Freelance Work - Design and Programming

First, let me say that I love freelance work.  It pays pretty well and you usually do not have to set up and strike the event.  Also it is pure profit.  I, like many other lighting programmers, will bring in my own board at no additional fee in order to insure the programming goes smoothly.  There is freedom in knowing that if technical issues arise all I have to do is troubleshoot then delegate to the tech.

There also seems to be a common problem with freelance work.  That is a lack of control over the entire production.  One of the aspects of a great production is the organization and implementation that is involved before the event ever starts.  When you come into a production after the set up crew you tend to walk into a scenario that you would not have allowed to happen.  Decisions were made that are contrary to what you feel are the best practices.

My solution to this is, I need to be involved from the beginning of the production.  I need to talk with the client, understand their needs and wants, develop the strategies, and oversee the tactics.  Then when it is time to program the show I am relaxed and confident in knowing that this is exactly the way I wanted it to be to better fulfill the clients wishes.  In cases where a producer is involved being seen as part of the producers creative team helps the event run more smoothly.

In most cases budget is a major concern.  So I, as a designer/programmer, need to be flexible with my rate, and quote based on the show and not on a day rate.  For instance the production I am working on now, a high school musical with a low budget, could have used the designer throughout the entire process, but the budget just would not afford it.  I decided to throw in 2 additional days...  Well I negotiated a $20 a day per diem for all 7 days.  Obviously this is not my standard rate, but it needed to happen for the good of the show.