How Freelancers Can Succeed: Rise in your field
In this instalment of How Freelancers Can Succeed, production sound mixer Ande Schurr outlines three ways to rise in your field without incurring ‘tall-poppy syndrome’.
Schurr talks about strategically purchasing new equipment, the real value of short films to increase confidence and skill, and, how to impress your client by putting in an extra few minutes at the end of the job.
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Greetings! I hope you are well out there in the freelance world. It’s a no-brainer; the higher our quality of service the more we stand out from others. Not only does it feel great to know you are giving your best but you can also relax in the knowledge that you will get plenty of work.
We’ve all heard of tall-poppy syndrome: ‘cut off’ the person who is too confident too early on in their career. In such a small village, as is New Zealand, we need to find other ways to show we are worth being hired.
1. Spend strategically on equipment
Your gear speaks for itself. If you have the best then people assume without question that you are serious.
This is how the beginner can distance themselves from other ‘newbie’s’ in a very short space of time. It’s a nail-biter wondering how to spend your hard earned cash on equipment – especially if you’re starting out. Assuming you’re not a rich kid, each purchasing decision for the typical freelancer is accompanied by rigorous contemplation and comparative analyses between brands, prices and functional differences.
I have three words for you: BUY THE BEST. Read the reviews of the best equipment in your field, search the online shops to see how they price it, and then make your decision whether to buy locally or overseas. Buying second hand can be a sensible choice too.
2. Start working on funded short films
No, they don’t pay much, but Film Commission funded short films usually have a rising star director and an already established Director of Photography and Producer who will be feeling grateful to you for giving your service to their cause.
I recorded sound on Katie Wolfe’s short film ‘Redemption’ shot by Ginny Loane and produced by Rachel Jean, head of drama and comedy at TV3. The budget was poor but the experience was rich. I got to test for the first time my new hard drive recording system – the HHB Portadrive which records 8 separate tracks of audio. I would never have had the courage to use this on a commercial where there is low tolerance for failure! On funded short films, although having high production values, there is less pressure and so I was able to make my mistakes in the first few hours of shooting with an understanding crew who knew I was testing new gear. Short films are great also for still photographers who want to get into film work.
3. Go the extra mile
I spend extra time writing in notes in the metadata for each sound take. This small touch is appreciated by editors who already have enough to do without having to manually find out what each track is about. What can you do to ‘round’ off your service? Find the one thing that is the connecting link between you and the client –the day’s rushes, labelling tape stock or perhaps the quality of paper that you print your invoice on (I’m joking!!) – and deliver it on a ‘gold plate’.
Ande Schurr is a production sound mixer for feature films, TV productions and commercials. His interest in keeping his work load high throughout the year causes him to explore different marketing and management approaches.
The ‘How Freelancers Can Succeed’ series was born from the desire to document and share what worked, and didn’t work, as a freelancer. People tend to associate freelancing with unstable income patterns and shaky client relations. Ande believes that the opposite is just as true if you apply certain principles; that freelancing is a stable, well-paid, motivating alternative to ‘full-time’ work.
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Comments
thanks for this andre. motivating for a 'newbie' myself.
authenticated trusted user
10 December 2009 - 17:23 PM
I'm glad you found it useful! Looking briefly at your profile I see you are a freelance writer. That is yet another form of freelancing that needs its own advice and methods. I would be interested in hearing what your approach has been.
I've actually just begun on freelance writing after 3 years of marketing. My earlier work has been for not-for-profit magazines/websites aka portfolio builders, so I'm still trying to get my foot in the door.
Some of the tips my freelance writer contacts had were:
- Know your angle: it's really about branding your style like any other art form; editors want to see consistency in style as much as diversity in topics I can write.
- Pitch it right: For a writer, the first pitch is everything. I've encountered rejection letters for my work about five times now from sites like Suite101, because they do have specific target markets and writing style expectations. So sometimes it may be best to pitch directly to the magazine. I used to think brief bullet point paras should sell it, thinking about the editor's expectations. This is no guarantee and I've heard of other freelancers who have written three lines and got an immediate (within 2 days) response.
- NZ is a challenging space for writers - for someone with a strong theoretical and fiction-writing style, our magazines don't have the market. I am now pitching to Australian, American and even Netherlands-based ones because of my globalist-oriented style. It is essentially about connections in New Zealand, and the dryer the writing (ie. strictly 3rd person and naked facts), the easier to get assignments! Sub-editors tend to adjust the article tone in many cases - so integrity is really hard to keep if you feel you've worked so hard to achieve a polished style.
- And of course, the per word debate. Writers are paid cents per word and often to a word count limit. For features-focused writers like myself, I have to balance out the opportunity costs - is it worth it? How hard are my leads? Do I want to spend three days focusing on this? Or move on to a shorter turn-around / review-type assignment?
As I've said, I'm still learning. I see you've started interview series with other freelancers. I hope to learn more from these stories. Let me know if I can help too.