Some of the key steps to setting up as a freelancer are:
- Identify the core business area- Choose a specific area of the industry you want to focus on and concentrate on building your skills in that area.
-Write a business plan
-Create a portfolio - Use only your best work to build a showreel to hand out to companies to get yourself known as an animator.
-Build a website/ blog - Try to purchase a domain name, so you can build your own personal website where you can feature your portfolio. This will allow clients to find your work quickly and easily, and will display it in a professional way.
-Make some professional contacts- contact companies and send them your showreel, try to get yourself noticed.
-Get involved in the animation industry- "Go to trade shows, interact on websites and get to know a few successful freelance animators." (www.wisegeek.com/how-do-i-get-started-with-freelance-animation.htm)
-Let people know what services you provide and that you are looking for work.
-One of the first challenges of becoming a freelance animator is figuring out what to charge for your work.
When first setting up yourself as a freelance animator you need to inform HM Revenue and Customs A.S.A.P.
When first setting up yourself as a freelance animator you need to inform HM Revenue and Customs A.S.A.P.
Ways to get freelance animation jobs:
-Make extended use of the internet service
-Make friends in the animation industry
-Make frequent rounds of animation studios
-Visit trade shows
-Speak on forums
-Register as a freelancer on some of the freelance job providing sites.(www.ezadia.com)
-I chose this as it shows many ways of introducing yourself to the freelance animation business.
Starting out as a freelancer:
-Play it safe, dont jump out on a job until you have reliable sources of money.
-It's a good idea to stick to reliable income at the beginning until your getting decent levels of work.
-The income in this field is never guaranteed, and you can expect a learning curve before you start getting jobs.
-The freelance animation jobs you can get at the start are likely to be quite basic.
-Simple jobs may be good experiance in doing business.
-This is also a good time to start looking at where the money is in freelance animation.-Major media companies dont typically contract freelancers, but many subcontracting firms do.
-Subcontracting jobs can help you pick up alot of contacts and knowledge of the creative business issues.
How to get work in freelance animation:
Setting up a website
-Create a links page on the website, link up with other artists, producers and co workers you have worked with. This ups your rankings in search engines and shows that you are involved in the community.
Who you are
-Make it known who you are
-What you do and that you are looking for work.
-State your looking for freelance work in particular ( Display this some where on your website that will be easily seen)
Have a news or update section
-This section should be viewable on the first page of the website.
-Good way to show people what has recently been updated and what is new.
C.V page
-Should have a proper html header: Name, job, location, contact info, availaibility, make multiple versions available so everyone can access them.
Online Forums:
-Post work, provide feedback to others work, read threads, all of this will help you to stay up to date with what is happening in the industry.
-Using forums is a way of advertising yourself and your products for free.
-Have a username, by your name.
-State as much real life info on your profile, so people have access to a little bit about you.
-Only post professional comments, you do not want to come across to casual , only give constructive feedback.
-Have a signature that has a link to your website, this gives potential employers an easy way to get access to your website to view your details and work.
Finding Companies/ Clients:
-Look on companies websites, study how they work, what software they use, and contact them from the website.
-Use search engines to look for potential work.
-Study newsletters for any information or job postings , an example being (creativeheads.net)
-Email companies, ask if they have any upcoming positions, ask questions about the company and take an interest. You can also send them your C.V and showreel, as most companies will recieve alot of these dont always expect a reply.
-Write to companies personally, attaching a hard copy of your showreel.
-Search for producers,animators and artists personal websites, to try and contact them.
-Attend conferences, trade shows and animation festivals, take business cards with you to hand out to as many people as will take them, also try to get companies business cards in return, its always handy to have their personal details.
Aspects to figure out before you start sending emails:
-Before sending emails to companies including your details make sure that your website is as polished and up to date as possible.
-Figure out your realistic day rate/ hour rate, both high end and low end.
-Get the latest version of all the software you have listed on your C.V working on your home machine, so you are ready to begin.
-You have to decide if you are willing to relocate for a job. Could you relocate for an onsite contract for a few weeks or months?If so make sure your passport is up to date.
Upgrading your chances:
-Work on personal projects ,this shows that you are passionate about working on animation and that you are not just doing projects to get paid.
-When starting out your career you may be asked to do some work for free. Although you do not want to get stuck in a rut of doing this, it may be beneficial when you are starting out.
-Make sure you never come across with an attitude that you are too good for a project. There is a lot of competition in freelancing and there will be many people willing to do the work for a lot less than you are asking.
Setting career goals
-Career goals for freelance animation jobs can be artistic hopes or commercial decisions.
-Freelance animators are primarily artists, career goals are often based on multiple aspirations.
Career goals can be defined into basic types:
Aspirational goals:
-Dream job
-Some of the most difficult goals to achieve.
-Act as good career paths and extremely strong motivations.
Commercial goals:
- Measures of success.
-Commercial successes in freelance animation are often hard-won.
-These goals can help generate more work and help to achieve other goals.
Artistic goals:
-Prime movers in real career success.
-Artistic goals should be based on strongest part of any artists arsenal- talent.
-Great talent creates, great artisitic goals and great artistic achievements.
Goal setting methods and issues
-Goal setting is a personal task.
-In the early stages of an animation career the goals may be fairly simple.
Goal setting is in practice a combination of methods. The aspirational goals are used as scene setters, they give freelancers areas of interest to focus on.
Commercial goals are career support. They provide funding, training and further direction. Commercial goals keep the goal setting focused on practical issues.
Artistic goals are powerful motivators and they act as drivers in personal goal setting. They're reinforced by talent, which includes the strongest skillsets and in many cases the best artistic materials.For freelance animators, these are also the most competitive materials, and they can secure jobs which will promote the other goals.
Networking
-There are multiple natural networking links.
-For career purposes, these networks act as a quality control, as well as a typical business network.
Creative Associations:
Setting career goals
-Career goals for freelance animation jobs can be artistic hopes or commercial decisions.
-Freelance animators are primarily artists, career goals are often based on multiple aspirations.
Career goals can be defined into basic types:
Aspirational goals:
-Dream job
-Some of the most difficult goals to achieve.
-Act as good career paths and extremely strong motivations.
Commercial goals:
- Measures of success.
-Commercial successes in freelance animation are often hard-won.
-These goals can help generate more work and help to achieve other goals.
Artistic goals:
-Prime movers in real career success.
-Artistic goals should be based on strongest part of any artists arsenal- talent.
-Great talent creates, great artisitic goals and great artistic achievements.
Goal setting methods and issues
-Goal setting is a personal task.
-In the early stages of an animation career the goals may be fairly simple.
Goal setting is in practice a combination of methods. The aspirational goals are used as scene setters, they give freelancers areas of interest to focus on.
Commercial goals are career support. They provide funding, training and further direction. Commercial goals keep the goal setting focused on practical issues.
Artistic goals are powerful motivators and they act as drivers in personal goal setting. They're reinforced by talent, which includes the strongest skillsets and in many cases the best artistic materials.For freelance animators, these are also the most competitive materials, and they can secure jobs which will promote the other goals.
Networking
-There are multiple natural networking links.
-For career purposes, these networks act as a quality control, as well as a typical business network.
Creative Associations:
- Trainers
- Production people
-These people will actively go looking for you for jobs,when they're sure of your skills and abilities.
- Creative editors
-They can outsource and pick and choose who works for them.
-They can also give recommendations which can help get you jobs.
- Team members
-The exchange of information and ideas is always useful, and in career terms, you may be working with the very people you'll want to be working with on other major jobs.
- Business associations
-Freelance animation job clients are also developing their businesses.
-Excellent business contacts.
-Instant market sample for whats in demand in the chosen field.
-Media management
-Excellent source of information in terms of job opportunities.
-Media management is like a working map of the freelance animation jobs market.
When setting up as a freelance animator you need to consider financial security.
1. Insurance.
-You must fund life, health and disability insurance.
-You could be swamped by debt brought on by an unforeseen medical situation.
2.You need to pay your taxes.
3.You need an emergency fund.
-Have an emergency fund of six months worth of living expenses put aside in a savings or money market account.
4.You need a retirement fund.
-Start a fund so you have security in your senior years.
5.You may need an accountant.
-An accountant can help you strategize about the best way to protect your income, minimise your liabilities and make sure all of the necessary outgoings are paid on time.
6.You need to become debt free.
-Immediately!
-Freelancers, especially those with a highly variable incomes do not need the added stress of making debt payments each month.
7.You need a budget and cash flow plan.
-Without these items to map out how your income will be spent, you could soon be facing some major cash flow issues.
8.You need to look at ways to develop multiple streams of income.
-Whether that means adding more clients,spinning off your current business by teaching a class or writing a book, having a number of "paychecks" coming in each month which aren't all from the same source is a very comforting feeling.
9.You need a business continuity plan.
-You need a written plan to outline how your spouse/executor/business partner could continue with what you have started.
(http://freelanceswitch.com)
