Becoming a videographer in the video production industry can be pretty difficult. Becoming a solo videographer can be even more difficult. Breaking into an industry that favors full video production teams over solo freelancers, it makes sense why plenty of people will find it difficult to get into the industry.
Whether you’ve decided to go solo after working in a video production firm, or you’re fresh out of school and you’ve decided to pursue a solo career, it’s important to do what it takes to make sure that you succeed. To help you out, here are some tips that you can use to get a jumpstart on your solo videographer career.
Find your niche
One great way that you can keep up with the video production industry is by finding a niche that suits you best. Whether it’s a personal preference or something that you specialize in, finding a niche and sticking to it can help you stand out. Clients who need something done in a specific niche will turn to you if you’re the best in your niche.
Prepare yourself
Some solo videographers think that as long as everything is going great, it’ll continue going great, no matter what. The truth is, the video production industry can be pretty unpredictable, so it’s important to be prepared for anything that might happen. Make sure that you have savings or a consistent client that you can rely on if things get lean.
Keep your options open
If you’re still starting out, it’s very important to keep an open mind for any projects that you might be called on to tackle. We did say that finding a niche is important in setting yourself apart from the others, but if you don’t have a portfolio, this is going to be hard to do.
Don’t be picky with clients, but make sure that they’re paying you fairly as well. Some people like to take advantage of newbies in the industry and pay them much less than they’re worth.
Don’t dawdle
If you get a job offer, don’t dawdle and accept it immediately if it’s something that you can comfortably handle. Waiting too long to respond to a job offer or an application can mean the difference between getting a project or not.
Always maintain good communication
If you’re working on a long-term project with a client, always maintain consistent communication with them. It’ll be hard for your client to trust you if they can’t even get a satisfactory response from you right away.
Understand what you can and can’t do
If you’re going to be taking on all kinds of projects, it’s important that you can identify what your limits are in terms of your skills and the kinds of projects that you can handle. If you take on a project that you can’t handle just for the sake of taking on a project, your credibility may be affected.