how is the recession affecting you?

D

dcman

Member
How is the recession affecting you and your video? As my wife and I work for a school district with a several million dollar deficit we are both faced with the very real possibility that one or both of us will be laid off in the spring when our contracts end. While we are lucky enough to have some other job options, it has the potential to be a significant disruption for us and other families may not be able to bounce back.

If you are in a similar situation, how will you hope? Would you use your video as extra income? If you are a video professional, how has the recession affected your business?

dcman
 
I'm primarily an editor and definitely feeling the pinch. Several of my reliable clients got laid off so I'm scrambling for more work. These past two months have been lean, am starting to dip into my savings and even looking at full-time employment.
 
A lot of real estate in which I have been interested is looking more and more attractive, all the time.

I find that I have been doing a lot more tv than feature work, lately. Feature production around L.A. is as dead as I have ever seen it, which is at least in part a consequence of the economy encouraging studios to send more work out-of-state, where up-front costs are cheaper.
 
Definitely getting a lot more sparse around the DC area.

Had a few freelancers I use take staff jobs, only one was in the industry, all the rest took a position NOT in tv/film.

Luckily I have a few stalwart clients that appreciate my work.

I've been giving small discounts to make it easier for them to continue to use me.
 
Feature production around L.A. is as dead as I have ever seen it, which is at least in part a consequence of the economy encouraging studios to send more work out-of-state, where up-front costs are cheaper.
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I read something in our paper today saying how the last half of 2008 saw a huge increase in local production (which I'm assuming is probably a direct result of what you mentioned). Our dollar falling probably also helps.
 
Sad Max said:
A lot of real estate in which I have been interested is looking more and more attractive, all the time.

I find that I have been doing a lot more tv than feature work, lately. Feature production around L.A. is as dead as I have ever seen it, which is at least in part a consequence of the economy encouraging studios to send more work out-of-state, where up-front costs are cheaper.
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Yes you are right to say "is at least in part a consequence of the economy".

The "in the most part" should be attributed to SAG's circus act. Not going to take sides in this comment, but most of the recent delays are not studio vs SAG related. Most are because SAG took awhile to figure out how to be united as a union.... which is apparently through mutiny. lol. Constitutional mutiny, that is.
 
JConnors (and others)

The newest edition of Moviemaker Magazine lists like 25 cities for movie production, and the incentives they offer. Cities and states are clamoring to bring in filmmakers, and even indies can benefit.
 
I don't do video for a living, but actually this year the downturn in the economy led to me getting more work. My current client had a hiring freeze. So they turn to freelancers to get the work done in the mean time.

But a friend was laid off, the hedge fund where my GF works is going under, the usual. Technology still seems relatively strong in NYC, though. Not as many good people here as there once was, so...
 
I have been marketing myself as a one man band turn-key production copany more than a specialist, that being an editor.
As budgets tighten, my ability to offer a flat bid for an entire project gets more marketable.
Working fast, I can still make the same hourly rate.
 
last year my income was $20. i went to jury duty for about 45 minutes before i was able to get out of it.
 
Ryan Patrick O'Hara said:
Yes you are right to say "is at least in part a consequence of the economy".

The "in the most part" should be attributed to SAG's circus act. Not going to take sides in this comment, but most of the recent delays are not studio vs SAG related. Most are because SAG took awhile to figure out how to be united as a union.... which is apparently through mutiny. lol. Constitutional mutiny, that is.
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The fact that cities, counties and states around the country are offering all sorts of enticements to bring in productions, while California 'leadership' in the main behaves as though production is an industry they can't wait to get rid of, doesn't help either.
 
Batutta said:
Both...So what's your secret, Uga? Tolerant parents, or are you swingin' pipe and the boytoy of some wealthy heiress?
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basically i've been living off of savings because i no longer need to work. 2 years ago someone contacted me through email that he had a large sum of money sitting in a nigerian bank that he wanted to transfer to america. i've been wiring him money and he sends me checks in the mail that i put in a safe deposit box. they're all postdated for april 16th of this year. that is when the funds become available to me. being as i knew i would be wealthy, working wasn't that big of a deal so i quit.
 
Sad Max said:
Damn.

I turned that guy down.

Damn!
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lol. :cheesy:

batutta, the truth is my wife works and i stay home with the kids. we live within our means...no credit card debt, one car payment, and a low house payment. the only way we've really been affected by the recession is that the 401k and mutual fund have taken a hit. that part sucks, but fortunately we don't need to take out the money right now.
 
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