I'm at a crossroads

[camaro_speedemon]

Sitting here, working on a side project in PHP I decided to do for fun, I've realized I'm not sure what I want to do.

I run my own wedding video production business in my spare time, but I'm only in my 2nd year so I don't have very many clients. I love video production, nothing is more satisfying to me then shooting an (average) wedding, where everything goes wrong. Editing it, and making it look like how it was suppose to happen, giving it back to the bride, and have her tell me how it had her in tears.

Now I don't just do weddings, although that's all I've done so far. I'd like to break into the corporate world and do commercials, training videos ect, because thats where the real money is. Because for me to go full time doing just weddings, I would litterally have to do one wedding a week for the entire year. Now a fully edited wedding video takes about 80 hours of total work. My base package is $1200, so I'm only making roughly 15/hr. If I do 54 weddings/year I'd be making about 65k/year gross.

Now that may seem like a lot, but there is alot of overhead in this business. I have about 10k invested in equipment, and I don't even have 1/4 of what I really need. I can easily spend 50k and still need to buy more. But I still need atleast 10k more in equipment to buy just to have the 'basics' to do corporate work. Which means atleast 10 weddings, so far I have a big fat 0 booked for this year. but if I do get off the ground, it would take atleast 5 more years before I start turning a profit, but I could possibly/really make money. The average price for a corporate job is $75-200/hr. You can see thats why I want to do it, but I could very easily dump $50k into equipment and go bankrupt.

Or I was thinking to still do weddings part time, but try to go after an IT career. I'm already working in the IT field, so it would be fairly easy for me to move up after I get some certifications.

Maybe I'm thinking too much because I'm drunk:o

[Mighty Thor]

Re: I'm at a crossroads

My wedding was messed up big time and I was pissed off on that day. I was angry at my photographer because he was arguing with my wedding coordinator and DJ. I learned never to hire a friend of the family's photographer.

I was angry at my guest because it was a mix of Catholic, 7 Day Adventist and Athiest. Most of my 7 Day Adventist guest started leaving early before we had a toast.

I'm definately pissed off at my uncle who happens to be my age and my cousin Both of them turned my first dance into a money dance. What the HELL!! Very long story.

But I love the Videographer. He fixed it all up and the wedding looked perfect in VHS. When I show it to my friends and family who couldn't attend my wedding. They think my wedding was beautiful. They have no idea.

[SpeedingFirebird]

Re: I'm at a crossroads

We talked about this before in another thread. My wife tried to do the exact same thing and just as it was about to take off, she changed careers (because we were broke).

As you know, the trick is to make connections with people who get good gigs. She met one guy doing training videos for IBM. That hard part was getting him to call for a gig. He wouldn't do that until she had more experience - catch 22. As I said, she was just making good connections when she switched.

What are you looking for in IT? I've been know to dabble in this field a little - so I can offer up some advice if you can narrow down "IT".

So which is your passion? My advice, do WHATEVER it takes to pursue your passion. If video production is it, and you can afford to follow it - keep at it. If you are truly good at it, and you have a passion, eventually things will pop. My wife still wishes we could have afforded to let her video career.

I have spent 15 years and counting pursuing my passion for CS research. I get paid well and I love my job. It's cliche, I know. But you'll be working for a LONG time, might as well love going to work every day.

All this typing, and I don't think I told you anything new. So um.. Do what you love to do as long as you can do it. :D

[camaro_speedemon]

Re: I'm at a crossroads

We talked about this before in another thread. My wife tried to do the exact same thing and just as it was about to take off, she changed careers (because we were broke).

As you know, the trick is to make connections with people who get good gigs. She met one guy doing training videos for IBM. That hard part was getting him to call for a gig. He wouldn't do that until she had more experience - catch 22. As I said, she was just making good connections when she switched.

What are you looking for in IT? I've been know to dabble in this field a little - so I can offer up some advice if you can narrow down "IT".

So which is your passion? My advice, do WHATEVER it takes to pursue your passion. If video production is it, and you can afford to follow it - keep at it. If you are truly good at it, and you have a passion, eventually things will pop. My wife still wishes we could have afforded to let her video career.

I have spent 15 years and counting pursuing my passion for CS research. I get paid well and I love my job. It's cliche, I know. But you'll be working for a LONG time, might as well love going to work every day.

All this typing, and I don't think I told you anything new. So um.. Do what you love to do as long as you can do it. :D

I think I'm just depressed because I got so many calls july-nov. I didnt get gigs, but atleast I knew my name was getting out. Now we're the off season for weddings, and havent gotten a call since jan.I'm sure it'll start kicking up again around may-june.