I got another productivity tool recommendation for y’all today. Xmarks. I discovered this a couple of months ago and I love, love, love it. If you work on multiple computers and/or multiple browsers, this is a must. What, you’re not using multiple browsers? Well, if you’re a professional creative, you should be!
CloudApp – A Simple Way to Quickly Share Files
How many times have you wanted to quickly share a file with someone, but didn’t want to necessarily go through the steps to use YouSendit? Or clog up yours (or your recipient’s) email with a large file. Well, for you Mac users out there, you need to take a look at CloudApp. This little utility […]
Nino Leitner – Austrian Filmmaker Extraordinaire (Crossing the 180 #35)
Today I start a mini-series on foreign filmmakers (i.e. filmmakers working outside the U.S.) When it comes to the world of filmmaking, the beautiful country of Austria has given us a wonderful artist. No, I’m not talking about the ex-Govenator of California. Of couse, I’m talking about none other than Mr. Nino Leitner. The son […]
How to Find and Keep Good Help
Last week I wrote extensively about pricing strategies for your business. That series generated a lot of great discussion and follow up comments and emails. One person asked if I would write about hiring subcontractors. I already did three years ago. But, I think there’s a good follow up to that post worth addressing. Specifically […]
CanonFilmmakers.com Says Goodbye
Today it was announced that CanonFilmmakers.com, the very informative resource created by Cristinai Valdivieso and Jon Connor, is being forced down (supposedly) by Canon. Naturally, we in the filmmaking community are saddened. When people put so much hard work into something like this, it hurts and is frustrating to see it wasted. Especially when a big […]
The Comparison Game Never Ends. Why? Oh Why?
Last week I had coffee with a friend of mine. A fellow artiste. (Well actually, I had hot chocolate and a coffee cake.) He knew I had been out of town for a gig a few weeks earlier and asked what I was up to. I proceeded to tell him how I had flown out […]
Why Every Pro Filmmaker or Photographer Should Start Out with Weddings
When I started in this business nine years ago, I started doing weddings because it was the easisest aspect of the business to start. I figured I would just do weddings until I could do “real” videos. Admittedly, going into it, I had the low view of wedding videography that many people do. But it […]
Strategies for Offering Low-End Commercial Services
Today is my fourth and final entry in the pricing series I started last week. Thursday I wrote about “Setting Your Rates.” Friday I touched on some strategies for raising your rates as you grow. Yesterday I addressed the popular strategy of high end wedding studios offering services to low-end brides. Today I want to […]
How to Spin-Off a “Target” Brand When You’re a “Tiffany” Studio
Vera Wang is the quintessential high-end, couture bridal designer. Wearing a Vera Wang dress on your wedding day is a dream come true for a woman. But it ain’t cheap. You could easily spend $10,000 for a Vera Wang dress (my whole wedding cost that much). Everything Vera does is expensive. Until about four years […]
How Often Should You Raise Your Rates?
Today I continue the series I started yesterday, “The Price is Right.” There’s been a lot of chatter lately in my circles around this topic of pricing, so I wanted to address it. Yesterday it was about strategies for setting your rates. Today let’s look at some ways for raising your rates. ‘Cuz you know […]