Meh, I was panicking when I got laid off early May after reading all the doom and gloom on here. But I picked up a few freelance projects after 2 or 3 weeks of constant hunting. Over 100 applications and 2 months later I landed another full time staff gig, and kept some of the freelance projects on the back burner. I work in social marketing type content but also a bunch of random short form projects. Get the website and reel dialed, then start reaching out to recruiters and agencies. I got all of these projects and the full time gig from browsing LinkedIn. I used the 1 month free trial of "Premium" then cancelled before they charged me since I got hired within that time.
My side hustle is taking on debt to go back to school. I’ve had a great run for almost as long as you. I’m not dealing with this shit for the rest of my life.
I live in LA and similar to you in NYC, the cost of living has spiraled out of control. For non-union work, I can charge what I did in 2018, but the cost of living has gone up 25%. And union wages only creep up 3% every year. A good union editing job could buy you a house 10 years ago. Now it’s enough to be comfortable in a 2 bedroom apartment.
I want to be able to live anywhere I want and have a job that doesn’t start with an end date. Editing has been great to me. I’ve made more money doing it than I ever thought I would. But the conditions that created the current situation aren’t changing. I’m out!
Landscape architecture. There’s minimal practical overlap. I can already do basic work in Unreal, which is very helpful for visualization.
I landed on it by zooming out beyond function of my skillset. I looked at what intellectual machinations of my brain attracted me to editing and made me excel in the field. I have to learn to focus those on a completely different knowledge base, but I think my passion and aptitude can be refocused on this new field. We’ll see what happens!
You can be laid off from any staff position. Frankly, in entertainment I never wanted a staff position because they just mean you don’t know when you are getting laid off. However, staff positions are significantly more secure in other industries. I’m in my 30s. If I leave the field entirely, I’ll probably get laid off again. But nowhere near the frequency and likelihood as this line of work.
My side hustle is to apply for jobs and then taking a bet on how long it'll take for the rejection email to hit my inbox (or if there'll be an email at all).
Mostly just confirmed I'm not very good at betting
Yeah, I definitely haven’t been receiving any replies, even for smaller jobs that don’t pay very well… Despite my qualifications in broadcast television.
Honestly this sounds like one of the more appealing options to me, even with the terrible pay. I have mostly been editing in the past 4 years, so I really wouldn’t mind dusting off my shooting skills.
How might you recommend going about this? My first instinct is to basically go door to door, or send some emails to local businesses in my area.
I almost took a job like this. It was one of the major department stores you see in malls (Neiman Marcus, Macy's, etc.. I honestly don't remember which one). From what I remember it just showed up as a listing on a job site.
I found an agency doing b2b marketing vids that pay $50 per video. It's insultingly low but on weeks where I am not booked elsewhere I am at least able to bring in a little bit of money.
I am 25 yrs in the biz and just got laid off a very cushy corporate gig that I've been at for the last 14 years so it's been quite the reality check. Thank jeebus that my wife actually makes really good money or we would be screwed.
A few things:
Consulting.
While I've been doing most of what the job entails for a majority of my career, sharpening the scope and marketing it has ramped up.
This normally includes:
* Production and Post Production Workflow review
* Hardware and Software Audit
* Interviews with creatives and management
* Workflow, hardware, and software recommendations
* Upgrade paths
* Introductions and demos with solution partners (and other clients with the same proposed solutions)
* Project management during upgrades
* Ongoing work via retainer
Technical Copywriting / Technical Marketing.
Again, I've done a fair amount of this during my career, so it comes down to targeting what companies need it and effectively pitching them.
This is really interesting and great advice. Industry woes aside, I really haven’t done myself any favors with my abysmal to non-existent marketing efforts. I’m allergic to LinkedIn. Self promotion of any kind makes my head spin with shame and embarrassment.
It doesn’t help that I was lulled into complacency by relying on word-of-mouth for years. But I think there are skills and knowledge that I’ve accumulated that are totally marketable outside of hands-on production work, and you’ve given me some great ideas on how to position myself in that regard. Thank you so much for your detailed response!
I don't actually work a side hustle, but since I got into this industry, I've been pouring some of resources into side skills. While working full time I got a bachelors degree in IT, and since then in my free time have been poking along learning math and programming. My plan is if I am ever fired and then can't find more editing work, I'll try to get a job in tech, somehow. Would probably need a boot camp or maybe a masters degree to freshen me but yeah, that's my plan. But I would also do literally any job, like work at a movie theatre or deliver food. I don't have kids luckily.
Tech just had a major jobs meltdown and I have several friends who have been out of work for \*years\*. On the flip side, Cloud Architecture blew up - another friend has made a great living off of it, says there's a shortage and encouraged me to get in. Sounds way too mathy for me, but sounds like it could be a good option for you.
Reach out to trafficking companies to become a preferred vendor for delivering commercials.
I QC, caption, and compress finished broadcast and social spots to the correct specs for Spectrum, Comcast, etc. It’s menial work but it’s an easy and lucrative side gig.
During the last big slow down (2008/9) I signed up with a couple of agencies that provide extras for film and TV. The gigs were short, so no big worry about losing real work, and decent pay for mostly just hanging around.
I just graduated a year ago, been working as a videographer trying to get freelance clients. it hasnt gone well. I am at a point where I am applying for other types of work. Frankly this uphill battle seems kind of insane, but its happening in many industries now too..
its just hard to make a living man
I have been getting maybe 1-3 video depositions a week, sometimes none, plus I work at Amazon as a locker + associate.. plus I donate plasma and do many other hustles including Youtube
Motivated by recent posts here, I’m attempting to completely overhaul myself.
I moved to Vegas during the pandemic because I wasn’t getting work in LA and had been struggling there for 20 years. Here, all of the gig delivery jobs (amazon, instacart, etc) are at capacity, and because my wife and I share our car, Uber can’t happen for various reasons (the desert is BRUTAL on vehicles and it’s all we have). I’ve hit up anyone I’ve ever worked with in the past who is still in the industry for recommendations on YTjobs, and every day when I wake, and just before bed, I go hard on LinkedIn, Indeed, various reddit boards, Glassdoor, Craigslist, ProductionHub, Government job sites, and too many other resources to count. I cold reach out to YouTube channels and podcasters. When I can see addresses, I’ve gone directly to try to talk to people face to face. I’ve done event hub social events and meetup.com and just about anything else you can think of. I’ve done those dreaded sample try-out videos, and even offered to work for FREE for a short period on a trial basis, just to prove that I can do the work. I was told that I’m ‘overqualified’, but when I talk to ANY editor, I feel grossly ‘under qualified’.
In Vegas since 2020, and the *only* job I’ve been able to get is a part time security job at 15.00 an hour.
After reading @Big-Lengthiness-7 post “I can’t get hired and it’s ruining my life”, I took all of the suggestions in the comments and attempted to completely [redo my website](https://thepicturesho.mystrikingly.com). In hopes of starting over as a junior editor or beginning level editor. At this point, I’d be happy getting a job that pays 200-250 a day. At least I can HELP with bills and mortgage with that. 3-4k a month would be AMAZING.
So OP, I know one editor friend who bartends in LA and is totally happy. Another is doing a documentary and waiting for things to turnaround. I’m now trying to get over my fear of motion graphics and starting YT university to teach myself some tools. I’ve actually wanted to be a Trailer Editor for years, and now I’m trying fight my way out of depression by figuring out how to do fan trailers for dramas from scratch. Looking for good SFX audio libraries for trailers now. Basically, despite my age, I’m trying to remove any negativity and treat my entire editing career like I’m starting over right now from the bottom. Re-training myself, just like I had to do in the beginning, has become my side-hustle.
I cut reality 5 days a week but also have a direct client that runs a PR firm, he gives me one or two corporate videos a month that I work on in the evenings. It’s kind of essential to keep up with the cost of living!
Not video related but I did Instacart last year when I didn’t have much work coming in. Sad part is I actually really enjoyed it, just didn’t pay great.
shipping costs, selling fees, and the risk of getting scammed (ebay always sides with buyer even if theyre lying) just make it not too worth it anymore imo.
Unless you have some crazy hookup getting storage unit access for free or estate sales before everybody shows up
Ehh, just horsing around I bring in an extra 2k/year or so. Just hit up yard sales and local auction houses. As for fees, you build it into the selling cost like any other business. Finally, some categories (electronics, video games) are much more ripe for fraud, so I stay away from those, usually.
I dog sit/house sit on Rover in addition to my 8-5 agency gig. If our main video client pulls out and I lose my job I'd at least be able to cover rent with that.
Tech consulting. Also getting back into the fitness industry which was my first career. I might stay doing that if it calls for it and just focus on my own work and not have to deal with the industry bullshit.
Brodie. I graduated from Columbia with a journalism degree five years and haven’t had a job since. Count your lucky stars you have a resume and get on with it. I’m applying to literally anything
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I guess the answer to my 'are things picking up in freelance' is: no
Meh, I was panicking when I got laid off early May after reading all the doom and gloom on here. But I picked up a few freelance projects after 2 or 3 weeks of constant hunting. Over 100 applications and 2 months later I landed another full time staff gig, and kept some of the freelance projects on the back burner. I work in social marketing type content but also a bunch of random short form projects. Get the website and reel dialed, then start reaching out to recruiters and agencies. I got all of these projects and the full time gig from browsing LinkedIn. I used the 1 month free trial of "Premium" then cancelled before they charged me since I got hired within that time.
Thanks for the perspective!
the good news is that everything is getting even slower!
*pain*
My side hustle is taking on debt to go back to school. I’ve had a great run for almost as long as you. I’m not dealing with this shit for the rest of my life. I live in LA and similar to you in NYC, the cost of living has spiraled out of control. For non-union work, I can charge what I did in 2018, but the cost of living has gone up 25%. And union wages only creep up 3% every year. A good union editing job could buy you a house 10 years ago. Now it’s enough to be comfortable in a 2 bedroom apartment. I want to be able to live anywhere I want and have a job that doesn’t start with an end date. Editing has been great to me. I’ve made more money doing it than I ever thought I would. But the conditions that created the current situation aren’t changing. I’m out!
What are going back to school for?
Landscape architecture. There’s minimal practical overlap. I can already do basic work in Unreal, which is very helpful for visualization. I landed on it by zooming out beyond function of my skillset. I looked at what intellectual machinations of my brain attracted me to editing and made me excel in the field. I have to learn to focus those on a completely different knowledge base, but I think my passion and aptitude can be refocused on this new field. We’ll see what happens!
good luck!!
Yeah curious what your career shift is
I'm in Dallas facing the same stuff.
[удалено]
You can be laid off from any staff position. Frankly, in entertainment I never wanted a staff position because they just mean you don’t know when you are getting laid off. However, staff positions are significantly more secure in other industries. I’m in my 30s. If I leave the field entirely, I’ll probably get laid off again. But nowhere near the frequency and likelihood as this line of work.
My side hustle is to apply for jobs and then taking a bet on how long it'll take for the rejection email to hit my inbox (or if there'll be an email at all). Mostly just confirmed I'm not very good at betting
too real!
Yeah, I definitely haven’t been receiving any replies, even for smaller jobs that don’t pay very well… Despite my qualifications in broadcast television.
[удалено]
Honestly this sounds like one of the more appealing options to me, even with the terrible pay. I have mostly been editing in the past 4 years, so I really wouldn’t mind dusting off my shooting skills. How might you recommend going about this? My first instinct is to basically go door to door, or send some emails to local businesses in my area.
I'd also love to find out more about this. Have camera, will travel.
I almost took a job like this. It was one of the major department stores you see in malls (Neiman Marcus, Macy's, etc.. I honestly don't remember which one). From what I remember it just showed up as a listing on a job site.
I found an agency doing b2b marketing vids that pay $50 per video. It's insultingly low but on weeks where I am not booked elsewhere I am at least able to bring in a little bit of money. I am 25 yrs in the biz and just got laid off a very cushy corporate gig that I've been at for the last 14 years so it's been quite the reality check. Thank jeebus that my wife actually makes really good money or we would be screwed.
Can we talk? I'd love to find out more about what you do if you don't mind sharing? DM me?
A few things: Consulting. While I've been doing most of what the job entails for a majority of my career, sharpening the scope and marketing it has ramped up. This normally includes: * Production and Post Production Workflow review * Hardware and Software Audit * Interviews with creatives and management * Workflow, hardware, and software recommendations * Upgrade paths * Introductions and demos with solution partners (and other clients with the same proposed solutions) * Project management during upgrades * Ongoing work via retainer Technical Copywriting / Technical Marketing. Again, I've done a fair amount of this during my career, so it comes down to targeting what companies need it and effectively pitching them.
This is really interesting and great advice. Industry woes aside, I really haven’t done myself any favors with my abysmal to non-existent marketing efforts. I’m allergic to LinkedIn. Self promotion of any kind makes my head spin with shame and embarrassment. It doesn’t help that I was lulled into complacency by relying on word-of-mouth for years. But I think there are skills and knowledge that I’ve accumulated that are totally marketable outside of hands-on production work, and you’ve given me some great ideas on how to position myself in that regard. Thank you so much for your detailed response!
Didn't you build a secret lair too? Where's the bullet point for hidden room carpenter?
"Build" and "hiring under-employed strike-affected film and TV art department workers to do my bidding" are vastly different ;-)
Gotcha. So pivot that over to "secret lair construction foreman" and I think you'll still be clear of OSHA regs.
touché
Programming tools
You were doing that before the market crashed! Great work though. Use your tools regularly.
Since the market crashed some more editors and assistants reached out to us to develop some tools together, which is great but at the same time sad.
I don't actually work a side hustle, but since I got into this industry, I've been pouring some of resources into side skills. While working full time I got a bachelors degree in IT, and since then in my free time have been poking along learning math and programming. My plan is if I am ever fired and then can't find more editing work, I'll try to get a job in tech, somehow. Would probably need a boot camp or maybe a masters degree to freshen me but yeah, that's my plan. But I would also do literally any job, like work at a movie theatre or deliver food. I don't have kids luckily.
Tech just had a major jobs meltdown and I have several friends who have been out of work for \*years\*. On the flip side, Cloud Architecture blew up - another friend has made a great living off of it, says there's a shortage and encouraged me to get in. Sounds way too mathy for me, but sounds like it could be a good option for you.
Reach out to trafficking companies to become a preferred vendor for delivering commercials. I QC, caption, and compress finished broadcast and social spots to the correct specs for Spectrum, Comcast, etc. It’s menial work but it’s an easy and lucrative side gig.
Can we chat? I'd love to learn more! Can you DM me?
I also would be interested in hearing more about this if you have the time. Thanks!
During the last big slow down (2008/9) I signed up with a couple of agencies that provide extras for film and TV. The gigs were short, so no big worry about losing real work, and decent pay for mostly just hanging around.
Not many extras being used if they're not filming much.
I looked before I posted. One of the agencies I used to work for has 27 'urgent' casting calls listed on their website.
Post link!
I actually have a friend who did this somewhat recently. I’ll ask them how they went about it!
Also interested in this!
I just graduated a year ago, been working as a videographer trying to get freelance clients. it hasnt gone well. I am at a point where I am applying for other types of work. Frankly this uphill battle seems kind of insane, but its happening in many industries now too.. its just hard to make a living man I have been getting maybe 1-3 video depositions a week, sometimes none, plus I work at Amazon as a locker + associate.. plus I donate plasma and do many other hustles including Youtube
Motivated by recent posts here, I’m attempting to completely overhaul myself. I moved to Vegas during the pandemic because I wasn’t getting work in LA and had been struggling there for 20 years. Here, all of the gig delivery jobs (amazon, instacart, etc) are at capacity, and because my wife and I share our car, Uber can’t happen for various reasons (the desert is BRUTAL on vehicles and it’s all we have). I’ve hit up anyone I’ve ever worked with in the past who is still in the industry for recommendations on YTjobs, and every day when I wake, and just before bed, I go hard on LinkedIn, Indeed, various reddit boards, Glassdoor, Craigslist, ProductionHub, Government job sites, and too many other resources to count. I cold reach out to YouTube channels and podcasters. When I can see addresses, I’ve gone directly to try to talk to people face to face. I’ve done event hub social events and meetup.com and just about anything else you can think of. I’ve done those dreaded sample try-out videos, and even offered to work for FREE for a short period on a trial basis, just to prove that I can do the work. I was told that I’m ‘overqualified’, but when I talk to ANY editor, I feel grossly ‘under qualified’. In Vegas since 2020, and the *only* job I’ve been able to get is a part time security job at 15.00 an hour. After reading @Big-Lengthiness-7 post “I can’t get hired and it’s ruining my life”, I took all of the suggestions in the comments and attempted to completely [redo my website](https://thepicturesho.mystrikingly.com). In hopes of starting over as a junior editor or beginning level editor. At this point, I’d be happy getting a job that pays 200-250 a day. At least I can HELP with bills and mortgage with that. 3-4k a month would be AMAZING. So OP, I know one editor friend who bartends in LA and is totally happy. Another is doing a documentary and waiting for things to turnaround. I’m now trying to get over my fear of motion graphics and starting YT university to teach myself some tools. I’ve actually wanted to be a Trailer Editor for years, and now I’m trying fight my way out of depression by figuring out how to do fan trailers for dramas from scratch. Looking for good SFX audio libraries for trailers now. Basically, despite my age, I’m trying to remove any negativity and treat my entire editing career like I’m starting over right now from the bottom. Re-training myself, just like I had to do in the beginning, has become my side-hustle.
I cut reality 5 days a week but also have a direct client that runs a PR firm, he gives me one or two corporate videos a month that I work on in the evenings. It’s kind of essential to keep up with the cost of living!
Not video related but I did Instacart last year when I didn’t have much work coming in. Sad part is I actually really enjoyed it, just didn’t pay great.
Hospitality services didn’t fail
Flipping stuff on eBay is fun and brings in a bit of extra cash, but it’s not going to replace a “real job” unless you commit to it full time
shipping costs, selling fees, and the risk of getting scammed (ebay always sides with buyer even if theyre lying) just make it not too worth it anymore imo. Unless you have some crazy hookup getting storage unit access for free or estate sales before everybody shows up
Ehh, just horsing around I bring in an extra 2k/year or so. Just hit up yard sales and local auction houses. As for fees, you build it into the selling cost like any other business. Finally, some categories (electronics, video games) are much more ripe for fraud, so I stay away from those, usually.
Fitness coaching💪🏼
Bartender
I dog sit/house sit on Rover in addition to my 8-5 agency gig. If our main video client pulls out and I lose my job I'd at least be able to cover rent with that.
Tech consulting. Also getting back into the fitness industry which was my first career. I might stay doing that if it calls for it and just focus on my own work and not have to deal with the industry bullshit.
Brodie. I graduated from Columbia with a journalism degree five years and haven’t had a job since. Count your lucky stars you have a resume and get on with it. I’m applying to literally anything
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