producers who call me [for hiring purposes]. So, please upload, because I think the more we share who's available, [and] the more we share our job skills, the more work we all get. The Montana Film Office has a [production] list [and] there's [also] the Montana Film Society and other Facebook groups.

Jeri: For people who have [worked as a] PA before, [or] if you're new to [working as a] PA, [or] if you feel like you're already a good PA, you can still take the [Production Assistant Rapid Training] course. You might take the course and already know every single thing, but the people that are going to hire you are your friends, and where you make friends is [through opportunities] like this where you meet people and start working together. [The media and film industry] is about meeting people and showing your personality and what you can do.

Is location a barrier if someone is not in one of Montana’s major hubs where a lot of these productions are set up?

Lynn-Wood: I wanted to talk about the vision of the future of film potentially in Montana. When we talk about this film incentive, I can't overstate how important it is. If we have a higher film incentive moving into 2023, I could see Montana having one of the larger [film and media] industries. There's so much need for it, and if we have that [film incentive], I think we're going to see the Flathead Valley as [a] number one [shooting location]. So, there's definitely huge potential for that area. I think if you're interested in your community growing, something to consider [is] putting together a film friendly community group with economics and hospitality and putting together the stuff that's needed to create a film. We're not always just sitting back. We can make these [opportunities] happen in our areas.

How can I list my business or location as a possible production site?

Lynn-Wood: [You can list your location] on my database. Also, I would call the [Montana] Film Office and let them know that you're interested.

Jeri: The [Montana] Film Office is definitely the place to get your location listed. You could also go to the Film Office, or [use] Lynn-Woods’ list, and reach out to the people listed as location scouts or managers. The folks who are scouting Montana and working locations is [less than] 10 people, so it wouldn’t be hard to reach out to [them.] We are all about locations that want us there because half the time we're begging people to let us film. So, a film-friendly location is always welcome.

Is there anything that we have not talked about yet that you think might be helpful to those interested in working in the film industry?

Amanda: Wherever you start [in the media and film industry] just keep going. Keep working hard because you’re going to move up and meet an amazing group of people who I now call family. This industry is phenomenal.

Lynn-Wood: I think this [webinar] shows that there's a real desire to have this industry in the state, and I would like to encourage us all to stay very connected. I am obviously somebody who’s very passionate about the [film] incentive and working together because I have seen that it works. I'd like for us to continue working full-time.

Tyler: If there's anything I can do to help anyone, just email me. Whatever I can do to help grow this industry and provide more opportunities now or in the future is what I'm all about. If [Montana Video Production Rentals] has work, we'll definitely reach out and hire who we can.

Jeri: I would highly encourage everyone to just stick with it. If you really want to work in film, you can do it. It’s just a matter of diligence and continuing to try to work on sets. Anyone's welcome to send me any kind of information on what position you're interested in doing [in the media and film industry] or what you have to offer. I would also recommend following up and staying in touch.

Joseph: Get involved, stay curious, stay teachable, and be humble. I think that this industry can offer you a lot. The more we get involved, the greater chance for success we have moving forward.

Montana’s booming media and film industry is producing jobs and business opportunities for Montanans everywhere thanks to film incentives created by 2019’s Media Act. From July 2020 to June 2022, Montana’s media and film industry increased its number of productions drastically from 50 productions to about 195 productions, resulting in the creation of approximately 840 full-time jobs and an economic impact of 153.9 million dollars for the state. To learn more about the legislation involving the Media Act and how you can get involved, check out the Media Training Center’s overview here.

Resources:

About the Publisher: Launched in 2014, the Montana High Tech Business Alliance is a nonpartisan nonprofit association of more than 200 high tech and manufacturing companies and affiliates creating high-paying jobs in Montana. For more information, visit MTHighTech.org or subscribe to our biweekly newsletter.

About the Author: Melissa Paulsen is the Communications Coordinator for the Montana High Tech Business Alliance. She graduated from the University of Montana in 2022 with a BFA in creative writing and a minor in history.

Melissa Paulsen
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