How can you thrive as a freelance video producer?

When I was just getting started, I kept all my portfolio work in Google Drive and shared out as necessary. Frankly, early on, I didn't know how to properly showcase content -- so instead, I held it back for when people were seriously engaged. So how did I actually show work product? Honestly, I went with a lot of behind the scenes work. I'd put a clip out here and there. Stuff that would show me in the moment, authentically, and in short enough spurts to get people interested. Then, when sufficiently engaged, I'd show them whatever they wanted via Drive link -- and by then, they already knew me a little, so I didn't need a super glossy front end.

In the early stages, highlighting a specialized skill or expertise is incredibly advantageous. You can't cater to every need, but you can position yourself as the expert in a particular skill set or niche. Identify your strengths—what are you exceptional at? Focus on becoming renowned for your area of expertise initially.

A good portfolio is very important, what many people immediately think of is an online portfolio. In addition to the standard websites, Instagram, YouTube, Vimeo, etc., a portfolio deck that you can show during your introductory meeting also works very well, you can immediately answer questions and tell something about the project that can connect with the potential customer where you have the conversation. In addition, it always works very well for me to show a targeted portfolio that suits a client. It is also important to remember that what you show in your portfolio also attracts your next clients.

I've always been a very big advocate of building a presentable portfolio as a freelance video producer/editor. You need to make it as easy as possible for the client to glance through your showreel/portfolio and convince them that you are indeed the best person for the job. The first showreel I produced in 2020, got me tons of work starting out after which I've only built my portfolio further. What really helped me carefully curating my work to only feature 5 - 10% of my work but to keep it short and engaging and when I discuss a project with a prospect I then showcase my similar projects.

Years ago, I would have recommended having at least a Vimeo and YouTube account. Nowadays, I believe it's essential to have a Linktree account to consolidate all your social network and website URLs (I highly recommend Squarespace). This is because information can become scattered, leading to confusion. Many also use Instagram as a portfolio, but an URL shortener is still necessary for content organization.

The best marketing is word-of-mouth. Above all else, get good at customer excellence. How people feel working with you is more important than the work you do. That means knowing how to read your client. Know when to take the lead and when to be subservient. Know when to passion push for above-and-beyond and when to pull back and just do what they ask. Churn is high in this industry. Most people mess up at one point. They chase too many rabbits. The customer you have is your #1 priority. Be incredible for them, again and again, and you'll have a career.

It's indeed a challenging task. I know outstanding artists and professionals who struggle with self-promotion, and it's not their fault. Prioritizing your craft and work ethic can clash with the demands of self-marketing. That's why it's important to establish a streamlined workflow: select a suitable social network, create an adaptable template, and efficiently manage your self-promotion without hindering your primary work.

In my experience, an effective self-marketing it's a challenging combination of online and offline activities to build visibility, showcase competence and skills and finally attract potential clients. 1) Word of mouth remains the most powerful tool and we must attend live-in-presence industry events, conferences, and fairs to network with potential clients but also get in touch with new and motivated collaborators. 2) Develop an easy, clean, user-friendly website including a bio, services, best works and clear contact information (mail and mobile). It is our professional Passport. 3) Leverage social media platforms (Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn) in order to engage with your audience and discretetly promote your services when appropriate.

All too often, folks in our industry feel that their craft, their art can carry them, and that their work alone will generate business for them. That is only part of the equation. You need to market yourself, not just digitally, but in person. There is a saying in the business world, "people want to do business with people the know, like and trust." You can have the slickest portfolio or reel, but if people don't know or like you, or worse, don't trust you, you'll be sitting on the sidelines. Attend events, join groups, get involved, build and nurture relationships. You are more than an artist, you are a business owner.

It sucks to hear, but...I've gotten a lot of value out of giving away free work. For example, one of my first partners was a business networking organization. The way I got in was to offer a few free shoots featuring the organization's sponsors -- the group didn't have anything like that, so there was little risk in saying no. I was able to leverage that work product into relationships with member businesses and, ultimately, created a small sales channel from it. Sure, there was very little monetary incentive up front, and it took the majority of my time (because I was new)...but it yielded incredible personal ROI.

When I started out, I had this habit of saying yes to everything. Big mistake. Looking back, I should've kept a broad guardrail on scope. Example: instead of full-service video production, start with something like video podcast production. Make a central offer, and 1-2 add-ons which can be reasonably delivered without feeling stretched thin. In terms of organization -- I started with a folder system. No task management, no project software, just folders on Google Drive for raw and edited assets. Eventually, I graduated to light task management -- I tried some software (Zoho, Trello, Monday)...but if you're budget minded, there's nothing wrong with Google Sheets, especially since at first there won't be 1000 clients on the roster.

Plan your work and work your plan. That is if you want to stay on budget and within your timeline. Great pre-production can save you once you get to production and post. And understand that creative/treatment and execution have different scales the farther you get into a project. You can't change the project concept while shooting or you will be wasting time and money (and that's BAD!). Also, expect the unexpected. I grew up in the Boy Scouts and "Be Prepared" was our motto. Things happen every day on set and you need to be prepared to overcome anything. Block every shot, scout locations, and have available options so you can change gears if needed to get you to post. Pick good people. Having a good and trustworthy team matters.

Plan, plan, plan, and then plan a backup. That's what determines whether a project's execution goes smoothly or if you end up seeking quick fixes along the way. Adding to the complexity, even if you plan every detail, it's challenging to ensure your team adheres to them precisely. The key lies in maintaining constant communication.

Planning is critical for freelance work, because you don't want to underestimate the time it will take to complete the project, which will ultimately affect your profit. When I begin a project, I schedule check-in calls with the client on the front-end so they are locked in on the calendar. This gives a touch point to talk about the expectations and vision of the project, and gives you opportunity to pivot your plans if the client changes their expectations along the progress. I usually only need to schedule a 30-minute weekly check-in, and if things are going smoothly, you'll only need about 15 minutes.

Planning projects and setting expectations should be on on the top of the list for freelance video producers. Be it vendor payments, delivery timelines and other contract agreements always keep the boxes ticked and be on the point. If you are not able to stick to plans you will have be chased around and also do the cahsing around.

Nowadays, I would strongly recommend that anyone working with video or cinema should consider taking basic project management classes. There are excellent courses available that can teach you how to effectively organize and oversee tasks within a film production. These courses also emphasize connecting with key stakeholders like executive producers and investors and streamlining workflows with fellow crew members. Additionally, I would encourage those who are curious to explore AI and emerging technologies, as these fields are advancing rapidly.

Outside of technical skills, I think it's an understated soft skill to be able to communicate with clients and vendors, especially if you're working in-house for a larger company. It takes a lot of practice to feel confident engaging directly with clients and the best way to learn IMO is by doing and watching/studying others. Some clients are easy to work with, others need constant attention or reassurance. How do you navigate issues with your client or your video production or post-production vendors when things go wrong? If you're presenting content for client review and they're unhappy how do you navigate to a solution? And then how do you translate that negative feedback to an editor or a colorist or sound design?

With over 30 years as a Documentarist I say.. number 1 a Film School will never give you the practical experience you need to become a Filmmaker. Start by shooting something important to you and your community. Shoot something that you can handle and learn to edit yourself.There are 2 kinds of roles.. work on someone else's project or become a Filmmaker. Everyone is a half-ass videographer today with a camera phone. Learn to shoot old school, learn how to light for both film and video. Buy a camera you're comfortable with. Remember if this business is not waking you up at night, its not for you. Be prepared to shoot guerilla style and no budget when you start. Later you will learn about financing your project and distribution. Good Luck jv

I can only speak to the world of Journalism, where field producers are a dying breed. You must stay current with technology. One day you may be live-streaming for a digital platform and the next you might be off a satellite truck.

This comment was clickbait today. I’m here calling a social-conforming “opinion” this is and not helpful “fact.” I’m literally only calling out the first sentence. “…you need to keep up with the latest trends, technologies, and techniques…” For two decades I have been on the bleeding edge of technology and the most recent is Virtual Production. I’ve I’m a video producer then my primary talent is to produce quality video that trolls a story. Primary! Technology is secondary to this goal. If you want to tell video stories then be a storyteller, own it, be it, live it! If you want to be a tech geek, that’s also fine too but be honest about who you are and where your expertise resides. As a producer you are not your technology.

I wish I had learned to be a bartender when I was in college. It would have helped during the leaner times. Or waiting tables. But in our day we were so hard-pressed to get hands on experience that opportunity was sometimes more important than practicality. Have a side hustle or whatever the cool kids are calling it this week.

Here are a few ways I manage finances for my video production business (this is not financial advice...like I even need to say it. I'm a content guy). Honestly, it's easy to think about if you think of the business as a person. Reserves: I keep a few months' cash on hand to make sure I can keep any/all staff paid in the event of a slowdown (like an emergency fund). Taxes: I make quarterly estimated payments to avoid surprises. (Virtually all businesses do this; many individuals do, too.) Rate: I study market rates. (Like an employee negotiating pay.) Investments: I buy equipment / software to continuously improve product. (Kinda like investing $ for your future). Above all: have common sense, don't be foolish / wasteful.

Early on in my freelance career, I wasn't concerned with payment terms. I would typically invoice a flat hourly rate to my client, and they would write a check or pay cash. As I became more experienced, I met with a local accountant and explained my business and goals. They worked with me to understand how I should track my cashflow and gave me basic business management advice. They recommended Quickbooks Online, which I use to manage all of my accounts, and to create invoices. The accountant has access to my Quickbooks, so they can see all of my accounts for tax season. This has been a big help and time saver for me, so I can focus on my videos and not get bogged down with keeping my books.

Drop everything else and learn AI and Generative AI everything. And that starts with knowing proper prompting. There are free courses galore and you can learn basics. Then dive in and play around and use ChatGPT & Claude. All else will completely pale in comparison. Run don't walk.

Adding on here to the other insightful perspectives shared thus far, negotiating payment terms will save you a lot of headache especially as a freelancer. Know the differences between net terms; Net15, Net30, Net60. Simply the number corresponds with the timeframe in which a company must pay you for your services ie. Net15 = payment within 15 days. Some companies will dictate this to you, others you can negotiate these terms with or present the terms of your Net payment on the invoice to them.

One of the best skills I learned over the years was to say "No.". It changed my career, for the better. As your skills grow you may need to remove Clients from your roster for various reasons (low fees, difficult client, life/work balance, etc.) It can be a scary thing contemplate and scary to execute. But used correctly can be beneficial. Do this with grace, confidence and respect. Remember, its your reputation that gets you work. "No." is a powerful tool, used correctly, can enhance your career and your life.

This is truly a difficult one, especially for creatives. Some of us got into the game because we really love what we do and find enjoyment in creating. This really blurs the lines between work/life. I continuously struggle with this and I've been working professionally now for 10+ years. That said, it's incredibly important to set boundaries and communicate. I spend a lot of my free time outside work, working on passion projects, but this doesn't help me recharge. What's worked is switching creative mediums ie. instead of video editing, which I really love, I'll draw or paint. I also find running really helpful or going for an extended walk, especially if I'm working from home.

Remember seeing the guy at the circus spinning plates? That's what freelancing is like. You gotta keep all those plates in the air spinning (and spinning well!). I'm a big fan of "work hard, play hard." Freelancing can easily take over your life (although having lots of work is not a bad thing!). I had friends who gave up snow skiing because they didn't want to get hurt and jeopardize their work. I felt that this was backwards. I was working to live, not living to work! I found booking myself free time was just as important as the work I booked so I could stay fit and have fun. When I got married, I adjusted that even more so I could commit to being a good husband and father while still serving clients and managing movie and TV projects.

Métier passion rime aussi avec dépression. Personne ne viendra fermer le bureau à votre place, personne ne vous dira "stop". Vous êtes seul face à vous-même pour gérer votre temps. Au fil des années, j'ai remarqué une chose ; rien n'est plus rassurant que de se fixer des horaires. Du mieux que je puisse, je me réserve mes week-ends. Aussi mes matinées, si j'ai du jus sur mes deadlines. Sans ?a, tout votre temps vous para?tra devoir être du temps de travail. C'est faux. Vous n'êtes pas des machines. Dites non. Reportez un montage si vous le pouvez. Prenez du retard. C'est un métier de boxeur, mais derrière vous, il n'y a ni entra?neur ni kiné. Reposez-vous reposez-vous et reposez-vous. Votre santé mentale en priorité.

As a freelancer it is most difficult to manage work and personal life balance. The nature of work is unpredictable, and time bound, if you don't pick up an opportunity it will go away, and you never know when the next opportunity will arrive. Over time it is good to build a roaster of clients who seek your services on a consistent basis.

There are two types of video producers: those who make good videos and those who make good money. If you are the first kind, stick to doing what you like to do. Do not compromise because of money. You may not make a lot money. But you will survive and thrive. (I have no right to advice the second type)

If you can shoot AND edit, you will most likely retain more clients and earn more revenue. In addition, throw in photography as a service offering. If you know your camera settings for video, photography should be similar. For me, the more vertical markets I worked with the more options I had. Some projects are during business hours, some are nights and some are weekends. I am a 24/7 business. The final tool I used to build trust with clients was to build a green screen studio. Google local likes it and sends me leads every week from searches for video production.

In my experience Know your role and expectations, have a strong knowledge of the technical details as well As the creative details. And always over deliver

Three words - Comparascope.com Oh shit, that’s one. My bad. Adding more here to fulfill the minimum character requirement.

Build your network of crew and vendor relationships. Treat them with respect that goes beyond lip service and is backed up with actions that demonstrate you're a team player who respects every person and business on the call sheet. Don't skimp on lunch. Seek ways to make the career ladder more equitable and fair for all. Production is collaborative, and over time, your job will get easier when people are thrilled to work with you.