How to make money as a freelance videographer

Making money as a freelancer can be tricky. You need to be proactive, organised, and persistent. In this guide, we’ll share our top tips for how to make money as a freelance videographer. 

We’ll talk about the kind of jobs to look for, including:

• Weddings
• Live events
• Real estate agencies 
• Stock footage

Alternative ways to make money, including:

• Tutorials and channels
• Renting out your gear

And finally, marketing yourself as a freelance videographer through:

• Social media
• Freelance sites

Let’s take a look at the most common kinds of gigs that are available for both beginners trying to get a foothold in the industry, and videographer veterans trying to make a steady income. 

For beginners, the unfortunate truth is that your first few gigs might not be paid, so it’s important to get the most out of each opportunity. We’ll mention more specifics as we go on. 

Most videographers will tell you they’ve been asked by family or friends to shoot their wedding video. The downside of this is that they probably won’t offer to pay you, often asking for it as a wedding present, and you might not get to actually enjoy the wedding. 

The upside is the video will be seen by a lot of people and you can ask the couple to recommend you to others for paid work.

If you do end up doing it for free, at least ask for the cost of memory cards and other basic expenses. 

Conferences, charity events, balls, galas, even high school proms, are all great circuits to get involved with. They all want videos made, and they’ll usually have regular events so it’s a steady source of income if you can get into it. 

If you can get one gig and they like your work, you’ll probably be asked to do it again. You can also ask them to recommend you to their own industry contacts. 

While most real estate agents just use photos for their websites, some of the flashier agencies will be looking for video footage. 

It’s generally for larger properties. They’ll be looking for walk-through videos and footage of the surrounding area. Reach out to some local real estate agents that focus on higher end properties. If they like your work, you can ask them to recommend you to others in their industry and you’ll be on the way. 

People are always looking for professional looking b-roll for video projects. Shooting things like landscapes, buildings, city skylines, and busy streets can be sold to sites like Shutterstock.

In terms of quality, most people will be looking for at least 1080p, but 4k is the most popular. That said, there’s always a market for more “old timey” footage, so shooting on older 16mm cameras can work too. 

There are more ways to make money as a videographer than shooting videos. Whether you’re moving away from the practical side of things, or you’re just looking for some extra income during a slow season, these simple alternatives are available to anybody. 

Starting your own channel on YouTube is a great way to increase your reputation, while making some extra money from monetising the videos. 

You’ll need to get a large following before you start seeing any real money from it, but in the meantime it’s somewhere you can showcase your skills and promote yourself. 

It’s up to you what kind of content you create, but a good tutorial video is guaranteed to get a lot of views. 

There’s always a market for videography equipment rental. It’s a great option if you have any older cameras, lighting equipment, or sound equipment that you’re not using. 

There aren’t a lot of options for individuals trying to rent out their gear, so your best bet is probably advertising in social media groups for videographers in your local area. 

Marketing nowadays is easier than ever before thanks to the internet. Unfortunately, it’s also easier for everybody else too, so an online presence is essential in order to compete. 

Social media sites like Linkedin, Twitter, Facebook, and instagram are great places to meet new connections and advertise yourself. You can join groups and threads dedicated to videography and engage with others in the industry.

For the best results, you should post regularly with relevant content to increase your visibility. And don’t forget to share, comment, and like other people’s content too – social media is very much a 2 way street. The more you put in the more you’ll get back. 

Alongside social media, there are loads of dedicated freelancer sites where you can advertise yourself. 

The most used sites for freelance videographers are:

• Fiverr
• Freelancer
• Upwork
• Freelancevideocollective

Any of these sites will let you register yourself and find other freelancers to collaborate with. 

Financial management can be stressful and time-consuming when you’re freelancing. That’s why thousands of business owners use the Countingup app to make their financial admin easier. 

Countingup is the business current account with built-in accounting software that allows you to manage all your financial data in one place. With features like automatic expense categorisation, invoicing on the go, receipt capture tools, tax estimates, and cash flow insights, you can confidently keep on top of your business finances wherever you are. 

You can also share your bookkeeping with your accountant instantly without worrying about duplication errors, data lags or inaccuracies. Seamless, simple, and straightforward! 
Find out more here.