The Customer is Always Right....Right?

When it comes to working with clients, trying to create someone else's vision is more a challenge of concept than production. When I'm working with my production company on in-house projects then it's our own ideas, collaborations, brainstorms. We know one another (and the industry) so it is easy to throw ideas around- freelance clients...not so much.

There's a lot of different types of clients, but the ones I run into the most are these three:

              Shy Ronnie (for all you SNL fans): This is someone who is too timid to tell you their own thoughts, which leaves you struggling to really grasp their concept. This meeting usually ends up like an interrogation minus the swinging single light-bulb, but as long as the right questions are asked a great final product can be achieved.

              The Poker Face: This person may have a concept in mind, they may love your ideas, they may loathe you with a passion...you'll never know because all this client does is nod. Occasionally they may tilt their head and squint or rub their chin in thought, but overall their input is minimal. For some unknown reason they want to hold their cards close to the vest and wait for the final product to weigh in. It's important to do all you can to get a response from this player because there is no bluffing once the deadline comes around.

              TMI (Too Much Info): This is a client who knows exactly what they want, down to the pantone colors and camera angles. It's fantastic to have a solid idea in mind, but if your client isn't giving you any creative space or wiggle room it can get frustrating very quickly. It's clients like this that need to be shown progress as it's being made and be sure to include them on any radical changes that occur.

              The Perfect Client: This person doesn't exist.

Your first meeting with a client is crucial in both gathering information about their project and about them in general. A freelancer's job isn't just about building a demo reel, it's about building relationships. Being able to work with all kinds of people is vital in this industry. Your work will get you noticed, your networking will get you hired.

Play List

            These past few weeks I've been gathering colors, drawing out storyboards, and playing around in After Effects in order to create a pitch for an upcoming project. This project is based on a song, so one would assume I'd have to listen to the song to fully create a concept. While I have listened to this song a few times to gather a concept, I find that I start to over-think things after an extensive length. So instead I've created an 'inspiration play list.'
            This list plays through Imagine Dragons, Florence and the Machine, Blake Shelton, One Direction (Don't judge I know you sing along when they're on the radio) and Johnny Cash, REO and Bon Jovi, Maroon 5, the Beach Boys, Of Monsters and Men, and FUN. I know, my choice in music is bipolar-but it's how my mind works. Once I've gotten my overall concept, these songs help me to shape and flesh out the final pitch. Because the music is so different from song to song I feel like I'm always looking at the project from a fresh perspective; instead of only listening to Mumford and Sons and discover my pitch is so hipster it needs a V-neck and square glasses (I love you Mumford, but let's be serious).
           Now my final pitch is ready to go, but that doesn't mean I'm going to stop listening to music. Let's all cross our fingers that this pitch goes well and I can create a new play list for producing the actual project. I've got a whole library of artists to choose from (A is for Aaron Carter, J is for Jimmy Eat World and Z is for Zac Brown Band just to give you a picture).

New Year, Same Blog

I know it's been a while since I last posted, but to be fair we were preparing for a Mayan apocalypse. Actually, I was just preparing for finals (though some would argue it's the same thing).
This new year has brought with it some exciting opportunities (and it's only the second week of the semester!). I'm currently casting for a music video with my production company AbstraqtMedia (check us out on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/AbstraqtMedia) as well as working on various vfx/graphics projects.
I've started getting senior emails, which is both exhilarating and terrifying. In loo of this new label, I've started to edit my demo reels (for both camerawork and directing live productions), editing my resume and creating business cards. Even more interesting- I've started to test my abilities, especially in the realm of motion graphics/vfx. I like to research video tutorials and then see if I can accomplish the task, using the tutorial only when I'm stuck. This not only teaches me new effects, but also stretches me to think creatively about how to get from point A to the final render.
I think I enjoy this technique of learning because I love to problem-solve. I'd rather figure something out for myself then read the answer in a text book (except for math problems...please don't take away my calculator). This is why I'm excited for my Designing Solutions class. In case the title didn't give it away, the entire class is devising a strategy for a business to better integrate into the age of technology. I'm looking forward to this new semester and the many problems and solutions it will bring.