The entertainment industry encompasses a wide variety of creative and business roles across film, television, music, video games, and more. With the growth of streaming platforms and digital content, job opportunities in entertainment continue to expand globally. This article explores key entertainment industry jobs and employment trends.
Production Crews
At the core of moviemaking and TV production are skilled crews handling camera work, lighting, sound, set building, costumes, makeup, editing, visual effects, and more. The number of production jobs fluctuates based on factors like the number of productions happening at once and project budgets. Major production hubs in the US, UK, Canada, and Australia generate many steady crew jobs.
Writers and Directors
Talented writers pen the scripts that provide the creative foundations for movies and shows. Writers may specialize in genres from comedy to drama. Once a project gets the green light, writers collaborate with directors, the creative leads who guide filming and performances. Writers and directors are highly sought after; new streaming services have amplified demand.
Actors
Actors bring scripts and direction to life through their on-screen performances. Iconic movie stars demonstrate acting’s glamorous side, but most actors work on individual projects with periods of unemployment in between. The number of US actors has grown 7% in the last decade to nearly 70,000. Television creates a high volume of acting jobs.
Post-Production Specialists
After filming wraps, teams of editors, animators, sound designers and more spend months refining raw footage into a polished final cut in post-production. As special effects and CGI permeate more projects, jobs in post-production departments have surged over the last twenty years.
Business and Marketing Jobs
Less visibly, entertainment companies provide thousands of jobs in areas like development, legal, finance, distribution, merchandising and marketing. These professionals help coordinate the complicated logistics and financing that underpin multi-million dollar film and TV projects. Marketing roles promote finished projects to audiences.
Trends and Projections
Overall entertainment industry employment in the US grew nearly 15% over the last decade. Media analysts predict strong continued job growth as media companies aggressively build new content libraries to feed consumers’ seemingly insatiable demand for entertainment. Alongside major entertainment hubs, more production jobs arise nationally and globally. Both in front of and behind the camera, entertainment offers a diverse array of career paths.