When most people think of a career in film, they can't get beyond the big names: actor, director, producer, and writer. These careers are extremely difficult to get into, owing to the fact that only a combination of talent, perseverance, connections, and people skills will even get an actor in on the ground floor. However, there are many other careers in film that you could pursue if you have an interest in the silver screen. Here are some that are commonly overlooked.

Camera and Lights

A film is not a film unless it's captured on a camera. Whether it's a newfangled digital 3D model or just an old super 8, someone has to operate it. Starting out, you may only be able to get a job setting up lights or holding a bulky camera, but through skill and experience you can eventually become a cinematographer or a special effects coordinator. You can transition from your current job to film by apprenticing in the field or attending a technical school.

Sound

Sound is crucial in film, as people instinctively know when an ad displayed on screen sounds real or not. In the sound department there are many different jobs ranging from holding the boom mike to designing sounds to add to the finished film to scoring the music used in the film. Your first job will likely be the tiring one of holding a boom mike above your head, but a year in technical school will qualify you for it and the promotional opportunities that follow.

Support

Filming a movie is a major undertaking. Often there are more people involved than the population of your small rural town. As such people are needed to arrange accommodation and transportation. Catering is required to feed everyone, and location scouts and production assistants are needed to find new places to film, run errands, and keep curious onlookers away from the site. You can become a PA simply by applying, with no training needed.

Promotion

Making a movie requires a huge outlay in money, and to make sure the studios make their investment back, they turn to PR experts who get their actors booked on talk shows, have trailers and posters made, and distribute promotional materials across the globe. If you have a background in marketing, you may be able to transition into film promotion without retraining.