The Diary of a Freelancer: Networking

Socialites. Sycophants. The art of ass-sucking. Planet of the Apes; "Bow your head!". Frankly its not all that bad. 1 out of 20 people you meet at these film shindigs end up being comrades in this the art race. Clever penny.

So stick out, go to the numerous festivals, screenings and film fundraisers. Mingle with the social fiends who look on you poorly until they hear you are a story artist/ animator:

"What's that?"

"It's art used in film production. It looks like a comic strip, but it breaks down the scenes to be filmed into panels"

"Really, that must be fun"

And to think I didn't exist in there sphere of being 10 seconds ago.

Tools of the trade: business cards. You are a lone ninja. Your business cards are your stars, kunai knives. Impale as many as you can. Don't expect calls back from everyone. Remember dirtbags and pseudo gatekeepers and pseudo-creatives? They are like moths to light when it comes to these networking events. Anywhere where there is booze really.

Remember to smile alot. Be sociable. Smile. And yes, liquor does help. That's a plus. Down side..liquor loosens the tongue. Know your limit people. Had a conversation with a chick at a screening once and she was under the bronze influence and she said she thanked God for colonisation because if it werent for Britain she would be in her home country 'bare foot and pregnant'.... Yah. Good stuff.

But after partaking the cheap liquor, stale finger food, insidious film premises, be blessed if you have found one dude or dudette who is serious about building bridges. Connections as such are great stuff. Those that are viable, you got to work hard to make it work. Better yet, just do work diligently like you always do.

 And thanks to the modern wonders of technology, we can network in different ways. This blog for instance. Facebook (where friends become strangers) and Twitter (where strangers become friends). Just hit a friend up and tell him what's good. Self-promotion. That's what I've been doing these past months. And when you make a connection you never know when its going to benefit you, but it will. If it doesnt, it's not a connection, its a leeching.

Sum up,
There should be as much time, if not more, spent Building Bridges as you spend Burning Bridges.

The Diary of a Freelancer: "Dirtbag Doctrine"

"Dirtbag, can't make money, he's stuck in the streets" 

                                                                                  - Vinnie Paz

And this is the problem. A problem I've had to mentally challenge. There's a certain saying, 'lie down with dogs, get up with flees'. So what happens when you go to bed with dirtbags in business, men and women  who don't recognise that your talents extend far beyond their mortal knowledge?

The temptation of dirtbag change may tempt you specially when funds are low, but the key is not to sell yourself short. Ever. Take for example, an average music video. 300 for equipment + DOP, 100 to rent out some crumby club. 50+ for food. 250 for the Director. 100 + for incidentals. 200 for an editor. Get all your slutty, dirtbag friends to throw up liquors and such. so youre spending 1000+. So think about an animated video, a world created solely from blank space, godly molding not only narrative, but characters etc..... for 1200.  A decent price. A monolith amongst a sea of music video banality. So you think one shouldn't complain. Right?

Wrong.
If you can't offer dineros, of course there has to be something viable for both parties involved- deferred payment, a viable partnership for the future etc. But if it's a 'one-night-stand' job, pay homage to the alter of Creativity. Even if it is a token. But if you want me to create a month or 2 worth of work and you come empty-handed and pocketed, not even change to cover my material's cost, or some form of dually-viable agreement, then you're a dirtback.

As hinted, Contracts protect you from such people, so far. You just have to keep your eyes open. But in these hard times, where you have to do some jobs that sometimes pay crumbs or nothing at all, well you may want to give in to giving up the 'Creative' mantle for a quick buck to pay the bills. And that's how the 'dirtbag doctrine' stays alive. You gotta end the cycle of ignorance and greed. Turn a dirtbag down when he comes to you, and set the perimeters that have to be met before any agreement can be met. This took years to build...not for you to just come and leech off the talent. Sorry. And if you get screwed by a dirtbag (twice allbeit) , divorce them like a cheating strumpet.

Tacit complete.

Sum up,