For the last 6 months or so I've been an avid reader of Stephen Follow's blog. I stumbled across it when I was looking for some ideas for a class I was teaching and I've been hooked ever since. Amongst other things Stephen writes about the business of making films and offers a tantalising glimpse into the murky world of budgets and film finance. Beyond some of the more … [Read more...]
Tax Considerations When Hiring Freelancers
The path we take in our careers can be a fairly winding one. It’s hard to predict exactly where you’re going to wind up. For instance, last year I found myself in the position where, while working as an independent sound designer after years as a staffer, I needed a team of people to help me complete a project by deadline. It’s not a bad position to be in. I like working, and … [Read more...]
Lessons of a Reckless Freelancer, or How I Learned to Love the Paperwork
When I first started up as a freelance sound designer and re-recording mixer, I had never been responsible for running a business. Working for myself seemed to be the ultimate job; I could set my hours, pick my projects, and do things how I wanted to do them. Beyond this freedom, what else was there? As it turns out, I completely glossed over that whole “how to run my own … [Read more...]
Make Yourself a Valuable Sound Designer
Guest Contribution by Jason Cushing My name is Jason Cushing and I’m one of the co-founders of SoundMorph. Recently, I was chatting with the hard-working and talented Shaun Farley of Designing Sound about the site's latest monthly topic: the business of sound. There are many aspects to this vast subject, but one topic that might be helpful for those of you just starting out in … [Read more...]
The Mindset of Business
Guest Contribution by April Tucker Early in my career, I watched a couple studios crumble first hand. One was a music studio that went bankrupt because the owner made some poor choices. The other was a post studio that laid off most of the staff in one day; "Black Wednesday," we called it. I had mixed feelings knowing I’d own a business someday. Learning business skills didn’t … [Read more...]
The Neglected Topic
This is going to be an odd month, because we're not going to talk about sound. Not directly anyways. There's a broad range of topics that are often neglected in discussions of our craft, and that's the business side of things. Media production programs in Colleges and Universities are practically a dime a dozen now...though they certainly don't cost a little more than a … [Read more...]