Month: February 2023

1 – Deliver Quality Work
2 – Create and Foster Trust (with the client)
3 – Add Value to the Production/Company/Idea

This client liked my social media work and wanted me to make similar content. I have a mix of both on-camera and iPhone videos, and she said she didn’t care how it was filmed. I had put expectations on myself and felt terrible for filming on my phone because I thought the client wanted the highest quality work. (I really wanted to practice creating crisper, high-quality work.) I learned later that this job wanted more quantity than crisper quality, which I knew from the beginning. I undershoot that I was adding value by increasing their social media presence and having higher engagement. That was the focus and the goal, but I was so anxious about the quality that I lost focus on how I was adding value to the client, which made it harder for me to foster a better relationship with the client at times. So much so, I’m surprised she still highers me because it would take me forever to email back. (I know, yikes)
I was nervous about everything, yet the people highering me were sweet as peaches and weren’t worried about the quality of the value I added.

I lost sight of both the quality of the work and the communication with the client. At the end of the day, I failed to be transparent about how much I could give to myself.

I learned that it is essential to write follow-up emails re-stating what you learned from the meeting and how you interpreted it. I also learned that being a freelancer means sometimes setting your deadlines; whenever you are given a project, try to work on it immediately. I also learned that if someone is hiring you, they believe you can do the job. They are not waiting for you to fail.

TOP HARD SKILLS 

1)Social Media Marketing – This has been intuitive, but preparation meets opportunity. Threw cultivate my own personal brand, I’ve learned a lot about the day and age & could confidently get a job in that rn. 

2)project management – This goes a lot with thinking big picture, but with timing & finding the right people to work with that mess together, I can get A+’s. 

3)Adobe Creative Suite – this one is not entirely done, but I know I can always count on my premier, photoshop, lightroom, audition, in-design, & after-effects skills.I want to expand my knowledge because all these programs are rabbit holes, but these are valuable skills that I’m proud to have.

TOP SOFT SKILLS

1)Communication: People love & hate this, but I am always 100% transparent and honest. And if something is wrong, I will be the elephant in the room to try and understand the problem. Communication & empathy go together because, with that open communication, there is no judgment. So I have neutral & here to listen and want to be on the same page. This helps me learn more defiantly and makes me more personable. 

2)Creativity// execution of vision // big picture thinking – When working on my projects, I know how to create a vision board and execute it to how my original image intended it to be. 

3) Openness to learn – I am still determining if this is the stage of life I am currently in or if this is who I am as a person. I’m genuinely a curious person who is open to learning & thinks they can learn something new from everybody. I love asking questions, building connections with people & places, and seeing others’ perspectives. This helps me be a leader because I don’t have an ego, thinking I know it all, but instead am learning from people as their learning from me.  

Hard skills to improve 

1)Budgeting – I need to work on deciding & providing the money aspect. I consider myself cheap at times, which is a pro & con. When managing a team, I have to consider everybody’s needs and what the client can afford. Just typing this, I’m overwhelmed… My concept/ gag of money itself could be clearer. 

2) Storyboarding – I’ve been working on doing way more pre-pro this semester and am trying to get my vision as straightforward as possible on paper so that my post-pro runs smoother. I realize this has become a trend & which is why my post-pro can be sluggish. 

SOFT SKILLS TO IMPROVE

• 1)Time Management// time blocking – the ability to sit down and focus on one thing at a time can be difficult for everybody, but I notice it is the main reason I flounder. 

• 2)Organizational: Since childhood, I’ve tended to have a home for only some of my most essential items. Sometimes things are organized in my head but not necessarily in the real world outside of myself. This leads me not to know where essential tools are and makes my life (in small ways) harder than it has to be. Increasing my organization will improve my time management skills & those puzzle pieces will help me be more successful in my daily life & work. 

link to the video on Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/manage/videos/796176688

I messed up a few times, but I had already filmed it one too many. Times. Ik I talked too much about social media and not enough about creative direction. If you have time, feedback would be greatly appreciated! : )