Franklin Mcmahon
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I am interested to hear members thoughts on this, I seem to be getting “pitched” by more producers in other countries than my own lately.
Frank
___________________________
Franklin McMahon / Host
CreativeCow.net PODCAST
frank@fmstudio.com
Creative Cow Podcast Page
Creative Cow Podcast in iTunesMedia Artist Secrets Blog / Franklin McMahon TV Show: FranklinMcMahon.com
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Excellent…sounds like you are on the right track. The only other thing once you expand your network is to keep it active..keep in touch and reconnect often with those you meet up with…keep people on your radar in the weeks following the meets…
Frank
___________________________
Franklin McMahon / Host
CreativeCow.net PODCAST
frank@fmstudio.com
Creative Cow Podcast Page
Creative Cow Podcast in iTunesMedia Artist Secrets Blog / Franklin McMahon TV Show: FranklinMcMahon.com
Studio Page -
Many people put all the focus on their demo reel. If all the focus is on the reel, then that is the only thing you will be judged on. Not your personality, work ethics, experience, creativity, etc. Sure a killer reel is nice, but some artists are stagnant for years because they never promote themselves, because they feel like they don’t have a reel and that is the only way to convince people to hire them.
Market yourself first, your work second. If people like you, they will be more likely to work with you and take a chance on you, even if you don’t have a lot of content to show.
I would start networking, start going to events and passing out cards, tell people what you do. You can also go and interview professionals at local studios, get their insights on the market. As a creative director I was interviewed all the time (a lot of it was college students exploring career paths) and I think anyone at any level can do this. Especially people looking to transition into a new market.
First of all it’s such a great ego boost to the director, they love to talk about themselves and what they do. You’ll get some info, get some contacts, and start to get into the mix.
I could go on for pages on how to develop your creative career, but the main thing is don’t feel like just because you don’t have “a reel” you are locked out of anything. Get into the mix and sell yourself for now.
___________________________
Franklin McMahon / Host
CreativeCow.net PODCAST
frank@fmstudio.com
Creative Cow Podcast Page
Creative Cow Podcast in iTunesMedia Artist Secrets Blog / Franklin McMahon TV Show: FranklinMcMahon.com
Studio Page -
Plan a party.
I do a lot of events, both my own networking functions and events connecting into existing events in my city.
Approach an existing trade show, smaller ones at first, and connect with the team doing it. Pitch an after party, martini hour or something that happens on site or off-site after. Offer to spearhead it. Then find a location, most pubs, bars and halls will welcome a group of people coming in and spending money on a cash bar.
When I moved to Portland many years ago, I went around trying to network and trying to find niche groups. I ended up creating my own groups, people coming to me. And I have been doing this for years. It’s fun and it’s social and has gained me many many connections over the years. Envision a scenario and create it, as opposed to trying to find it. Being the host will give you a lot of promotion and leverage as a mover and shaker.
Frank
___________________________
Franklin McMahon / Host
CreativeCow.net PODCAST
frank@fmstudio.com
Creative Cow Podcast Page
Creative Cow Podcast in iTunesMedia Artist Secrets Blog / Franklin McMahon TV Show: FranklinMcMahon.com
Studio Page -
There are several national collection agencies that you can google for on-line, they take a cut of the take but don’t charge you anything. And if they fail to collect there is no charge. You supply all the clients info, phone numbers, etc. and they take it from there. They treat these much the way small claims court does, it is a differing of opinion. They don’t work with you as an adviser, they don’t care if you did or did not have a contract, they just collect. Much like Grinner’s daughter.
You may want to tell the client that this is your next step, and it could impact their credit rating. It may be all you need to do.
I have never subscribed to the theory that if you don’t have a contract, well there is NOTHING you can do. There is a lot you can do.
The client has put a burden on you, you push a burden back on them. Collection agencies are very burdensome and tiresome. Angst can sometimes work better than a contract (most of which are not honored anyway or easy to get out of).
The bottom line is not you need contracts, the bottom line is you need communication. People get mad and upset and avoid things because they feel they are misunderstood or things are not how they envisioned. Being crystal clear upfront by explaining everything that will take place can work more wonders than a contract ever could.
___________________________
Franklin McMahon / Host
CreativeCow.net PODCAST
frank@fmstudio.com
Creative Cow Podcast Page
Creative Cow Podcast in iTunesMedia Artist Secrets Blog / Franklin McMahon TV Show: FranklinMcMahon.com
Studio Page -
Excellent..now that’s what I call drama! 🙂
Frank
___________________________
Franklin McMahon / Host
CreativeCow.net PODCAST
frank@fmstudio.com
Creative Cow Podcast Page
Creative Cow Podcast in iTunesMedia Artist Secrets Blog: FranklinMcMahon.com
Studio Page -
It all depends on your marketing. You can branch off into new areas and expand your business BUT you need to clearly and specifically explain these new areas in all your marketing materials and promotions.
Its good to offer a range of services, because an area you are dabbling in could be a huge part of your business a year from now, this happens a lot with media artists. But again you need to convey it clearly to new clients and especially existing clients.
Frank
___________________________
Franklin McMahon / Host
CreativeCow.net PODCAST
frank@fmstudio.com
Creative Cow Podcast Page
Creative Cow Podcast in iTunesMedia Artist Secrets Blog: FranklinMcMahon.com
Studio Page -
Dan..you said it in the first line…a picture is worth a thousand words.
When people look back at their weddings they remember more dreamy memories, not the mechanics of the ceremony. Photos capture this way better than video in this instance. Many wedding videoographers cover ceremonies as events, not missing anything, leaving nothing to chance and nothing to the imagination.
Photography is more impressionistic, a great photographer can run rings around a great video person in this particular niche. Sort of like a great movie compared to a reality show. I don’t think I have seen a wedding video out-drama a well done wedding photo album.
There are some video producers who shoot weddings like a movie, with music, angles, drama, etc. This is better but I still think given a choice, for weddings most couples would choose a good photographer over a good video person. And because a photographer can instill much more drama in their work on what is an emotional day, they can charge way more.
I added professional commercial photography services to my studio years ago, I always tell people if you are a director with a good eye who wants to charge higher rates for a fraction of the workload compared to video, give photograph a try 😉
Franklin
___________________________
Franklin McMahon / Host
CreativeCow.net PODCAST
frank@fmstudio.com
Creative Cow Podcast Page
Creative Cow Podcast in iTunesMedia Artist Secrets Blog: FranklinMcMahon.com
Studio Page -
People, and companies, have as much control as we give them.
Rethink your payment plan/system. Never think, well, my hands are tied. The more importance and focus you put on your payment system the more you will convey that to the companies.
This is your payment plan, not theirs. Run it your way. Get paid most or all upfront, switch to 7 day invoice, think outside the standard way of doing things. You’ll get peers saying “umm..sorry..that’s not the way the industry works…”, what they are really saying is “hey..the industry controls me…I don’t control the industry…”. But don’t be afraid to take a chance on change, you may be surprised with the results.
And remember, every time you point the finger at a “bad” company, there are often three fingers pointing back at you 😉
Frank
___________________________
Franklin McMahon / Host
CreativeCow.net PODCAST
frank@fmstudio.com
Creative Cow Podcast Page
Creative Cow Podcast in iTunesMedia Artist Secrets Blog: FranklinMcMahon.com
Studio Page -
I agree with Steve, get paid up front. Especially with events. If you want to do 50/50 just say 50% up front to reserve the date and then the other half via a check the day of the event.
If a client does not want to do that, they are leveraging payment against seeing if you do a good job, so they have some control. That is not the kind of client you want. After you “seal the deal” a client needs to be confident they can hand you a full check and then get full results. If they are not, then you may need to button up the sales tighter.
Up front pay eliminates stress, paper work, lets you focus on just the craft of doing the project.
Do invoicing if you want when your business grows and you actually have an accounting department. But with doing things on a per project level just yourself, always get paid up front. There is absolutely no reason you should have to wait for payment. Of course you are in an industry with tons of producers doing it the way its always been done, and stressing out waiting for payments. But don’t be afraid to think different. And always sculpt your business into an enterprise that is going to make you as happy and as stress free as possible.
Paying you in full after, during or before the project should make absolutely no difference between a great client and a great producer.
And upfront pay affirms the confidence that you are guaranteed to do a great job, as opposed to planting a seed of doubt with payments and “seeing how it goes”.
Frank
___________________________
Franklin McMahon / Host
CreativeCow.net PODCAST
frank@fmstudio.com
Creative Cow Podcast Page
Creative Cow Podcast in iTunesMedia Artist Secrets Blog: FranklinMcMahon.com
Studio Page