What are the best ways for a cinephile like me to find communities of those similarly interested in film?

May 23, 2012 6:25 PM

What are the best ways for a cinephile like me to find communities of those similarly interested in film?

I am eager to find entry level positions in "the industry" and would be equally excited to find some way of making money writing about film but a possibly more immediate goal of mine is to find some way of coming into contact with likeminded fans of the cinema!

I'm not sure if Craigslist or a site designed to facilitate meetups are the best options?

I also live in the New York area and frequent the Film Forum along with other repertory houses in the city and was thinking that maybe those might be a place to find the "community" I'm looking for.

Hopefully you guys can offer up some suggestions or answers!

posted by dr handsome to media & arts (3 answers total)

Not sure re job situation but I know the Thalia Film series at Symphony Space is absolutely fantastic.
posted by bquarters at 6:31 PM on May 23, 2012

Maybe look into joining the Museum of the Moving Image? They have piles of screenings, and it wouldn't surprise me if they had member events and the like.

If you have time for volunteering, what about volunteering for them or a similar nonprofit film resource (Anthology Film Archives, a small film festival, etc.). I volunteered at Great GoogaMooga last weekend (music and food related, but still) and met a bunch of cool people.

I think a lot of the "film community" type stuff is online nowadays and less localized.

Re jobs - are you thinking like the creative side of making movies? If so, that's very easy to get involved with at the lower levels through mandy.com and to a lesser extent the relevant Craigslist jobs sections (hint: check the gigs section under "crew"). There's less there on the well paid production side, but if you dream of becoming a cinematographer or just want the opportunity to spend the day on set as an unpaid grip, that's a good place to start. Keep in mind this'll be student shorts, music videos, and the indiest of indie projects.
posted by Sara C. at 6:54 PM on May 23, 2012

Filmspotting has a pretty rabid and organized fan base interested in cinema. Participating in their forums would probably introduce you to some local NYC resources.
posted by mmascolino at 6:37 AM on May 24, 2012 [1 favorite]