Thanks to the creative world he lives in, a film professor can wear many different hats during his career. He can choose to be a film history professor, scriptwriting professor, production pro, and more.
A film professor’s job requires perseverance and dedication to nurturing new talent. He conducts lectures and workshops and helps shape and inspire students.
To apply for a job as a film professor, you need to train and add more grist to your mill with years of academic training and field experience. Here, we will discuss academic requirements, salary packages, roles and responsibilities, and CV/resume.
What Is the Typical Pay Structure?
On average, a film professor can expect to make around $63,000 per year. However, a professor with tenure in any school or a permanent position in a college or university can expect to earn more and enjoy additional benefits.
Moreover, professors without tenure can get regular work outside of their employment sphere. This can be guest lectures training new actors or actresses at a theatre academy, etc.
So, the final range you can expect to fall between is $14,500 to $157,000.
How to Get There – Academic Journey
After high school, you must enroll in a bachelor’s program for film studies. Later, you might also want to take a course for a degree in education to brush up on your teaching skills.
The teaching course is essential because studying film studies opens up multiple doors. So, to show your seriousness and academic expertise as a film professor, you must also understand teaching and coaching.
Secondly, undergo formal training under various masters in the field to gain practical knowledge with experience. In the film industry, experience matters as much as academia.
When given a chance, attend workshops, extra-curricular activities related to the field, seminars, events, etc.
Regardless of your practical experience, you should strive to be a contributor to published papers and books or show a legible background in research and development.
What Does a Film Professor Do?
A film professor’s responsibility is to teach students about the theoretical side of cinema. The film industry has cut-throat competition, so you must be adept and highly efficient.
In a school or college, you will be taking classes on film history, the theory of filmmaking, and its practical aspects. It is up to you which specialty you want to focus on among filmmaking, acting, direction, screenwriting, and production.
Your job is to train the students and teach them everything about the backend of filmmaking. In the schools, the course is simple and helps make a base for higher studies. You might also have to judge the student’s skills in their preferred niche here.
More importantly, teachers with practical experience can have better opportunities. But this does not mean those without any credit to their names will not get work. It depends on the employer and their needs.
Furthermore, you must learn to address both sides of the spectrum. In the classroom, you must provide the students with a supportive structure and help them better handle constructive feedback.
How To Make a Better Film Professor CV
An impressive CV is your window of opportunity to get noticed and make an impact. Focus on your technical and theoretical skills while making the resume. The recruiters will be looking for film theory and practical experience.
Throughout your career, gain as much knowledge and experience as possible while updating your CV. Try out different courses proffered by reputable institutions.
Practical skills might relate to camera operation, editing, recording sounds, studio management, and production. At the same time, you must have a deep-set understanding of films, culture, and their impact on the theoretical aspects.
Get as many recommendation letters as possible and embellish your CV with some credits in your name.
Where Are the Jobs?
Online job platforms are perfect places to land your first job as a professor. You can check out websites like SimplyHired, Indeed, and GlassDoor, and you should also keep an eye out on LinkedIn.
Conclusion
Professors are incredibly valuable in a student’s career, so schools want to hire the best. That is why, make sure you keep learning, keep growing, and get more experience to make a major impact.