Return-Path: Received: from nk11p00mm-asmtp005.mac.com ([17.158.161.4] verified) by media-motion.tv (CommuniGate Pro SMTP 4.2.10) with ESMTP id 5339673 for AE-List@media-motion.tv; Wed, 08 Jan 2014 02:48:46 +0100 Received: from [192.168.1.68] (99-152-153-100.lightspeed.dllstx.sbcglobal.net [99.152.153.100]) by nk11p00mm-asmtp005.mac.com (Oracle Communications Messaging Server 7u4-27.08(7.0.4.27.7) 64bit (built Aug 22 2013)) with ESMTPSA id <0MZ2007WF7V8YM60@nk11p00mm-asmtp005.mac.com> for AE-List@media-motion.tv; Wed, 08 Jan 2014 01:52:22 +0000 (GMT) X-Proofpoint-Virus-Version: vendor=fsecure engine=2.50.10432:5.11.87,1.0.14,0.0.0000 definitions=2014-01-08_01:2014-01-07,2014-01-08,1970-01-01 signatures=0 X-Proofpoint-Spam-Details: rule=notspam policy=default score=0 spamscore=0 suspectscore=2 phishscore=0 adultscore=0 bulkscore=0 classifier=spam adjust=0 reason=mlx scancount=1 engine=7.0.1-1308280000 definitions=main-1401070186 From: Jim Curtis Content-type: multipart/alternative; boundary="Apple-Mail=_4D24E43C-93F6-4AEC-8327-221302B107C3" Message-id: <2E2DED48-BC89-48F2-B96C-CA51DFB5B032@me.com> MIME-version: 1.0 (Mac OS X Mail 6.6 \(1510\)) Subject: Re: [AE] day rates including renting own equipment Date: Tue, 07 Jan 2014 19:52:20 -0600 References: To: After Effects Mail List In-reply-to: X-Mailer: Apple Mail (2.1510) --Apple-Mail=_4D24E43C-93F6-4AEC-8327-221302B107C3 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Type: text/plain; charset=windows-1252 "Looks I picked a bad week to stop sniffing glue." On Jan 7, 2014, at 7:50 PM, Greg Balint = wrote: > For what it's worth. All of my clients are similar to me if I were to = expand. They have small production companies and they have a need for = what I do. They all understand that agencies can be dog clients and we = can "crap talk" about how bad agencies are together. I talk to my = clients like peers and they all understand terminology and we send each = other cool mograph things we see on the web. >=20 > My clients are the middle men. They deal with agency stuff and just = deal me the action items. I give them my timeline or availability and = they let their clients know when things can be expected. Sure there are = tight deadlines, but I have never felt like I couldn't tell them to = extend or rearrange something if needed.=20 >=20 > Sometimes I actually have to cut emails short or delete entirely as I = get "too" personal about stuff sometimes. Being they are some of my only = outlets of communication opportunities I have, I need to draw a line = between friends and colleagues and clients. >=20 > I caught myself pouring my heart out in one of my emails to a client = last year during a majorly depressed time I was going through. I've got = no friends because I stay home constantly. So it felt OK. Then I = realized what I was doing and deleted it. I'm sure it would have = probably been "OK" but it would have been awkward later. >=20 > ///Greg Balint > //Art Director / Motion Graphics Designer > /321.514.4839 > delRAZOR.com/ > =20 >=20 > On Jan 7, 2014 8:33 PM, "adam mercado" wrote: > well thats a nice place to be in, in all sincerity and not facetious. = So many clients I've encountered, especially on the agency side, expect = you to give them your unwavering attention at all times. When working on = their projects you dont mention any other clients, punishable by death. = The reality is when I'm juggling several projects at once its impossible = to focus on any one project. Especially when revisions come into play. = Geez, they expect me to be sitting around idle just waiting to jump on = their last minute changes. "What do you mean the past 3 days you've = been working on something else...we need you to finish this NOW!" >=20 > anyhoo, good for you to be in that position and have that relationship = with them. >=20 >=20 > Adam Mercado > Influxx Media Production > Fullerton, CA >=20 > Moving Images. For Business > 714=B0928=B09896 > http://www.influxx.com > http://www.twitter.com/influxx > http://www.linkedin.com/in/influxx > http://influxx.tumblr.com/archive > http://www.flickr.com/photos/influxx >=20 >=20 >=20 >=20 >=20 > On Jan 7, 2014, at 4:20 PM, Greg Balint wrote: >=20 >> Honestly. I tell my clients I'm busy with other clients projects and = cannot help. I do get busy and what am I supposed to do when I am? So = when I do want time off "I'm busy". They don't "leave" me because I = have other clients and keep busy with other projects. >>=20 >> ///Greg Balint >> //Art Director / Motion Graphics Designer >> /321.514.4839 >> delRAZOR.com/ >> =20 >>=20 >> On Jan 7, 2014 7:09 PM, "adam mercado" wrote: >> Thats interesting Greg. How do you manage to turn away clients = confident that will come back to you. I think most people in the = freelance situation take on too much work when it all comes at once for = fear of losing a client to someone else if they turn them away. I speak = from experience here too so its once bitten twice shy for me. >>=20 >> Unlike Greg I make a fraction of what I did when employed, but like = Greg says the time I now have to take an active part in my sons life is = priceless and a sacrifice I'm happy to make. My wife on the other hand = is really tired of the roller coaster ride :-\ >>=20 >>=20 >> Adam Mercado >> Influxx Media Production >> Fullerton, CA >>=20 >> Moving Images. For Business >> 714=B0928=B09896 >> http://www.influxx.com >> http://www.twitter.com/influxx >> http://www.linkedin.com/in/influxx >> http://influxx.tumblr.com/archive >> http://www.flickr.com/photos/influxx >>=20 >>=20 >>=20 >>=20 >>=20 >> On Jan 7, 2014, at 2:21 PM, Greg Balint wrote: >>=20 >>> I had the most lucrative year in my career last year. Not so much = busy, but I made the highest in one year so far. I learned to not keep = myself super busy constantly, but instead make sure I make enough money = to be happy and comfortable and take some time to enjoy things. >>>=20 >>> I'm probably the farthest from a normal solo at-home freelancer. = There are workweeks which I take days off even though work is on the = table, just to have some time for myself. I even turned-off the light = and took a one month hiatus to try and learn game development some, = while turning away projects. It felt weird to do so, but I'm thankful I = tried it out. I feel I have more time off since I became freelance than = when I worked a 9-5 at an employer. And I make more doing it. >>>=20 >>> I'm not trying to be braggy here. I don't make anywhere near the = yearly amount other listers on here make, but my family is comfortable = most of the time, and I have time to spend with them, which is something = I really value. >>>=20 >>> That said, there are still down times which I really need money = coming in and can't find it sometimes, but they don't happen too often. >>>=20 >>> I have a client pool of about 7 companies and have been lucky that = in most cases, when I'm finishing up one project, another client comes = calling. I didn't have one moment this year where I needed to peruse a = job board or try to drum up business. My clients constantly come to me = alone and know I'm there for them when they need it. (Except when I = decide to be "too busy" which isn't often) >>>=20 >>> I would say the one thing I need to work on most is sacking away = money for taxes and keeping my receipts in order. >>>=20 >>> ///Greg Balint >>> //Art Director / Motion Graphics Designer >>> /321.514.4839 >>> delRAZOR.com/ >>> =20 >>>=20 >>> On Jan 7, 2014 3:31 PM, "Carey Dissmore" = wrote: >>> Last year was a real roller coaster. >>> Heck, its always a roller coaster, but last year was extreme. >>> Coming off a long slow December (which promptly filled with family = and domestic stuff!) but booking a lot of stuff now that will keep me = busy at least a couple of months. Good. >>> Need it. Even though I see a few all nighters coming near the end of = the month. >>>=20 >>> LOL and so it goes=85. >>>=20 >>> carey >>>=20 >>>=20 >>> On Jan 7, 2014, at 12:08 PM, Rob Birnholz = wrote: >>>=20 >>> > It's always up and down. I'm getting my ass kicked with work right = now, but check back in three months and I'll probably be one step away = from standing on a corner with a sign "Will do Post Production for = Food". Then just as things look bleakest the phone will ring again. Last = year was the rockiest I've had since 2002, but I'm developing new = clients and hope this year will be a bit smoother. >>> > >>> > Seems if the AE list were one cooperative we'd cumulatively be = busy every day of the year. ;-) >>> > >>> > Rob Birnholz >>> > ABSOLUTE MOTION GRAPHICS, Inc. >>> > -digital design and post- >>> > Longwood, Florida >>> > www.absolutemotiongraphics.com >>> > >>> > "If you read a lot of books, you're considered well-read. >>> > But if you watch of lot of TV, you're not considered well-viewed." >>> > >>> > On Jan 7, 2014, at 7:32 AM, Mike Janson wrote: >>> > >>> >> is everybody busy but me? haven=92t had a decent gig since = thxgiving :( >>> > >>> > >>> > +---End of message---+ >>> > To unsubscribe send any message to >>>=20 >>>=20 >>> +---End of message---+ >>> To unsubscribe send any message to >>=20 >=20 --Apple-Mail=_4D24E43C-93F6-4AEC-8327-221302B107C3 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Type: text/html; charset=windows-1252

On Jan 7, 2014, at 7:50 PM, Greg = Balint <delrazoraelist@gmail.com> = wrote:

For what it's worth. All of my clients are = similar to me if I were to expand. They have small production companies = and they have a need for what I do. They all understand that agencies = can be dog clients and we can "crap talk" about how bad agencies are = together. I talk to my clients like peers and they all understand = terminology and we send each other cool mograph things we see on the = web.

My clients are the middle men. They deal with = agency stuff and just deal me the action items. I give them my timeline = or availability and they let their clients know when things can be = expected.  Sure there are tight deadlines, but I have never felt = like I couldn't tell them to extend or rearrange something if = needed. 

Sometimes I actually have to cut emails = short or delete entirely as I get "too" personal about stuff sometimes. = Being they are some of my only outlets of communication opportunities I = have, I need to draw a line between friends and colleagues and = clients.

I caught myself pouring my heart out in one = of my emails to a client last year during a majorly depressed time I was = going through. I've got no friends because I stay home constantly. So it = felt OK. Then I realized what I was doing and deleted it. I'm sure it = would have probably been "OK" but it would have been awkward later. =

///Greg Balint
//Art Director / Motion Graphics Designer
/321.514.4839
delRAZOR.com/
   

On Jan 7, 2014 8:33 PM, "adam mercado" <adam@influxx.com> wrote:
well thats a nice place to be in, in all sincerity and not facetious. So = many clients I've encountered, especially on the agency side, expect you = to give them your unwavering attention at all times. When working on = their projects you dont mention any other clients, punishable by death. = The reality is when I'm juggling several projects at once its impossible = to focus on any one project. Especially when revisions come into play. = Geez, they expect me to be sitting around idle just waiting to jump on = their last minute changes. "What do you  mean the past 3 days = you've been working on something else...we need you to finish this = NOW!"

anyhoo, good for you to be in that position and have that = relationship with them.



On Jan 7, 2014, at 4:20 PM, Greg Balint = wrote:

Honestly. I = tell my clients I'm busy with other clients projects and cannot = help.  I do get busy and what am I supposed to do when I = am?   So when I do want time off "I'm busy".  They don't = "leave" me because I have other clients and keep busy with other = projects.

///Greg Balint
//Art Director / Motion = Graphics Designer
/321.514.4839
delRAZOR.com/
    =

On Jan 7, 2014 7:09 PM, "adam mercado" = <adam@influxx.com> wrote:
=
Thats interesting Greg. How do you = manage to turn away clients confident that will come back to you. I = think most people in the freelance situation take on too much work when = it all comes at once for fear of losing a client to someone else if they = turn them away. I speak from experience here too so its once bitten = twice shy for me.

Unlike Greg I make a fraction of what I did when = employed, but like Greg says the time I now have to take an active part = in my sons life is priceless and a sacrifice I'm happy to make. My wife = on the other hand is really tired of the roller coaster ride :-\



On Jan 7, 2014, at 2:21 PM, Greg Balint = wrote:

I had the most = lucrative year in my career last year. Not so much busy, but I made the = highest in one year so far. I learned to not keep myself super busy = constantly, but instead make sure I make enough money to be happy and = comfortable and take some time to enjoy things.

I'm = probably the farthest from a normal solo at-home freelancer. There are = workweeks which I take days off even though work is on the table, just = to have some time for myself. I even turned-off the light and took a one = month hiatus to try and learn game development some, while turning away = projects. It felt weird to do so, but I'm thankful I tried it out.  = I feel I have more time off since I became freelance than when I worked = a 9-5 at an employer. And I make more doing it.

I'm = not trying to be braggy here. I don't make anywhere near the yearly = amount other listers on here make, but my family is comfortable most of = the time, and I have time to spend with them, which is something I = really value.

That said, there are still down times = which I really need money coming in and can't find it sometimes, but = they don't happen too often.

I have a client pool of = about 7 companies and have been lucky that in most cases, when I'm = finishing up one project, another client comes calling. I didn't have = one moment this year where I needed to peruse a job board or try to drum = up business. My clients constantly come to me alone and know I'm there = for them when they need it. (Except when I decide to be "too busy" which = isn't often)

I would say the one thing I need to work = on most is sacking away money for taxes and keeping my receipts in = order.

///Greg Balint
//Art Director / Motion = Graphics Designer
/321.514.4839
delRAZOR.com/
=    

On Jan 7, 2014 3:31 = PM, "Carey Dissmore" <carey@imugonline.com> wrote:
Last year was a real roller coaster.
Heck, its always a roller = coaster, but last year was extreme.
Coming off a long slow December = (which promptly filled with family and domestic stuff!) but booking a = lot of stuff now that will keep me busy at least a couple of months. = Good.
Need it. Even though I see a few all nighters coming near the end of = the month.

LOL and so it goes=85.

carey


= On Jan 7, 2014, at 12:08 PM, Rob Birnholz <absolutemotion@birnholz.com> wrote:

> It's always up and down. I'm getting my ass kicked with work = right now, but check back in three months and I'll probably be one step = away from standing on a corner with a sign "Will do Post Production for = Food". Then just as things look bleakest the phone will ring again. Last = year was the rockiest I've had since 2002, but I'm developing new = clients and hope this year will be a bit smoother.
>
> Seems if the AE list were one cooperative we'd = cumulatively be busy every day of the year. ;-)
>
> Rob = Birnholz
> ABSOLUTE MOTION GRAPHICS, Inc.
> -digital = design and post-
> Longwood, Florida
> www.absolutemotiongraphics.com
>
> = "If you read a lot of books, you're considered well-read.
> But = if you watch of lot of TV, you're not considered well-viewed."
>
> On Jan 7, 2014, at 7:32 AM, Mike Janson wrote:
= >
>> is everybody busy but me? haven=92t had a decent gig = since thxgiving :(
>
>
> +---End of message---+
= > To unsubscribe send any message to <ae-list-off@media-motion.tv>


+---End of message---+
To unsubscribe send any message to = <ae-list-off@media-motion.tv>
=

=


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