EP 03 | Jumpstart Your Live Audio Freelance Career | A 90 Day Experiment

[@MichaelCurtisAudio]

What is your biggest hurdle in taking your first step in the live audio industry? Comment below!

[@Labaris]

Thank you for creating these videos on the business aspects of our industry. They've been incredibly helpful. I'd love to see content about pricing strategies for system designers. Specifically: 1. Do you typically base your pricing on value or cost? 2. How do you establish a base price for your services? 3. What does your negotiation process look like? 4. How do you clearly define and differentiate your responsibilities from those of the integrator when communicating with clients? It would be amazing if you made a video covering these topics. Thanks!

[@tylerkeeton17]

Finally got around to watching this video and man I’m glad I did! I’ve been in the stage of “would this be something I could actually do and still provide for my family?”, but was getting overwhelmed with all the nitty gritty. This broke that all down super well and reinvigorated the want to do it! Thanks for putting this together!

[@baileylukens]

Finally after having this in my watch later for quite sometime. Solid episode and was laughing when I saw my comment was featured 😬😂 One thing I would say is personally, liability is around $40 for me. I just began working full time for a production company last month, but my business is still technically active, so I will keep it active. It's worth it to me to have even a general policy. Another thing is I would encourage folks to have a 3-6 month emergency fund before embarking on a freelancing journey. Also, putting savings in a high yield savings account is also a wonderful idea to store that extra money on the side.

[@chrisdileo]

This is awesome! I wish I had this video when I started freelancing. Definitely sending this to some people. Thanks Michael!

[@MichaelCurtisAudio]

Thanks for the encouragement, Chris!

[@lifeonfourstrings]

Great video as always, as a senior freelancer here in Sydney. I remember the early days of crazy hours, entry level rates and working for everyone under the sun. I was lucky enough to have the privilege of working for some amazing company’s and world class venues that shaped an amazing CV I now proudly stand behind. After 5 years I had slowly built my skills and reputation. Then Life and family changed and I took a left turn with a full time job staying in the industry but a completely different discipline, I was exposed to management and new skills. Post covid, I’m now returning freelance and have found the momentum needs to be rebuilt. But with higher rates that reflect my accumulated experience. How do you typically deal with some of your older experience gained as it ages when you’re not actively performing those tasks or duties as you grow? (I find I’m starting to have broader knowledge and understanding of wider disciplines leading towards TD roles etc, and less about choosing specific operational roles) it becomes a balance of rate vs role..

[@MichaelCurtisAudio]

That's a really great question. I like to think of my prior experience as "scaffolding" that helps support the knowledge and opportunities that come after the fact. Like you said, you may graduate into roles with higher purview and responsibility than being behind a desk, but being in the trenches for a good bit helps you appreciate what it's like and what is possible for the boots on the ground. Even though you don't want to miss the forest for the trees, you still have to know there's trees!

[@mark12.31]

Covering allllllll the bases here! Great video!

[@MichaelCurtisAudio]

Thanks a ton!

[@scandinavianserialki]

These business side videos are very helpful

[@MichaelCurtisAudio]

Any other specific parts of the business side of things you want covered?

[@m5trmndlife]

Great video as always. This is a great starting point. Wish I had this years ago when I started.

[@jakekricket5740]

Hello Michael, I really love the content you're publishing. I would like your advice on something, if you'd be willing. I've been working in my hometown, Cincinnati, for a little over 10 years. I work gigs primarily as a video switcher OP, and as an A1. I'm happy to work other positions too such as Camera OP, Streaming/Network OP, Spot OP, RF Tech, A2, etc as long as my rates are paid for those roles. My most recent full time gig was as a production manager with Mills James Productions. I have since moved into teaching at the university level for audio and video production, specifically for live events. I still freelance to make sure my knowledge and experience is still relevant for students. What I could use your guidance on is I'm starting to feel "stuck". I'm doing my corporate AV gigs with the hand full of AV companies here in Cincinnati, specifically three of them and doing all my music from a single entity now. I don't feel as though I'm growing through the opportunities I'm taking. I have certainly carved out my space. Are there companies or alternative paths you can suggest to finding more growth gigs. Given my current job at the schools I teach at, I would only be able to do 3 days of travel, every two months max. Is that too little availability to be relevant to any PMs? I would also prefer to do two gigs with them as a stagehand or maybe as an A2 before I moved into any role as a primary operator, which may not be what they're looking for either. I had a friend suggest "lasso" do you have any insight on that? I really appreciate your time, and your content. I'm sorry for such a lengthy comment!

[@MichaelCurtisAudio]

Hey Jake, Thanks for the great question. Honestly, I do think you would need more availability than what you specified to keep getting regular gigs with new companies. I understand you gotta put food on the table and the steady teaching gig does that, but the number one rule of freelancing is "be available". Are the three days of travel time you would take off? I know an SE who teaches full time, but then hits the festival circuit HARD during the summer while he has off.