Hi,
I've been chipping away at a career as a DP for about 6 years, moving away from ACing (was never one for that kind of wholly technical job) and giving it the real (full-time) college try about 2 years ago. I am having a very difficult time making ends-meet. Most of my friends seem to be doing much better, working with real budgets, and are progressing very quickly. (I can't help but notice they all have a leg-up in that they've been afforded the opportunity to take career-furthering risks that as a man on the brink of financial ruin, I cannot take). I seem to string together just enough gigs to keep the lights on and not starve to death, just when I think it's time to hang-up my boots and start working construction again, I get some goofy gig or a meager check trickles in to keep me afloat and just faithful enough.
I am also dealing with several mickey mouse clients whose work as been pushed or evaporated altogether (to the tune of about $10,000) this summer. I've collected one sorry kill fee of $100 in this time of struggle.
I suppose the question I'm posing is: how do I dig myself out of this rut and get to the level where some of you are? Where you're in the very least not constantly anxious about impending financial calamity. I have most of the boxes ticked I should think: passionate, creative, confident that I am a good cameraman, personable, earnest, & intelligent, yet I cannot seem to crack the code.
This isn't meant to solicit pity. I need to figure how to sustain this career, 'though I'll probably continue to plug away regardless. I can't imagine doing anything else with my life! Any advice is appreciated.
I've been doing mostly corporate/internal corporate videos and commercials in offices and on white cycs/green screens that I'm not allowed to share, but if you wanna dig a small sample of my work check out the sparse nickmorr.com
Long-winded, hey? Thanks!
Nick