If you’re a creative with video production skills, you know the industry can be a real battlefield.
It’s not just about having the skills and talent to create amazing videos, you also have to compete against other skilled creatives out there to find someone who appreciates your work enough to pay you for it.
With an economy in recession, however, and everyone but Pixar dismissing their creative teams left and right, you might be finding it difficult to land yourself a full-time gig that pays the bills.
Because of this, freelancing is a popular option for creatives in your place and we can see why.
It gives you the freedom to be your own boss, to set your own hours, and to work whenever and from wherever you like.
So, if you’re weighing your options and thinking about joining the freelance marketplace, then today’s blog is just for you.
We’re jumping feet-first into the freelance video production world and giving you the pros and cons of freelance video production jobs so you can decide if this is the right genre for you!
How do I join the freelance marketplace?
Typically, one joins the freelance marketplace by either signing up on a job site or by handing out business cards and marketing yourself like crazy on social media.
If you go the job site route, there are a huge variety of those to choose from, but popular options are Upwork, Fiverr, and Freelancer.
You’ll make an account with the job site of your choosing and then, for best results, you’ll upload a professional-looking headshot, a resume, and a portfolio that showcases all of your choicest projects.
Once you’ve got that down, all you need to do is search for the types of projects you’re qualified for and apply for the ones that look most interesting to you.
If you go the old-fashioned “business card” route, you’ll probably want to make yourself a website or a social media page for your business (which is you, because you’re self-employed now).
Whatever route you take, make sure that you have a portfolio of your work available for potential clients to see and that it’s as impressive as it can be because that’s how you’ll showcase your value.
It may take a little while but, once you start getting consistently good reviews from your clients and more great work in your portfolio, you’ll start picking up gigs more easily.
Once you’re in, here are the pros and cons of the life awaiting you as a professional freelancer.
Getting paid.
The biggest question any potential freelancer has is:
How much money can I make?
And the answer is … it depends.
We’ll break it down here:
Pros: If you have a lot of experience or a skill set that is very valuable, like 3D animation or familiarity with many types of video creating software, you can enjoy a very lucrative career as a freelancer.
We said before how many businesses dismiss their creative team once the economy takes a turn, but that doesn’t mean those companies don’t still have creative needs.
If you market yourself in the right way and talk to the right people, you can be the one who meets those company’s video production needs and rakes in the cash.
Cons: It can be hard to get those initial clients, especially if you’re just starting out and you don’t have much in your portfolio. To get yourself over the hump, you’ll probably have to lowball yourself in order to get clients to take a chance on you and your skills.
Some job sites take a ridiculously large cut out of creative’s pay too, which we don’t think is fair. But at least they have a way to hold clients accountable if they try to stiff you.
If you’re freelancing on your own, be extra sure to take precautions and have things in writing so that is less likely to happen to you. Be careful who you work for. If they seem sketchy, it’s not worth your time.
You also might have clients that don’t stiff you, but they take their sweet time with payments. Be firm and don’t be afraid to speak up if this happens!
Finding those clients.
Finding clients is the secret to making yourself enough money to live off of, so it’s a good idea to know what you’re getting into when you start finding your own clients as a freelancer.
Pros: You’re your own boss, baby.
Client being super rude and hard to work with? You don’t need to waste your time with them.
As a freelancer, you’re free to work with whoever you want and take on whatever projects seem most fun, rewarding, and interesting to you. That means you’re practically guaranteed to never be bored with your work.
Cons: For those starting out, it may be hard to find yourself clients at first.
You also may run into the dreaded “slow months” where clients and projects are hard to come by.
You’ll get through it though. Just be sure you budget and put away a little extra money during the good months so that these slow times don’t damage you financially.
The freedom of flexibility.
One of the main reasons that creatives choose to live the freelancer life is the freedom to set their own schedule and be their own boss. Of course, as everything, this does come with some pros and cons.
Pros: You can work when and where you feel like working. You’re your own boss, remember?
Do you do your best work at night? See you later, sun. Be nocturnal!
Do you like to have things wrapped up by 3:00 so you can have more time with your family?
Take that time, friend.
Like to work from home or from your favorite coffee shop, library, or diner? Have at it, boss.
You run the show around here.
Cons: Of course, if you’re setting your own hours then you’re going to have to set some rules for yourself.
There’s no one telling you what to do or what needs to get done first and you’re the one that makes your timelines and sets your schedule.
Because of this, it is vital that you be organized and disciplined. Your level of self-motivation is going to determine how many projects you can get done and how happy your clients ultimately are.
You don’t want to have to rush any video projects and turn in shoddy work because you procrastinated right up until the deadline.
If you can’t self-motivate, then you are going to have a very difficult time completing projects and earning a steady income.
Are there other options out there?
If you’re looking for the freedom and flexibility of the freelancer life but you’d rather have the consistency and security of an in-house gig, then there may be another option that fits you better.
Designity is always on the lookout for talented video production specialists. If your jam is animation, 3D motion graphics, or video editing, then you might enjoy our unique model.
As a member of the Designity community, there’s no need to worry about chasing down clients for missed payments or having to eat nothing but Ramen noodles and ketchup packets because you haven’t had a project in a month.
We handle all of that for you, letting you enjoy a steady work stream with a huge variety of clients and at steady, competitive rates.
There’s no need to stress yourself out or devote yourself to one single client. At Designity, you can do what you love without having to worry about anything else.
<div class="c-blog_comp-cta cc-component-2"><div class="c-blog_comp-cta-left"><div class="c-blog_comp-cta-left-wrap"><img src="https://global-uploads.webflow.com/61cdf3c5e0b8155f19e0105b/63695243d096983691046ac3_Potential-Creative.png" loading="lazy" alt="" class="c-blog_comp-cta-left-img"></div></div><div class="c-blog_comp-cta-right cc-dark"><div class="c-blog_comp-content"><div class="c-text-wrapper cc-mb-32"><div class="c-title-4 cc-bold"><strong>Like to work as a freelancer with consistent income?</strong></div></div><div class="c-text-wrapper"><div class="c-text-2">Designity's collaborative model is designed to give you all of the perks of being a freelancer without the income instability.<br></div></div></div><div class="c-blog_comp-wrapper"><a href="http://designity.com/creatives" target="_blank" class="c-button w-button"><strong>Join Our Creative Community</strong></a></div></div></div>
Get out there and be a star.
So, if the freelance life is the life for you, then there’s no time like the present to get started!
There are companies everywhere in desperate need of your video production talents and all you have to do is find them and make that first connection.
After all, there’s nothing that beats the freedom of being able to set your own hours doing what you love to do!
What’s your favorite video production project?
