Finding freelance corporate video work at DVinfo.net

Matthew Craggs · January 4th, 2007, 10:12 PM

Greetings,

First, I'm sorry if this is posted in the wrong forum. I went down the list of forums and this seemed like the most appropriate area. Feel free to move this thread if it isn't.

I am a recent graduate cutting my teeth on a contract at a community television station, essentially doing everything (it's a small television station so you pretty much have to do everything). I'm very interested into getting into corporate videography after this contract is up (in a couple of months) and is possible, I would like to point my career in that direction.

My initial problem is that I am not sure how to attract corporate clients for training videos, promotional videos, recruitmant videos, small commercials (Come on down to the Anytown USA flea market) and stuff of that nature.

I am doing some wedding videography and that has been simple enough. I have merely been networking, telling everyone I meet that I do wedding videography, and passing out cards like they're going out of style. It also helps that I'm in an area where there are no other videographers and I did some free videography and design to build up a "real world" portfolio out of school. But I would rather be doing "These are the people you'll be meeting when you begin work at the Yadda Yadda Corp. This is Hal in shipping in receiving" type of work.

It's hard to figure out where companies in need of video services would look. If I owned a company and needed a videographer I would check the yellow pages and go to the most competent video production facility I could find. How does the little guy get a piece of the pie?

I was hoping those of you who do/used to do corporate work and don't/didn't work for a large production facility would share some stories about how you went about acquiring clients.

Thanks in advance.

Cheers.

Don Bloom · January 5th, 2007, 07:16 AM

The best way in my opinion to get into corporate work is to do the same thing that gets you your weddings. NETWORK with EVERYONE. I say it over and over. No one can hire you if they don't don't know what you do. Everyone you talk to tell them what you do, give them a business card, ask them who THEY know, not who they think NEEDS or WANTS video work done but who they know. Theres a big difference.
Join some community organizations CofC - whatever, here I have belonged to 2 different major biz organizations at 1 time or another-were they responsible for any work? Not directly but indirectly over the years, yep, lots of it. Someone who knew someone who knew someone who knew someone that needed a training vid or whatever.
The more people that know who you are and what you do, the more chance of getting work.

Thats all for now, maybe more later ;-)
Don

January 4th, 2007, 10:12 PM	#1
Matthew Craggs Major Player Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Welland, Ontario Posts: 311	Finding freelance corporate video work Greetings, First, I'm sorry if this is posted in the wrong forum. I went down the list of forums and this seemed like the most appropriate area. Feel free to move this thread if it isn't. I am a recent graduate cutting my teeth on a contract at a community television station, essentially doing everything (it's a small television station so you pretty much have to do everything). I'm very interested into getting into corporate videography after this contract is up (in a couple of months) and is possible, I would like to point my career in that direction. My initial problem is that I am not sure how to attract corporate clients for training videos, promotional videos, recruitmant videos, small commercials (Come on down to the Anytown USA flea market) and stuff of that nature. I am doing some wedding videography and that has been simple enough. I have merely been networking, telling everyone I meet that I do wedding videography, and passing out cards like they're going out of style. It also helps that I'm in an area where there are no other videographers and I did some free videography and design to build up a "real world" portfolio out of school. But I would rather be doing "These are the people you'll be meeting when you begin work at the Yadda Yadda Corp. This is Hal in shipping in receiving" type of work. It's hard to figure out where companies in need of video services would look. If I owned a company and needed a videographer I would check the yellow pages and go to the most competent video production facility I could find. How does the little guy get a piece of the pie? I was hoping those of you who do/used to do corporate work and don't/didn't work for a large production facility would share some stories about how you went about acquiring clients. Thanks in advance. Cheers.

January 5th, 2007, 07:16 AM	#2
Don Bloom Inner Circle Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 6,609	The best way in my opinion to get into corporate work is to do the same thing that gets you your weddings. NETWORK with EVERYONE. I say it over and over. No one can hire you if they don't don't know what you do. Everyone you talk to tell them what you do, give them a business card, ask them who THEY know, not who they think NEEDS or WANTS video work done but who they know. Theres a big difference. Join some community organizations CofC - whatever, here I have belonged to 2 different major biz organizations at 1 time or another-were they responsible for any work? Not directly but indirectly over the years, yep, lots of it. Someone who knew someone who knew someone who knew someone that needed a training vid or whatever. The more people that know who you are and what you do, the more chance of getting work. Thats all for now, maybe more later ;-) Don