Tough Times, Tough Choices
The decision to become a freelancer was both a challenging and interesting choice for me. When I decided in 2010, the 2008 recession was in full swing, few jobs were hiring, and layoffs made the job market a wasteland, similar to today in 2024. I was not spared from the layoffs when my job as an assistant graphic designer told me I was the last one hired, so I’d be the first one to go.
As a teen I wanted to be an actor, I thought a flexible career in graphic design would make it easier to audition. When I made the switch to Communication Arts, it was because I felt learning to work behind the camera would help me to be more comfortable in front. Ultimately, I would discover that I was actually more adept behind the camera, and my classmates thought so as well, since some of them wanted to hire or recommend me for projects outside of class.
Donating My Creativity
One such project I recommended for was a fashion show, where I met a makeup artist who was impressed with my highlight video of the show, she then invited me to shoot a promotional video for an upcoming masquerade ball. While I was excited to be considered, I was concerned about not being paid. The makeup artist and the client asking me to make the video said the ball was to raise money for an important cause, and they hoped I would donate my creativity.
As a beginner, I understood that before I could command pay, I’d have to build experience, and this was a building opportunity. As we brainstormed, the 2010 film “Black Swan” was gaining popularity, I’d seen the film and loved it, so I suggested that we borrow the idea for the masquerade video. They loved the concept and agreed to go with the Black Swan motif. They brought in three female ballet dancers but decided to exclude male dancers from the project to keep it family-oriented.
The three ballet dancers would wear black costumes with masks, and the shoot would take place at the same venue as the masquerade. I decided to use the skillset I was learning in After Effects, to create an animation of the client’s logo, and the logo of the venue hosting the ball. I asked a couple of my classmates if they’d be interested in volunteering, but everyone was too busy, or more likely they passed on the gig because it was unpaid…
First Day, First Step
The day of the shoot got off to a tough start, I didn’t have my own equipment yet and there was no budget for a rental, so I had to borrow from my college. It rained that morning, I had no transportation and found myself walking several New York City blocks in the rain carrying bags of equipment to the venue. Thankfully that was the worst part of my day.
I was nervous, this was my first shoot on my own with a client, but I knew from prior experience the more coverage I shot, the better. I’d learned from previous video projects that it was easier to take a large amount of footage and cut it down to the best, rather than take a small amount and try to stretch it out. I shot every angle and dolly movement I could with the dancers, as the makeup artist and client watched, they offered suggestions which I incorporated.
By the end of the shoot, I had a ton of footage and we were all excited to see it come together, this was when the client offered an idea that would become a thorn in the side of the project. The client suggested a pop song by a French artist, when I heard this song I was incredibly disappointed. It didn’t fit with the visuals of what I had shot.
Seeking Feedback, Or Validation?
I lavished over the edit for days, feeling as though I’d reached a new level of virtuosity in my work. Rather than use the French pop song that the client requested, I found another song by an electronic band that I felt worked better. I let my classmates take a look, they were impressed with my edit but incensed when they heard the French pop song the client wanted me to use. “What?! That’s what they want?!”, “Oh my God, why would they pick that song!”, “This looks dope, but that song just isn’t it!” were some of the comments I got.
I showed the project to an experienced cinematographer I had the chance to work with at that time, he commented: “The visuals are going in one direction, but the music in the opposite…” when he heard the French pop song. He did agree that my song choice was apt. I spoke to the client about this issue with the music, they were adamant about having the song they wanted. I tried my best to convince them that other people also felt that their song choice was not a match, they were still set on having what they wanted, the back and forth grew heated…
Give Them What They Want.
(And Keep The Rest For Yourself)
Eventually, I said: “Since you’re not paying for it, I’m not changing it!” As if I had to protect the ‘artistic integrity’ of my work, they relented. Did they use the video to promote their masquerade ball? I don’t know… All I remember is that they accepted the video with the song that I chose. I continued showing the video to classmates, one of whom hired me to shoot an engagement video with him and his fiancé enjoying New York City. He let me work freely, was ecstatic with what I shot and edited, and paid me. It was this project that made me decide to become a freelance videographer.
Many projects and years later, I was hired to shoot a video for a magazine publisher, who I could not argue with over editing changes as I was now accustomed to being paid. Remembering my experience with the masquerade video, I decided that instead of trying to defend my edit, I would simply keep what I liked for my portfolio, and give the publisher the version that they wanted. I’d finally learned one of the most important lessons of my freelance career.