Article: Should you become a 3D freelancer?

Hey everyone,

I’m not sure if this is the right place for dropping a news like this, but I’ve just published an article where I share some of my thoughts and experiences on the topic of freelancing, having a fixed job or running your own, 3D CG based company.

You can find the article under the following link: http://www.chocofur.com/3d-freelancing.html

I hope those of you who are just entering the 3D market will find it interesting and helpful.

Thanks for reading!
Lechu

Good advice, I always like to read about experiences as rule of thumb.

From what I found by experience is that freelancing requires you to become three times more responsible. Let’s say you think that your work consists of 3 factors: 1) the product development and the service you offer, 2) the ability to self manage your workflow, 3) the communication among peers. P.S. Perhaps you could count an additional role at 4) the book keeping and keeping checks in balance.

This means that working as an employee you would have to worry about your skills to be in top of your game. However as a freelancer you have to hit the brakes on skill development and become more aware of the communication, to become more aware of the soul of the project. This makes you from a freelancer artist to a more managerial position and you might consider that it consumes time from your “raw skill development”.

If you ask me about being an employee vs freelancer, I could not decide for sure either. From one hand I like flexible work hours and limitless creativity on personal projects but on the other hand a safe working environment proves to be more rational choice for living the life (steady earnings, limited responsibility).

It all boils down to: 1) Is there availability in the job market, 2) Are you employable and competent, 3) Do you want to do it?

Food for thought. :slight_smile:

One serious “downside” of CG work might be that it is by nature very labor-intensive. The natural solution to this is to construct a team of specialists, each of whom focuses on their sub-team’s aspect of the work while others might be focusing on other areas simultaneously. You can’t clone yourself.

Another problem is the amount of computer time that is gobbled-up by things like rendering – which, unless you are using (and paying for?) a “render farm,” is time that you cannot use that computer for other revenue-producing activities. (And: If you “get it wrong,” you can’t pass-off the time-equals-money, because a wise customer is paying for “his result,” not “your process.” You have to eat it.) :money_with_wings:

If you are a freelancer, you are doing everything, all by yourself. Otherwise, you are merely building yet another graphics-arts agency in your town, and soon enough you will have … full-time employees. You may as well sign on with one that’s already out there and let them deal with the taxes, the invoicing and collections, and so forth. With all of the many unpleasantries of running a business.

For the reasons aforesaid, CG would not be my first choice for “freelancing.” It would be a rough row to hoe profitably.

P.S.: I have spent time as a (not CG …) professional freelancer. It is not a bed of roses.

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Whoops accidental post!