Learning from the best

Ask a Video Pro is a webinar series  where users can learn from the video production experts to help them get more out of their Creative Cloud tools. Every few weeks attendees log on to find out more about new new features, deepen their knowedge, or expand their skill set by learning a new application.

In 2014 over 2,000 people attended sessions and well over 20,000 watched recordings of them afterwards. Based on registration numbers, the most popular session this year was presented by Vashi Nedomansky (10 Tips for a More Efficient Editing Workflow), closely followed by Optimizing Your System for Peak Performance (by our own Todd Kopriva). Going user feedback, the biggest hit may have been How to Build a Successful Corporate Video Business, by Mark Drager and Kyle Wilson from Phanta Media, and there was a lot of love shown for Faster Filmmaking, as well. The most watched recording was Crafting the Perfect Image, by Will Read. And there were some sleeper hits, too, such as LOG and RAW Workflows (it must have been the sexy title that got them).

It has been a great year for Ask a Video Pro and it’s not over yet! You can still log on and watch (or re-watch) any of them. Below is a complete list of all the sessions presented this year, including descriptions and links to the recordings.

Still want more? We just posted our first webinar for 2015 and we’ll be posting more sessions early in the New Year. We also have a live panel discussion from the Sundance Film Festival coming up on January 23.  If you have questions, or requests for topics or Adobe apps you’d like to learn more about in 2015, please let me know. I can be reached at @EricPhilpott

Watch This Webinar Now at

https://seminars.adobeconnect.com/_a227210/p2zfk48ogtp/?launcher=false&fcsContent=true&pbMode=normal

By Eric Philpott | December 19, 2014

Last week, I received a few emails from artists that were starting their freelance career and wanted to know the best sites to find freelance jobs.

The answer is simple. THERE ARE NO GOOD SITES TO FIND FREELANCE JOBS!

If searching for ads on job boards is your primary source for obtaining freelance work, don’t be surprised if you are sadly disappointed with the results. For every single ad placed on a job board, there are hundreds of artists who apply. The odds of you getting hired are slim.

The Solution- See and be seen, and let the jobs come to you.

There is a saying in sales, “It’s a numbers game”, which means the more people who see your work, the more work will find you.

Step 1- Linked In- Start by searching Linked In for other similar artists in your area. Review their profiles for a list of companies who have hired them. Connect with those artists and every one of their contacts. You will be surprised at how quickly you can get contact information for almost every HR person and producer who has been hiring in town. As you connect with people, you will notice that under contact info you will have access to that person’s telephone number, email, website and more. If you have less than 500+ contacts, then you have not even begun to take full advantage of all the valuable contact information available to you on Linked In. Using this method, I quickly obtain a list of over 3600 employers in the Los Angeles area alone.

Step 2– Create a List of companies you could work for. START NOW!. Create a spreadsheet that includes: Company Name, Persons Name, Title, Email, Telephone, and Additional Notes. As you add a company to your list, call that company. Tell the receptionist who you are and what you do and explain that you would like to email a resume and link of your work. Ask who in their organization you should send that to and what their email address is. Receptionists freely give this information out almost daily. This list of possible employers should be in the thousands, not hundreds.

Step 3– Review Each Company’s Website– Before contacting anyone directly; go to that company’s website. Not only should you review the company’s work, but also look under careers. Many times you will find positions available that are not advertised. Be sure to fill out any online applications to make sure you are in their database.

Step 4- Look at Job Boards, But Not For Jobs- Job boards are not very good for actually finding jobs, but they are excellent for find emails of people that regularly hire. Go to your favorite job board and look back for an entire year to see who was hiring. Understand that a person who is hiring a matte painter today, may be hiring a compositor or 3D artist tomorrow, so do not pass up employers just because the job description does not match your skills exactly.

Step 5- Go to Where the People Are– Someone once said to me, if you want to be a successful artist, go to where successful artists hang out. Conventions, meet ups, user group meetings, events, company open houses, road shows, other artist’s birthday parties are great places to make connections. Start getting recognized as a good artist by hanging out with other good artists. Not only is this is a great way to make new contacts and start building strong business relationships, but it’s fun too.

Step 6- Build Relationships through Facebook– Use Facebook as a tool to let people know who you are and what you have been doing. Make sure the ONLY information you are giving out on Facebook is industry related. Political opinions, personal information or even one drunken picture of you and your friends out on the town can ruin a years worth of work. I have two Facebooks. One for personal friends and family use and a second that is my professional Facebook.

Step 7- Make it Easy for Companies to Contact You- Put your cell phone number and email address EVERYWHERE. Your business card, your emails, your reel, your Linked In profile, your Facebook profile. I have seen so many people that have website with only an email form to contact them, and no phone number. When people are looking for an artist, they are looking NOW. Not when you eventually email them back. So make it easy for people to hire you by making your self easy to reach.

Step 8- Let People Know, You are Looking for Work– It may seem silly, but just telling people you are available and looking for work is a great way to get the ball rolling. Email everyone on your contact list shortly before each time you are becoming available. remember that a referral from a friend or colleague is better than any resume, cover letter or reel. So don’t be afraid to let people know you are available and looking for work.

Do you have a question or topic you would like to have addressed? Feel free to email me directly at jungle@grvfxguy.com