How to get a job 1n film > During one of the busiest times of the year for the industry, it’s never been easier to start your career Rebecca Peterson Staff Writer he Canadian dollar is at a depressing low right now, which is bad news for pretty much everyone—except for American film companies looking to make movies at a low cost. The industry has just entered what’s known as “Pilot Season,” the time of year where everyone’s filming pilot episodes for TV series that will hopefully get picked up by networks and given a full season’s run. With the low dollar and BC’s reputation for diverse locations and good crews, business is booming. Now, we have tons of jobs available, and not enough people to work them. In the last hour alone, I’ve received two separate job offers, and that’s without being on any official availability listings. So in the interest of helping out my coworkers, bosses, and industry siblings-in-arms, | thought I'd take some time to do some recruiting. ll warn you right now, film work is not easy. It is physically and mentally exhausting, with long hours and high stress. The day before yesterday, I worked 18 hours—and long hours like that aren't out of the ordinary. That being said, there are some perks. The food is free, the pay is decent, and right now, the upward mobility in the industry is crazy. On the show | worked last fall, I started off as a production assistant (PA) and moved up to Key PA, then even filled in as a trainee assistant director for a day despite no experience in the department whatsoever. As the saying goes, it’s not what you know, it’s who you know, and this is especially true in the film industry. If you have even a friend of a friend who's in the industry, there’s a good likelihood they’ll know someone who’s looking for people. I cannot stress this enough: it does not matter what department you start out in. If you want to work as a camera operator and can only find work as a grip, take the job. You'll meet people on set who, if you work hard and have a good attitude, will take notice and can help get you where you want to go. If you don’t know anyone, however, the easiest department to start off in is Locations. PA work is vitally important and unfortunately thankless—you’re often the first to arrive and the last to leave. Still, if you have no experience and are eager to learn, Locations is the best place to start. Put your résumé together with the job you want in mind. Have you taken any film courses? Have you worked any labour industry jobs? Do you have your driver’s license, or better yet, a commercial vehicle license? These are all good things to include, but even a few years of retail experience shows that you're capable of working, which is honestly all anyone’s looking for right now. Next step is to Google “DGC Production List.” The first PDF result will show you what’s filming right now, as well as a few key details about how to contact the production and who to talk to. Look for the title “ALM” (Assistant Location Manager). Sometimes there will be two. Under the production name should be the production office’s e-mail. Type up a cover letter template that’s brief and to the point, addressed to the show’s ALM(s). Key phrases that they'll be looking for are “full availability” and “reliable transportation.” Always say you have reliable transportation, even if you don’t have a car and can’t drive. They just need to know that you'll show up! This isn’t a regular job— if you start over-specifying your time constraints they will not hire you. Include your contact information, your résumé, and thank them for their time. Your subject line to the production office should look like this: “Locations PA Résumé - ATTN: (Name of ALM)”. This Menstrual sponges: An unsung hero > The pros seem to outweigh the cons on these little miracles Rebecca Peterson Staff Writer P eriod-havers, imagine your ideal product for dealing with your personal “Red Sea.” For me, it would be something easy to use, impossible to feel, and effective on my heaviest days. For a lot of people, being able to have sex while on your period would also be a bonus. Introducing: the menstrual sponge. There are two types of sponges; the natural sea sponge (which is reusable), and the synthetic sponge, which is not. The natural sea sponge will likely appeal to the environmentally conscientious, as it can last for a long time—up to six months, with the proper upkeep. Like any reusable menstrual product, hygiene is a must. You will have to clean the sponge between uses, and disinfect it with body-safe products like apple cider vinegar and/or tea tree oil. Make sure to rinse it very well afterwards, as even natural cleansers can throw off your vagina’s pH balance. To insert the sponge, squeeze it into a small shape and guide it up into your vagina with clean fingers. It should settle easily close to your cervix. As with tampons, if inserted correctly you shouldn't be able to feel it. Removing the sponge, however, is the slightly gory downside. If using a natural sponge, | highly suggest tying a thread of unwaxed dental floss through the middle so you can pull it back out without having to... fish around for it. Be gentle while guiding it out—not only will it leak when compressed, but you run the risk of tearing the sponge in two if you're not careful. Removal and constant cleaning seem to be the major downsides of the natural sponge, two problems that are countered in the design of the synthetic sponge. The synthetic sponge is firmer, less prone to tearing, and is designed with a handle to loop your finger through, making it easier to remove. However, synthetic sponges are one use only, which is neither cost- effective nor environmentally friendly. I'd suggest saving the synthetic sponge for special occasions or emergencies. However, use of the synthetic or natural sponges doesn’t eliminate the danger of toxic shock syndrome. So NSN will tell the person on the other end who to forward the e-mail to. E-mail as many productions as you can, and you should hear back within a week or two. As I said before, film is not easy work, but it can be incredibly rewarding. If you go in with the right attitude, a smile, and a willingness to work, you can go very far in a very short period of time. Image by hitthefloor.com wear time on either sponge is still restricted to eight hours, the same as any tampon. This could be problematic on lighter days, especially if you're using a synthetic sponge. Overall, I think the concept of menstrual sponges is absolutely fascinating. | don’t know if I'd go out of my way to try them, but if I saw one in stores I might pick one up to have on hand. Just in case.