What is important? (Working freelance):

You have to be patient and not take everything to heart as you will find that a lot of the time you may be waiting on calls from people and emails and sometimes things change and you have to look for what to do next.

As well as this you have to keep hold of any contacts you may have picked up during university or college such as emails and phone numbers of film makers and directors or even runners. As mentioned in the first video any contact with any role within the industry could help get you working within a team.

For the most part it is largely about not doubting yourself or your abilities; if you are rejected on a project or it takes time for a response you should never believe that you are not going to get anywhere as you may decide to take on a project of your own. With free lance film making it is all down to you to decide where to go next whether working on someone else’ project or, as mentioned earlier, take on a project of your own.

Going back to having to patient; in one of the videos it is mentioned that you can sometimes be reading through entire novels or reading numerous scripts and giving feedback to the writers so, again, dedication and time management become huge factors within working as a freelance film maker.

Something which helps you establish a point within the industry you feel comfortable with is branding yourself. When becoming part of a film based project you want to make a good first impression just as you would in an interview or meeting new people so to brand yourself you have to find the style you like be it through cinematography, directing, script writing or even the way you approach sound recording. Also, social media plays a major role in branding yourself; the popularity of the internet has reached the greatest of heights since its creative birth and so putting yourself out there and allowing people to see what type of work you do is going to help you find your place within the millions of directors and film makers world wide.

Many start off small and back when they started out they did not have the tools we have so, in many ways, we are a step ahead in branding ourselves and should really take advantage. However you advertise your work and reputation online or through other means you have to make sure it reflects you as a person so that if the time comes that you meet up with a production team they know what to expect and you do not come across the wrong way.

Of course, it is best to have experience working on set and knowing where everyone and everything should be. You could be called out for any number of jobs so it is best to have that know how and be able to understand all tasks which are thrown at you.  Some mentioned you do not always end up in the same place you started; often you start with a certain role and work your way up to what you aspire to do and eventually, through taking on multiple roles, you get to that point.

The reason a lot of the people interviewed find freelancing a pleasant place within the film industry is purely for the freedom of it. Of course, promoting and branding your products is down to you but the fact that you have the freedom to do it your own way allows you to be creative and share your ideas more than if you were under strict supervision and the work was not entirely your own. A big advantage with freelancing to you is that you can have variety and even if you do not necessarily have a lot of experience you can learn through freelancing and become the better director/writer/etc that you have set out to be.

Networking:

When starting out it is best to tell the truth and not glorify your role too much. Showing that you have a starting point is an advantage as you can look back when you have progressed and see how far you have actually travelled and realise your potential as well as the progress that you have made. Again, in freelancing you have to make a good first impression and really influence others to want to work with you. In telling the truth and saying where you want to be rather than lying and saying you have already made it is best as they may even offer you ways of which you may get there. You open yourself up to millions of opportunities in starting off small. Many of the great directors of today did not start off as directors. They were just young, creative people with a vision.

It is best to become part of a network and have contacts so that you are not always stuck at home looking for meeting events and you can actually share ideas regularly to people you have met in person and know you can be creative with. In becoming part of a network you can be given news of events and opportunities you may not have heard of as others may work in collaboration with bigger production companies who offer experience to those wanting to learn more about future job roles. You can also deal with clients better by suggesting other options if you are not available and working on other projects. Then people can come to you and realise you as a reliable source. This then gives you the chance to say maybe you are free to work with them and then you can show your potential and become recognise for your talent.

Being that knowing people in the industry is a great advantage you can then imagine how much of an advantage networking is as you can accumulate contacts with producers, show runners, directors and writers and if they need assistance and you have put yourself out there and made yourself known to them then you stand a great chance of working alongside them. It will not always work straight away as there a many projects underway and sometimes writers and such will have all of what they need or at least think they do but if you still want a chance it is best to suggest ideas and show you are interested so that the next time a project comes up they will have you in mind.

Tips to get into the industry:

Of course, the main tip for getting into the industry is to put yourself out there. This could be through any number of methods and tools such as:

  • Social Networking: Create your own page or group and express your ideas and say where you are starting out. It is best to start out within a group of friends who you know have had hands on experience and then allow them to put you in contact with friends of their own who can give pointers and advertise events and opportunities for you to build your experience with.
  • Websites:  Websites are heavily accessible these days and are a common way uprising directors and writers advertise themselves to the industry. With websites it is all about you and so as long as you advertise yourself well and stay honest but positive about your experience and enthusiasm you are bound to start somewhere.
  • Contacts: When studying film at university level you are often given useful contacts. These could be to a cinematographer, a camera operator or even a director. It is best to keep hold of these contacts so that in the future you can ask if there are any opportunities coming up where someone is needed to take part and help with the production of a project. Also, you can ask them questions of how they got to where they are and even collect suggestions. It is all about building up a network of contacts and familiarising yourself with people in the industry who are just as passionate as you. In helping one person out you are also helping yourself out and building your own team perhaps without even knowing it.
  • When to say no: Of course, it is best to get experience wherever it is available but you have to be realistic as well; sometimes you may already have a job at a certain time and so to imagine yourself in a real situation having worked long hours and have to be somewhere else within a set time you really have to bring yourself back down to Earth and find a way of taking advantage of the opportunity but say when you are not available. Sometimes, you may not be given enough detail about a certain job and so you may feel uncomfortable with the offer. Saying no all the time will not get you anywhere but prioritising is import as well. Find an opportunity you know you are available to take and take it. If it crops up the same time as something else see if you have the time rather than assuming you do not. You have to consider your performance; would you work better having already worked hours on end on set? if you know it will affect your performance then it is best to say no as you do not want to give the wrong impression simply because you set yourself a target at the wrong time.

 

Reflection (Views on freelancing):

I believe it is a good place to start; some stay freelances and others join production teams. Both of these paths seem like the perfect idea however it is all about finding your starting point. With freelancing you have the choice to change your mind say if you were not finding the right experience you could change where you go next however it is much more difficult when part of a creative team as you are dedicating your time to other people as well as yourself. So long as you are confident that you are where you want to be it does not really matter whether you take the freelancing road or not.

Of course there are a number of prospects with working freelance as you often have creative control and your availability is greater therefore you can be more flexible and take on more experience. Also, you are learning along the way whereas with other options you may be expected to know everything or a lot more than you do. Sometimes jobs freelancing are unpaid and many are put off by this but that does not mean you will be working constantly without pay. If taking on a project of your own you may make the decision to bring some form of payment into practice. Also, if you advertise yourself well within the industry others may be keen to work with you and offer payment. However, it is not all about getting paid. The film industry is rewarding in a number of different ways.

I would probably consider freelancing as I have a lot of my own ideas and want to make them into something. Also, with freelancing you can get to know more and more people as passionate as you. You make your own decisions but can look for guidance and learn more and more as you go on. The freedom of it is largely attractive an idea so I would definitely consider it. As said before it is a rewarding job and you can still make it to where you want. It is largely down to how you advertise yourself and put your work out there.

 Briefs:

 

What would be included in a brief:

  1. Contact Details- These would be in place in case you had any further question for the client.
  2. Location-If the initial idea for the project has no specific location mentioned then the brief itself should have at least a sentence underlining the expected location. Even if there was no specific location some reassurance should be there.
  3. A Plot-Especially in advertising, a plot is needed so that the person being given the brief knows where they can be creative and whether there are limitations to what is expected in the final product.
  4. A Central Focus- Whether you are creating an advertisement, making a music video or even making a promotional video there has to be a central focus; something which is being advertised or having its story told. One example would be, you are creating an advert which is 30 seconds long. The central focus is a new drink containing less sugar than most drinks out on the market. Once you have the central focus you can go on to branch out ideas and maybe even develop a story line or narrative for the advert to make it more interesting.
  5. Payment-During projects such as creating promotional material for others you will find that many will put forward payments to those who take on the project. Often, if the client is desperate for someone to undergo their project they will increase the payment so, overall, it is helpful and common to have the payments/expected pay for the project on display in the brief.
  6. Audio-Sometimes, if the client wants something very specific for their piece they will involve audio directions. These could be what ambience sound effects they would like for you to overlay with each shot. The directions may also highlight how and when each actor, if the project consists of actors, will be heard the most during conversation. It is important, especially if the brief is in regards to a music video which consists of a substantial amount of audio.

Below are two examples of briefs taken from the website, ‘Genero’. There is a link provided below.

https://genero.tv/

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Above, there are the two examples of briefs, each full of detail both about the company and also the project.

eBay:

  • The Brief-A set of sentences describing what is needed in the video. Bullet points are used as well as short sentences. It is minimalistic therefore easy to adapt to and read without loosing interest.
  • Brand Traits-Again, small sentences, this time describing the high points and qualities of the company. For example, sentences claiming the reliability of the company.
  • Creative Direction-Again, the advertiser has specific plans and is listing them to the client. They give out different categories and ask the client(s) to dedicate their film to one of the following. This still leaves room for creativity despite the level of directions as to how the final project should be.
  • Audio-As mentioned before it is a necessity when creating video however, the brief dictates that the video should still be understandable without audio as it will appear on the site without audio and not many will choose to turn it on. This narrows the creativity down to more visual aspects.
  • Timing/duration-Above, the timings are displayed in many different forms; they are different depending on which social media site the promotional video will appear on. For Facebook it varies between 20 and 30 seconds long. With YouTube it falls between 60-90 seconds.
  • Aspect Ratio- They are even specific enough to show what frame size they want the final product to fit, again depending on which social media site it appears on. (Facebook=1:1/YouTube=16:9)

Persil:

  • Brief- The brief outlines what is expected, ‘A number of lifestyle-like vignettes’. Vignettes being videos compacting as much information and story line as possible into a short duration of time.
  • Mandatories-For the most part outlining the danger of the product when misused by children. Every bullet point is in reference to consumers below the suitable age. It asks that we, being the film maker,  avoid presenting children alone with such products and therefore encourage parents to keep the product out of the reach of their children. This also tells us the target audience and excludes anyone below the age of sensibility.
  • Creative direction-Again, listing all we need to know about what is wanted from the final project. There are clear directions as to what lighting is expected from day through to night. An overall positive feel to the advert just as usual. Representing the product in a positive light.
  • Audio Requirements- It is near enough just as thorough as the previous brief by involving information on audio. It states that the audio will be provided from an external source and ultimately it will help with the pacing of the short.
  • Assets- Attached information including a script and the timings. This is a very detailed brief and although it proves dedication to the project it can sometimes limit the imagination of the people it is being pitched to. Of course, details are important however it is easy to feel cornered when there are specific details and on a larger scale than you may have anticipated.

Information I will ask the clients:

  1. When am I expected to have completely finished the project?
  2. Are there any titles, effects or transitions which I could be creative with?
  3. Often projects like this will involve the 16:9 aspect ratio, does this apply to this project?
  4. Is it possible to improvise lines along with the script to fit the scenarios or is all speech limited to the script and the VO?
  5. How creative can I be with the actors, do they have to have experience in acting and fit a certain demographic or can they be people I know who have the talent but have never acted before?
  6. When are payments made and are there change made to the payment depending on delays and grossing of customers?
  7. If successful with the promotional video would I be called upon by this company for future projects?

Contracts:

(Additional Information supplied by gov.uk)

Freelance Work:

Freelance work is the method of working for all but one person. You are almost your own boss and you make decisions whether or not to take on a job. In terms of film making, freelancers tend to learn as they go along and because they are not employed within a company or production team they have more freedom in choosing different paths in the future.

Some would argue it is a major set back as you are not always sure whether or not you will find work all the time and you are not guaranteed to get paid. This is often the case but being a freelancer you have the option of turning down non-profitable opportunities in order to find something else. Others would argue it alleviates a lot of the stresses you get when working on a permanent contract and working in a production team. They may go further to say that you are more likely to be paid if you work in freelance and even say that it is a lot more fun and should be encouraged more within the modern day film industry.

Permanent Contract Work:

Permanent contract work is when you are employed by someone else. In terms of film making that person could be someone who runs a production team. You are often given work to complete rather than you, yourself, choosing projects or even creating your own. Sometimes,  you will be completing a project set up by the production team you are in and you will be given a variety of roles.

At the moment, a permanent contract does not particular sound as interesting as freelancing being that there are strict rules and some limitations. With freelancing you can choose to take on projects of your own and then take them to a production team and conspire as to whether or not they are interested in carrying the idea forward. It seems, however, that you can be entitled to certain amounts of money when working alongside other companies and/or businesses. If you are freelancing you are presumed to be part of an external company and so you will not always be paid however you are still to be treated fairly when working in collaboration with other companies and you will still have an impact on the work.

Fixed-term contracts:

Fixed term contracts are said to last a certain amount of time. This seems somewhat unfortunate for someone who may be looking to work full time within a production team or company. However, it is also stated that you are to be treat the same way a full time worker would and the contract itself is set in advance.

It seems ideal for film makers looking to work with numerous different companies as they are for a set amount of time and end when the work is completed. This gives people the opportunity to look for somewhere else tow work and overall the experience will build up.

Zero Hour Contracts:

With zero hour contracts you are not expected to work in an office and be in for a certain time. You are often waiting for something yourself. Very much like freelancing you can make the decision whether or not to work with someone. IF you refuse they cannot make you do the work.

However, unlike freelance contracts you are entitled to the minimum wage and annual leave just like you would be if you were on a permanent contract. This makes the zero hour contract sound like a more intriguing approach to freelancing however there are still limitations. Of course health and safety does still apply as it does with almost all of the different contracts.

Comparing Contracts:

Freelancing-

With freelancing you feel free to express your artistic nature and translate it into a project of your own.

You will often feel unsure as to whether or not you have been accepted for an external project  as you will be working for yourself and be the first line of contact.

Sometimes you will find yourself spending a lot of time at home without work but the beauty of freelancing is choosing to go out and find work because when you do find it the opportunities open up for you.

With freelancing you are not always guaranteed the same rights as those of permanent contract workers. (Minimum wage/etc.)

Permanent-

When  working on a permanent contract you are partial to more of the perks. For example, you will be given a letter displaying all deductions from your payments.

You would be entitled to sick pay

Maternity leave payment is also made available to you as well as paternity and adoption(s).

You do not always have the same freedom as you do with freelancing.

You are often struggling to meet deadlines. Especially, if you are taking on several other projects or even a part time job at the time.

You cannot afford to fall behind and if so you are not always given support to get back up to date with all your work. You are often a key component in keeping the project flowing smoothly and keeping well in production so if you are to fall behind the entire production team will feel they are falling behind as well.

Fixed Term Contracts-

Once you have completed work set on the fixed term contract the contract ends and you are left looking for work again.

You are still eligible for the same pay as those on permanent contracts.

You will not feel unsure or under pressure in terms of when the work ends or when you can start to look for other options and places to go.

When on a fixed term contract you can be informed of any permanent vacancies and, from there, begin working for them full time.

Zero Hour Contracts-

With zero hour contracts some would argue that you do not feel challenged enough. They may say it does not feel like work and that they would prefer something more hands-on.

With zero hour contracts you do have a lot of freedom and can turn down offers if they do not positively affect you. Also, if you say no then whoever it is attempting to employ you cannot try to pull you back into the work.

If you are also taking on different work from other employers then whoever it is you are being employed by cannot turn you down. They have to give you a chance rather than assuming you are dedicated to other companies instead.

Which is best right now?:

Right now, I believe the best option sounds like freelancing as you are still in control of everything you do and although you are not always entitled to the same pay as people with a permanent contract you can still have creative control over projects and be part of the team regardless.

Zero Hour Contracts do not appeal to me as I would feel the same as others and question the method. I would probably not feel as though I was in a working environment and not set boundaries or targets.

Permanent contracts seem too strict and complicated; with freelancing it is you looking for projects and choosing which one you find most interesting whereas with permanent contracts you are often given work and your abilities may feel slightly limited. I tend to enjoy putting my own twist on projects and with permanent contracts although there are some opportunities to create your own projects and ideas freelancing offers these types of opportunities more frequently.

In the future:

In terms of where I see myself working in the future, I would probably see myself starting out in freelancing and then slowly transitioning into other contracts. I would like to work with other production companies as you can receive useful contacts and eventually find your way to working with big names in the film industry. However, it is always best to start small and build up.

I enjoy working both independently and in groups so freelancing is ideal as I can choose to work with friends or those of individuals as passionate, as myself, about film.