Wednesday Wisdoms

If this new year can be anything, it can be our way of getting back on our own track. 

Before we get started back up again in our busy lives, we have to reset our direction in the way that we want it to go. We often get so caught up in the search and the hunt for jobs and we get busier and busier and we’re not thinking where we want to take this. It becomes where are the jobs taking us. We can’t let that business take our focus away.

Successful businesses are open to growth. So much of our business doesn’t change when we can’t see outside of our own routine. 

Happy holidays!

Happy holidays! In this really strange time, we don’t know what to expect or where we’ve been. It’s something we can’t control, so the best we can do is enjoy the holiday. Take a step back, break out of our usual patterns, and use this time to see things from a new perspective. Since so much of our business remains routine, a break from it can lead to new insights. Here’s to fresh thoughts and new possibilities. Happy holidays!

Treatments are the opportunity to share a sampling of the Director you will be set in a very well designed, well written PDF. 

Reiterate what you heard on the Creative Call through a mood board of images and topics explaining your lighting, color and tone, location samples, talent, wardrobe styles, post work, etc. 

Make it yours, who you are as a director and how you envision this project with all the specific areas that create the look + feel you will be creating. 

Treatments are such a big topic. They are what will help you get the job or lose the job. The client wants to know that you understand from the mood board and their creative call what is their concern. What are some potential problems that you can solve. Listen to what the potential issues are on their side and what the challenges are and what you can bring to the table. Let them know you’re going to deliver a smooth shoot and get them what they need.

Website Top Tips

1. Have an “Overview” to create a quick and concise view of your style. 
2. Use a “Project” section on top to show the images collectively in the campaign. 
3. No sound. Please.
4. Images should be draggable to help the creative show you off (easily) to their clients. 
5. A natural/real image of you in the “About” section to help warm up your intro.
6. Your email should be clickable as a one-stop-shop without extra work for the sender.

Overtime is tricky because even if you think the client will be expecting it, don’t take any chances. They hired you as the director, controlling the day, offering strategic steps to look out for their best interest. Bring it up before it’s too late.

We have to talk about overtime. If you’re on a job and you see yourself heading towards overtime, talk with the client. Check in with yourself at lunch time, or early in the day. Ask yourself, “Where are we?” Are you falling beyond or you’re not getting all the shots done in the 10 hours. Overtime was probably already discussed with the client in an email and it’s on your contract or even talked about on the phone, but don’t count on that. Talk to them or have your producer talk for you or your rep. The client has to know in advance because they might not have the budget and it’s your responsibility. Even if they’re trying to add shots and you’ve said ok. Also, the amount of overtime has to be approved, such as how many hours of overtime and for how many people. You don’t want any surprises and you never want to hand it to your client and say, “Surprise!” You have to protect yourself.

You are in the business of keeping it fresh for your clients, so keep your own company fresh.

People are keeping it fresh, and what I mean is that they’re trying new things. Producers, consultants, reps, and photographers. All of us are doing something new and trying to market ourselves in a new way. We have people we want to hire us to keep them fresh, why wouldn’t we keep it fresh? Brainstorm with people you work with, even if you say no to their ideas, it gets your brain working on new ideas. Try new things, new equipment or a new posting on Instagram. Try something new that you don’t know. Try the unknown and make it something you work on. We talk about testing all the time. Test, test, test. Push yourself to keep yourself fresh. Put it out there, whether it’s something you’re interested in, or sharing who you are, or something you’d be bringing to a job or shooting more motion. There’s so many things you can do to show that you’re a fresh thinker.

Zoom calls are our way to connect with clients through our visual presence by direct and confident eye contact.

We’re noticing how important it is to really give eye contact as if you’re in person, because you are, in a sense. You’re as in person as we’re going to be right now. Make sure you have good eye contact and sit up straight. It shows how you are as a person, how you feel about this job and your excitement level as well as your presence if they choose to work with you. Showing good eye contact and sitting up straight shows you’re able to connect with the person you’re having a meeting with. Showing emotion on your face, being a warm person and reiterating what they have said to you, but in your own words will help you connect to whomever you are having a Zoom meeting with. No matter what the point is on the Zoom calls. It’s important to connect with the person you’re meeting with.

We are all curious about ESTIMATES.
My top 5 tips for every estimate:

1. Start it off with the amount of final images you have agreed on. 
2. No variations included. 
3. This bid is based on information provided, any changes may incur overages. 
4. 10-hour shoot day. 
5. No overtime is included.

What do we need to include to help a photographer secure a job based on the estimate? Today, I’m going to share my top five points for creating an effective estimate:

1. Job Description: Always include the number of shots at the top of the estimate. This is important because clients might want to add shots later, so clearly state how many shots are included and emphasize that there are no variations.
2. Information and Overages: Add a line stating, “This bid is based on information provided; any changes may incur overages.” This protects you if changes are made to the scope of work.
3. Hours: Specify the number of hours the shoot is based on. This helps set clear expectations.
4. Overtime: Indicate if there is no overtime included in your estimate. Mention this in the email as well so clients know up front if additional hours will incur extra charges. Typically, estimates are based on 10 hours.
5. Usage Rights: Note that usage rights are granted with full payment. Usage becomes legally theirs only once payment is received, so make this clear.

These are my top five points, plus one extra on usage rights. See you next week for the “Navigating the Unknown” webinar, where we’ll discuss this further.

*WARNING*

When you are asked to revise a specific cost on your submitted estimate, you can only change that cost. Do not be tempted to change other costs and assume they will read through it all again. You can get your client in trouble and it’s a sneaky move.

There’s one part of bidding we’ve noticed that you should be very careful about. When we’re asked to revise a bid, we need to only revise that specific line item that they’ve requested to change. It’s very tempting to change other line items because we might hear from their tone that our budget could have been higher or perhaps we’re a little low on craft services and should have put in more for meals. We cannot make those changes, because once we submit the bid, we have to assume when we give it back, they’re not going to read over the whole bid again. It can be really sneaky, even if we didn’t mean it in that way and we can get someone in trouble. Only change the revision that they asked for.

“You’ll learn more in one hour of doing something than in a lifetime of thinking about it.”

-Marc Randolph, Netflix founder