Is it too late for me to become a Film/Production Accountant?

College Majors
1

Since I was a kid, I’ve had a passion for film/TV. I would write (and still write) screenplays and short stories. But, in my early 20s, I got side tracked into healthcare. I’m not sure what it was, but I wanted to try something different plus my wife was already working in healthcare so it kinda grew on me. Throughout my 20’s, I also realized have a knack for numbers and am pretty good when it comes to budgeting and saving.

Now I’m 32, working as a Medical Assistant. I’m married and have a family. For the past 5 years, I’ve been taking pre-requisites to become a Registered Nurse. Why?

  1. It made sense given my 9 years experience in healthcare so far.
  2. I like helping people and working in this field
  3. Only work 3 days a week
  4. Financial stability and job security (I could just come right out of college making $65-70k/year).

I’m already doing my final pre-req this semester and I have applied to nursing programs for Spring 2018 (waiting to hear back). However, this past year, I’ve been having doubts on and off when I learned about a career as an Accountant/CPA. Something clicked in my mind: Since I love film and know how to work a budget, why not become an Accountant/CPA for the film industry?

So why not switch you ask? Because I’m 32 with 9 years of healthcare experience (not accounting/business), currently making $46k a year. Sure I could switch to accounting, still finish in 2 years (35 years old) same time if I go with nursing. While in school, I could probably intern/volunteer in my hospital’s accounting department(?). But when I come out of school, I may have a hard time 1) finding a job and 2) I might start at a salary LESS than what I currently make (?).

Or when I graduate, I could keep my current job, but maybe find a part-time 2nd job doing accounting work somewhere? To rack up some experience.

I’m not sure what I should do, if the risk is worth it or not. I’m already on an upward career trajectory in healthcare with nursing. However, IF i get rejected for nursing this Spring, then I just might have an excuse to go the accounting route. I do get accepted into nursing and graduate, I could still live a comfortable lifestyle while pursuing film on my own.

Either way, nursing or accounting, whichever I choose, I would graduate in Fall 2019 regardless. So that’s not an issue. Tuition is not an issue either because my employer pays for school and I’m going to a public college (not private).

What would you do if you were in my shoes?

2

So I’m not an accountant or anything, but I’m pretty sure that being a CPA is about a whole lot more than knowing your way around a budget. You said that you’ve started learning about the career…how have you learned? Mostly through reading on the Internet? Have you talked to any accountants yet?

Healthcare is familiar to you and being a medical assistant, you’ve probably interacted with hundreds of nurses. You’ve likely got a good idea of what your lifestyle would be like if you worked as an RN. I’d suggest that you at least try to get a little closer to that for accounting, too. Talk to some accountants; do some informational interviews; try to figure out what the work and lifestyle are like before you make a decision this big.

The other thing I’m hearing is not that you are interested in accounting for accounting’s sake, but rather that you are passionate about film/TV and you are seeing accounting as a possible way to get closer to that. I think that’s a fraught course to follow, since (just statistically speaking) you are unlikely to end up as an accountant for an entertainment company, particularly if you don’t live in a hub for entertainment. I mean, do an imagination exercise and imagine that you have just finished an accounting program. You have some offers, but none of them are for TV or film production companies. Would you be satisfied being an accountant then? Would you be satisfied being an accountant if you never make it into a very specific kind of company?

3

I know being a CPA goes beyond budgeting but i think thats a good place to start. Ive talked to my landlord who is an accountant as well some accountants online. My landlord says its pretty boring work and thinks i should do nursing.

Im looking at this as a 2nd option, because there is a chance i might not get into nursing school this spring. If i dont then im considering going down this route. If i do get in then by all means i will get RN done and continue to pursue film on my own terms.

But if i dont… Lets say i go thru with accounting. I know i most likely wont get into film accounting right away. I was thinking of starting in hospital accounting to rack up my experience then eventually try to branch out to film.

If i never get into film accounting then i wont be mad i will keep pursuing it any which way i can. The most important thing to me is that i can put food on the table and provide a reasonably comfortable lifestyle for my family. With nursing or accounting, i dont think you can go wrong when it comes to that.