Anyone into freelance video/photography?

[Esoteric Wealth]

Just wondering if anyone does, or has done any freelance video or photo work before.

I'm inspired by @SinisterLex and his copywriting freelancing. My skills however are video related. I can probably do corporate videos, videos for small businesses and such.

How hard is to break into? I have no equipment so I would be charging my clients the rental cost of equipment.

Most efficient way of getting clients?

Anybody who can chime in with some experience would be really appreciated

 

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[Scot]

@Roli This is your former thing, maybe you'll have some good advice here?

 

[Xavier X]

@Richard Espinosa

I do video production, and it is heavily dependent on your location and specialty. Bigger the city, the better (albeit more competition).
I don't do "video coverage," i.e shooting live events like weddings, so I can't speak about those.

Breaking in depends on what you're trying to break into.
Regardless, you'll need samples or a portfolio. Otherwise, you'll be wasting your time.

It's something you must go all in, or let be. If you half-a$$ it, you'll waste both time and money and get nothing.
If it means doing a few free projects to get professional samples, then do just that.
Just make sure the samples are of commercial quality, and of a commercial entity. Not your dog running around the park.

It's best to buy at least an entry level camera, and rent higher end ones when needed.
As a rookie, most of the bottom feeders you'll inevitably meet won't have budgets to cover rentals.

As far as getting clients, in the long term, repeat clients and referrals are the bread and butter.
However, for starters, be ready to post classified ads on Craigslist and anywhere else that will accommodate you.

To reiterate, create good samples.

I have a Bachelor's Degree in Communication with a concentration in Media Production.
However, that doesn't mean anything if I can't show the potential client something impressive first.
It's a "show me what you can do, and I'll hire you" industry.

 

[Ika]

EDIT:
That post got way to long, sorry!
Tl;dr: Become a content creator
1. Analyse which video skill you are good at
2. Pick a marketing niche in which you can add value through your video services (ex: video edits for landing pages; product tutorials for youtube; small content pieces for instagram)
3. Pick an industry that allows both recurring revenue and location independence (daily videos for an ecommerce instagram page)
4. Approach agencies that sell this marketing service in this industry to become their goto content creator guy



There are two important questions before you read my post:
1. What is your exact video skill? Capturing moments, telling stories, cutting, 3D Effects, Color Correction, Animations etc.
2. Do you have a portfolio to show your skill level?

I'm not a video freelancer, I'm a webdesign freelancer. I create videos as a hobby though.

Why should you still listen to my idea?

A lot of video people start their freelancing journey with local wedding videography or corporate videography.
I advise you to do the complete difference:
Find a marketing agency and become their goto content creator.

In this time, content is heavily tied to marketing.
And while most marketing guys are strategic, technical and creative - they are not content creators.
In most cases it is two pair of shoes. And this is a big problem I came across in my own work.


Let's create a hypthetical example:
I get a new ecommerce client and manage their social media accounts.
In the beginning it works great - the business sends me all of their old content, like product images and team pictures.

But at one point, recycling isn't enough, they need new stuff to post.
They ask me to create content for them.
Video works better than photo.

Here is where you come in.
I agree to create their content and hire you as a freelancer to create it.
They send you the products, we come up with a concept.

My client thinks you are a part of my team.
I take a paycut for generating the client, taking the risk and knowing the clients' business.

You have different agencies you work with to create control and minimize risk. As soon as you get too much work, you can hire someone. There are literally thousands of content creators on instagram that would die to create full time.


I would go with ecommerce stores - most of the time you can create the videos from everywhere as the products are shippable.
You could go with service businesses, but have to go local.

Now, depending on your exact video skill, you might want to choose a different marketing niche to go into.
A few ones from the top of my head:
Content for Social Media
Edits for Facebook Ads
In depth product reviews/tests/tutorials for YouTube or their Website
Updates for their newsletter
Landing Page videos
About Us Videos


Are your skills better to create a few but bold videos? Or are they better to create recurring videos with less of an impact?
Are you better at creating emotions or better at explaining products?

I personally would go with something recurring as you get to know the businesses better and better.



Phew, after writing this down I'm really wondering why I didn't go down this route haha

Keep us updated!

 

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[Esoteric Wealth]

To reiterate, create good samples.

Thanks for reiterating. I honestly actually was thinking, "ehh, maybe I can just whip up some nice looking home videos or something."

Will definitely consider doing work for free to build some samples.

 

[Esoteric Wealth]

EDIT:
That post got way to long, sorry!
Tl;dr: Become a content creator
1. Analyse which video skill you are good at
2. Pick a marketing niche in which you can add value through your video services (ex: video edits for landing pages; product tutorials for youtube; small content pieces for instagram)
3. Pick an industry that allows both recurring revenue and location independence (daily videos for an ecommerce instagram page)
4. Approach agencies that sell this marketing service in this industry to become their goto content creator guy



There are two important questions before you read my post:
1. What is your exact video skill? Capturing moments, telling stories, cutting, 3D Effects, Color Correction, Animations etc.
2. Do you have a portfolio to show your skill level?

I'm not a video freelancer, I'm a webdesign freelancer. I create videos as a hobby though.

Why should you still listen to my idea?

A lot of video people start their freelancing journey with local wedding videography or corporate videography.
I advise you to do the complete difference:
Find a marketing agency and become their goto content creator.

In this time, content is heavily tied to marketing.
And while most marketing guys are strategic, technical and creative - they are not content creators.
In most cases it is two pair of shoes. And this is a big problem I came across in my own work.


Let's create a hypthetical example:
I get a new ecommerce client and manage their social media accounts.
In the beginning it works great - the business sends me all of their old content, like product images and team pictures.

But at one point, recycling isn't enough, they need new stuff to post.
They ask me to create content for them.
Video works better than photo.

Here is where you come in.
I agree to create their content and hire you as a freelancer to create it.
They send you the products, we come up with a concept.

My client thinks you are a part of my team.
I take a paycut for generating the client, taking the risk and knowing the clients' business.

You have different agencies you work with to create control and minimize risk. As soon as you get too much work, you can hire someone. There are literally thousands of content creators on instagram that would die to create full time.


I would go with ecommerce stores - most of the time you can create the videos from everywhere as the products are shippable.
You could go with service businesses, but have to go local.

Now, depending on your exact video skill, you might want to choose a different marketing niche to go into.
A few ones from the top of my head:
Content for Social Media
Edits for Facebook Ads
In depth product reviews/tests/tutorials for YouTube or their Website
Updates for their newsletter
Landing Page videos
About Us Videos


Are your skills better to create a few but bold videos? Or are they better to create recurring videos with less of an impact?
Are you better at creating emotions or better at explaining products?

I personally would go with something recurring as you get to know the businesses better and better.



Phew, after writing this down I'm really wondering why I didn't go down this route haha

Keep us updated!

This. Rep+

Great response man, really appreciate you taking the time to type that out.

I really like the idea of approaching marketing agencies. I wanted something that would put me on a different path than what video guys usually take, and this is exactly it.

Doing something in e-commerce is definitely ideal.

I don't have a portfolio and I think that's really top priority right now going down this route.

Really like the idea of niching down into content for social media, or product reviews, I feel I'd be pretty effective in those. Recurring videos is definitely more down my skill pallet I'd say.

 

[BeeCatcher]

I am really into video editing and my dream is making movie trailers for living. I've a YouTube channel with 6k subscribers, a relatively low number, but I keep growing on a daily basis. I'd say YouTube is my best bet, because I use it as my portfolio when I try to apply for a job. There's gotta be the same sort of platform for photos, right?

Instagram?

 

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[Roli]

Thanks for reiterating. I honestly actually was thinking, "ehh, maybe I can just whip up some nice looking home videos or something."

It's this kind of reply to someone trying to help you out, that makes me glad I missed this one.

 

[Esoteric Wealth]

It's this kind of reply to someone trying to help you out, that makes me glad I missed this one.

Not sure what you mean? That comment had no bad intention whatsoever. I was pointing out that he was a big help for reiterating having a good portfolio is extremely important, because I had thought differently prior. Which is what I meant when I quoted myself.

 

[Esoteric Wealth]

It's this kind of reply to someone trying to help you out, that makes me glad I missed this one.

As I read my comment again, I can see how it looks as if I was blowing off his advice, this was not my intention WHATSOEVER, and I'm sorry if it seemed that way to you @Xavier X, thanks for pointing that out @Roli

 

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[Roli]

As I read my comment again, I can see how it looks as if I was blowing off his advice, this was not my intention WHATSOEVER, and I'm sorry if it seemed that way to you @Xavier X, thanks for pointing that out @Roli

I've just read your quote again, and it looks like I was being oversensitive; probably a bad day or something

 

[Lamodastudio]

I’ve ran a Photography, Video & Photo Booth business since 2005. We mostly do weddings . After rereading the Million Fastlane and just finishing Unscripted I am working on getting into a Fastlane business . I started the photography business doing what I loved and now am burned out and lost my passion for photography.
The biggest problem with wedding photography is the barrier of entry is to low and there hordes of do what you love photographers .
I’ve done O.K. for myself with this business , driving faster than most slow laners , but definitely not Fastlane .