Film fanatics search no more – turn your passion into a full time job
What if we would tell you that your passion isn’t solely a hobby, but you can earn money from your love for watching movies? And what if we would also add that your side hustle can quickly take off and become your full-time job providing you with enough money to quit your job?
Some people enjoy movies, but you are so much into them you feel like your life depends on them. All your friends know you’re a film fanatic from the massive collection of movies you have, or how often you go to the cinema.
Because the film industry continues to grow annually, so are your opportunities to start a successful business. Much like many other business ideas, it’s essential to follow some steps to start the company, but if you invest time and money, and you’re patient, you can find great success. Here are our favourite ideas of businesses a film fanatic can start.
Movie reviews
You spend more time at the cinema than at home and have opinions about every movie and series screening. What would you say if you would share your thoughts on your own website or app? You can easily create your own website for free, where you can engage readers and followers and make money through advertising. You can create multiple categories where you share film news, video reviews, and interviews. To keep your readers engaged, create a community section to discuss movies and other related subjects.
You can also take advantage of content creation platforms like YouTube to review movies and make recommendations. You can quickly gain a following if you target the right audience and tie your channel to a specific website. If you choose to become an online film critic, you can make income by monetizing podcasts and videos or accumulating ad revenue. Ensure you communicate your messages clearly, make salient points, and use high-quality recording equipment to provide your viewers with qualitative content. Network with other online film critics because the industry encourages you to collaborate than behaving like competitors.
Costume designing
Making the characters look like they were created in the book or imagined by the screenwriters plays a vital role in a film’s theme. If you’re passionate about creating clothes and everyone admires your skills, then you can start a film-related business from this. Suppose you don’t have enough money to purchase fabrics and materials that can be quite expensive because movie makers require only premium quality clothing. In that case, you can get one of the small business loans online providers have created to help young entrepreneurs. You should also be ready to travel because many of the movies that will require your clothing design skills will probably be shot abroad, and the screenwriters will need you on set to adjust and create items as the movie is shot.
You can expand your portfolio and add to your services costume creation for commercials and theatre.
Film merchandise
Film merchandise is a massive and growing market because many people are passionate about films and TV series. You can set up an e-commerce store to sell your film merchandise or create an app that allows your buyers to order their favourite items by using their phones.
Customized T-shirts are some of the most popular items you can find in a film merchandise store. Some imagery is so influential and well-known it becomes part of pop culture. Star Wars, Men in Black, Marvel and DC movies can easily be identified even by people who haven’t seen the films. If you’re a movie enthusiast, you can start an online store dedicated to personalized T-shirts and other movie-themed items. You can buy blank T-shirts in bulk to get them at an affordable price and use a print machine to personalize the clothes on your own. If you don’t have design skills, collaborate with a graphic artist to develop some unique designs.
Scriptwriter
Do all your friends think you have quite an imagination? Do you have creative writing experience? Then you can start a new side hustle that includes writing scripts for advertisements, TV series, or movies. This is a film-related job not many people consider because it implies having specific skills. You can start as a freelancer and apply for small jobs that require scriptwriting skills. Before you quit your full-time job and launch your writing venture, check the market for other film-related businesses and learn from them. They may even be looking for a new member of their team.
Become an actor or actress
How many times have you imagined yourself playing the leading role in the TV series you’re obsessed with? But have you ever auditioned for a part? The first step to becoming an actor is to audition for a movie. Actors and actresses are self-employed entrepreneurs who invest in their education to improve their skills and convince screenwriters and directors to cast you in their films. If you become an actor, you can play characters in movies and TV series and bring to life screenwriters’ characters. Before you launch yourself in this career, you should attend some classes to improve your skills.
Movie marketing
If you have marketing skills, you can start a business that promotes films and movies. This way, you combine your abilities with your passion and run a company that fulfils you. But before starting this venture, you should research the market to determine if there is a need for this business in your area. In the beginning, you can start a full-service marketing agency that provides advertising and promotional services for all industries. In addition to the essential video marketing services, you can create trailers and promos for movies. When you develop a strategy to market a film or TV series, you need to collaborate with the client to determine if your content aligns with their message.
Final thoughts
A job in Hollywood may not be the career you’re looking for, but there are many film-related business ideas you can explore. Give yourself some time to explore how you can affirm your passion and provide you with a living.