by Saki Bowman
The first time I walked into a film industry mixer, I felt like I was wearing someone else’s clothes.
You know that feeling? When your shoulders are too tight and you’re hyper-aware of where your hands should be? I had rehearsed my elevator pitch so many times that the words had lost all meaning. “I’m a filmmaker specializing in…” Wait, what was I specializing in again? The script I’d memorized dissolved as soon as someone made eye contact.
It’s taken me years to find a healthy balance between my personal creative vision and my professional brand. Years to understand that the most powerful networking happens when we stop trying to “network” altogether.
The Myth of “Perfect Professional”
Let’s talk about the myth first—the one that says you need to appear fully formed when meeting industry folks.
During my apprenticeship at Wide Angle Youth Media in Baltimore, I made countless mistakes. Some technical (like accidentally deleting footage—backup systems, people!), but most were relational. I’d enter spaces desperately trying to project confidence, focusing so much on how I was being perceived that I couldn’t actually connect with anyone.
As the first federally registered Arts2Work apprentice focusing on Editing and Multimedia Production, I was fortunate to be paired with filmmaker Elissa Moorhead as my industry mentor. She taught me something crucial: filmmaking isn’t a solo performance—it’s a team sport. And networking is less about impressing others than finding your teammates.
Reframing “Networking” as Community Building
The term “networking” itself can feel transactional. It conjures images of business card exchanges and calculating what others can do for you. But what if we reframed it entirely?
Imagine walking into a room not thinking, “Who here can advance my career?” but rather, “Who here might become part of my creative community?”
This shift transforms everything. When I stopped centering what I could get and started focusing on building genuine connections, conversations became easier. I found myself actually listening instead of waiting for my turn to impress.
My mentor Elissa never entered a room as the “important filmmaker with credits to drop.” Instead, she approached each person with genuine curiosity. “What are you working on right now that excites you?” became her opening question, not “What do you do?” The difference is subtle but profound.
The Freedom of Being In-Process
Perhaps the most liberating realization I’ve had is that I don’t need to be perfect or complete to be professional. We’re all works-in-progress and acknowledging that creates space for authentic connection.
At a festival screening at The Loft, a local indie theater in Tucson, I found myself sitting next to an accomplished director whose work I’d long admired. The old me would have carefully curated my comments. Instead, I simply shared what elements of their film genuinely moved me and mentioned a technical challenge I was facing in my current project.
What followed wasn’t networking—it was a real conversation between two filmmakers at different stages but facing similar creative puzzles. By positioning myself as in-process rather than perfectly polished, I created space for an exchange rather than a performance.
Horizontal Not Vertical: Sharing Across, Not Climbing Up
The traditional networking model often feels vertical—you’re trying to climb up some invisible ladder. This model is exhausting and often ineffective, especially for those of us from underrepresented communities.
A more sustainable approach is horizontal networking—building relationships across your peer group and adjacent creative fields. These connections often prove more valuable because they grow organically as you all develop in your careers.
Some of my most fruitful collaborations have come from relationships with fellow emerging filmmakers I met at small community screenings—not from the time I awkwardly cornered a famous documentarian at a festival party (sorry about that, unnamed documentary legend).
Practical Approaches for Authentic Networking
So what does this look like in practice? Here are some approaches that have worked for me:
1. Lead with genuine curiosity
Instead of launching into your elevator pitch, ask questions about the other person’s work.
2. Be specific about your challenges
Rather than vague statements about “looking for opportunities,” share specific creative or technical challenges you’re facing.
3. Follow up thoughtfully
Reference something specific from your conversation when you connect later.
4. Offer something before asking
Maybe you have a resource they could use, or you’ve read an article relevant to their project.
5. Create spaces, don’t just attend them
Some of my best networking has happened when I’ve organized small, informal gatherings like screening works-in-progress.
Finding Your People: Navigating Events with Intention
Film industry events vary wildly in culture and purpose. Learning to read these environments and find the ones where you can be authentic is crucial.
During my apprenticeship, I discovered that while I often felt out of place at formal industry functions, I thrived in more collaborative settings like workshops and community media spaces. These became my entry points—places where I could build confidence and connections before venturing into more intimidating territory.
The Alliance for Media Arts + Culture has been instrumental in creating these kinds of accessible, community-centered spaces through programs like Arts2Work. These environments prioritize skill-sharing and relationship-building over status and credentials, making them ideal for emerging creators from diverse backgrounds.
The Multicultural Reality of Creative Communities
It’s important to acknowledge that standard networking advice often fails to address the unique challenges faced by filmmakers from underrepresented communities. Spaces that feel welcoming to some may feel hostile to others.
As a Media Artist who needed to forge my own lane, I’ve found strength in seeking out spaces designed by and for diverse creators. When navigating traditionally structured industry spaces, having your own community to return to—people who understand your specific journey—provides essential grounding.
Your Professional Brand Is Your Authentic Self
After years of trying on different professional personas, I’ve realized that my most effective “brand” is simply my authentic self—passionate about specific stories, open about my creative process, and genuinely interested in building community.
Your professional brand isn’t a performance separate from who you are; it’s a thoughtful presentation of your genuine creative identity. It emerges naturally when you focus on the stories you’re drawn to tell and the unique perspective you bring to your work.
When your networking flows from this authentic center, people respond to the real you—not a polished but hollow professional facade.
The Ongoing Journey
Finding your footing in the film industry is rarely a straight path. I still have moments of insecurity and imposter syndrome, even after establishing myself in the field. The difference now is that I recognize these feelings as normal parts of a creative life rather than evidence that I don’t belong.
Remember that networking isn’t just about how you can climb up, but about how you can share across. People can feel the difference between someone scanning the room for more important people and someone truly present for the conversation you’re having right now.
The relationships that will sustain your creative life are rarely the ones you strategically cultivated for career advancement. They’re the ones that grew organically from shared passion, mutual support, and genuine connection. These are the ties that form not just a network, but a community—one that will carry you through the inevitable ups and downs of a creative career.
I’d love to hear about your experiences navigating the film industry. What approaches to networking have worked for you? Drop a comment below or connect with us through the Arts2Work Learning Hub community.
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This post is part of an ongoing Arts2Work series supporting emerging media creators. The Alliance for Media Arts + Culture is committed to facilitating collaboration, innovation, strategic growth and cultural impact for the media arts field in the US and around the world.
Saki Bowman is a Consulting Producer with the Alliance for Media Arts + Culture, leading the Arts2Work Learning Hub community, hosting and producing the Arts2Work CONVERSATIONS podcast. Check it out on Spotify or the Alliance website.