With the modern world, many of us will require the use of digital content. From photographs to videos, much of the online world love to consume content on a daily basis. It’s something that many businesses and individuals have made into careers as a result.
We’ve seen a new generation of influencers through social media platforms like YouTube, Instagram and Tiktok take off. There’s more opportunity online than ever before, which makes running a business or going freelance doable for those who’ve been thinking about it.
While a freelance career life might not be for everyone, it could be the making of others where they’re setting their own hours, earning unlimited amounts of money, and living their best life. Videographers are becoming more popular nowadays with the need for more video content.
With that in mind, if you’re a dab hand at video footage and are considering a freelance career in videography, then here are some helpful tips. By the end of this blog, you’ll have all the tools and knowledge needed to freelance and succeed!
Hone your skills and improve with experience
Firstly, skills and experience are two things you need to have in abundance. When you’re a videographer, you’re only going to be as successful as the skills and talent you have. For some, that might take years of honing skills and improving their range of experience.
For others, it might be something that comes quite naturally or is within a niche of videography that you’ve already got experience in.
Regardless, there are always opportunities to learn and so when it comes to videography careers, make sure you’re always improving. Find new ways to film and look at videography-related trends that your clients are going to love and what’s going to make them spread the word about your talents and work.
Know the ins and outs of being a freelancer
Becoming a freelancer isn’t easy. You haven’t got the safety net of an employer to look after you. However, despite the challenges and the sleepless nights, being a freelance is something that will eventually become manageable.
It’s something that will take time and it’s again, something you need to craft your skillset in. As a freelance videographer, you essentially become a one-person band. You do everything in order to keep your career providing an income. That means, filming content, editing it, liaising with clients, submitting invoices, doing taxes, etc. The list seems never-ending but once you know everything there is to know about becoming a freelancer, it does get easier.
Register as self-employed
Registering as self-employed is important because it’s one part of being a freelancer that could get you in trouble. By not being self-employed, you’re not submitting taxes and that can be a problem not just financially but legally too.
It’s not worth risking it by earning money and then not declaring it to the tax man. Chances are the tax man is going to find out and will bring along with him, some handcuffs and a prison sentence.
It’s something to take very seriously, so make sure you’re reading up on how to register as self-employed. This varies depending on where you’re based n the world but there are various governing bodies that are responsible for taxes and managing the freelancers and self-employed traders of the world.
Invest in good photography equipment
Good photography equipment is a given but it’s something that can be forgotten about, especially when it comes to saving the money needed. After all, this type of equipment isn’t exactly cheap. Chances are, it’s going to cost you several thousand dollars to get set up properly.
When it comes to going freelance, make sure you’ve prepared ahead of time to take the plunge. It’s not necessarily something that you want to decide to do one day and then the following day, you’re living the not-so-high life of being unemployed.
Save up some money before you end up quitting your job. Most of those who go freelance with this sort of creative direction will do it as a side hustle until it becomes something that’s enough to go full-time with.
Take a look at what equipment you have currently and whether it’s enough for what you’re looking to achieve. If it isn’t, then it’s worth thinking about what you need so that you can get purchasing your investment pieces!
Find ways to stand out with unique tech
Talking of tech, what type of tech do you know of that’s really unique? It’s important to find unique tech and trends when it comes to videography because it may be the difference in your securing clients or your competitors securing them instead.
Think about what ways you can stand out when it comes to tech opportunities. For example, the mavic 3 classic is a drone that can really take your videography skills to the next level. Not only does it capture some incredible footage, but it will also wow a lot of the people that are at the event itself.
A lot of weddings that have videographers have been using drones in recent years to capture the couple’s special day. It takes wedding films to a whole other level of cool and professional. These sorts of unique tech and trendy technologies can be a great selling point for videographers to take advantage of.
Expand your niche
When it comes to videography, there are a lot of caveats to it that you shouldn’t simply box yourself into one of them. That is unless your passion is in that area and only that area.
However, chances are as a creative, you can expand your niche and dip your lens into a variety of filming opportunities. From television and film to corporate events, weddings, and individual projects. There’s a lot of opportunity for video content nowadays and a desperate need for it by talented videographers.
If you have the ability to expand your niche and to do more than just what you’re doing now, why not do it? You may end up surprising yourself with your own talents!
Start connecting and promoting your business
As a freelancer, your freelance career effectively becomes your business. You are the business and so it’s important to promote it.
The online world is a great place to promote your content, especially when it comes to videography. With so many people online digesting video content like it’s going out of style, it’s essential to use this need to your advantage and to start connecting online.
Get online and set yourself up with some social media channels. Start promoting yourself and your content on these platforms whether you’re showing clips of previous work, or you’re sharing your own personal life on the channel.
Everything you can do to promote yourself and your work is going to help greatly when it comes to finding success as a videographer. Don’t feel the shame of self-promotion as it’s something that could be the difference in finding lots of success in the freelance industry.
Put it this way, you won’t be full of shame when you find these social media platforms make you a success and you’ve got a year or two’s worth of work.
Keep going – even when it gets tough!
When the going gets tough, the tough get going. Always remember that even when it gets tough, you’re doing something you are passionate about and that many could only dream of pursuing. Keep at it and at some point, it’ll stick and you’ll be grateful for persevering through it all.
