The 5 Best Things About Being an Industry Freelancer

Last year was not a great time to be an industry freelancer.  Productions shut down due to the pandemic, and everyone went through trying times.  But last year wasn’t the norm, and we’re all moving forward in our lives and careers now.

Despite tough times that come periodically, there are some great things about being a freelancer in the film industry.  In my opinion, here are the five best things about freelance life:

1. We work in many different locations.

I never wanted to work in an office cubicle all day, and working in the industry, I never did.  The wide variety of locations we get to experience is one of the best things about being in the film industry.

Yes, some locations can be highly challenging places in which to work.  Others are terrific, such as the Malibu beach house, whose owners let us use the spa after work.  If you like to see different parts of the city, the country, or even the world, you’re in the right business.

2. We can take time off between jobs.

One of my favorite things about freelance life is that we can take time off between jobs.  No job is permanent.

I always made sure I had enough money saved to enjoy my time off between jobs.  If you must work with no breaks the entire year, freelancing can be a tough way to make a living.  Time off is a given.  It’s just a question of whether you can take advantage of it or not.

Uncertainty comes with being a freelancer, but many people with ‘secure’ jobs lost those jobs during the pandemic.  No job is ever completely secure.

At least in our industry, there’s always another job around the corner.

3. We work with other creative people.

We really do make magic with much of what gets created in our industry.  It’s incredible the things that get designed and built.  We’re all creatively solving problems every day.

And now, even more fantastic worlds are being created through virtual production techniques.

If you want to work with an ever-changing group of creative people every day, ours is a great business to be in.

4. If you join one of the unions, you can have excellent benefits.

We’ve all seen how crucial having health insurance and access to good medical care is this past year.  If you’re in IATSE, SAG-AFTRA, or the DGA, you’ll have access to excellent health plans and defined benefit pension plans.  Dental, vision, and prescription coverage, too.

The unions even covered qualifying members’ COBRA costs when there was no work during the pandemic.

I never fully appreciated the value of the pension plan I’m in until I got close to retirement.  These health and pension benefits have been hard-won during decades worth of contract negotiations.

I’m grateful to have access to them when workers in so many other industries have none.

5. There are plentiful opportunities to expand your skills.

Online continuing education is the new normal.  If there’s one positive thing that came out of this past year and a half, it’s that we now have access to so many more opportunities for professional growth online.

You don’t have to live in Los Angeles or New York to take advantage of the many classes and seminars offered for freelancers in our industry.  You can join in and learn from anywhere.

Unions and trade organizations offer numerous opportunities to learn new skills and keep up with changes in technology, usually for free or for a nominal charge.

The industry has changed dramatically in the decades since I first began my career.  However, I’ve been able to keep up and expand my skills thanks to the abundance of available classes and seminars.

There’s no standing still in our industry.  You’re either moving forward or sliding backward.

Conclusion

Those are my five best things about being an industry freelancer.  What are yours?

For all its trials and tribulations, we still work in an industry that offers many opportunities.  If you have the skills and temperament, freelancing in the film industry can provide unique experiences that you won’t find anywhere else.

Just be ready for anything.