Developing professionally as a videographer/editor while not working professionally?

C Walker

C Walker

Well-known member
Let me preface this by saying it should be a blog post. And I hope this is the right place to post it for helpful responses! :)

Anyway, within a month of graduating college I was recruited for a video production job at a local television station. I have no "formal" training in video other than 2 semesters working with a crappy dv camera and final cut express. I was a journalism major and the school only offered those 2 video classes. I had no experience with lighting, mics, design, sets, etc. I shot commercials for small, local businesses and did fairly well with what I had. My level of success measure by the fact I never got a complaint about my work, but tons of compliments. I would have appreciated some constructive criticism, at least, but I didn't really have a boss either. At least no one there who seemed to give a damn.

Anyway, when they hired me, they also said to station was for sale. I had another part-time job at night, and i was eager to have a video production job because I fell in love with it in college. So, I took it. Six months later, the station sold and the new owner decided to cut my pay. A lot. Almost 40%. Well, I couldn't afford it with rent and student loans, so I had to quit.

My other part-time job turned into a full time job, and my video job turned into some kinda hybrid-wedding/pro-bono videographer. 3 years later, I don't feel like I'm getting anywhere professionally and I'm turning in a demo reel and resume to a local television station because they might need someone to help shoot some Friday night football games, and maybe other stuff.

Is this a good way to develop professionally? I'm not financially in a position to take an entry-level video production job, but I love it and want to develop myself because I'd love to get back into it as soon as possible.

Thanks for reading!
 
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I'm not sure what exactly you're expecting as a response. If you want to do video work, then you've two options really - take low pay work and build skills and contacts that way, or keep looking for higher paid jobs, but your CV/Resume won't necessarily support more senior or skilled roles. It's a bit like university, or not - doing uni means you're initially poorer, but later perhaps better off? The other option is to try to freelance - video and journalism are handy skills - but sadly, the fixed outgoings many of us have, prevent you doing some things - if your video work is now essentially a hobby business, there's not that much you can really do without taking risks -
 
Thanks for the response! I don't really know what I'm looking for either, hence the "blogish" nature of the post. I guess I want to be more involved with the professional side of things while retaining this job. The goal is to get myself financially ready to take those risks needed and pursue a dream. Maybe something will come of this news station deal. Maybe I'll just pass out some demos and resumes and just asked to help when/if they need someone to move around lights or whatever. Just tossing around ideas :)
 
The best way to improve is to continue shooting anyway you can, whether it be a paid gig or a personal project. I've been doing a combination of those things lately. One of these days, I'll shoot something worth sharing with the class.:)
 
HorseFilms said:
The best way to improve is to continue shooting anyway you can, whether it be a paid gig or a personal project. I've been doing a combination of those things lately. One of these days, I'll shoot something worth sharing with the class.:)
Click to expand...

HA yes! I'm terrible about putting a TREMENDOUS amount of pressure on myself. On top of that, I can be impatient with my ideas and want them to bear fruit almost immediately. I'm thinking the slower approach might be better this time. I guess I need to define a goal, or a set of goals. I think I'd LOVE to be a member on a production crew for Discovery or Nat Geo...
 
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