Independent Film Maker Career

*A job as an Independent Film Maker falls under the broader career category of Producers and Directors. The information on this page will generally apply to all careers in this category but may not specifically apply to this career title.

Job Description for Producers and Directors : Produce or direct stage, television, radio, video, or film productions for entertainment, information, or instruction. Responsible for creative decisions, such as interpretation of script, choice of actors or guests, set design, sound, special effects, and choreography.


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Producers and Director Career

What skills are required for Producers and Directors?

Importance Skills
Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
Social Perceptiveness - Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Coordination - Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Time Management - Managing one's own time and the time of others.
Management of Personnel Resources - Motivating, developing, and directing people as they work, identifying the best people for the job.
Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Systems Analysis - Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
Complex Problem Solving - Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Active Learning - Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Negotiation - Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.
Systems Evaluation - Identifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, relative to the goals of the system.
Learning Strategies - Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
Service Orientation - Actively looking for ways to help people.
Persuasion - Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
Management of Financial Resources - Determining how money will be spent to get the work done, and accounting for these expenditures.
Instructing - Teaching others how to do something.
Management of Material Resources - Obtaining and seeing to the appropriate use of equipment, facilities, and materials needed to do certain work.
Quality Control Analysis - Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
Mathematics - Using mathematics to solve problems.

What knowledge is needed to be an Producers and Director?

Importance Knowledge
Communications and Media - Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.
English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
Telecommunications - Knowledge of transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.
Computers and Electronics - Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
Administration and Management - Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
Customer and Personal Service - Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
Fine Arts - Knowledge of the theory and techniques required to compose, produce, and perform works of music, dance, visual arts, drama, and sculpture.
Engineering and Technology - Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.
Sales and Marketing - Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
Administrative - Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.
Education and Training - Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.

Work Styles

Importance Styles
Dependability - Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
Attention to Detail - Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
Cooperation - Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
Integrity - Job requires being honest and ethical.
Stress Tolerance - Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high-stress situations.
Adaptability/Flexibility - Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
Leadership - Job requires a willingness to lead, take charge, and offer opinions and direction.
Persistence - Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.
Initiative - Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
Self-Control - Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
Independence - Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.
Social Orientation - Job requires preferring to work with others rather than alone, and being personally connected with others on the job.
Analytical Thinking - Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.
Innovation - Job requires creativity and alternative thinking to develop new ideas for and answers to work-related problems.
Concern for Others - Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.
Achievement/Effort - Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.