What do YOU do to support yourself?

tankgirl

tankgirl

Active member
I work for a Independent television station, in their production department. They also have a mobile fleet. So it's a pretty impressive place for how small and in Allentown, PA they are. Right now I pretty much do a little of everything. I Direct/TD our live shows every week. I produce halftime segments for college sports games. Edit those packages along with commercials and some corporate stuff we get in. Anyway, the point is I keep busy, very busy with my job. I think last year I did about 400 hours of overtime. My boss offered me yet another job to do (TDing our college sports games that air on CSTV, FOX, ESPN, et cetera). This is on top of my already crazy schedule. My DVX just came in the mail last week and I've only been able to charge the battery so far. I want to play with it, there's just no time.

So what I want to know is what does everyone else do? Do you guys mainly own and opperate your own production companies? Or do you work regular jobs during the week so you have time to create your own stuff? Is there a way to work for a production company and still have time to do your own projects - and if so how??

I need to let my boss know soon. Right now I've finished up paying my car loan, so I really don't have any bills coming in that I would need to worry about. Extra cash is always nice, but will it be worth not having any free time?

I realize this is a decision that I have to make. But I am curious how other people are doing this.
 
I work at a bank and I shoot mainly corporate & college recruitment stuff for a local production house. I end up having a decent amount of free time (most of the time, anyway), so that's nice.
 
I browse dvxuser.com :grin:

Is this a de-ja-vu? Didn't we talk about this stuff just a while ago? :beer:

Or was I dreaming....

Anyway: I am a software developer in my day job. IT sucks more with every passing day, though, so I am working hard on making a career change.
 
I just left an in-house production company for Booz Allen Hamilton to go back out on my own.

Currently I freelance in the DC area as an Avid editor/motion graphics designer and shooter with the DVx100. I also have an Avid suite at home for doing my own projects. Keeps me pretty busy.

I doubt, after hearing your schedule, that you'll bee able to do too much on your own with your new camera.

How about shooting some of the projects you do NOW with your new camera? That way you could get some stick time on it at the very least.

BTW I grew up in Boyertown, PA and went to Kutztown University, PA for Video Production!

Take care.

Matt G
 
XCheck said:
Is this a de-ja-vu? Didn't we talk about this stuff just a while ago? :beer:

Or was I dreaming....
Click to expand...


I tryed searching treads... no luck, my eyes get googly after a while.
 
mcgeedigital said:
BTW I grew up in Boyertown, PA and went to Kutztown University, PA for Video Production!
Click to expand...

Thats awesome. I hear Kutztown has a pretty good technical program. I work with a couple of people from there.

mcgeedigital said:
How about shooting some of the projects you do NOW with your new camera? That way you could get some stick time on it at the very least.
Click to expand...

I was able to shoot a behind the scenes DVD of this High school awards show that I produced. HAHA - Talk about muti-tasking. I used someone elses DVX. It was a lot of fun. We also shot an intro for the show with it. As far as most of the other stuff I do. I am usually producing so I don't get to shoot. And if I do I use the Beta package we have. It's bigger, clients like it.

I will definitly try it though. Any chance I get to play with it.
 
Still in school. Going to be in big debt after I graduate. I'll probably get a job as a PA and try to work my way to to doing whatever I can from there or more likely go to grad school THEN get a job as a PA and work my way up from there....
 
Originally from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. took two years of film classes at Pittsburgh Filmmakers before moving to Los Angeles. Support myself as an editor. I used to cut theatrical trailers -- Sideways, Sin City, Sharkboy and LavaGirl, etc. That was a staff position and i left it to go freelance so i could develop and shoot my own features. When I am working, I cut (and sometimes produce) DVD supplemental material. Some of my more recent work includes:

LADY IN THE WATER - DVD/EPK – WARNER BROS.
pending – writer / producer / editor

TWO FOR THE MONEY - DVD – MORGAN CREEK
"The Making of Two for the Money" - writer / producer / editor
"Insider Interview" - editor

STAY - DVD – TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX
"Departing Visions" – writer / cinematographer / editor

CHICKEN LITTLE - DVD – WALT DISNEY PICTURES
"The Hatching of Chicken Little" - editor

THE BLUES BROTHERS - DVD – UNIVERSAL PICTURES
"Transposing the Music" - editor
"Remembering John" - editor
"Going Rounds: A Day on the Blues Brothers Tour" - editor

WHITE NOISE - DVD – UNIVERSAL PICTURES
"Hearing is Believing: Actual EVP Sessions" – cinematographer / editor
 
Welcome to the forum tankgirl, another fellow Pennsylvanian! You're definitely keeping busy, but if you want to do your own art you have to MAKE the time for yourself. If you want to play with your DVX then figure out a way to do it. I can't imagine just getting one and not running outside and shooting something!

I work a full-time job (IT as well), and started my own production company which I make the movies under. I do the occassional live band, music video thing to make some cash and repay favors. So I am busy too, but I make time to do my own thing, you have to. What I ultimately want to do is make movies, not sit behind a computer fixing the same damn problems all day long. The IT job is were my income comes from though so that's why I'm still here, but you'd better believe that whenever I want to pick up that DVX I squeeze it in every chance I get.

You bought a DVX, make the time use it. It's as easy, and as hard, as that.
 
I hear you and understand what you are saying. It's just this job that I have is very time consuming. And if I say yes to learning how to TD in a truck then I have to do all the games. It's like all or nothing.

And the worst thing is that I setup this deal to make a small video for the local ski lodge in exchange for a season pass. So I don't want to waste that. lol
 
Network Engineer. I'm only 20 though, and I'm going to school within the next nine months I HOPE. for now it pays though ;) plus once in a while i get to work on macs!

-Zach
 
See, I just need to learn to sell myself like Brian!! Could you dress up as me for a couple of days. I promise I don't wear heels!! lol
 
Another Pennsylvania resident here.

I went to Mansfield University for Communication/Broadcasting and work as a Multimedia Producer for Kingdom, Inc, here in Mansfield. I also own a mobile DJ business that does about 120 jobs a year.
 
Nice, I didn't realize how many people were from PA. Very cool.

120 jobs sounds like a lot on top of working as a multimedia producer. Although I am not totally sure what a multimedia producer does, per say.
 
It's a term for 'everything'...lol

I'm the only video person here, so I shoot, edit, author, animate, do the graphics...as well as supporting the sales and marketing departments since we started selling video equipment too.
 
Hi, I'm Terry. I'm a dark-haired Libra who is looking for love. I like long walks on the hot prairie and dodging tornados. My turn-ons include fit bodies, smiles, hi-def video, water sports and cowbells.

Ummmm... sorry, got confused for a second... I am a freelance videographer/editor by trade. I've worked for a local CBS affiliate and two separate production companies from 1987 to 2000. Since August 2000, I've been on my own. It is difficult to keep a steady stream of income. However, I get to work on my own projects this way and I make more per event or project than if I worked for someone else.

My goal is to do do more documentary projects in the future and derive income from their sales. Oh yeah, and I want world peace too. ;)
 
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