Doing your first REAL gig for a client...

D

DVX100Shooter

Veteran
We all or at least most of us work up to the point of doing shoots for clients in some way or another. I was just curious to hear from other folks about your first REAL gig. How did it go? Were you nervous? Was it a paid gig and did you get paid on time? What did you learn? What changes did you make on your next gig?

I have been shooting professionally for over 14 years for several TV stations. I also shoot projects on the side. Well as of last week, I landed a deal with a local store to provide video content for them in way of 2 60 second commercials and a 28 minute informercial (those commercials would run during that show). They are going to buy some air time on a local channel and the videos will also be available on their company website as well.

For some reason all of the sudden I am getting the jitterbugs!! LOL! I mean this would be my first REAL gig representing an actual store and I want to do a good job. The commercials should be easy as I have shot stuff for them in the past but it wasn't for pay. The infomercial, I had to hire a co-worker of mine to help produce it as I have never produced an infomercial.

The good thing with this store is that like I said before I have done work for them in the past so they are very aware of my work and professionalism. I think once I get rolling on this project everything will be fine.
 
It's been a long time. I remember feeling like I was in show business though lol
It's only a real gig if it's a paying gig and it's only a paying gig if it's on time. (or semi predictable) I throw that in because my best client today still likes net 90 so they can collect intrest on my money.
advice? enjoy, mna. Have a great freakin time. Thats the best advice I can give. We are all great at what we enjoy.... so do enjoy.
 
If the client is on set, provide a monitor so they can see what's going on. Talk to them like you're their doctor so they feel they're being taken care of. At the same time, with the monitor present and you guiding them along the way, they're signing off on your images so you're protected from complaints down the road.

Just be up front, friendly, and open to incorporating their ideas. If they seem like bad ideas at the time use your creativity to make it a better idea. It'll make the client feel good. Remember, they want to feel creative too and be able to say they contributed to the outcome.

Your job is to get hired by them again, so help them help you ; )
 
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