How do you earn a living?

I've been in below-the-line production on and off since I graduated from high school (my first job was in the camera department on The Peoples Court). There was some college at Jim Cameron's alma mater. Should have taken business classes instead of filmmaking classes.

Over the past year, following my busiest year of production (3 full reality series and a documentary feature), I've leapt squarely into the world of development.

We've formed a bi-coastal production development interest with a slate of fifteen projects. At this moment, we're pitching three game shows to the networks and a few, select cable nets.

I would really stress that you don't see a lot of camera operators in their sixties for a good reason. If you can land classic "DP" positions, where you're not physically on the hook for making the shot happen, then you could work to a ripe old age in the camera department. Even then, you have no financial residual interest in the work you create. Not usually.

For me, that observation about my current career dictated that I find a way to own and control the content I create. Hence our most recent enterprise.

It should also be said that it is a good idea to marry above your station! Having a wife who is a VP for an investment firm makes my time between gigs and "in-development" a lot easier.

e
 
Here are a few things you can do to "create" more time for yourself so you can work on your projects: unplug the T.V. and tie the cord in a knot, don't go out drinking, don't go out period, don't read, don't troll DVXuser and other websites, only check your email once a day and disconnect the internet for the rest of the day, sleep an hour less, discover the source of inspiration/motivation/energy that lies within you, and finally, block out all distractions and focus (obsess) only on your projects. Good luck.
 
im a pimp daddy

im a pimp daddy

yeah mike diggilo ,male jigalo
means i do a little marketing @home buisness its actualy very great,
i work weekends placing home sale sighns all over the bay area here in the s.f bay
my company handles most of all land devolopers advertising in this part of the state actualy a very good size co,
i do get the pimps pay concidering its real estate doing it for almost six years!
it all driving and stoping alot for vinyle sighns i keep at home then up they go fri
and back down on sunday,leaving my weekdays for shooting and skateboarding
xbox adobe and cafe hopping!!!!

my youtube has me on my job inspecting billboards for my company somewhere

youtube.com/joemiked
 
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Phil Maker said:
Here are a few things you can do to "create" more time for yourself so you can work on your projects: unplug the T.V. and tie the cord in a knot, don't go out drinking, don't go out period, don't read, don't troll DVXuser and other websites, only check your email once a day and disconnect the internet for the rest of the day, sleep an hour less, discover the source of inspiration/motivation/energy that lies within you, and finally, block out all distractions and focus (obsess) only on your projects. Good luck.
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Dang Phil, we should all print that out and place it above our work stations. Students should be able to get college for memorizing what you wrote. In fact, if they just do what you said they probably don't need college.
 
Phil Maker said:
Here are a few things you can do to "create" more time for yourself so you can work on your projects: unplug the T.V. and tie the cord in a knot, don't go out drinking, don't go out period, don't read, don't troll DVXuser and other websites, only check your email once a day and disconnect the internet for the rest of the day, sleep an hour less, discover the source of inspiration/motivation/energy that lies within you, and finally, block out all distractions and focus (obsess) only on your projects. Good luck.
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no not the dvxuser!
 
time?

time?

People will only have time for the things the want to have time for... And they will never have time for the things they don't want to have time for...

My Mum said that to me when I was 7 years of age. I told her that I didn't have time for my homework . because? because ?because... (Can't remember)
 
pimp food for a living

pimp food for a living

:thumbsup:oh i was out today and found this
mildsuace.jpg
 
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I'm a content producer/DP/writer/director/editor/web designer/graphic designer. I work a 9-5 at a non profit making documentaries. I work freelance as well. I'm also a pre/prod/post consultant.

So I wear a bunch of hats. I mostly just say "documentary filmmaker" or "independent filmmaker"

I'm pretty lucky and thankful that I'm able to do what I love and provide a good living for myself. Life is good.

:beer:
 
Still have to write my last exams at university and then have to write my thesis, so that I get my diploma in electrical engineering in september, unless I make a really stupid mistake.

Hopefully I get another scholarship for post graduation I applied for, so I can go to japan again and don't have to decide for a job and start working yet :D Man, I am really afraid of that day...

And I somehow have the dream of writing books. Don't know how that fits into my plans... but it is the last possibility that could prevent me from starting my career as an engineer. I dig that :evil:

Filming is not the field I will be earning money in. But it is fun :)
 
Thanks for all your input, folks. I thought it would be interesting and helpful to know how people kept the collectors off their doorsteps and found time to sleep. I also asked because I'm jumping back into the fire after 25 years (yes, I used to shoot on film). I bought the 100B and am looking into lighting and audio options (I own FCP, AE, Shake, and some other video-production-related software because I've been a weekend video warrior and created a few videos when I was working at an ad agency a few years ago). The obstacles I'm running into include that I'm now married with children, and I own a small publishing company with a limited cash flow, so time and money are at a premium. I'm going to create a "demo" reel and try to branch the business into video production, but from what I can tell, unless someone is throwing cash at you, it's nearly impossible to work full-time on a feature.

I was hoping for more financing stories, but it's all good. There's a wealthy elderly man in our town who I've decided to befriend because he has no children and he can't take his money with him...

Lloyd
 
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