Getting started + my stats.

[cheez avenger]

Here's my info.

I'm 29.

I work for the city part time, I've been with them for almost 11 yrs. I used to work full time, but downgraded to go to school full time.

I'm a freelance special effects makeup artist for the film industry.

The sucky part of being "freelance" is that you're out of work most of the time. The city day gig is what sustains me.

It also doesn't help that I have some credit card debt from my younger years.


Now is where I have to dig and come up with my muse.

At this point in time, I'm not able to use a VA to delegate tasks, because I have to actually be at my day job and serve the public.

As far as the FX gigs, well those, when they come along require me to be on set or at the shop fabricating.


I'm digging what I'm hearing about e-books and such...

My whole thing is... if I wrote an e-book on fx makeup, what's to keep people from just looking it up online for free? That's would I do. I also don't have a "world's greatest" fx artist title. Who would buy from someone they've never heard of.


Okay, I'm over analyizing.

-cheez avenger

[JSimpson]

Are you familar with the Gnomon DVD's. Visual instructions are almost always more useful for those involved in design oriented professions. Personally I've purchased four DVDs from them at about $180, and the information contained was worth it.

I'm not familar with the real world effects, but perhaps a series of three DVDs each an hour or two long explain the basics for makeup the use of different types of polymers or alternatives if you don't have access to actual effects gear. You could actually apply the effects on someone while you describe each step.

Then possibly build a reputation in a few special effects makeup forums, post a good 75-100 posts, and then mention your DVDs sparingly or have your homepage link on the forum point towards your website. If you gave useful tips in the forum people might be willing to ignore the fact you might not be a name they recognize.

Just a thought.

[cheez avenger]

Originally Posted by JSimpson

Are you familar with the Gnomon DVD's. Visual instructions are almost always more useful for those involved in design oriented professions. Personally I've purchased four DVDs from them at about $180, and the information contained was worth it.

I'm not familar with the real world effects, but perhaps a series of three DVDs each an hour or two long explain the basics for makeup the use of different types of polymers or alternatives if you don't have access to actual effects gear. You could have someone play you actually apply the effects to and describe each step.

Then possibly build a reputation in a few special effects makeup forums, post a good 75-100 posts, and then mention your DVDs sparingly or have your homepage link on the forum point towards your website. If you gave useful tips in the forum people might be willy to ignore the fact you might not be a name they recognize.

Just a thought.

Wow, thank you for those tips.

Yeah, I realized if I were an aspiring fx artist, I'd want to see a demo as well. If it were a book, I'd want to see nice full color resolution pics.

Theory can only get you so far. This gives me more information to work on.

Cheers!


-cheez avenger

[cheez avenger]

I just thought of something...

I can "hire" or use the power of leveraging and get my fellow fx artists to DO the actual demos. I know a couple of people that have higher reps than me.


I write the course, and they do the demos.

Of course, I would have to have models and artists sign releases for use of their work or likeness and probably pay them a bit too.


I'm still in my "muse blueprint" mode, but I know more today than I did yesterday.


My fear and paranoia is my fx friends asking me what it's all for. I don't wanna get yelled at, "we do the work, and you get the cash and the glory!". They'll want a piece of the back end.

I just thought of something else... as I'm writing this... I can hire some VA's to do some employment, non disclosure agreement research for me. Who's entitled to what and make into binding legal documents. I might not even have to use them. I'm sure there are tons of templates of that sort.

It's a bit overwhelming. I'm so stoked.

I also have to see what the market is like out there. I have pretty good idea.
There are more fx artists than there is work. Then again, that's not my problem is it...




Cheers!!!



-cheez avenger

[Marcie]

I too am using a friend who is an expert in his field, and I offered him a % of the profit. It is a risk for him and time he should be paid for...

I like your idea, I think you could do extra advertising around Halloween to people searching for cool makeup for the occassion?

[JSimpson]

Think of it as a partnership... They can have a royalty 10-20% of the DVDs they take part in. Doesn't hurt you any really... especially if they do all the film work.

Make sure you use good lighting. That makes the differences in making DVDs appear to be filmed at someones house or like aprofession product.

[StefanAustria]

Hello cheezavanger, JSimpson & Marcie - you got me in mentioning a share in exchange for the right to sell their work. Have you real life examples?

I sold rights for a product of mine for 10% of the netto income to a reseller in the past - and am curious what others do.

Especially as i will do my next steps on the other side.

yours
Stefan

[squeegee]

cheez avenger -

A few months ago I saw a guy selling a $40 info-product on how to make money selling instructional videos.

At this page you can read a brief article where he gives a few tips on making videos:

http://www.earlytorise.com/2007/03/0...e-success.html

and here is the sales letter + order page.

http://www.paullawrenceproductions.com/videobiz/

Thanks for posting your question because now I am thinking about trying this myself... hmm

good luck musing
-squeeg

[cheez avenger]

Originally Posted by squeegee

cheez avenger -

A few months ago I saw a guy selling a $40 info-product on how to make money selling instructional videos.

At this page you can read a brief article where he gives a few tips on making videos:

http://www.earlytorise.com/2007/03/0...e-success.html

and here is the sales letter + order page.

http://www.paullawrenceproductions.com/videobiz/

Thanks for posting your question because now I am thinking about trying this myself... hmm

good luck musing
-squeeg

Cool! What are you gonna get into?



-cheez avenger

[squeegee]

cheez,
I have no idea...I'm such a space case. I jump from one scheme to the next. what I really need to do is find one that suits me so well that I can complete it before I get bored! I guess I have to remember that nothing is ever finished and that good enough is good enough to publish.

specifically I'm thinking

-instructional video for young men on how to learn 'good' health habits that promote strength, endurance, leanness, stamina, high energy, resistance to disease, resilience to stress and crises, mental sharpness, etc.

-book or audio on how to communicate tactfully/diplomatically

-video on how to learn jazz improvisation

I'm thinking all of these I could crank out rather quickly because they are things that I'm naturally interested in and where I have done lots of research for my own purposes. (Isn't that how TF got into supplements?)