I never entered the commercial circles, so my knowledge of what goes on there is second-hand. There are some crews who pretty much exclusively work on commercials, but like any circle/environment, getting in and staying in is hard because those who are established already have friends and trusted crew to call on.

On occasion, feature DPs and Directors will go shoot a commercial or campaign between features, so they of course bring their feature crews with them whenever possible.

So yes, the work is out there, but like anything else, finding a way "in" to that arena is the hard part.

Brian Dzyak
Cameraman/Author
IATSE Local 600, SOC
http://www.whatireallywanttodo.com
http://www.realfilmcareer.com

Commercial work is extremely lucrative. Very short-term (2/3 day
shoots) but the pay is excellent.

I have the same experience as Brian; there are people who do
commercials almost exclusively - producers, directors, DP's, art
directors, costumers, grips. The commercial prodCo's often have
several full time people on staff. Becoming that "go to" producer
ad agencies use regularly is very, very difficult - not really the
way into the business - certainly not any easier than making your
way into the business by making features. But it can be done. New
prodCo's specializing in commercials are popping up all the time
and the competition is fierce. In order to get to the point where
commercials becomes the bread-and-butter a producer will need to
spend many years building their contacts and reputation. But after
5 or more years of struggling (no budget local ads, one big one a
year) it could become that bread-and-butter business a producer
uses to break into TV.

=============================================
The aim of an argument or discussion should not be victory, but progress.
Joseph Joubert, essayist (1754-1824)

I know of areas where "competition is fierce", but, if you really look closer, you can find opportunity - I've done that with my practice, so I know. I know how to get business, so I was thinking that this could be my way in. That said, I already have a lucrative firm, so, as I write this, I'm thinking I don't want to wait - I want to make the leap into features. But I've had a long week, so maybe I'm just tired.

CI, I'm curious - when you say the pay is lucrative, how much do you mean?

When I say the competition is fierce I do not mean one cannot find
an opportunity. I mean there are a lot of people doing the exact
same thing. There are more prodCo's looking for work than there
is work. Of course there is always opportunity. A producer has to
put in just as much effort and time and money into starting a prodCo
that makes commercials as one that makes features. If a producer
wants to start in commercials that's a fine way to start. It will take
many years of focus, time and money to get to the point where it
becomes the bread-and-butter work.

quote:

---

Originally posted by Aspiring mogul
CI, I'm curious - when you say the pay is lucrative, how much do you mean?

---

Sky's the limit. You could pull in several hundred thousand a year.
Many of the top prodCo's clear over a million. Advertisers on the
national level pay huge money for spots.

quote:

---

Originally posted by certified instigator

A producer has to
put in just as much effort and time and money into starting a prodCo
that makes commercials as one that makes features.

---

Agreed, but commercials are not as risky. So the question is, would it be worth it to start from commercials and spend another half decade?

quote:

---

Originally posted by certified instigator

quote:

---

Originally posted by Aspiring mogul
CI, I'm curious - when you say the pay is lucrative, how much do you mean?

---

Sky's the limit. You could pull in several hundred thousand a year.
Many of the top prodCo's clear over a million. Advertisers on the
national level pay huge money for spots.

---

Interesting.

I don't understand, "not as risky".

Not as risky as in you don't put in your own money
to produce commercial spots? Or what?

quote:

---

Originally posted by Aspiring mogul
So the question is, would it be worth it to start from commercials and spend another half decade?

---

Only you know if it's worth it to you.

It is not worth it to me. I wanted to write for TV and
make movies - not make commercials - so that's the
path I took. If you want to spend the time and effort
to build a commercial production company and then
break into films and TV after you are making a decent
living producing commercials then that's something
only you can answer.

quote:

---

Originally posted by certified instigator

I don't understand, "not as risky".

Not as risky as in you don't put in your own money
to produce commercial spots? Or what?

---

Not as risky in the sense that, if I start a commercial video production company, I can be reasonably sure that, in five years, ad agencies will start coming to me, so I can make a profit. That's assuming this is a bread-and-butter business, as I've said.

By contrast, if I was to start a film company to do movies, I have no idea if I'll even get my money back.

quote:

---

Originally posted by certified instigator

quote:

---

Originally posted by Aspiring mogul
So the question is, would it be worth it to start from commercials and spend another half decade?

---

Only you know if it's worth it to you.

It is not worth it to me. I wanted to write for TV and
make movies - not make commercials - so that's the
path I took.

---

I agree that only I can decide if it's worth a further wait - that's why I started this thread, to get opinions from you and Brian. I also want to make movies, not commercials, and I already have a bread-and-butter business that's doing well, so, as you rightly said, I may want to make the jump - sooner or later, if I'm going to do it, I'll have to do it.

But, if you were taking a break between shootings, and you had a chance to do a commercial for some extra cash, would you refuse? ?:D?