In early October, 2019 I traveled and worked for 11 very long days in only 2 weeks. The projects varied, the pay was great, and I learned a lot about my personal needs.

Over the course of 14 days, I filmed in Los Angeles, Seattle, Portland, and San Francisco. Every single day was, “I need to get all of this work done so I can get on the road and head out to the next shoot!”

What’s that, you think life on the road looks glorious?

Sure, from an outside perspective it sounds fun. Heck, I got to film on the beach in California at one point!

The reality is, most work days are 8-10 hours of being on set then managing data after the fact, prepping gear for the next day, and reviewing footage so that you can anticipate any necessary changes. That means that your days are easily 12+ hours. So leading 11 days of production in such a short time period was the definition of exhausting. I made sure to build in time to recharge by listening to music, drinking tea, and talking with my wife.

Life on the road also means that a lot of your meals are continental breakfasts, sandwiches, and the occasional dinner out on the town.

Why did I do it?

I’ve learned over the years that if you say no, you may not get called again. If a production company or marketing team wants to use you for something and you can’t take the job because you’re busy… well, they’re going to find someone else to do the work. Then a couple weeks later they have more work and need to hire someone again - know who they reach out to first? Not you. Assuming that their replacement didn’t absolutely suck, the company will almost always reach out to your replacement because they have already worked with them. We like what we’re familiar with, we’re creatures of habit. So I take the work because it means I am way more likely to get hired down the line.

I’ve just recently moved to Portland, Oregon and I’m still establishing myself as a freelance cinematographer. So turning down a gig could be much more than just a single day of work for me. That opportunity compounds into many more opportunities. So taking on a job, even if it’s for a bit less than I’d like to make, will allow the company/team to get acquainted with me, my work ethic, and the quality of content that I deliver. So yeah, I try to take on the work when it’s possible.

Over the hectic couple weeks of production, I fostered multiple relationships that will inevitably lead to more work but this condensed period of intense work has also helped me realize what I value in life.

What I learned about myself:

I value my time and my experiences more and more as I get older. Money used to be everything to me. I obviously still have bills to pay but it just isn’t worth jam packed weeks of production with insane schedules to simply make a bit more cash. Instead of working non-stop I would much rather work 4 days a week, have a bit less in the bank, and take time for myself to truly enjoy life.

I also learned that I need to charge more for my services. This is a simple lesson of economics. My services are in high demand, therefor I can charge a higher rate. Fewer people will hire me with the increase in price, but I will end up making a similar amount of money since I am charging more per project. I will theoretically make a similar amount of money and have more time off, which seems like a win win to me. Sound interesting to you? Subscribe to my blog below for future content. I will be putting together a VERY TRANSPARENT breakdown of what I’ve made this year including how increasing my rates will affect things.

Cheers ~ hope you’re having a great day!

2 Weeks of Non-Stop Filming

What’s that, you think life on the road looks glorious?

Why did I do it?

What I learned about myself: