Serious Input Needed

alwayslearning

alwayslearning

Well-known member
I hope that this is an ok place for this thread.

I will tell you a bit about me and my situation with the hope that I can get some input.

I was laid off, after 20 years, from an electronics firm in August 2002. I just found out that they will be closing their doors in September 2004. Too much of their customers sent their work off-shore. I worked as technician in the Electrical Engineering Dept. building proto-type cirucuits and doing some in-house design.

During my last 4 years there, I did video on the side; mostly weddings, photo-to-video and a few conferences. That was with analog equipment.

When I got laid-off, I decided to try and take what was part time and turn it into full time. I used what I had and invested in a DVX-100, Arri Lighting Kit (300, 2X650, 1K), Adobe Premiere 6.5, AE 5.5, Photoshop 7.0, Illustrator 10, built my own editing PC/Win2K/SP4, with dual 19" monitors and a Pinnacle DV500Plus with latest upgrades. I have quite a bit of audio gear .... Mackie 1402VLZ, effects, compressors, etc.

At first, I started to get some business. I did some 30 and 60 second commercials and some long forms; 5-7 minutes. Most of this was through a friend at a TV station who worked in sales and was able to put some folks in touch with me. He can't do that anymore.

So, here I am, no income in July and August. What are some real steps that I can take to get some video work? I am at risk of losing my home. I have a family and obviously need it. My bills are minimal ... no credit card debt, no car loans ... just cost of living plus a second mortgage.

The pressure is such that I am not able to think real clear. Things that should be quite obvious, I have to really deliberately think out and even then, I just feel ....... ummm, weird.

Thanks for any input as to how I can get video business. I am in Toledo, Ohio area.

Larry
 
Re: Serious Input Needed

Larry I feel for you. Sucks not having work. Well I can tell you a few things you might be able to do. Go to your cable company and get a meeting with their prouction manager. (Bring a reel of your work) Most local cable companies do local insertion of commercials. See if you can do some freelance for them. I will warn you though..the pay sucks, but atleast it is something. Next, get a yellow pages ad. Put it under video productions and under weddings. Go and call on all of the event coordinators in your area and give them your rate card for weddings etc. Also, go an call on dance studio's. Many studios have a few productions each year for their students. Offer to shoot it and sell the dvd's/tapes to the parents.

You should start to generate some business this way. And as everyone knows business produces more business.

BTW. When you get some money from your work..get a better editing system. You will be able to get creaive with your work, thus a better product for you clients.

Good Luck
 
Re: Serious Input Needed

This is a tough business and messing with your home is not the thing to do , you know what they say the average person works 40 plus hours per week,I say you should be out there at least 40 hour a week looking for a regular job anything you have to and do to get a job and do this on the side till things get better. Good luck
 
Re: Serious Input Needed

sorry to hear about this man.

where do you live? if this were me, and i had a family and a house payment, i would not try to put all my eggs in one basket with video production. spread your job search into other areas if you arent already doing that. definitly keep pushing forward with your video stuff, just keep an open mind about other possibilities. also, at this point, "almost" any job is better then no job. some income is better then none.

btw, when you do start making money with video production, or any other job for that matter, worry about your family and house payment before an editing system. good content and quality work comes from experience/skill/talent not from what editing software you have. its not like your using movie maker or imovie.

peace man, and good luck with everything.
 
Re: Serious Input Needed

Hi alwayslearning,

I just sent you a PM, I hope this helps :-/

Good luck
 
Re: Serious Input Needed

alwayslearning, it's a tough business to crack. Try to get on Mandy.com and see what happens. If you've done a few commercials you can start getting a resume together. Maybe take a classified out in the local paper if you can afford it. Try to be as visible as possible. I'm going through the same thing, but not in such a serious situation. I'm trying to get myself out there too.

You need to definitely make a list of all your contacts, and connections. You need to dwell on the idea that you're a professional videographer now and this is your job. With this in mind continue to dwell on the need for work, to get your mind working in this way.

If you're a praying man that will surely help I know that from personal experience, and when you sleep keep a note pad by you for ideas you come up with through the night.

That's all I can think of, but I'll pray for you. I believe everything will turn out allright.

-Nate
 
Re: Serious Input Needed

GUYS! I'm surprised none of you have mentioned some of the biggest money makers in the video industry...

If you've got that equipment and are short of work and money do wedding videos, bar mitsfas, bat mitfas and the like. People pay top dollar to get these events films and the work is constant. People will always be having weddings. You can easily make around $2000 a video and they only take one day of work plus the time it takes to edit.

The best way to get business for these is to go to wedding shows or conventions in your nearest city. Set up a booth with some sample work and many people will come to you if your work is good. Another good idea is to drop your business card off at bridal boutiques and get to know wedding planners. Offer a comission to the bridal planner if they use you. This will help to get more work.

Once you get a few wedding gigs it's not hard to keep them going. The people you did that wedding for will have friends and family there that will have weddings... bring your business cards with you to hand out. Soon you'll have consistant video work that should pay the bills. Then you can work on your other video projects at your leisure...

Hope this helps....
 
Re: Serious Input Needed

You folks are AMAZING! Thank you for all the ideas and support. Birds of a feather ...

I'm thinking that a lot of what was going on in my head was just from too much pressure for too long. Some kind of block formed. Even simple things were becoming difficult for me as in I had to do everything deliberately. Almost like having to think about how to shift gears in a car after driving for 38 years. Thanks for the start of a bring back to reality.

:D

BTW, I'm not out of the woods yet .... but at least now I feel I can think a bit again.

Thanks all ... Larry
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top