Working as a Freelance Videographer : Indy News
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- čas přidán 5. 09. 2024
- Griffin shares his Oscar game & a couple predictions, answers your follow-up questions about wedding film production-DSLR recording limits, prices, contracts, and DVDs-and explains his latest freelance production: a real estate video.
VIDEO LINKS
Real estate walk-through video: • Video
Trailer for "Curfew," Oscar-nominated live action short: • Oscar Nominated Shorts...
"The Hobbit" VFX breakdown: • The Hobbit: An Unexpec...
"Life of Pi" featurette: • Video
New & Notable Video Contests: • $20,000 for Pet Lovers...
OTHER LINKS
Griffin's numbered Oscar ballot: griffinhammond....
Griffin's wedding video contract: griffinhammond....
ADDITIONAL VIDEOS
How-to: Wedding Films: • How to Shoot Beautiful...
Zombie Film Behind-the-Scenes: • Making a Zombie Film! ...
Live discussion of freelance videography: • Video
DIY video light: • How-to: Powerful DIY v...
Seems like every job leads to another job. I did a wedding, which lead to work at a church, which lead to work for an apartment complex (employee went to church.) This latest real estate video came from a Facebook friend, who recommended me to his realtor friend, who was looking for a videographer.
That's why it's so important that all your friends know how talented you are, and that you are actually available for hire.
At 7:14, I'm mean to say that in such a short video, I only have time for one shot to demonstrate the dining room. Between those three, the last one works best. That's why it's important to shoot a few angles, to give yourself options in the editing.
It takes a BluRay player and disc (or an HD DVD player and disc) to play back HD footage on a TV. So if the client is playing a regular DVD in a regular DVD player, it'll always be standard definition, even if your source files are HD.
DVD authoring software will do that-Adobe Encore, DVD Studio Pro, or Apple iDVD.
No, there are wide angle lenses for Canon, although I suppose it's easier/cheaper to build small wide lenses for a mirrorless camera (Panasonic).
I missed all the documentary shorts, but I'm looking forward to the animated shorts this Friday!
Damm.. I really miss Indy Mogul!
***** What happened to him?
Griffin still has his own channel where he posts every so often.
Biggest make! CZcams makes a lot surely it wasn't the much harm on the funding. Plus they could of turned this channel into a massive resource and put it as part of there boot camps and so on!
do not fear my friend, as you probably know Indy mogul is returning!!
After being purchased by CZcams, Next New Networks is now CZcams Next Lab. So Indy Mogul is a CZcams-owned channel, and Film Riot is a Revision 3-owned channel. But they're both focused on sharing useful, low-budget tips.
Yeah, I keep coming back to it! I love the soothing, but energetic acoustic guitar.
I suppose you could re-format an SD card to NTFS, but cameras are usually picky about how the cards are formatted-they're probably designed to read and write FAT32. FAT32 is chosen because unlike NTFS, Macs can also read it.
I used Premiere, then Final Cut Pro 5, 6 and 7, and I was intrigued by many of the innovations of Final Cut Pro X. The software, like any software, has its aggravating quirks, but it also saves me a lot of time each week producing these episodes!
I use Dropbox or Google Drive to send the files. Most of my clients want compressed files ready to upload to CZcams, so I send them H.264 files. I use Apple Compressor to convert the video.
That's a cool idea! For most young couples, video files online are fine, but for wedding videos, parents and grandparents still want DVDs. I'm slowly phasing them out.
Every market is different. I live in a relatively small community, where costs are lower. But you're right-I could probably charge more. It would likely attract a different clientele.
Griffin I'm stumbling across your movies every now and then but after this one I have to say that you are most informative and proffesional dude of most guys around, doing the same thing. Big up my friend!
Yeah, I charge $75/hour for most projects. A real estate video for me is usually 2-3 hours shooting. Editing usually 5-8.
Glad I could help!
The Oscar shorts were playing at a local theater. No live stream during the Oscars-I'll be hanging out with friends, playing the prediction game!
M4/3 mount cameras can have virtually any glass adapted to them. They have the shortest focusing distance between the rear lens element and the sensor, so all that's required to adapt any other kind of glass (including PL) is to have an adapter that mounts that lens at the proper distance.
I agree!
Using my 14mm, I believe I was at f/2.5, ISO 200 or 400 for most of the indoor shots. I dropped to a much smaller aperture for outside. Luckily, it was a very sunny home. Otherwise I would've relied more on the DIY light and higher ISOs.
I personally prefer my DSLR, but that's terrible that a client would turn you down for the camera you use. I'd rather have a videographer who's experienced with his or her gear than someone with the "right" gear. Most of my clients don't know what gear I use until I show up. I let my work demonstrate my capability, and assure them when we talk that I have gear that will accomplish their goals. For me, having a website and positive reviews on Google Maps helps: when people search, I'm there.
They mostly trust me with the creative aspects, but I always ask the realtor if there are certain attributes we need to highlight, or specific text we should use. For this video, it was important to highlight the vast outdoor space (trees, private lake) on the property.
As a freelance videographer myself, I can appreciate how you operate your freelance business. I don't think I'm ready for weddings just yet, but I do want to produce more content for potential clients to see what I can do and generate more business. I don't like DVDs myself, but if it's easier for the client, then it's less hassle for me. Nonetheless, thanks for the insight Griffin.
You want to make sure your timeline in editing matches the raw footage. If your video is 1920x1080 at 24fps, you want to make sure the timeline matches, and that your export settings do too.
For me, it was about price (three years ago). I wanted to upgrade from standard definition gear to HD, and prosumer HD camcorders (with the features I needed) cost about $3,000. At the time, buying a DSLR, with lenses, an audio recorder and microphone (to give it roughly the same capabilities as the camcorder), cost $2,000. Now, I'm fully invested in DSLR, and not turning back. Doesn't mean I think camcorders are the wrong way to go. I just don't need one now.
I got my Masters-not because I really thought a videographer needs one, but because my school offers "assistantships." I applied to teach during graduate school, and they offered free tuition. I'm sure it helped me get the job with CZcams. I imagine freelance could be hard to do full-time, starting with no clients, so I found a job doing video production at a local company, and starting building up freelance projects on the side.
I was approached. She asked her Facebook friends if any of them knew a videographer. One of them recommended me. (It helps that I share my work online, and friends know I'm for-hire.)
Go with both... depends on the client. I charge 150$ per day, but 20$ hourly.. (gives me more work this way and keeps me busy, and building a portfolio, which is nice for now)
If a client needs 3 hours of work, charge your hourly rate. If they want a day rate, make it SLIGHTLY less expensive than 8 hours worth of hourly charges (8 hours for me is 160$, but i charge 150 for 8 hours, and go up to 30$ extra for overtime - or every hour after 10 hours on a shoot.)
What happened with the PDF file? The link is not working. Thanks for the video, A+ information.
The Glidecam is nice-adds a little extra flair-but it's definitely not necessary. I would shoot everything on the tripod. No handheld. I'm able to get $75 an hour. Shooting is usually 2-3 hours. Editing usually 5-8. As a realtor yourself, you should have a good idea of how much is an appropriate investment for a video.
Griffin answers your questions about freelance videography, and demonstrates a simple paid project: real estate videos!
Guys, i have a question. Please answer.
If i want to make tons of dance cover videos for youtube but i dont have ANY equipments (i dont wanna rent and borrow). And it wont be like a steady shot where you just stand in one place with your camera. I think you would need a lot of other equipments for it. And i want my videos to be shot in different places. Are there people that i can hire to video it and make it look like a professional video? Like the ones in tv? And can this person also arrange a venue for me?
Because i really dont like having my friends do it for me coz i want youtube videos that are professional looking though im not a professional and i just want to make youtube covers.
In my experience, realtors have lots of connections, and maintain great relationships. So all of my real estate work has come from realtors asking their friends if they know videographers, and their friends know me. But I'd imagine contacting realtors about a business opportunity would also yield results.
This is the third real estate video I've done. But I haven't actively been looking for work from realtors. Seems like, with so many houses for sale, there'd be much more work if I advertised my services to realtors.
I love the 80s synth-pop album he has titled, "Wake Up". There are only 2-3 tracks on it that I don't use regularly.
yeah, from what i have seen you do pretty well. The name of our company is Hindsight Video if you wanted to see how we do our stuff :)
Oh yeah, I forgot they can read NTFS fine. But no write, right? I use software called "Paragon NTFS" to get my Mac to write NTFS. Works well!
Macs can read and write to NTFS formatted volumes. Read is supported by the system since version 10.4.
Yes, please!
Hello, the link for the pdf file does not work. Could you give us a new working link?
Thank you for every thing you do. VERY hepful
X WWE ui
Thanks Dave! You must do a bunch of freelance work-any general tips you'd share?
It's an LG LightScribe burner, but I bought it about 5 years ago, at $250. Now it's probably only $25.
I charge $75 an hour. Shooting is usually 2-3 hours. Editing usually 5-8.
Most people where I live think Final Cut its the best editing program, may be because it comes in a great machine 'apple'.
But the CS6 is a self made digital editing softwares, whatever you need its there. Editings Video or Sound, Authoring, Compressing, Designing and whatsoever.
Bytheway, at the end of the day its the Hand that edits... However the CS6 is the Masterpiece (when it is used in a Mac)
I hate DVDs for how complex the authoring process is. I find myself spending an hour or two, with 18 steps, to build a simple wedding DVD.
Wow, this was an info packed episode, Griffin. Thanks!
Great Tipps Griffin!
Im a young filmmaker (20) and have done some image films in the past mostly interviews but no Wedding video yet. And now that you have said how much you charge, I think I undersold myself... 7Hours filming with5D for 200 ....
Great stuff thogh you inspire me to keep on pushing!
Greatings from austria
You can set the quality you want to use when exporting with Sony Vegas.
I'm in LA and I've shot 3 weddings. I"m charging $2100 and I hire a 2nd camera operator and a PA. Griffin is right. It's not a lot of money when you break it down. I would love to charge $3,000!!!
Mine have come through word of mouth, through work I've done with other clients. But I'd imagine you could leave voicemails with local realtors, letting them know how much your services would cost. Realtors earn a percentage of each home sale, so the more expensive the home, the more likely they'd be willing to invest some money in promotion like video production.
Yep. That's average for a wedding photographer OR a wedding videographer. You're paying for a specific set of skills and a certain expected quality of work. It's a one shot, so it's a very high demand job that can be quite stressful because you have to be good and FAST to get the best shots and still be subtle and blend in the background. There aren't retakes at a wedding.
if you search "lightscribe burner" in Google, it'll pull up results for exactly what he uses. you do have to make sure you have "lightscribe" DVDs. I've have one for a few years now, it's pretty cool :)
Hi Griffin, Love your videos. I am a "freelancer" also, I think a great video would be explaining how you went about getting your first client, what gear you started with and how you built up your freelance business. How do you go from free work/favours to getting paid work etc....
This video helped me so much! I'm planning on starting my freelance video work very soon! At first I did music videos for about $150... which was nothing for the equipment i used and editing time I put into it. (canon t2i, konova slider, H4n, heavy duty tripod, ect)
Rebel T3i is a good camera, and it gives a very good video as you found!
It should give you the same quality as you are rendering, now!
the problem could be on your editing program settings, You must edit in a format not ower than that of the HD you shot with your camera.
I have a friend with the T2i, he always shoot in HD but the video he distribute are very bad, And he is using the same program you are using.
You must edit your video with the same video format you shot!
Check your settings!
It's funny, because I re-uploaded my wedding video last week-somehow the audio was peaking (even though the source file is fine), and now it's blocked globally. I don't know what changed!
I've been subscribed for quite s while now and I've gotta say you do a great job with this channel. Your information is very helpful. You also inspire confidence in front of the camera. Thanks for this.
I'm writing a paper on what I want to be when i get older and i said a freelance cinematographer. Thanks for the inspiration IndyMogul!
it depens on the format and bitrate you render it in, adobe premier lets you render is full quality but if you edit some render settings in sony vegas you can have good quality too
How do I start doing Real estate videography? Like how do I approach a business ?
Same
MrNoob do ONE for free for a Real Estate agent and if they like your work, they’ll hire you for their other properties.
I appreciate your insight!
I'd spend at least 4 or 5 hours on a shoot for this. Get ABSOLUTELY EVERY ANGLE YOU CAN of that house, as well as the yard/lot that it's on... Don't think in terms of how little time you'll take, think in terms of how much stuff to capture.
Griffin the slr magic t 1.6 has great quality but is just prone to flare, I recommend it to you to replace the 14 2.5, plus you can use wide angle adapters to make it even wider. If you can get a solution for the flare, and don't mind the wierd look of it's build it's good. maybe a mattebox or good lens hood would work. Or you can have a specialist coat it with something.
Slider, glidecams are more for following people around but both would produce a nice shot for Real estate
I use a Sigma 10-20mm and a Tokina 11-16mm and they are both amazing
Just wanted to say thank you for being completely open about your wedding films. I'm going on my second year of shooting weddings and it's always nice to know what other people are doing.
Maybe you could talk about what you charge for a real estate video? I'll assume around $750 based on your hourly, but it would be nice to know.
Keep it up.
Edius Express, for $50, edits AVCHD on PCs.
I just did my first wedding film, it was a learning experience but, for my first time they suggested paying me $600. I wasn't sure of what to ask for the film and to be honest I did it last minute for them because the videographer they originally hired dropped the gig a week before the wedding. It isn't the best wedding film and I could've done better but, agreed on that price they offered.
I love Jahazzar's music! I use his tunes almost exclusively! Not sure if it's his music in the video, but it's him in the screen shot.
We get that a lot. We also get parents or relatives that tell the bride to ask for the RAW footage because they use to do it back then. "RAW" footage now is unwatchable because it is a bunch of random clips. We do charge them extra haha
Very true Griffin,
I have been able to buy a Nikon d5100 with a kit lens and an extra 55-200mm lens for just 800USD, And I can still use my boom microphone on it and get a HD Video that Amaze. And You forget one ting Grifin, they are also Still Photograph Camera that can give a resolution of more than 3264 X 4928. Why buying a Camcorder?
does the GH3 shutsdown because warming issues after several hours of use?
Hey Griffin, any tips for breaking into more freelance jobs? How do you get into filming real estate, is it as easy as calling up realtors and offering your skills? It seems like such an abstract thing to do.
He's not using a DSLR.. it's a GH3/2 which is just as mirrorless as the NEX.
NEX takes good stuff, for sure.. but the lens options are not quite as rad as what you get with either the m4/3, or even Sony DSLRs... adapters help though and allow for good vintage glass
I use NTFS-3G in combination with OSXFuse and fuse-wait. I think Paragon NTFS is doing the same. But this solution is 100% free.
Another great video Griffin. Now I'm searching for an affordable 14mm lens. Lol.
I have a big question. How did you come upon your contract? Ive never thought to do that before, it's just been a shoot and money comes later. And how do you determine your cost? I'm not sure what my...self worth(?) would be. I know I'm much more critical of myself than others would think so I don't know where to value my abilities as a videographer and editor.
You should do personalize Flash Drives with an H.264 that can play on XBox360, PlayStation 3, computers...
Depending on the camera you are using, if u have a card bigger then 4G you should be able to record longer than 12 min
hei griffin, why u use GH2 instead there is more dslr that have some nicely specification, just like a57 that have phase autofocus and better color depth than GH2, and also cheaper.
Can you guys compare a Digital Bolex, 5d MkIII, 5d MkII, and The Blackmagic Cinema? That'd make a great episode
Being such a dedicated DSLR shooter, do you think you'd ever invest in the NEX series? They are the best of both worlds for me, and, having learned ENG style, the EA50 is great. I also really want to try the blackmagic camera, but that's a whole new bucket of worms.
You're totally right! (And I'm usually so good with spelling.) Lucikly hmuans aer albe to decpiher wrods eevn wehn thye're mipselled.
eBay?
Aside from weddings and retail, what other types of freelance things do you do or can you recommend doing?
Gotcha. I didn't realize that.
Do you know if they take a PL mount adapter? That might be a dumb question.
Did you ever get an answer. What to charge to do Real Estate Video? I would imagine it wouldn't be over $200. The Clip is only 3 minutes long so once you get a template down. 2 hours tops!
Your stuff looks great! Indy mogul just keeps getting better!
Question 1: Whats your price for Real Estate house highlights ?
Question 2: How do you balance Freelance, Indy Mogul, and Film-making all together??
How do you market yourself to find work?
I think there is a misspell in Hudson at the end credits of real estate video
I hope that Life of Pi beats The Hobbit, seriously. Such a pretty and beautiful film, and the 3D does work really well. It is so atmospheric, especially in late day or night scenes, and the visual effects really help the feeling. Greatly. I will definitely go get my own blu-ray copy when it gets its home release :)
Indy Mogul is the place to be! Thanks Griffin!
Awesome job, Griffin, I think you've inspired me to do some real estate and commercial film stuff in my home state, it looks like a pretty easy way to make some money and practice film techniques.
Any idea how much the listing on that property is? Just curious...
Hello i dont understand what you say at 7min13. Why NO?
Hey Griffin! That was incredibly usefull info about the freelance realestate video. It would be cool to hear all of your freelance video work. Ie; commercials, realestate, wedding, etc. Thanks for the great video!
Came back to watch this again, such great info and presented very well.
Subscribed to your channel, very best to you!
Cheers, Pete
Thanks Griffin!! I never thought about real estate videography/photography
These days everyone wants to use video to communicate with their customers or members-chuches, colleges, businesses (for the web or TV). And any of these companies, if they don't have their own video employees, would need a freelancer.
Hey, Griffin, that's like in the Angry Video Game Nerd show as well, and the movie. The director, writer and creator stars as the main character :D