CHALLENGES OF GOING FULL-TIME FREELANCE | SFS PODCAST Ep. 3
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Yo. What's. Going on guys -, butch it was super. Josh, welcome, to another beautiful, episode, of the. Secret FileMaker society, podcast. We. Today are talking about so we ran something they really deep today we're again challenges, of becoming, a full time. Filmmaker. From, beginning, middle -, we're. At right now I mean this episode can kind of tell, it to anybody anyone, it's like creative. Anyone, who's going full-time entrepreneur, actually, mm-hmm, but you. Know take. It as you take it most of the tips are gonna be geared towards being, a creative, filmmaker, photographer, but. All. These things can be applied to anyone that's diving. In to be an entrepreneur, 100%, so we're gonna deep into that today but uh bro, how you been good, shot, like a little, something. That you guys will be seeing very soon on my website, yes you. Heard it here first I'm, about to officially. Launch my website. Drumrolls. Gonna go on for another week yeah. I saw I saw the some. Of the Instagram. Stories, and, pictures being. In the the, Bentley. Living. Your best life here in. Just. Sake yeah living my best life. Well. You guys we actually guys a couple questions last week what equipment you guys are looking to get this year and stuff like that on our like a New Year's episode, of the, podcast so couple you guys responded, Victor Starr back said that uh it's, interesting and also relaxing, listen, about, the podcast so thank you thank. You appreciate that and he. Said he's thinking about buying a super, wide angle lens this year like a token, uh 11, to 16 a drone, would also be nice and here he has a gh4 in this Sigma 18 to 35 and. Canon, 7200, well damn so. He doesn't really know how to update the setup without buying a new camera he. Got all his focal lens covered, and considering, the crop factor and speed booster so he's thinking maybe a light like a 120, D etc. As, long he's going with the lights yo I actually like, yo lighting, makes everything, different, it makes it different makes it better, like, I said last, weak lighting. Is key, glasses key, bodies. Last, to really worry about in certain senses I don't, want to upset anyone after, I'm gonna have oh man. The body matters the body matters parties, life teach, their own and then we also got one more two from Devine he's saying this year he's actually planning, to build his own computer that's actually super dope I was thinking about that you, know so hey do, your thing bro that's, sick and, he also wants to learn how to use mocha interesting.
No That's not really my that's, not my style that's not my steez what about she would eat what do you know about mocha, huh I've you know I thought about like getting, into that because that's more going to like After Effects and like tracking. And motion graphics and things like that I wouldn't call myself an, animation artist, at all I've. Dabbled in like 2d, graphics, and like that kind of stuff but uh I guess it's a good skill to know you can't go wrong learning that and he said he recently purchased a Zion crane and he's learning the best time when to use it before, the crane though I would just use my camera strap and get city shots but anyways great podcast, guys thank, you I'll help you out you know what actually will just show me a video like a couple minutes ago where, he used his ronan and in, the way he shot it was like really dope so you'll find you'll find times where you can use it and it will be, very very beneficial to you for sure man so yeah bro it's all about taking your Garen using it in ways that just help that, situation, or, extend. Your, arm I guess you say or something. Something. That can be creative because, like, if, you go on YouTube or Instagram everyone's. Using their. Tools the same way as you could say so it's like you know maybe, even like if. You have a crane or if you don't have a crane but you have a drone it's likes use, your use your drill to simulate the, movements of a crane but it's like studying, the crane and how it moves and that's it you know just just. Operating, your drone that way like, I did that once it was pretty dope it wasn't Mike it wasn't my drone wasn't my crane or whatever no, it wasn't my drone but. I just got the operator, to just operated, the, way I envisioned. Would be the best way to operate it well. Oh shoot. Backtracking, on something else thank you for that a suggestion. About Seven Sisters that movie was actually really, really really. Some, black men yeah I did, not expect I was watching it and I was like what the hell is going on right now like I first I was like this is not like you said that. The details of the actual.
Details. It's, like you I, think I'm not gonna ruin it for anybody yeah go check it out if you have it last, week that was my request, I don't have any request this week Josh I. Say if you guys are gonna watch a movie this week watch what. Did I see I was watching something I've been watching The Punisher that's. Pretty cool. Right. Now if I say you guys have to watch a movie watch, I don't know I can't think of anything new that I saw that I really was like dope I've been kind of watching series lately I might. Bring it back to an old one crash, if you haven't seen crash watch, crash it's like stories and stories within stories the, storylines of like all these different characters and they all collide so I love that. Watch. Nightcrawler, if you haven't seen that that's a great movie oh wait is that the one with the night crush oh okay, you know my, uh my. Actual, suggestion. Is Nightcrawler. No. That is actually a sick, talking, with the camera yeah yeah, I was just that. Movie. Has the craziest, character development. Yeah, I've ever seen, in a movie actually one of the craziest yeah watch, this. Week's recommendation. Is night crawler yeah and that will lead to on top of that it's like cuz it's it's about film pretty much in video you, guys will enjoy that why don't I crawler and I my, recommendation, is watch crash if you've not seen it the, storylines amazing, and it's like a bunch of different characters colliding, and connecting, in ways that you didn't expect so yeah, mm but, with no further ado we told you guys we're gonna start talking about. How. To navigate, this. World of, freelance you know this podcast, is about, navigating. The world of film for the modern day creative, so. We're trying to help you guys let me in 2017, 2018. No. 2018, I mean 2017, 2018 that's, it so, you come into the world of freelance you're coming to the world of doing video on your own pretty, much running your own business with, a freelancing. And video I would, say the first thing that you need to do is practice, practice, practice practice, practice. Like. Alan Ireson said it's, just practice. But, like you actually got to practice, because you have to realize I think what a lot people don't realize is now if you're freelancing, this is your, commodity, this art is your. Product, to sell people like customers and clients come in to work with you they need your, product, your product is what they need to help them either make sales to promote their stuff whatever so you got to focus on first giving I think the best quality. Service, product, you can deliver, you know I mean we all say art so subjective which it is but, there still has to be a certain quality there of like an amazing Nisour the people like can use this product to help benefit whatever it is that they're trying to take action whether it's to market their own products, their own service their own business, so I think first, thing is practice, yeah practice, is good you never want to go to the table and be like yeah, this is what I have to offer and, like you, know you have, you. Have standards, that are needed, to. Be, met in order to live so it's like no. One's gonna want to pay you X. Amount if you're, not giving them a good enough quality so it's like you can't come to the table and say yeah I want 5 grand to do something, and after they're like yeah your works worth 100 bucks and, then you're arguing, and then they're like alright cool yeah we'll give you a call back you, know what that means most of the time right, not. Getting a call back but. Um, yeah. Like you just want to practice that's, like the first that's like that's yeah that's very important, that's the first step you don't want to leave your job without. Insurance. In sense. Of like, alright cool about to leave my job I'm. Gonna be able to sustain, life that's rule, number one so, yes. Sustaining, life is is crazy, and it's challenging because. Actually. We've touched on this last week where you. Kind of lose yourself where you're trying to like make ends meet with bills and stuff like that so, then you're, you're losing yourself as a creative, and like you just start filming, and taking, photos or doing what you do in, order to make, ends meet really like if, the practice, that you put in from the beginning keeps. On going on because, in, in, this field you never actually, stop, learning there's always something new there's, never like there's, never a right or wrong way to do things, it's, the, way of getting to the end it's like just get there you know I mean yeah it's it's, it's crazy it's, crazy to think that our generation is, like the generation of entrepreneurs I, guess I feel it, is personally, because like everybody that's in here it's just like you know they're doing their thing but, yeah practice, and like just make sure you make sure you're good enough to.
To. Really to make that money because. If, you're, not good enough and you go to the table and like you feel, like. You're at this level oh that's, another thing actually this is very key make sure you have people around you that aren't yes men, yes. Men or, women because if everyone tells you your stuff is good then you go to, that meeting and you're, like yo my stuff's amazing your chest is high which. Isn't a bad thing to have confidence and then you you, know you drop your portfolio, and they're like oh what. Is this and then you're like you know this. Is this is my this might work this is my work that put all my heart, into this, is that sapphire bro say. You listen. To my mixtape you should that fire bro you, know but like yeah if it's like if it's, not good, then you're. Gonna be let down and, after you're, gonna you're, gonna feel really defeated, in like the worst ways and you might just want to give up on it but, in reality it's, not that you're not you're. Actually. Just. Because you're not good at that moment you're not ready doesn't, mean that you know you can't, be great Michael Jordan didn't make the basketball team the first time you tried out but look good look at it now he's the goat you know I mean so it's like yeah just make sure you keep practicing, make sure like you, really. Work on to present, yourself, don't come up no yeah. Just don't come with the lame stuff and be undercutting. I. Think that's the main thing to like what. You just settle in a sense of like being good like yeah there's there is a standard, a lot of people that I think don't realize that like if, you're, depending, on who you're trying to work with if you're trying to work with the in creating for brands or whatnot they have a standard and you can see that and then also what people just have in their mind like if you're creating, content people see content on the - all the time so, they know what looks good or what doesn't look good so I'm not saying you're trying to emulate someone else is doing but there is a certain standard that your work has to have before it's considered good, so like with, that comes yes practice, to get yourself there especially if you're gonna move into the world of freelance if you're just trying to make try to feed your soul and you're just like yell bro I just want to make amazing art and that's it you don't care about the dollar that's say you have another job that's paying everything or you're just super, rich and you could just do whatever you want cool, but if you're actually trying to turn this into a business your, mindset has to shift so, one yes your product needs to be a one before you can actually expect, people and clients to want to work with you there are always people people that will work with you regardless, if you're good or not I think there's some people are just like they just need something super cheap so they'll work with anybody or they want something for free or whatnot you'll always have clients, like that but, when you really want like legit. Clients, that can help one like you said pay your bills because like again you have to think about sustaining, your life like this. Is another thing when people come into this world is it's, not just about the art anymore it's about the business side of it too and making, money and having to live and you can get super frustrated. When, you're just focusing, on trying, to get clients and make, ends meet and then just like the art part, kind of like you start you start having a distaste, for it you can actually start hating what you do you could love it so much when you were doing it all for fun but when you start doing it for a business and you're solely relying, on this to eat it's, like damn. Yeah it's crazy your mentality is just once it's like it's. A business and. You're. You're no longer just creating, to create you're creating to make money you just gotta stick to to, your roots and pretty much create, as you were doing before because. The business will continue coming to, you as long as you're. Creating quality, work which. Like you know I think a lot of people forget that quality. Of their. Brand and like the genuine, genuine. Thoughts, and like creativeness, that comes from them as opposed to like what they're seeing online and they're that getting too caught up in like what's trendy, and what, what you know what everybody, likes and it's like just create as you.
See Fit and everyone. Will tend to like you know Jen. Genuinely, gravitate. Towards, you not every trend was, trendy. At. First you know I mean this is like one, person, just kept true, to themselves. And kept creating as they seen fit and then, everyone, kind of latched on to it so who knows like the next trend might be your trend it might be it, might be something that you started, so that's how I feel that's the basis of that so yeah well yeah it's true like a lot of people like. They'll. See stuff and likes try to emulate what they see just. To create it just, to create what, they think is cool and it's like bro you, got to make your own style, cuz. That's what clients will gravitate towards, I've really noticed like for the past little while I haven't, really had to like market. To. Get new clients like if you really think about all the clients that come it's word of mouth where people come to you for you yeah they've. Seen stuff and you're like I saw this I like what you did here I like what you did they're not really having to reach out where you will have to do outreach if you're just starting but like, when you're doing it for a long time in a while most, of your clientele will come from just like oh, I've been doing this and like people see it someone, refers you what, not and so on and so forth and that's comes, from staying true to your own style creating, a style and creating. Something a little different that people. Can tell like oh that's, your work and then staying true to it not, me if it do the exact same thing in every video but staying. True to your style to continue, to like garner, fans, and people, that just like our fans. If you're working and again want to work with you you know so it might be like oh I love what you did here and then this client wants to work with you because of that so that's a good tip keep that in mind stay, true to yourself aside from practicing, practicing practicing once, you practice so I'm watching you get to that point where it's like alright I'm dope stay true to yourself and stay true to what you want to create in a sense of your style and, then do. Not ever sell out remember. What. People come to you and, this. Is your, business. Keyword. Business, businesses. Make money and they come to you and they're like yo let's work and after you know sec, yeah let's work make, sure you you, let them know that this is work because. At. The end of the day how else are you gonna eat I mean, it's gonna keep on coming back to that, i money. Money, is is the thing that that makes the world go round at the end of the day in, any way that I don't think there's any other way to, really. Put it we we. Need do we need money in order to buy food need money to eat, etc, etc like, live keep our keep, like shelter around us and all that stuff so like when people come to you and they're like yo let's work let them know that yeah let's work do you run something, you, want something I'm, offering, a service my. Service, is X, amount of money oh you. Don't have money ok cool, let me know when you do have money because you, know someone else has money and I. Have to prioritize that, and that's. That's another key things like prioritizing. Like. Yeah there's some times you do pick up those jobs because it helps you obtain more jobs but you also got to remember and you have to let your clients know that, you're gonna have to prioritize the people that are actually paying you for your time because, they're. Paying you for your time so you you, they, respected, you enough to pay you so, it's like alright cool I'm, gonna respect you enough to do your work over the, next person that I don't want to say they didn't respect you but they didn't want to pay you so it's like I don't, know that sometimes I'm from respect means it's valued they don't value what you're doing you have to value yourself and if this is a problem you're the most creatives, we, love what we do, so, sometimes it's so hard for like if someone came to think well if someone's a lawyer and you're like yell to a lawyer like yo can you like I need, your services I need you to like help me get out of this thing, the.
Lawyers And make cool here's my price and he's not gonna say oh you know I just love being a lawyer I'm just gonna do this for free that's not gonna happen but like with creatives, filmmakers. Again, specifically, right now that we're talking about we, love what we do so when someone comes to us and says like hey can you just do this like video here or do this or do that you're, kind of inclined to just be like cool sure because this is probably something you do all the time on your free time for, fun so like but, you have to like reprogram, your brain to realize this is yeah like you said this is business like, this time, is money if I'm working on your project for free that. Means I'm not getting paid for something else and I try to make people understand, that like again. This is gonna happen to you like you have people that's gonna like it's it's really hard to raise awareness and, let people know that like yo this, is time, being spent and the, time being spent on this means that it's not time being spent on something that's making me money so it's, like what's the compensation. They're like you, know there's, if there's no real compensation. For it then. I don't know how to explain. I guess you could say a rule of fairness but, like it's not fair that I'm. Getting. Dogged, or I'm getting like you know hounded, like someone's texting me everyday or calling me everyday like yo where's that this where is that this it's like oh this was free work how. About like, you know when I get the time or or, whatever it is like we, can we, can talk about it or if like when we did do this I had time maybe I don't have time at the moment let, me like clear something out and like some people get like so so, upset with you it's like oh you, know you don't respect me like this is that blood, it's like yo you value. You, value, a bottle, of Hennessy more, than then, then, your career your brand or my. Time my brand it might work so like what does that really say, about, about. That but, um yeah it's it's like, I said it's really hard to really raise, awareness and, they I think, creatives, these days been, like looking for ways and and, it's, it's really hard but I think that's. That's definitely a really, that's Heike a step. That we all need to like star on our list of things when, it comes to like being a creative and doing this full-time as entrepreneur, is like valuing. Yourself your time and and. You. Know raising awareness to your clients that approach, you and letting, them know that like alright cool if we're working then, that gap we're working now you're saying raising awareness to them is like important, I think it's. It's kind of hard cause we have to educate the. Clients, to understand what. It takes to do a video a lot a lot of clients to understand what it takes people in general don't understand what it takes like they, see and you create like an amazing video and they think oh you just point shot put. Into your computer and somehow just like these hours are spent on the so. Much time and that's what's like so important that like we kind of have to make, these people understand, it and understand the importance of it that's. Where it's gonna come in where it comes with value and valuing your time because if you, even yourself, do, something for free just cuz like whatever, for somebody, that. Kind of reflects back on the industry and that takes their mindset that person's gonna go and think that they could just ask any other person for it plus, I think it moves them to the point of understanding the type of clientele you're working with like when you're freelancing, I've noticed like, that like clients. That pay more are, easier, to work with than, clients, that pay less for, some, reason the cheaper clients are the ones that will nickel. And dime you and ask you like hey can you just do this can you do that and ask for everything while the the higher paying clients, will be the ones that are just set. Out the terms understand, what it is and they're like okay, cool and when you tell them like oh this is gonna cost extra XML if you want it there okay while the nickel-and-dime errs they'll have you hating, what, you're doing having, if you're coming to freelance I think one thing you're gonna have to learn it or one thing you're going to learn hopefully, you, learn from us so you don't have to learn, for yourself from, experience, but you could take our experiences, try.
To Avoid the bad clients, and it's gonna be hard to be, able to weed them out but people that I think are coming, on the sense of like wine and stuff for free wants tougher super cheap trying to find ways to devalue, or say hey the. Worst is if every right a person say to you yo yo can you just do this like this little thing right here like they tell you it's a little thing like they've never done this but I tell you it's a little thing so what's your budget. Like. Still the grades video. Where's. Your budget like that's the I think that's the first question you can always always say that for next week. Well. Yeah man but, make sure you guys value yourself and. And again the next thing is moving into your mindset into business now because you, love doing this this is what you like doing you're creative, you have a passion for it but listen, no one will tell accountant, to work for free and no accountants gonna go and be like hey I just love being an accountant let me do it for free this is a passion, project for me like that's not gonna happen you know so even though you love what you gotta do you guys separate yourself and realize now if you're doing this full time every, hour minute, second, equals dollars you know you're gonna say your turns that like. You be true to yourself be true to your client be true to all, that stuff because, yeah. I think that's like the most valuable, thing that, we. Could like pretty pretty much in this off on. I mean. If you guys have any more questions you guys could hit us up in in. Any questions, section and on any, platform they're listening to us on hit, us up DM, us whatever but. Uh yeah. Setting terms and letting them know like. What, you're comfortable with what you're not comfortable with it's, just like any workplace where it's like you know no one can force you to do something you don't want to do but, at, the end of the day you want clients to be happy and you want to be happy with what you're putting out so just make sure you guys set terms that you can both agree on and like, I said last week taking. Taking, what they want and taking. What you want finding a medium turning, business into a pleasure and allowing, yourself to to. Always be, happy with the end product agree, three hundred percent you, know you can it's very hard sometimes it's, a deal with certain people it's all circumstantial and, it depends. On who your client is who you're working with but one. Thing that can be kind, of frustrating as a creative is that. People. Like sitting in on edits mm-hmm. And, sitting around edits can kind of be weird because like if, people, don't understand, the process in terms. Of like alright cool this clip doesn't look cool by itself this clip doesn't look cool by itself neither, does this one but put through those clips together it looks fire and after it's like when, they sit over your shoulder and they're like you know not that one not that one not that one then they look at you and you. Feel them looking at you as you're staring at screen and after they're looking at you with like this guy sucks, this, is trash all of this is trashed and after, it's like they're. Like you know I'm gonna go to the washroom, they go to the washroom and they come back and they can you put those clips, that they all said look, they're like you know what did you do when I was gone it should look fire bro and say yeah. I know just, let me do what I'm doing and after it's a okay yeah for the next one I want you to make that that, look like that one it's like but. That's not what we shot mmm, it's, like yeah you know that video that this person, did yeah could we do like an effect that looks like that it's like but we did it shoot like that yeah, you know when it was like over his head the knife throws in his face to Saiki oh that's two different shots they're like oh say word why, didn't we do that cuz you didn't have the budget. You. Know like those are the things that like yeah you gotta like really let, people know that. You want to create what, you did like yeah. Some. People might want to sit in some, people that have a creative, lens it's it's, okay because like depending. On what your job is and what you signed. Up for you. Might be doing something in, terms, of editing where, you. Know the creative director, or the, director, or, somebody. Might be sitting in with you but that's different that's where creative that's someone with a creative lens that can help mold. The. Final project but do. They have an understanding yeah, if it's someone that doesn't have understanding, and it's just like a rapper. No, offense or like, somebody, that like sits in our office at their desk filing papers all day like. No. Just. No yeah no. Just. Say no guys I don't want you breathing down my neck while, I'm like hold.
My Hand I don't I don't need like you know that word got from Hey Arnold that like the girl that always got punched in the face yeah I don't need that behind, me I. Really. Don't I don't, mmm I'll. Pass, every, time you. Spray yo I've had people sit in my edits before and then at like after I've done it I did it twice my. Whole ever career so far I've done it twice and the first time, was. Yo it was a 19-hour. Edit, session. With. The person with me and I was like yo, never, again and then another time was. I was working a video and the guy wanted to like come in and be like yo can I like come to you to your edit I was like all, right cool whatever but I thought he understood that like one is boring like if you're coming to at it and you don't like you haven't you don't know what it is editing stuff like that it seemed, it's gonna be boring to you you're gonna be like what am I like watching, like I think you said taking three clips it's gonna take a little while to put that together cut, it at the right spot but whatever he wanted to sit in I thought he got it and then like even, that it was like it wasn't hand-holding, there the other one I feel like it was more like telling me what to do and it's like if you hire someone into your job let me do my job, so one yeah sitting, on the edits I never, allowed, that thing to happen anymore at all because it's like listen you're, hiring me for something you're trusting what I'm doing you don't hire, a lawyer and then, tell the lawyer every, single thing to do like ever in a sense of you can like tell them I go what I want but. You, don't tell them how to do their process and that's the problem with a lot of stations, of I watch a show called manhunt. Unabomber, mhm, and the, guy actually was, like kind. Of like a mastermind, so like he had lawyers and you trying to tell them what to do and like it was working until the lawyer was like this guy's crazy so like the lawyer was like against them mm-hmm, yeah check, that out too it's on Netflix, you. Know another thing that a lot of people overlook are actually. The, the, power of collaboration especially like. This is something we spoke about in the first podcast but. In. Starting, your own business you can't do everything by yourself so. Collaboration is key find somebody, that has, skills. And assets, that you don't have and. Also. Like. You know skills and assets that you have that, can help compliment them and just make sure like you guys can bounce bounce. Your bounce, your skills off of each other and like support each other where we're, needed so, it's. Like you're not the best in operating, a camera but you have like these very vivid, solid, ideas and. You have a friend or you know somebody that's like oh they're camera work looks really, good but. I know, shade like there's no harm in ever be like yeah you know I feel your camera worker is really good like do you guys do you want to collaborate on something like that's, like a good way to start business because then you guys will, prosper together then obviously your rates can increase and you, can start charging accordingly, like you're charging for your ideas and this person is charging for the labor of what, they're doing and then whoever decides, to edit, they get like you know they're cut for that like just making sure you cut the pot and share that property, yeah, that's, true cuz like working with other people it also goes, into workflow. Your workflow will actually move a lot more quicker because when, you go into freelancing, in the beginning especially, if you're just starting you're gonna probably be by yourself you're gonna be doing everything by yourself shooting by yourself and especially. If you're like just coming into the industry it's gonna be like probably even more if, you've been in industry at least kind of know about it and know people you're. Still gonna be doing things by yourself because you might not be working with huge budgets or whatnot but. As time progresses yeah, and you get a chance to collaborate, with as many people as possible because.
It Also helps, your workflow and you get more work done quicker and then you can make more money that way because again each project time equals money so if you work on a project you have this amount of time to do it if you're doing every, single part of it whether if you're good at that part or not we, all have our strengths and our weaknesses in, something some people are better directors some people are better cinematographers. Some people are better editors some people are better colors some people are better sound people whatever, but, if you can work with them break a team about get, a team and break it apart like that you're. Gonna be able to work on more projects and do more stuff essentially making more money and being able to sustain. And buy more toys and just. Be, a happy filmmaker, in general, so cool, try that to other things one more thing to talk about on a sense of a key of value. And on that point is a, lot, of you guys will, think that like. Being a creative like and you love doing the work you love being an artist so but, you have to understand that people need you like when clients are asking for your business and asking for your services it's not a thing of like this, isn't like back in the day where someone painted the Mona Lisa and it's like wow I just want to hang that in my hallway or in my house just because I value art people. Are using your. Videos. And your creations to make money, because, think, about it now everyone's on Instagram I was on social media we're scrolling what stops our eyes like when we see an ad it's because like something, in that video was appealing, the way it was shot the, who's in it the way it's edited something stops us to look whether it's a photo a video whatnot and these, people need that to make money so when, you're thinking about pricing and things like that the reason you don't want to like undervalue, yourself is let's. Say you charge a person a thousand dollars for a video you, should charge them more like at the end of the day you end up doing so much work but you only charge them a thousand dollars now. They take this video and they, go and now they put it on their social - like as marketing. Or whatnot and it, generates. A million, dollars worth of revenue, right. And let's, say even before you did the video for them they were telling you like oh come on don't worry like we'll get you more work all that and that's another thing don't, listen to people that promise you just saying that hey if, you do this video for free we'll give you more work then the person that made the McDonald's, logo baked like. Didn't. They only get paid like 300 bucks something, like that I haven't heard about that when I heard about that Nike like the person that made Nike the girl did it Nike McDonald, say so. Multi-million, dollar brand now you. Done, lost, your mind if, I'm making, yeah, well you know what I probably made logos for 300 books in my days those.
Businesses Are now but like yeah it's crazy that's. Something a lot of people will promise man like hey just like do this for free I promise, you next time I got you and like, you can make your choice on doing that sometimes, but. Um you, can make your choice to do that like there, has been people that I have taken that like taking that offer from like hey do me a little bit cheaper pause. Do. This a little cheaper for me right now and I promise like I'll give you more work which. Is a 10 a day o as a freelancer, you're gonna want to find clients like that like I think the, problem is when you first come into this you're gonna try to find a client do. A work for them and then like they're not gonna need another video for a long time so you look for someone else one, thing I say a good point is is to try to find people that are gonna need like, reoccurring. Videos so try to work with companies that you know are doing a lot of social videos, a lot of whatever making, this a lot of content cuz it's. Like the 80/20 rule 80%, of your business is gonna come from 20% of your customers, the, other 20%, comes from the other 80% your customers so even. With myself there's, a certain amount of people that I work with that are reoccurring. And then there's the one-off customers, you have here and there that it could be a lot of money that they spend but then a day it's, they're. Not like the ones that are constantly, coming back and so you want to create, a relationship with your clients that, need more work but. Going. Back to what I'm saying in a sense of don't listening to people promise what, they say like hey I'll give you you're, gonna get so much work if you do this like, take, that with a grain of salt kind of don't go in not trusting because. People. Will say that and not. Work with you after that they get what they need and again I'm saying like I was saying people need your work they need it to, create the, marketing for their companies to sell their products or services so again. They might just like take it cool thanks deuces they're not thinking about you they're not working, on their projects selling their product their products and saying hey, I promise, this guy that let me find him again not they're. Not they're, just focusing on their own thing right now and just like so, that's one thing take that with a grain of salt and make sure remember. That you're making a product that is actually making someone else money this not really just art anymore it's also, a, commodity. A commodity, for these people people are looking at your art saying you know I want that guy skill to, make money off of with, my stuff I kind of want to end off with like, engraving. Something, in any, of. Our listeners, in. Their brains like something. Something, that josh has said that actually just like really resonated. I guess you could say but never. Really, like take these promises, serious, I guess you see if they come back around if they circle back around they, they they. Follow up on a promise cool. But you, know people. Will look you in your eyes while, you're doing these things and they they'll promise you the world they'll promise you a lot of things they'll promise you you know they'll call at the end of the rainbow but. Have you ever chased, the end of a rainbow yeah like there's nothing I don't think there's a end of the rainbow. You. Know a lot of these things are just like false promises, that, they're there for it's false hope that you know makes, you feel like this. Client, is going. To do you a favor so hey let me do them a favor you know something, like the end with that with, that vibe, yeah. Scratch my back I'll scratch yours yeah so they have you just. Remember you know just try, when, you're working with people make. Sure that work relationship, is that work relationship, like also. Learning to separate, your friendship, and your work relationship, so that way like you, know it's. A hard thing to do but, like try not to cross those wires because like you know it never, really, works out because. Then, people. People, think about think like oh cool, like you know I'm gonna buddy-buddy. This guy and I'm gonna make a really think we're friends I'm with to promise him the world and then he's gonna give me a discount you give them that discount, and then it's like you turn around trying, to get something back out of it and it doesn't go anywhere, and then, you just feel really disappointed defeated, so like just. Just, like yeah, don't don't ever don't, like. You know hang up your Jersey thinking cool I'm set you. Know and that. Person promised. Me that they're about to go on the world tour and I'm there with them and then after you don't get that call and Nick you didn't take any jobs and you're just like oh.
I'm. Screwed. And. I think two is like and this is like goes to like sticking to your principles like you're saying before like staying true to your art when. You set a price for yourself stick to it even though you might other, people are telling you oh that's high that's high that, just means like yo they're, not your right clientele, yet, you will find that client cuz listen there's gonna be clients that see $5,000, is a lot and there's gonna be clients at see $5,000. Wow this is a big discount there's, gonna be concepts see $20,000, I was like whoa hell, no and other side see that it's like oh damn. That's it so, when. You do have your prices, that you choose stick. To it and stay to it like don't worry about people saying yes or no because at the end of the day there's, gonna be the people that will, get it that's the ones that are your clientele, and that you need to like be hitting up when. You go back and forth back and forth back and forth undervalue. Yourself this, and that and, start. Just like chasing the money in that sense. That's. Where things start getting sticky you know someone's like oh I got this from him for 200 ollars I got it from him from $5,000, I got this from him for no then it gets confusing so stick to your value stick to your numbers, eventually. The world will come to you you know I mean but make sure that work also is, up. To par with whatever, you're charging you know what I mean how, to figure out the number to charge that that's a whole different conversation for, a whole different, day but yeah. We. Have some questions for you guys is, that we want you guys to answer so we want to know one, what. Are some issues you ran into with clients, that you can give advice on that, will help the next person not. Have to deal with that let, us know so, yes this world of freelance, it's something, that you guys want, to get into it's great it's beautiful, there's. A lot of freedom in it but there's a lot of hard work and a lot of time spent, it's gonna be a lot of frustrating. Things that happen and struggles, or whatnot you're gonna go up and down it's like a roller coaster honestly. So don't. Be discouraged just to make sure that the things that you can control you focus on which. Is your work. Creating. The best work you can marketing, yourself the best way you can and from, that the, rest should fall in place you still have to do the harder the groundwork to getting yourself out there other, than that it's a very wonderful thing you know I've been free for a long time now and running. My own business and it's great you know but make that step when you're ready there might be a time where you think you're ready and you might not be that's fine you know I've worked part time jobs while, doing my thing and then gone full, time and then went maybe had a part time again and went back full time for.
The Last while now I've been just strictly film. I'd say since like 2015. Strictly. Just video full time so just, play, your cards right and know how it is understand, if you can actually sustain yourself, because this, is a business this, is not just now for, fun or for art or for just a passion. Project this is now like your livelihood if you have kids or a family you, know you can't just make, that decision if you don't you can but. Yeah this, is just some tips we want to give to you guys with a getting, into the freelancing. Full-time. And starting, your own business and I hope we gave you guys some great insight again if you guys have any question, hit us up on instagram at filmmaker. Society, make, sure if you're checking out the podcast you can leave comments on Soundcloud, if, you're on iTunes or on Google Play right now hear this with a review hits without five stars you know we, like that and give. Us a nice review of what you think about the podcast and, other. Than that we. Out - yeah, so we'll see you guys on the next side keep, listening to the, podcast secret. Filmmaker society, do this.
2018-01-22 20:29
Great podcast guys and thanks for responding to my comment from the previous video. :) And a problem I ran into with a client was having to charge him after shooting for free, long story short I started shooting videos 8 months ago and he was the first artist I ever shot a video for and I am grateful he let me do that but at the end of the day I needed to start making money and I upgraded my equipment and I was starting to have people contact me for videos. He didn't like that because he kept saying he got me that work and blah blah and I should always shoot for free for him and that his videos should come first. Needles to say, we don't speak anymore but anyways charge for your work, because like you guys said, they are making money off your work.
Great video, super helpful. Something that I’ve learned that I could pass on to other freelancers is, always get a deposit! You never want to risk being left out of pocket. Looking forward to to next podcast!
Louie Film thanks Louie! And yes a deposit is super key! Going to bring up your tip in the next podcast, plus you just gave me an idea for another topic for the podcast. Thanks for listening to the podcast!
Love these podcast keep em coming
Definitely will Justin! Every weekend a new one! Do you listen on itunes or google play as well?
Fun to here you guys responding to our comments, It feels different hearing it compared to reading it! Please keep doing that in these podcasts, it makes them special. Informational podcast and interesting podcast as always, keep it up!