How To Become A Freelance Videographer

Are you tired of being confined to an office? Is there a feeling inside you that’s pushing you to quit the corporate hassle and become an independent creative? Here is our 2 cents on how to transition from a corporate videographer to a freelance videographer.

“Just Do It” – Nike

Want To Become A Freelance Videographer? Okay Then – Just Do It!

Imagine all of the free time and money you’ll have when you go independent. It’s paramount that you visualize yourself having achieved your goals such as going on vacations when you want, owning a high-end DSLR camera, being debt free and many others.

Take some time to think of a name and design an attractive logo.

Next, begin promoting your brand. You can make t-shirts and business cards before moving on to other more intensive marketing techniques.

Register your company or business, get a valid operating license, and file for a tax ID or Pin from the relevant authorities.

How To Become A Freelance Videographer

Purchase Equipment That You Will Use For Life

Next, it’s time to go shopping. Take some time to research the equipment you’ll need to become a successful videographer. Start by getting a good camera that you can use for several years before you upgrade.

Get all the lenses you’ll require to do your job. This include various zoom lenses and a high-quality storage kit so that your investment does not go to waste in case of a catastrophic earthquake.

Businesses that hire a cameraman will look out for you on socials and forums  Get accounts on all the popular videography forums and start commenting on YouTube videos you like or dislike.. It’s crucial that people start seeing your efforts – and this includes being active on social media and other relevant platforms.

Video Production Gear For Documentary Filmmaking

Having Filmmaking Equipment Minus Accessories Is Like Having A Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich Minus The Bread

On top of this, you’ll need to get chargers, batteries, mounts, diffusers, modifiers, adapters, stands and many others. Simply put, get as many accessories as you can afford.

Corporate Video Production Teleprompter

A teleprompter is a key piece of equipment for a videographer. You can get a good tablet PC to go with it. Getting a tablet that you can use for personal use is a smart move.

Aerial shots are everywhere. You don’t want to be left out of all the fun, so you should get a drone if you can afford one. Take time to study how to fly a drone and make sure you get the necessary approvals and licences to fly it.

Camera Bags, Laptops and Audio Gear Are Also Crucial

Many independent videographers tend to downplay sound and audio equipment. Equipment like a boom pole, shock mount, XLR cables, an external recorder, wireless kits, an indoor boom mic and an on-camera shotgun mic are very important. It’s highly recommended that you set aside some money in your budget for these equipment. You should always remember that your video is only as good as your audio.

Get a pro computer! This is non-negotiable. Because you don’t have the resources of a big company, you’ll have to get your own computing equipment. You can get a powerful desktop PC, laptop, hard drives, editing monitors, desk and many other peripheral devices. Basically, you should know that you are a professional now and you’ll need a pro-studio to make the most awesome films that the world has ever seen.

Freelance Videography

Testing Your Gear Is Very Important

Now that you have secured all the equipment you need, the next step is doing some tests and dry runs of the gear you got. You can posts some video reviews of the equipment you got and offer recommendations to other professionals like you. Some of the main gear tests you can do include drone tests, stabilizer tests, audio tests, camera tests and many others. Evaluate the technical specs and capabilities of each piece of equipment in order to improve your knowledge and experience.

You can also go a step further and do tests and reviews of the accessories you got. You can review your camera bags, batteries, chargers, media cards and many others. You can post your thoughts and opinions on the videography forums that you joined for added visibility and authenticity.

Become A Digital Marketer, SEO Specialist and Web Designer

You can now think about building your own website. To do this, you’ll need to learn about web development, web design, web standards, graphic design, web plugins, WordPress themes, hosting plans, domains and many others. This is some pretty easy stuff so don’t stress!

After creating your website, it’s important that you take some time to promote it using SEO. SEO involves a lot of things like backlinking, on-page and off-page optimization, keyword research and content creation. So, again, take some time to learn all about SEO and some tools and techniques that you can use to promote your website on search engines.

Content makes or breaks your SEO campaign. Start writing high-quality articles that will make your website rank high on search results pages. Post long articles that will engage your readers and make them subscribe to your channel.