Being a Freelancer: Five things you need to keep afloat
If you work in TV production, there’s a high chance you either are, or have been, a freelancer. Exact numbers are hard to confirm, but it’s likely more than 20,000 people who work in the UK TV industry are freelance.
Freelancing comes with its perks for sure: you choose what jobs you want to do (in an ideal world!); you’re frequently introduced to new people; you can gain more experience across different jobs; you have more freedom and flexibility in day-to-day life; you may travel more; you can negotiate your pay etc.
On the flipside, it comes with its challenges: the near constant need to find a new job; competing with other freelancers; payments that are delayed; less time to build meaningful relationships with colleagues; no sick pay or pension contribution… you know the drill! And all this is especially challenging in times of industry downturn, as we saw in 2023.
So how do you stay afloat during these more difficult times? What can you do to give yourself an edge and make sure you’re the prime candidate for any future job offerings?
Panelled by five industry professionals - including our very own Mel Rodrigues - the BBC Academy’s Production Unlocked session ‘The Ups and Downs of being a Freelancer,’ provided heaps of tips and advice for freelancers working in TV production and we’ve compiled the best of them here for you!
Developing personal skills
Confidence - You have to be willing to put yourself out there! Be the person who has ideas and makes suggestions, who vocalises what they want (but be careful not to come off as demanding), who makes connections and knows how to sell themselves.
Organisation - The life of a freelancer is one of self-management - to be effective, you need to be efficient. This means thinking and planning ahead, keeping track of your diary dates, knowing when you need to look for your next role and being on top of your finances (including the dreaded taxes!)
Resilience - There will be times where you are rejected, when your ideas are ignored, when you’re required to work longer hours or when there’s no work all together. It’s in these times that a thick skin and can-do attitude will be invaluable.
Communication - You won’t get work if you don’t speak to others! Not just interviewers (we’ll get to that), but to your colleagues and the wider community. You don’t have to be an extrovert, but being someone who can strike up a conversation, who can vocalise their ideas and offer clear instruction, will certainly help keep you in work.
Passion - You need to be passionate about your work and this industry! Not least of all because it shows dedication and how much you really care about doing a great job, but in the more difficult times it will be the thing that keeps you going!
Networking
‘It’s not what you know, it’s who!’ - While what you know is certainly important, every single member of the panel agreed that networking is an absolutely essential part of having a successful career in TV. Some tips include:
The freelancer community is one of the most welcoming and supportive communities out there. Remember, you share the same passions as the people alongside you and that’s always a great place to establish a sincere connection.
Facebook groups are a great place to get involved with the community digitally: join in conversations, offer advice and opinions and keep an eye out for new jobs. The same goes for LinkedIn!
This industry is never short of in-person, often free, events - whether they're networking-specific, or open events like Production Unlocked, these are fantastic places to grow your network and develop your confidence.
Be the person who goes above and beyond! No one likes a bootlicker, but demonstrating your commitment to a production through small acts outside of your remit is a sure way to get on the radar of the decision makers.
CV & Interviewing
You can’t get a job without a good CV and a degree of interview know-how. What does a top quality CV look like?
Clear and concise
One page, no more than two. Free templates are available on canva.com
Use a plain, legible font no smaller than 12px
Clear subheadings
List your interests as well as your experience - they may not seem relevant, but they help illustrate a clearer picture of who you are, demonstrate transferable skills and you may even have a shared passion with the reader (instant brownie points).
Driving licences
Technical equipment/edit software/drone licence
Any software proficiencies
LinkedIn profile and showreel if you have one
Employment history - if you were employed in an unrelated industry or role, be sure to at least make a note of it - it still says a lot about you as an employee!
Any additional languages you speak
When it comes to interviews, our CEO and founder Mel had some golden tips:
Always do your homework! This means researching the company, what do they make? Who is your interviewer and what have they made in the past?
‘Get under the skin of the content’ and offer positive and insightful opinions that not only demonstrate your knowledge of your craft, but also their programmes.
Practise ‘mental hygiene’ - if you’re introverted, take time to practise your interviewing process in the mirror; to your friends; or even to your dog! Remember, they need you as much as you need them, so back yourself - you wouldn’t be in the room if you weren’t equipped.
If you update your CV with new skills or credits, send it out to talent managers again! But leave six to eight weeks in between a resend.
Training and learning
As a freelancer, you will experience downtime and periods without work. While it’s important to take breaks and prioritise self-care, times when you’re not working are a great opportunity to assess your goals, your skillset and seek to fill any gaps in your knowledge.
If you want to gain experience in a new role or department and are out of work, send an email to an indie asking if you can shadow a member of the production.
Finding a mentor can really help you navigate the ups and downs of being a freelancer. TV mentorship schemes are an option, or ask someone you’ve worked with who has more experience than you; people are often happy to share their wisdom!
Organisations such as ScreenSkills offer heaps of free e-learning and training. Other organisations offering training, events and resources include the BBC, BECTU, the Film & TV charity, the BFI, RTS and Women in Film & TV.
Skills of the future
Like the vast majority of sectors, The UK TV industry is on the verge of a technological revolution with the emergence of accessible, generative AI. A demonstrable technical proficiency and a competent level of digital literacy is not only great for your CV, but likely to become a must-have as the industry adopts more tech-driven processes. Get comfortable with existing, publicly available tools like ChatGPT and you’ll be setting yourself up well for the inevitable.
Honourable mentions
To round things off, I’ll leave you with some golden nuggets of advice that were too good to not include!
Be kind to everyone - not only is it the right thing to do, but that colleague could be your future boss!
Listen as much as you talk
Embrace your failures and take them as learning curves. The important thing is to assess the situation and always ask yourself ‘why did that happen? What can I do differently next time?’
Always take the pension, and do NOT dip into it - no matter how tempting
Keep your LinkedIn up to date with all your credits, experience and skills
Keep in contact with past colleagues, they’re some of your best testimonials
Every member of a production team has an unspoken ‘second’ role, this might be: the social glue, the positive spark, the problem solver, etc. Figuring out your unofficial second role will help you effortlessly embed yourself into a team.
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