The 9 to 5. Help me survive!

Xtopher

Xtopher

Well-known member
That title rhymed...

I have recently gotten a full time, 9 to 5 job doing what I love! Going to work every day knowing that I will be shooting or editing for 8 hours is amazing. It was exactly what i wanted during those off periods of time as a freelancer, not knowing where the next gig was going to come from.

That said, after less than 2 months I am already starting to feel the effects of the 9 to 5 lifestyle. The repetitiveness and lack of change is beginning to get a little bit old. I know it's just a phase but sometimes I just want to be able to take a gig that is new and exciting! Does anyone else experience this? I can't be the only one to go from freelancing into a consistent gig here... If so, how do you get through it?

vent complete.
 
I wish I had good news for you, but most people I know who have made a living freelancing find them self in an endless cycle where they get a real job for 6-10 months then freelance for year then get a real job then back to freelancing. It is tough no matter how great the job to go back to someone telling you when to show up and how much you are worth.

Good Luck
 
jason.adams said:
I wish I had good news for you, but most people I know who have made a living freelancing find them self in an endless cycle where they get a real job for 6-10 months then freelance for year then get a real job then back to freelancing. It is tough no matter how great the job to go back to someone telling you when to show up and how much you are worth.

Good Luck
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That makes sense Jason. I can definitely see myself being that, but with the way people are scared of our economy combined with my wife and I having a baby on the way. It may be a while before I give up the comfort and consistency of my job.
 
"I wish I had good news for you, but most people I know who have made a living freelancing find them self in an endless cycle where they get a real job for 6-10 months then freelance for year then get a real job then back to freelancing. It is tough no matter how great the job to go back to someone telling you when to show up and how much you are worth."




Yup on the money !!! I've been doing it for about two years now and it's getting harder day by day in this economy.

When freelancing you're the salesman, director, DP, editor, grip, etc.. " one man show " :) It makes it really hard to find time to do just about anything.

I hired a friend of mine to assist on gigs and has really helped out with things. I allow him to bring in his own business now and If he lands a gig he gets a bigger cut. I've also found other people around town that were in need of work and it they land something, they get a cut. It's all about networking and finding motivated people.

I know of videographers here in town that go by only word of mouth and make over 150k a year doing weddings and bar mitzvah. lol The photographers here are the real bread winners, yea don't ask... Worked with a guy at the Ritz-Carlton as a server and that guy makes more than 250k a year now ! He started out as a server and used the serving job to promote his business (discretely). What more could you ask for, you're basically fishing in a high paying cliental barrel.

It's all about selling tactics
 
we scratch the itch with personal projects. it means extra work instead of a change. and it costs money. but its worth it to do something important to you.
 
Xtopher said:
Does anyone else experience this?
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Yes.

Do music videos, short films or whatever else makes you happy on the side.

And don't forget to curse out the soul-sucking, money grubbing company that you work for on a regular basis. :Drogar-Evil(DBG)::Drogar-Evil(DBG): But continue to take their paychecks, health insurance and other perks.
 
Deepfocus88 said:
Yes.

Do music videos, short films or whatever else makes you happy on the side.

And don't forget to curse out the soul-sucking, money grubbing company that you work for on a regular basis. :Drogar-Evil(DBG)::Drogar-Evil(DBG): But continue to take their paychecks, health insurance and other perks.
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Took your advice deepfocus, I am doing a video for my buddies' band!
 
That's rad. I am finishing up an edit on a video as well. Hope to be able to post it up here very soon.

You and I are kinda in the same boat. The wife & I have a little one on the way, and the economy....we all know how that goes.....
 
Deepfocus88 said:
That's rad. I am finishing up an edit on a video as well. Hope to be able to post it up here very soon.

You and I are kinda in the same boat. The wife & I have a little one on the way, and the economy....we all know how that goes.....
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Awesome! boy or girl? I am having a boy myself (grip #1) :)

I always thought I would make a living doing EXACTLY what I wanted, and have learned to realize that just sitting in front of a timeline or behind a camera every day is what I want to be doing! Of course working with ad agencies and shooting videos for big bands would be nice, but at least I am building skills that can help me get there technically!
 
I'm in this boat too. I've been doing full-time work in house shooting/cutting after I spent the previous few years freelancing. Here's what I feel on the subject:

Benefits rule.
A steady paycheck also rules.
I don't have to spend an hour every day looking for next month's work.
I still find time to take freelance gigs, and since I work full time, I am able to be MUCH MORE PICKY about the jobs I take, meaning I only ever take the high paying/glossy jobs. No more weddings or low-budget gigs to make that extra $$$$.

I do make slightly less than if I was freelancing fulltime, but I would also be working more, and not getting benefits, and pulling my hair out.

i agree on the comments about the economy. A FT gig can sometimes be a safer bet depending on where you work.

Lastly, having FT work experience on your resume is a good thing if you are interested in getting into agency work I feel, where you would also work FT shooting/cutting/etc.

Oh! one more thing lol. Working in house somewhere means I don't need to invest in new equipment, and I've even sold off some of the stuff I don't use anymore. i was easily spending $10k-15k a year on new production equipment. This will be the first year I spent less than $1k on equipment expenses.
 
Wow, sounds like a lot of future DVX users on the way.

Xtopher, to answer your question, we're going to keep it a surprise. But either way, he or she can be a grip as well.
 
Deepfocus88 said:
Wow, sounds like a lot of future DVX users on the way.

Xtopher, to answer your question, we're going to keep it a surprise. But either way, he or she can be a grip as well.
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Well I admire your patience, my wife and I are the kind of people who want to open christmas presents on thanksgiving... Couldn't wait! When are you guys due?
 
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