So nice of Judd to offer a word of advice - after working as his assistant for three films and just before I left to produce my first feature, I asked if he had any advice for me. He looked at me, said, "nope," and proceeded to unfold his NY Times and start reading. It was the shortest conversation we ever had.

Hello. I'm assuming you live in India, but in general, you would need to start by finding work as a Set Production Assistant and then, over time, work your way up to becoming an AD.

In the US there is a very specific track to do this and there are really only four ways for it to happen:

1. End up on a non-union show working as an AD that turns union (this depends completely on luck and being on a generally bad show in which the hours are brutal, the crew is miserable, and someone calls in the unions to negotiate on their behalf).

2. Work as a P.A. and collect your "days" (Call Sheets with your name on it, Crew Lists with your name on it, and pay stubs). You collect all of that paperwork at the end of collecting proven days of work and, for example, if you're in California, you submit to the NY qualifications list. Inevitably they'll tell you you need a few more days because "these days don't actually count" (for one reason or another). Get your other days and resubmit. If you get in, you can work as a DGA AD... (but not in your own local). Then you have to go out of town which, in the current state of the industry is easier than it used to be. You get an additional 150 or so out of town days and then you can work anywhere.

3. Work as a non-union or commercial AD for a certain number of proven days (I don't recall the number) and then submit to join the guild.

and finally...

4. Look into the Directors Guild of America Trainee program. This is where, if you make it into the program, you are assigned to various film and tv shows as a trainee under the union AD's. When you complete the program, hopefully you've made some solid connections with AD's who will hire you again, and you will find work. Of note: As you are ethnic, this program may work for you as it's generally a good route for people of non-white ethnicity and females. https://www.dga.org/Resources/Training-Program.aspx

Good luck!

There is unfortunately no one way to get a job in the business. The best way to be a writer/director is to write and direct.

When you're just starting out your films are going to suck. Just the way it is. You don't become a concert level violinist the first time you pick up the instrument. You need to train. You need to fail. You need to learn.

Keep making your shorts. You'll notice you get better and the work gets better. When you have something you think is solid, get on Filmfreeway and enter some short festivals. If your stuff is good, you'll get selected.

Best of luck.

HI, Shea -

For the first part, you may have to move closer to a larger city as the likelihood of your finding film stuff happening in the Irish countryside is slim... however, you could reach out to the Irish Film Board (http://www.irishfilmboard.ie) and go that route. Another way to meet like-minded people is to head off to the nearest Film Festival and network a bit. Yet another way to do it is to get yourself a solid DSLR camera, put up some flyers at your local coffeehouse and start shooting stuff on the weekends with people who answer.

As for writing, you have to know where you want to go with the story you want to tell. Read some blogs (John August's is a great one) and then plot out your story beats. When it comes to writing, you can find all kinds of scripts for free online. Look at how the writers format everything. Calculate the major story beats in their scripts and figure out where they come in the script - first turning point, etc. (a page equates to about a minute of screen time). When you're ready, get writing. You can use free screenwriting software like Celtx or pay for Final Draft (industry standard). Most importantly, write the whole thing... start to finish. Don't go back to tweak stuff before it's done or you'll never finish. It is never... NEVER... going to be great in the first draft, so don't expect too much of yourself. Screenwriting is a constantly evolving process. First it's just you as you write (and re-write, re-write, re-write and then polish polish, polish)... then your producer comes in with suggestions for improvement. Then the director loves it but wants changes... then the actors come in and ask for more lines (or cut lines that are there). Don't be precious about any of it. Collaborate... as long as it doesn't compromise or eviscerate your original vision. Now give it to people you trust and ask that they give you their (brutally honest) opinion - anything less isn't helpful. You need critics, not enablers. If the notes are all over the place, you probably have work to do in a general sense. If the result is mostly positive but one specific note matches among a number of different people, you need to address it. Ask lots of questions - what did you find confusing? Did you understand why this character made this choice? Etc. Finally, when you think it's ready, decide what you want to do with it? Direct it? Just get it made? Get you a rep? Whatever it is, pick your target and go after it. Good luck!