How To Become A Freelance Videographer

I’ve been a freelance videographer for three years now, and I still feel like I’m just getting started. Even so, I can honestly say that it’s the best job in the world. After all, what could be better than combining your passion with your business?.

If you’re thinking of becoming a freelance videographer yourself, prepare to work hard but also prepare to have some fun. The following steps will help you start on the right foot:

How to Get Started as a Freelance Videographer | The Journey

Takeaways
1. Develop Proficiency: Master camera operation and video editing software to deliver high-quality work.
2. Refine Storytelling Skills: Learn the art of storytelling to create compelling and engaging videos.
3. Build a Portfolio: Showcase your best work in an online portfolio to attract potential clients.
4. Network and Collaborate: Connect with fellow professionals and collaborate on projects to expand your opportunities.
5. Stay Updated: Keep abreast of industry trends and continuously improve your skills to stay competitive.

Get A Good Education

To be a freelance videographer, you need to have completed a good education. There are many skills that you will need to learn but the most important part of your education is going to be photography. No matter what type of filming or videography you want to do, photography is going to be one of the most important skills that you will use.

You should make sure that your education includes classes on how to take pictures and videos with different cameras, how different lenses work, which ones are best for certain situations, and also how lighting affects video quality.

You should also take classes on editing software like Adobe Premiere Pro and After Effects as well as video editing software like Final Cut Pro X or Avid Media Composer 15.

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Choose Your Specialization

As you start your freelance videography career, it is important to choose a specialization that you are passionate about. Passionate people usually perform better and tend to be more creative than their less passionate counterparts.

Choosing a specialization that you are good at is also an important step in becoming successful as a freelancer. If you can do something well, then there is every reason for others to want to work with you on projects related to that specialty area.

Finally, choosing an area of specialization where there appears to be money available will help ensure success as well.

If no one wants what you have to offer because the market is saturated with competitors or people just aren’t willing or able to pay for your services then perhaps it would be better for your financial health if you chose another area of focus so that hopefully things will work out better for everyone involved in this endeavor going forward.

Master The Art Of Editing

Editing is the key to a good video. It’s what makes the difference between an amateur video and a professional one. It takes time and practice to become good at editing videos it’s an art form, and you don’t just learn it once and forget about it forever.

But if you’re serious about becoming a freelance videographer, this is something you’ll want to work on within your first few months of working as one.

While there are many different kinds of editing software available today, most freelancers use Adobe Premiere Pro CC or Apple Final Cut Pro X because they offer the best features for editing videos quickly while still being affordable (and they’re both so user-friendly that even beginners can get started!).

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Get A Mentor

Get a mentor. A mentor is someone who has been in your shoes and can help you navigate the waters of freelancing.

Having someone to bounce ideas off of and ask questions will save you time and money, especially when it comes to problems that may come up in the field or with clients, who might not always be on their best behavior (or even have any idea what they want).

A mentor can get you going on your business with tips on how to set up contracts and projects, how much money to charge for your services, etc., so that as soon as possible after starting as a videographer for hire or whatever freelance trade or profession you choose you’ll be making money right away!

Start Building A Portfolio

The next step is to start building your portfolio. You should create a website, demo reel, blog, and social media presence. You can also start a YouTube channel!

In addition to these efforts, you will want to get business cards and a LinkedIn profile. It’s also good practice to have some sort of press kit that you can give out if ever requested by clients or potential employers.

You could even create a website if you think it might help your freelance video career!

Make Sure You Have The Right Equipment

You need to make sure that your equipment is up-to-date. Here is a list of things you might want to buy:

A camera, preferably 4K

A microphone for recording (ideally shotgun)

A tripod or monopod for the camera (if you’re doing events, a jib crane can be very useful too!)

LED light panels; are cheap and great for filming in low light conditions

Make sure that all these things work with each other before buying them! If you have any questions about any of the equipment listed above, feel free to ask in the comments section below.

Learn More And Practice.

You don’t have to be a pro at everything, but it helps if you know some of the basics. You can learn by reading blog posts, watching YouTube videos, or taking a class (or even just asking someone how they do something). Search for tips on how to improve your skills and craft. Practice makes perfect!

If you want to become a better videographer, then practice is essential! No matter what kind of work you are doing filming weddings or making movies you will need to practice film-making techniques like framing shots and using lighting effectively to improve your craft over time.

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Start Applying To Freelance Jobs

There are plenty of freelance videographer jobs available online. If you’re ready to start your search, there are a few things to keep in mind:

Apply for jobs that match your skills and experience. You should apply for jobs that you can do and will enjoy doing. That means looking at the job description carefully, identifying what skills and experience they’re looking for, and making sure that you have those things.

It may also help if you look at other videos they’ve made (if they’ve posted any) so you get a sense of their style and approachability.

Apply for jobs that match your personality and interests. Being passionate about something is important when doing anything creative it’s no different when it comes to video production.

Make sure the company culture fits with who you are as well as the type of work they do (and vice versa). If this sounds like a lot of work just consider how many hours we spend working on projects each week. So why not find joy in it?

Secure External Funding

Securing external funding is the next step to making your dream of becoming a freelance videographer come true.

You may be thinking, “I’m not going to make money for years, so I can’t afford it!” Well, if you are willing to take some risks and put in the time and effort required, many organizations offer grants and scholarships specifically for people who are trying to start their businesses.

Some examples include:

Small Business Administration (SBA) loans/grants/loans-to-advantage program
SCORE – business expert mentorships
SCORE – free seminars on business development topics

Start Your Business.

You can start your own business as a freelancer. This means that you work for yourself. You might also work for someone else, such as a company or government agency, but they pay you directly rather than through an employer.

Or you might decide to start up your own company and hire other people to help you with its day-to-day operations. In that case, it’s best not to call yourself “freelance” because your business would be considered an actual company with employees and payroll taxes due every quarter (and possibly other benefits like health insurance).

You may also want to consider working as an independent contractor or consultant someone who is contracted by another person or organization without having any formal employment relationship with them; instead of getting paid directly for what they do (like freelance), they get paid through whatever entity has hired them on behalf of their client(s).

For example: If I’m hired by ABC News Company as an independent contractor/consultant through my company XYZ Inc., then ABC News Company pays XYZ Inc., which then pays me directly based on how many hours I worked and at what rate per hour.

This helps avoid confusion over where exactly things stand legally between me and my client since there are no specific laws governing these kinds of arrangements yet.”

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Make Your Presence Known

To become a freelance videographer, you need to get your name out there. You need to build a reputation and make sure that potential clients can find you easily.

Being visible and active on social media is crucial for any freelancer nowadays: it’s how we get jobs and meet new clients. But don’t forget about your website; it’s an essential part of the whole package.

You’ll also want to be responsive and authentic on all platforms (especially when someone contacts you directly), but consistency is just as important. If your website looks outdated or unprofessional while other parts of your brand seem fresh, it might confuse people and that’s not good for business.

Set Up An Online Shop

What Is An Online Shop?

An online shop, also known as a website or e-commerce store, is a website that allows customers to purchase products or services directly from the supplier without having to go through a third-party retailer.

This means that you don’t have to rely on third-party distributors like Amazon and eBay to sell your products. Instead, you can create your storefront using tools such as Shopify or Woocommerce (free) which will allow you to set up an online shop for free.

Why Do I Need An Online Shop?

A great way for freelancers like ourselves who are just starting in their careers as videographers/photographers/etc., is by creating our own brand identity through our websites where we can market ourselves directly to potential clients and showcase some of our work at the same time.

A well-designed website will help convince potential clients about how skilled we are at what we do which makes having one even more important than ever before.

Network With The Right People

When it comes to networking, there are two types of people you should focus on cultivating relationships with industry leaders and potential clients. There are countless benefits to networking within your industry, but for now, let’s talk about how to get yourself out there and begin building those valuable relationships.

Some ways you can do this include:

Attending conferences or meetups where professionals in your field will be present.

Join online forums where other local videographers discuss their work;

Following everyone from fellow freelancers who have similar interests on social media platforms like Twitter and Instagram.

Sending them with an occasional email introducing yourself and letting them know how much their work has inspired yours (and hopefully vice versa).

Don’t Be Afraid Of Growth

Your career as a freelance videographer will be, for the most part, a continual learning experience. You’ll never know everything about everything in this line of work. But you can and should be willing to learn new things all the time.

Don’t be afraid to try new things and grow your skillset outside of your comfort zone. If you’re content with who you are and what you’ve achieved so far, that’s great! But if not, keep an open mind and an eager attitude regarding growth opportunities.

Always Be Learning

Learning is the key to success. Even if you think you’re pretty knowledgeable about something, there are always ways to improve. You can never stop learning because there’s always new equipment and software coming out that will make it easier for you to do what you do. You can’t learn everything on your own though.

You need to read books and watch tutorials, but most importantly, get out there and try things yourself so you know what works for you and what doesn’t work for you (and why).

The best way to learn is from others who have been in similar situations before people who have had more experience doing this than yourself. Talk with them about their experiences with different types of projects or locations where they were shooting footage before deciding which ones would be best suited for your needs as well!

Never stop learning! Learn from failure and success; both teach us valuable lessons which help us become better at whatever we set out trying to…

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Final Thoughts

Congratulations! You’ve made it through the 15 steps to becoming a freelance videographer. But don’t stop now. You still have much more to learn and do to be truly successful in this profession.

The first thing you’ll want to do is start looking for reliable clients who can pay you what your services are worth, as well as build up a portfolio of past work so that potential employers know how good you are at what you do before hiring for bigger projects like weddings or corporate events.

It might seem daunting at first but just remember that this is your passion and if there ever was an industry where hard work pays off, it’s filmmaking.