What's the best way to get freelance work????????

# 1 24-03-2004 , 07:46 AM

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Join Date: Aug 2003

Location: Ontario

Posts: 62

What's the best way to get freelance work????????

i need some freelance modeling/animation work but can't seem to find it.

i'm fed up with working for companies that don't pay. Is there some sort of magical trick that involves clicking my heels 3x's and saying "there's no place like work" hmmmmmmmmmm perhaps dancing naked in the middle of the street infront of a company would land me a job............or in jail
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any tips you guy's are willing to share, i would be very greatfull? user added image

i bent my wookie!

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# 2 24-03-2004 , 08:20 AM

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Join Date: Dec 2002

Location: Seattle, WA

Posts: 1,154

Freelance work is all about persistence, patience, and keeping yourself organized. Since you are your own business, you are responsible for everything, including maintaining your hardware/software, looking for work, drawing up contracts, and, the part I hate, paying your own taxes.

Of course, the hardest part is actually finding work. Most modeling and animation freelance jobs are posted on the main cg and animation related websites out there (CG Talk, CG Channel, Gamasutra, Animation World Network, etc). You can also check some general job sites like Craigslist (www.craigslist.com) to see if anything is available. Generally, if you don't see them on those sites, they probably don't exist.

One strong part of getting freelance work is developing and maintaining a good reputation through your connections in the industry (whichever one it is). Word of mouth and personal references go a long way in getting you a gig with many studios. My last 4 freelance jobs have all been studios contacting me (rather than me pestering them) through my network of contacts. They weren't glamorous gigs, but they paid the bills, covered my operating expenses, and allowed some playaround money (got my girlfriend an iPod Mini user added image

).

Most of all, you need patience and persistense. Finding freelance work is just plain hard. And I'm sure there are others on SM who can back me up on this.

Danny Ngan
Animator | Amaze Entertainment
my website | my blog | my job

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# 3 24-03-2004 , 08:38 AM

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Join Date: Jul 2003

Posts: 1,257

in addition to what danny said (patience+ persistence+ contacts) i would recommend looking for your local (or statal) tv companies and the companys that make content for them, and send a "just logos" reel (well, logos, headers transitions... whatever you could call "program identity" images...) in addition of your usual reel, if it is relatively good and they feel in a pinch youll have a start in the industry and could start to make contacts... its not much exciting but you usuaully cant complain about payment, and you will discover extrange places: like an unpopulated "maya room" with 6 octanes with unlimiteds waiting just for you(and wich will return to unpopulated state after the two-three days you will use to make things for them...!)

Last edited by dragonfx; 24-03-2004 at 08:47 AM.

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# 4 24-03-2004 , 11:21 AM

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Join Date: May 2003

Location: Shanghai/Pittsburgh

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This may seem stupid but if you got the time, why not make a few logos or designs for some charity's or something? That'll get a start and will probably land you a few contacts. And I'm sure the charities would be more than welcome to hire you.

MSN: cyborg_corporation@hotmail.com
AIM: RavagingOrc
ICQ: 49041947

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# 5 24-03-2004 , 12:11 PM

Kevin

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have you got a site with some latest work on so people can view it?

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# 6 24-03-2004 , 03:11 PM

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Join Date: May 2002

Location: Niagara Falls, Canada

Posts: 5,310

Danny pretty much said it in a nut shell..... Hard to break in once you get a few jobs under your belt it becomes a bit easier...

I am enough of an artist to draw freely upon my imagination, knowledge is limited, imagination encircles the world. (Albert Einstein)

https://www.artstation.com/kurtb

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# 7 24-03-2004 , 09:10 PM

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Join Date: Aug 2003

Location: Ontario

Posts: 62

ok cool, Thanks DUUUUUUDE's

sorry no site yet, but i'll upload some pics on to a friends server temporary.

i will post a link hopefully in the next week or so.

Thanks again!

i bent my wookie!

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