this might be a long shot but figured id ask. ive been doing commercial drone work for a couple years, mostly agriculture surveys and some infrastructure inspection stuff, and im pretty comfortable flying in challenging conditions. i have my part 107 obviously and ive done a few waiver applications too.

i keep seeing job postings for drone operators on film sets but they always seem to want people who already have credits, which is the classic chicken and egg problem. does anyone know how people actually break into that world? is it just who you know or is there a way to get on peoples radar without already having a feature film on your resume

i live near a city that has a decent amount of production happening, not LA or anything but its not nothing either. i figured maybe starting with smaller local productions or student films or something but im not sure if thats even how it works or if im just being naive about the whole thing

student films are actually not a bad idea at all, i wouldnt dismiss that. film school students are always looking for people willing to work for credit or cheap and honestly some of those projects are genuinely ambitious. i did a couple and while i made basically nothing i got some really good footage for my reel and met a DP who later recommended me for a paid commercial gig. its slow networking but it works if you're patient.

also look into joining your local film commission mailing list if theres one, productions that come to your area often need local crew and they sometimes reach out through those channels. its not glamorous but its a real way to get on radar without already having the big credits

the credits thing is real and its annoying but i'll say this — your inspection and survey background might actually be more interesting to certain productions than you think. documentary crews and news outfits care a lot about someone who can fly reliably in weird conditions and not freak out, they dont always need the cinema drone operator type. might be worth pitching yourself to that corner of the industry instead of trying to get onto narrative film sets right away where the politics are kind of intense anyway