So, you are looking to make the switch from occasional craigslisting hobbyist to full time freelance superstar. The only problem… you don’t know where to start. Am I getting warm? Well if this is your case, this nice little guide will point you in the direction that you need to go, and hopefully you can get yourself up and running in no time.
Create Your Website
Whether or not this is a personal blog, or a full fledged website, it needs to be a place that you can direct potential clients to see who you are, what you have done, and what you can do for them. The bare essentials for your site should be:
- About Me or About the Company
- Section for samples of your work
- Resumé
- not totally essential, but a Blog Section
- Demo Reel
You can find some really cool premade websites at Flashden.net if you want a fancy flash based website, without a built-in blog. You can also check out ThemeForest.net for HTML, Flash, Wordpress, and Joomla templates that are a simple install, and you could be up and running in a matter of hours. Wordpress is very nice, and my personal favorite, because it is so easy to set up and manage. Also having the blog aspect within your website adds a bit of personality and makes it easier for you to update your work and your availability for employment.
Demo Reel
Perhaps one of the biggest impressions you are going to make on an employer is what they think of your demo reel. I made the mistake of not having a demo reel for the longest time, and I had to keep telling clients (or would-be clients, as it were) that I was still creating my demo reel. Sometimes it is hard to create a demo reel when you start out, because you might have tons of great knowledge and be ready for the big time, but not that many projects to show for it. That’s okay. The biggest hurdle with a demo reel is to get a client to watch it for more than the first 30 seconds. If you can lock them in after that… its a good sign. Create a great opening, with some of your best stuff that you have created, or if you don’t have that much, do some tutorials online and apply that knowledge and then create a slick intro. Demo reels should be no longer than 2 minutes in length, and showcase the best of what you have. Make sure that you also specify what you have worked on if it was a collaboration project as well. You don’t want to be taking credit for visual effects work if you color graded a film. There are many ins and outs of creating a great demo reel, but that will have to wait for another article.
Business Cards
Another aspect that took me a while to grasp how important it was, is having a business card. Not only is it the only way for a person to remember who you are, but it gives them all the information needed to get back in touch with you, for whatever needs they may have. Your business card doesn’t have to be insanely intricate, it just needs to have a few basic pieces of information:
- Name
- Company
- Phone Number
- E-mail Address
- Website Address
You can get as designery as you want, but as long as your business card has this essential information, you are on the right track. GraphicRiver.net has a ton of really cool business card designs, so if you are looking for an easy customizable design, that would be the place to go.
Resumé
Along with your demo reel, your resumé can highlight the companies you have worked at and what positions you held specifically. Additionally, one thing that demo reels can’t really show, is what qualifications you have, and what schooling you have completed. This is a great opportunity for you to tell what awards you have won, what you studied in college, what your strong suits are, and the equipment you work with. This is more of the breakdown of what you can do for a client, and if they have gotten them to get this far… it is a very good sign.
Networking
The last thing that you can do is enter the realm that is social networking. LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Vimeo, Youtube, and maybe even Myspace. Sites like these can get your name out there, and display your work, your status, and you in general in more ways than your website alone can. All of these different avenues have different purposes, some display work you have done, other get your details and your company out there into the world. Especially in the video industry, a lot of the time it is about who you know. Even if you are a Facebook friend, or you follow them on Twitter, that is a little connection that could potentially blossom into something huge if you play your cards right.
Bottom line… whether you are applying for a post production house, or bidding on a project, you have to have a presence. A presence that clients look at, are intrigued by, and want to learn more. If you can start them off interested, and have them perusing your website and your work, you’re in. All these steps aren’t really that hard to do, it’s just the face of actually getting them done, and getting them done right.
