Scheduling your life in a Free-lance world

[2 Hungry Dogs]

I'm losing my hobbies.

When I worked at stations, and production companies I had a schedule that was mostly predictable. Sure there was always overtime, extra shifts and spot news screwed up more then enough of my plans. But for the most part I knew that I would be off most days by a certain time, or that certain days I would be off.

As a free-lancer I don't have that luxury anymore. Many of my old hobbies would happen on a certain night. (Every Tuesday, 1st Monday of the month, every other Thursday, etc...) While I schedule vacations like a paid job, I don't do that for many of my more regular activities. Thus I don't plan to do them, so I don't let people down by not showing up.

After 8 years on my own, I am finding that there aren't many things left. I work, and play with my 3 yr old. There doesn't seem to be room for much else.

Anybody else have this problem? How do you deal with it? how do you avoid it?

 

[Sean-1966]

I have actually found the opposite. I am obsessed with photography. I spend a lot of time out shooting or cruising the websites and drooloing over new still cameras. Photographing models is something I love to do. When I do get a chance to shoot with a model, wether I'm paying her or not I sechedule the time as I would any other shoot. I am unavailable at that time. When I was an employee I had no time for anything. I was always at the mercy of someone elses sechedule. If you have a hobby that meets at 7 pm on the first Tuesday of every month you just set that time aside as your own. You are unavailable. It's only one day. You might miss the odd gig but I feel it's worth it to keep your sanity.

 

[Icarus112277]

I'm supposed to have a life?

 

[Tv Shooter]

That's a question my girlfriend has been asking for 4 years. We've taken exactly one scheduled vacation in 4 years...to NAB in April. Of course that means there was some work involved, especially drinking at the Broll party (which she enjoyed btw).

But the unpredictability of freelance really cut into one of my favorite hobbies(stock cars), and I've pretty much given it up. Had to find a new one that would allow me to pursue it without a scheduled time or place, because I found myself with to much work on the days that racing was happening.Had to work to finance the hobby, but in order to finance the hobby I couldn't do the hobby. Joseph Heller couldn't have written it any better.

So I bought another hole in my head...or as it's referred to in some circles as a "boat".

Now I can take the boat out at the last minute, the girlfriend enjoys it and we can do stuff together. Friends can come along, and I can work on it on my schedule.

Should you buy a boat? While I think it's a great thing, and you certainly live where it's easy to use, the (long winded) morale of the story is find something you can enjoy that has no set schedule.

Doesn't mean you can't do the other stuff....I do when I have time. But the boating keeps me occupied after I've done all my other work, like prepping gear, fixing gear, accounting, chasing money owed....damn with all that and there's time left for a hobby?

I got home Saturday after a week of Fay chasing...of course it was raining pretty bad up here Sunday, so we couldn't hit the lake.

What was that about a hobby that you can do anytime you want?

 

[Baltimore Shooter]

That's the life of a freelancer. When the phone isn't ringing, you're worried why they're not calling. When you're working all the time, you're worried when you'll get a chance to do what you want to do.

This might help, get to know other shooters that you can trust to work with your gear. They take good care of your gear and who does gerat work, the client gets a quality shoot because they booked your company and you came through for them. You get money for your gear as well as time to do what you want or need to do on that day(s).

Warren

 

[2 Hungry Dogs]

This might help, get to know other shooters that you can trust to work with your gear. They take good care of your gear and who does gerat work, the client gets a quality shoot because they booked your company and you came through for them. You get money for your gear as well as time to do what you want or need to do on that day(s).

Warren

Actually I have been trying to work that angle. The bad part is that most of the people I would trust solo on a shoot, have their own gear. I did just find out a long time friend and really good shooter who has a DigiBeta package, isn't really working it. I think I can use him more for that, but other then that, they are pretty rare.

 

[backfocus5]

I'm supposed to have a life?

I never got that memo either!

 

[dhart]

I just cut short my vacation due a bunch of work booking in during the last week. Gotta be flexible. I'm taking the rest in a couple of weeks (I hope!).

 

[A Step Above Productions]

When I have somthing I need or want to do I am booked. It is that simple! I work for my self and as much as I bend over backwords for all my clients. If I have scheduled somthing with my family or for myself I am booked.

We have full control of our schedules - I hate to say no to a client it it does not happen often but I do need to put my family first.

 

[2 Hungry Dogs]

This might help, get to know other shooters that you can trust to work with your gear. They take good care of your gear and who does gerat work, the client gets a quality shoot because they booked your company and you came through for them. You get money for your gear as well as time to do what you want or need to do on that day(s).

Warren

Forgot to mention. The good ones that are around, are always working, and hard to book.

 

[Icarus112277]

The worst is wheny ou finally do schedule a vacation or a short weekend, thats when the BEST job comes along. The concert with a band you like, fav sports team and/or championship, etc....Never fails.

I know how to make my phone ring too. Alls I have to do is get in the shower, or in the subway, or anywehre that I can't answer it.

 

[2 Hungry Dogs]

When I have somthing I need or want to do I am booked. It is that simple! I work for my self and as much as I bend over backwords for all my clients. If I have scheduled somthing with my family or for myself I am booked.

We have full control of our schedules - I hate to say no to a client it it does not happen often but I do need to put my family first.

It seems like I'm not alone. And unless it's something for my kid, or a formal event for my wife, it seems that there isn't much these days that I would give up a day of work for. Which leaves me with not much to do but work. I'd really like to find a passion again for something other then getting the next gig.