Breaking into the film industry is rarely a straight line. From the outside, a filmmaker’s “big break” often looks like a sudden stroke of incredible luck or overnight success. However, the reality is far more calculated. You have to actively set up the circumstances, cultivate the right relationships, and build the portfolio necessary to even be in a position to get lucky in the first place.
Cinematographer Oren Soffer perfectly exemplifies this journey. His massive leap from scrappy independent features to a massive sci-fi epic provides a roadmap for aspiring filmmakers navigating a highly unpredictable industry.
Here is how Soffer navigated his career path and the key takeaways for establishing your own footprint in the film world.
The Gradual Climb of the Indie Filmmaker
Nobody starts at the top, and embracing the imperfect, low-budget phase of your career is mandatory.
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Soffer’s career began in film school shooting student shorts, which naturally transitioned into working on independent shorts and low-budget features.
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For years, he worked on highly independent features with budgets around $200,000.
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These early films were not produced by established companies and lacked traditional distribution, but they provided critical, hands-on learning experiences.
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His first official, professional milestone arrived in 2017 with a low-budget indie film distributed by the horror streaming platform Shudder.
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From there, his projects experienced a gradual, steady increase in overall quality, festival reach, and the professionalism of his collaborators.
Curating Your Visual Voice
You cannot expect to be hired for the movies you want to make if your portfolio does not reflect that specific style.
Soffer emphasizes the absolute necessity of curating your work. He was highly intentional about choosing projects that reflected the specific visual aesthetics and narrative styles he was passionate about. This focused curation directly led to his mainstream breakthrough. Director Gareth Edwards hired Soffer for The Creator specifically because Soffer’s website portfolio perfectly reflected the visual taste Edwards wanted for the film.
Filmmakers must remain true to the visuals they are interested in creating and put that specific work out into the world, even if the independent projects themselves fail to secure distribution.
The Power of Mentorship and “Kismet”
While hard work is essential, the film industry heavily relies on networking and personal relationships. Interestingly, Soffer’s massive opportunity on The Creator did not stem directly from his previous narrative indie films.
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The job originated from a personal connection with Greig Fraser, whom Soffer met socially in 2017.
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This relationship evolved into a genuine friendship and a mentorship.
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Greig continually followed Soffer’s career evolution across various shorts, commercials, and music videos.
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Ultimately, Greig gained the confidence to recommend Soffer for The Creator based on the consistent quality of his curated work.
Soffer admits that the industry is deeply frustrating and often relies on unpredictable timing. However, you have to consistently produce great work, put it out into the world, and maintain faith that the right person will eventually notice.
Navigating a Director’s Medium
At its core, narrative filmmaking is a director’s medium. Therefore, your primary goal should be seeking out and building relationships with directors who share your specific taste and creative vision.
Pursuing this passion does not mean you have to starve. Soffer practically notes that the independent film world can be a crapshoot, and it is completely acceptable to shoot corporate, industrial, or commercial projects to make a living. These parallel careers can financially support you while you continue to follow your heart and take intentional narrative risks on the side.
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By Filmmakers Academy
