Rough transcript from the video.

01:04

This year has been a struggle for artists in front of the camera and behind the camera things are slow a lot of Productions are moving out of the territory, a lot of artists are also moving out of territory because they're not working and they can't afford to live in area as far as actors are concerned there really isn't a lot of work and we're all competing against the work that is here, so while things are slow I personally think that you should do student films

01:40

And here are my 10 reasons as to why actors should do student films whether you're a working actor or an actor who's just starting out. Number one experience, if you've never had any experience on set if like for me I was fresh out of a performing art school about 16 years ago I never worked professionally on a set I've never worked in front of the camera I came from a theatre background so doing student films will get you comfortable in front of the camera as a guest star where you're saying just a few lines

02:22

or as a lead and you'll get the experience and you get a certain comfort level by being a lead in a student film without all the pressure of  working professionally for your resume student films will give you an opportunity to build your resume by receiving a lot of professional high quality footage a lot of these schools are working with top-of-the line cameras lighting sound multi-million dollar equipment and we all need to add that quality to our resume and if it's slow you can....

03:05

work on a student film and and get some added material for your resume a lot of the things that I go out for now are due to stuff that I shot on a student films I'm a 275 lb  black man so I'm normally stereotyped in Blue Collar tough guy sorts of roles but by doing student films I had the opportunity to to play a doctor to play a a teacher to play roles that I wouldn't normally go out for plus it's on my resume  or it's on my real so directors can actually see me.....

03:44

do the work versus having to imagine if I could play a specific character so you'll be able to build on your resume building connections it's not about what you know it's about who you know especially in this industry and what better way than than to collaborate with emerging artists up and coming directors producers filmmakers because you have to realise these student filmmakers aren't going to be students forever and they're going to be working in the professional field and if you....

04:21

have already built a relationship with them they may hire you later on in the feature so you have an opportunity to network from from the ground ground level and build not only connections but build relationships in a low pressure environment. I'm a filmmaker myself and I know the pressures of bringing any project together especially short films I've shot 12 short films on my own and financed them all and let me tell you it is a lot of pressure doing everything on your own to create a 7 to 10-minute....

05:00

short film but when you're doing a student film I'm just hired just to act. The majority of the student films have a whole crew of other students working behind the scenes so all you have to do is just show up and just do your job you don't have to worry about anything else because this is what they're going to school for so the there is no pressure of making things work worrying about locations worrying about the crew not getting along worrying about the cast not getting along whatever....

05:33

you can just focus on the art, focus on the craft and that's the best thing especially being a filmmaker but studying acting and studying theatre and and wanting to just focus on that one thing so it takes the pressure off of you having to do a million different jobs just focus on the one  job. Affordability let's face it most actors I know have second jobs that they hate and we all wish that we can focus solely on our art but the reality is maybe 3% of the industry solely works and and 97% is....

06:16

unemployed so working on a student film or or a few student films you may not get uh be be getting paid the big bucks but every student film that I worked on I got paid at least something that and whether it was like $100 or or $300 to $500 a day just depending on the project but you're getting paid to do something that you love, showcasing your talent, a lot of us who work in the industry I can only speak for myself mostly go out for under fives or co-stars and doing the student film I have an opportunity to play a....

06:57

lead character and it's it gives me the opportunity to showcase my skills and my talent in, and to show casting not only casting directors but producers and future directors that I can I can be more than the stereotypical roles of the big black tough guy or whatever the case may be. By do doing student films you can not only showcase your talent but you can get the footage to show your talent and that could lead to other opportunities, I found my manager off of a student film....

07:33

I shot a student film I got the footage I put it on my reel and she saw it she saw my reel on IMDB and she contacted me so you you never know where a job is going to lead, you never know who's watching so every student film I treat as if it's a big Blockbuster film because you never know who's watching, and you always want to put your best foot forward. If you ever want to create your own projects what better way than collaborating or picking the brains of students who are currently in....

08:16

film School in training in process I've learned so much from student filmmakers that helped me create my own projects so it's an education and they have the time to answer any questions you may ask and I've and I've asked a ton about film making and like I said they're currently in film school they're educated on things that you may not be educated on so you have the opportunity to reach out and ask questions if you decide that you want to get a start doing your own short films

08:50

or feature films or whatever. I'm pretty sure that these students could not only help you and educate you but they may work on the project with you and number 10 it's fun, there is nothing more rewarding than having fun on set and collaborating with cool people and to really remind you why you got into this industry when you're not making any money and when you're in school It's All About the Passion and the longer you're in this industry it can sour you or it can make make you better....

09:30

and it can make you angry and it can make you hate this industry so doing student films you see a lot of young talented filmmakers who still have the love and the passion for the craft and it is always a great reminder why you got into it, so just being around passionate energetic positive people, that should be top on your list when doing student films because most importantly they're just fun they're fun, everyone on the set is fun they're hardworking they're

10:13

talented and it it isn't about money it isn't about Fame it's just about telling a great story and working together to tell that story so those are my 10 reasons why you should do student films I hope this helped.