Survival Guide to Freelancing and generally being an ok technician. (this has nothing to do with your talent)

The reason I’ve put together this list of helpful hints is because I’ve realised - although this is mostly common sense with some sarcastic antidotes - that common sense is like a super power and not everyone has it!

So here goes..

As a freelancer or a technician - you are the business, so how you dress and act, is your calling card. You get one chance. It does not matter how good you are, if your attitude sucks, if you look like you slept in your clothes, smell like the party you left two hours ago , have the remnants of last nights dinner crusted on your face or clothes, no one’s going to want to employ you. And for goodness sake, be polite, and act like you actually like your job.

So let’s start with you.

Respect yourself … and this means…

Always be neat clean and presentable.

Wear black on show day

Try and avoid band / company / slogan’s on Shirts ( No Heavy metal on a gospel gig - and yes, this has happened!)

Presentable Cargo pants / shorts

Black steel toed work boots- you don’t want to lose those piggly wigglies.

A good pair of gloves. Your girlfriend/boyfriend likes your fingers …

And simple things like:

No drinking on-site / work

No taking drugs / work

( you would think people would know but it seems I have to write this down. Super powers, people super powers ..)

Invest in yourself …

Good hardhat

Safety Boots

Bag

Laptop

Tools (we’ll go there later)

Public Liability Insurance

Training - if you can’t afford to go on courses, then read. Look up stuff on the inter web, it’s al there and some products come with free tutorials - do them. Expand your knowledge.

Respect the people you work with..

Always be on time

Never bad mouth other companies or other jobs you have worked on.

When you arrive for a job - get stuck in, don’t spend the first hour having cigarettes and drinking coffee .. ( she says whist sipping coffee and smoking a cigarette ..)

Put your cell phone on silent and only take urgent calls.

There is nothing worse than paying a freelancer who spends half their time on the phone on taking pics and posting them on Facebook about “their” projects - this goes back to respect the people you work with.

Social Media:

Never post anything on social media without the express permission of the person or company that you are working for.

If you are allowed - always give the company that you are woking with credit. It’s easy to want to “over state’ i.e.. Standing like a boss in front of the FOH console / LX console and tagging “ me - another day at the office” - allowing people to assume that you are that person meanwhile you’re an usher / caterer / stage hand. It pisses people off and makes you look like a complete idiot.

Selfies at work with bands/ celebrities / your favourite DJ ….. JUST DON’T. And if you don’t know why, don’t read any further.

Food / Catering:

Not every show has catering, and if you are working less than an 8 hour shift, it’s a normal day - so come prepared - bring lunch and juice. No other industry buys you lunch for showing up, and then listens to you complain about how crap it is. Also clean up after yourself - throw away packets and juice bottles in the dustbin.

If you are on a clients gala banquet - do NOT help your self to the food, this is for the clients guests. You are paid to work, not attend the event. If the client offers your crew boss food, for the crew or they provide catering, this is something completely different.

And never and I mean never, even if offered by the client, drink on the job. You will not be able to function, beside the fact that it is completely illegal to operate equipment whilst inebriated. 

Bookings / Rates / Payment:

Make sure that you quote a company first in writing, once they sign off the quote, invoice them promptly.

Make sure that you are both aware of what your rates are for load-in days, show days and travel days (if they are different) - assumption is the worst, and you could get a call, agree to work, assume that your rates are known, only to find out afterwards that they have paid half your rate, as that is what they pay, and assumed that you knew. This has happened too many times for me to say. Don’t be afraid to talk about money - you are your business.

Always ask the company upfront what there payment terms are, so that you can plan financially and also decide whether the conditions are favourable or not. There is nothing worse than working on a job and assuming that you will be paid immediately and only finding out that the company pays at the end of the month / when the clients pays (which could be never) or weekly (weakly 🙂 get it .. bad joke)

If you don’t know what the rates are, ask a few people. your peers - some will inflate rates - others will down play them. So ask a few people from different companies and freelancers and you will soon get a feel.

Make sure you know how many hours you are woking and what contingent there is for “overtime” - I know this is a dirty word in the industry and hours worked is a touchy subject but sometimes if you work longer hours, you might not be able to get transport home and this should be addressed prior as to what course of action is available. Will transport be provided home, if not, do they provide money for a taxi etc. 

Always ask what the dress code is.

If you don’t know … ask.

If you are unsure of something - always ask. Make sure that you ask the right person! Ensure that you know the right line of reporting on a job. You will either have a senior tech, crew boss or project manager. Never keep quiet about something that you are unsure of as it will come back and bite you in the ass. If someone asks you to do something and you can’t or it isn’t working - tell them. If a cable / piece of equipment is not working - tell some one. Reporting is crucial. If there is no one there - put a piece of white gaff tape on it and write what is wrong with it, with the date and the name of the production. This ensure’s that when it get’s back to the warehouse, it can go in for repairs. (Or not .. but you have done your job.)

A word of caution here … your job is not to interact with the client, so always make sure you have the ear of a senior person in the company that you are employed to work for. It’s the job of the project manager / client liaison to speak to the client and offer solutions. If the client comes to you and asks you specifically to do something - either direct them to your project manager or crew boss. You can not make decisions on behalf of the company.

On that note …….

Always, always do the job that you have been paid to do, before you do favours for other people on site. If you have plenty time afterwards and spare equipment, then sure … give the hot coffee chick an extension, or the hunky caterer some light. Never do this before you have finished the job that you have been paid to do. They are not technicians so will not be able to help you finish your job, and you will get the brunt of it, not them, if you don’t have enough Led cans, extensions, multi strips, plug points because you allowed someone to “loan” the last multiplug that is needed on stage because they have to charge their phone - you’re going to be in shit.

And a side note …

Never fuck with a clients logo. Don’t animate it, stretch it. This is their property and every company has their own corporate look / feel. So don’t change the colours because you don’t like it, or you think it’ll look cool with dancing bears in the back. Just don’t. If they ask you to, different story. But mess with their logo and it’s the quickest way to lose a job.

The Plan.. ( What? i hear you asking ?? There’s a plan??)

Always stick to the plan. Don’t alter it because you think you have a better solution. Remember that there is a whole production at play here. If something is glaringly obvious and wrong, bring it to the attention of your senior tech / crew boss or production manger. They can deal with it.

Make sure you have all the documents you need before you get to site.

Site plan

Tech riders

Hospitality riders

load-in and load out schedules

Drawings

Contact sheets

If you don’t .. well … ask for them. If it’s up to your crew boss / senior tech… ask them. If you need them to do your job … nag. But make sure you get to site prepared.

Safety first!! Seems simple but is it?

It is your responsibility to know Health and Safety standards. From your PPE to what is safe on-site.

Never drive a forklift / cheery picker unless you have the certification to do so.

Always make sure that you have a harness and hardhat if you are above 2m.

Always make sure you have a hard hat.

Always demarcate hardhat area’s and tape off area’s that you are working in.

If you see something dangerous and dodgy - report it to your crew boss / senior tech or project manager. Do not take photo’s and post to dodgy technicians prior to doing so.

If you find yourself in a situation - high winds, lightning - get yourself to a safe place immediately. Do not stop to collect your stuff, or try and save the equipment - it’s insured - you can’t be replaced. Move - fast and effectively.

The Groupies

Well, they are not there for you, actually - quite literally put, you are sloppy seconds - sorry mate!

And mostly - it’s a myth … there are no groupies … and if you were reading up to this point for affirmation on this, read no further!! 

Your Tools:

Beside remarkable you of course!

Please make sure that you have the following (because you are a professional and charge professional rates..)

A leatherman - Cliche, but needed. And don’t loan it out. Ever

A pair of good side cutters

Gaffa Tape - Black, white and silver 

A Hammer

Stapelgun (and Stapels)

Some screwdrivers (not the drink you moron!)

Cable ties

Stanley Knife

Multimeter - god knows - you need to ensure that you have power!

Your own laptop!!! Yes, you use company laptops for presentations and programming - but for goodness sakes - if you are comfortable using your own programmes - this is a safety net. 

A reliable external hard drive ( just think of all the music you can get)

Quad, podger, AJ, e-tape, Sharpie and safety cables/ bungees for all tools if you’re working at any kind of height - and make sure they’re all clearly labelled as yours! 

Keep your site clean - Clean up as you go, don’t leave your empty McD’s and coke cans lying around - your mother isn’t there to clean up after you! 

Pack and extra dose of manners! Please and thank you’s go a long way!

You know what they say … if you can’t ….gaff it, staple it, or cable tie it, throw it away!

Ok, so I’m putting this out there .. if you have any helpful hints - please add.