What are your side hustles?

BrandonT

BrandonT

Well-known member
June and July are my slow times of the year. So naturally, I'm thinking about possible "side hustles" as I like to call them. In addition to my for-client and freelance work, I already teach a university course that is production related, and fortunately pays well. But I feel like I'm not being productive enough right now. So I'd love to hear how you all make money outside of the regular video production jobs.
 
Does getting paid $25 to play live music count? That's really my only non-video thing. You can actually make legit decent money in a tribute/cover band.
 
Yeah, I'd say so! Because that $25 per gig can easily turn into $125 per gig, and on from there, with time.
 
I don't know about side hustles, but I often find myself getting invited to one-year-old birthday partys ("oh and btw...can you bring your camera") :shocked:
 
Are you talking about adding additonal work from other/new clients in addition to the work you do for your primary clients or are you talking about something like a part-time job(waiter, paper route, etc.) to bring in extra income during the slow period?

I don't do anything except shoot. I'm a freelancer and have been my entire career. My opinion is that if you're going to do this, you have to do this and only this. Even if you're not "busy", you can't really do anything else, unless all of your work is booked well in advance. Are you going to turn down a (hopefully) lucrative paying job, because you may be waiting tables or working retail that day? I shoot mostly network and while some work is booked months in advance, a lot of calls are for shoots the next day and very occasionally the same day, so I have to be able to handle those calls. My GF is a paramedic and makes a pretty decent living, but I still make more per day than she does in a week. So while some money is better than no money, I can't see really doing anything else unless your business is in a hiatus for several months at a time and there is no chance for any work coming in, because you could possibly pick up a shoot that would be worth more than an entire week(or several weeks) doing something in the "civilian world".
 
BrandonT said:
I already teach a university course that is production related
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A side note to the main question...tell us about teaching at a university. How is that? What are the students like? What do you require them to do? What does it cover (lighting, editing, sound)? How many nights a week? Sounds very cool.
 
probably depends how into it the students are. For instance, waaaaaaay back when I took those classes (I majored in this, y'all), it was already a small class (less than 10 I think), and I wanna say like 3 of us were actually into it, the rest there for degree requirements. That could dispirit a fellow real quick.
 
mostly I work freelance as an editor of blu-ray special features and pre-release featurette content for studio releases. on the side I make DCPs for indie filmmakers. the side money typically goes toward my gear lust, and gifts for my wife.
 
Josh Bass said:
Noice. Good for you not being the six thousandth Van Halen tribute. And you found a way to make money at this? I want all your secrets. If they involve being young and good looking I'm totally effed.
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No, I'm a 40-year-old troll. :) I've been friends with a bunch of musicians for years and I've always filled in, when needed. A couple friends of mine needed someone who could play acoustic bass, so I'm in. I just had to learn their existing songs and we're working on new stuff. Not making a ton of money, but having a great time.
 
Oh ok gotcha. I've played for a long time but only with others as of the last couple years. Plus my music theory is garbage.
 
Zak Forsman said:
mostly I work freelance as an editor of blu-ray special features and pre-release featurette content for studio releases. on the side I make DCPs for indie filmmakers. the side money typically goes toward my gear lust, and gifts for my wife.
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How did you get this gig? I have a friend who cuts trailers and has a really illustrious history as an independent trailer editor (major awards, 8 figure views on YouTube frequently) but hasn't had much luck networking up. It pays $20k+/month according to my friend who's an ae (and that honestly seems low) so I would definitely be curious if you could PM me about how to get started networking in that direction. Thanks!
 
Policar said:
How did you get this gig? I have a friend who cuts trailers and has a really illustrious history as an independent trailer editor (major awards, 8 figure views on YouTube frequently) but hasn't had much luck networking up. It pays $20k+/month according to my friend who's an ae (and that honestly seems low) so I would definitely be curious if you could PM me about how to get started networking in that direction. Thanks!
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it's good work if you can get it. i only work six months out of the year, which honestly is enough as far as I'm concerned. :) i never did any real networking. my first freelance gig many years ago was with a company that had a lot of young producers my age. over the years I've remained pals with those guys and gals as they moved on to other companies. and they just bring me in as needed.
 
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