Written By: Chehak Agrawal

Are you also someone sitting and wondering about how the content creation industry works? Do you also think that the film-making business is all glamour and fame? Do you have questions just like almost everyone else and want clear answers for them?
Hopefully, by the end of this article, you will have a better understanding of this big glittery world that is the Movie Industry

Let's go through the different myths and stereotypes of our industry and how much of it is true. Shall we? 

Myth 1: "Producers, Directors, and, Actors Have Easy Lives and Make Easy Money"
There is no such thing as easy money, With every project produced and directed- these stakeholders have to live up to the expectation of the masses. In their quest for perfection in their content, directors and, producers encounter several challenges. They deal with tight financial restrictions, hard workdays, and demanding settings. They bear the burden of all judgment calls, from casting decisions to production hiccups. Criticism and rejection go hand in hand all the time.

Myth 2: “Women are not safe in this industry and have no stability or security”
As a woman writing this article, I can vouch for the fact that if you are at the correct place wherein individuals are responsible and respectful and look out for all female employees, the workplace is heaven to work in. Despite odd travel times, there is no single moment where we feel unsafe or insecure in the environment we are in. You just need to be around trusted people in the industry. Moreover, it's a place that pushes you to great extents and your gender is the last thing you have to worry about. From Female Directors to Women Cinematographers, this industry has it all. 

Myth 3: "The Industry is nothing but Glamour and Glitz"
Red carpets and premieres may give the impression that there is perpetual glitter, but this profession requires strong dedication, long hours, and persistent hard labor. The glam and glitter part comes after a long journey of struggles and rejection until which many people give up. The glam and glitter for us is our content working well in the market and getting acknowledged, appreciated, and accepted by people worldwide. Like any other corporate job, we have deadlines, presentations, meetings, and commitments that are needed to be completed within the stipulated time. 

Myth 4: "Interns are bullied and not given adequate work." Have you questioned yourself anytime about whether to join a particular production house as a fresher, intern, or a newbie who has no experience and is willing to learn but is threatened by the fact that will not be treated right or will have no creative freedom?

So okay this might be true in cases of some companies but again this is where your research and socializing with other people comes into play. I will tell you a very basic example of my friend and me, both of us are working in two different production houses and when I asked him about his job roles, his response was “It involves a lot of logistics and labor-intensive work and things where I have no say in any creative aspect”.

On the other hand, I am genuinely happy to be working at a place where I have a good balance of logistical and creative work where I have to make pitch decks, ideate and brainstorm and manage on-ground activities as well. So if you are someone who is looking for something that gives you an all-around experience and learning, you will need to widen your socializing skills, get feedback, and research well, because not all companies treat their junior employees in a way they want to be treated.

Myth 5: “You have no work-life balance in an industry like that”
With personalized experience, I am proud of the place I have worked previously and am working right now, which assures I have a very healthy Work-Life balance, wherein I have enough me-time as well as a good professional life. Balancing both your career and personal life is something I have learned a lot from my work. Even on long days of work, we have fun post office meets, chill weekends, and a good space to incorporate our other daily needs. You just need to assure that the place you are at, respects your personal space and gives all of their employees time to work on themselves.

Myth 6: "Producers Just Write cheques"
Well, my friend if this is what you think of a producer then you have it all wrong. While money is an essential component of production, it is by no means the producer's exclusive duty. A producer is just not someone who puts money in content, they are also someone who is in charge of the smooth functioning of the set and everything from scratch.

The role of a producer is multifaceted, encompassing everything from script development to post-production. They take care of the production budget, talent hiring, contract negotiations, logistics management, and many more departments. So if you plan to put your money into content production then you should also be ready to face losses and rejections because it is the producers that lose all of their money and fame when content does not do well. 

Myth 7: "Industry is Run or Influenced by Nepotism"
Even though there are cases of nepotism in the industry, it is important to acknowledge the many outstanding people who have achieved success through their own efforts and merit. Many aspiring actors, directors, and crew members have started from scratch in their careers, relying on their abilities, commitment, and a little bit of luck to succeed. There is nepotism in every field we go but the issues in the content production industry have been highlighted and brought to knowledge by everybody. 

I hope by writing on some of these myths that I personally sustain in this industry and I sincerely hope I have been able to give you a wider perspective on all different spectrums. See you soon with more of these insights into this "Big bad Industry"