Feeling the pinch?

[jonathanhill]

Have any other freelances out there been feeling the pinch in the current 'credit crunch' (what a load of bollo*ks - sounds like a breakfast cereal)?

[David Lee]

Just starting to get some cancellation phone calls through. Saying that, just had a hectic week in Barcelona so not all doom and gloom despite the media wishing the worst on us all.

[Ben P]

to be fair I'm busier than ever, although I have finger's in many pies....

[johndenim]

As a freelance vocal entertainer, I have noticed the drop in work.

 

But that might have something to do with most of the pubs and clubs shutting down.

TBH I'm surprised there are ANY left the way mr brown is running things.

[tokm]

Have any other freelances out there been feeling the pinch in the current 'credit crunch'

Simply... Yes!

 

I'm on the train home from a job and don't have anything again till next weekend, which just happens to be the same as this weekend. Usually there's been a couple of corporate or TV days booked during the week to keep me busy, but atm there's nout. And yes, while I know January's never a busy time, there's always seemed to be at least one thing during the week, but atm, zilch..

 

The general opinion (at least in the corporate sector), is that things should pick up again come mid Feb/march. Its just been that atm, the few people who always/usually do have events on at this time of year, have just decided not to because of the doom and gloom and are maybe not wanting to be seen to be blowing/wasting £30k+ on an event at one of the London museums or hotels..

 

I'll admit I have considered trying to find a PAYE type job (within the industry), but I'm not quite a that stage yet, but the thought of riding this year (or at least the majority of it) out on a tour does sound appealing, so I'm actively looking into that.

 

Good luck everyone!

 

T

[MarkA74]

I am currently working my notice period at my present employer having been one of four to be made redundant, but I'm planning to go freelance as of the beginning of April, so I'm hoping that things pick up by then!

 

Although, rather than just relying on the freelance "corporate" AV work, I'm looking at diversifying and offering myself out as a driver and also doing work on the event management side (manning registration desks etc) and if things get really bad then I'll start offering myself out as a general handyman, digging gardens, painting houses etc!

 

Lets face it, if it means earning a few quid each day then I'll be able to pay the mortgage! :P

[indyld]

In the interests of balance, rather than any kind of gloating, I would say that the start of this year has been better than many others. Working mostly the corporate sector means I have found things have changed significantly in the last few years - smaller shows, less "show" etc. But still plenty of things happening - events are just using less kit and crew. Not working directly for lighting companies has also insulated me from being at the bottom of the crew list.

 

How the rest of the year is going to go isn't totally obvious but, from a business earnings point of view, the economy isn't going to improve any time soon. I have offered to help my regular clients even more with pitches, visuals and other selling assistance which has been gratefully received.

 

I'll admit I have considered trying to find a PAYE type job (within the industry), but I'm not quite a that stage yet, but the thought of riding this year (or at least the majority of it) out on a tour does sound appealing, so I'm actively looking into that.

 

Not sure that finding a PAYE job is going to be easy or even less risky than being a freelancer at the moment. I am glad of the flexibility that being self employed has to offer.

 

Although, rather than just relying on the freelance "corporate" AV work, I'm looking at diversifying and offering myself out as a driver and also doing work on the event management side (manning registration desks etc) and if things get really bad then I'll start offering myself out as a general handyman, digging gardens, painting houses etc!

 

I think diversifying is the attraction of being Schedule D. I don't think that "new" freelancers are going to find it easy but at least it's flexible and doesn't come with many overheads. Diversifying "out" is a good solution. In between gigs I have done a whole bunch of website work, search engine consulting etc meaning that I could have my best year ever (it started in Sept and the order book is looking good).

 

It will be interesting to look at my balance between gigs and other work at the end of the year.

 

Good luck all and hope things improve.

[itinerant baker]

(Without wishing to curse things!) I'm actually quite busy at the moment, and there seems to be a reasonable sense of confidence in my arm of the industry. I'd expected this time of year to be dire but I'm nearly as busy as I would be in an average month - as I'd sort of budgeted for some down time I'm quite happy, though I was looking forward to a bit of a rest after the expected few hectic months at the end of the year!

 

 

Last year was fairly rubbish, this is a good start to the year for me. My sympathies do go out to anyone up the proverbial creek though.

 

 

 

:edited for clarity:

[wycome5]

I've found that people are spening as much with us and booking the same things but not until much shorter notice. They seem to be waiting incase another option comes along? Clients who would book months in advance are now leaving just a week or twos notice.

[DMXBandit]

I lost my full time job last week, I have 3 weeks left but to be honest I have nearly nothing to do. There's a lot of standing around and very little work at the moment. However so far this year I have already done almost as much disco work as I did in the whole of last year so its not all bad.

[Guest lightnix]

All the freelancers I've spoken to recently, have been as busy as ever and in some cases busier. However, like indyld, pretty well all have expressed doubts about how long it will last; many of the gigs they've been doing were planned before the seriousness of the economic situation became fully known.

 

Me - I'm busier than I was a year ago, but then again, we'd only just opened in the UK a year ago - so I have nothing for comparison. It was a bit of a quiet start, but things moved up a gear or two in the latter half of '08 - especially after PLASA and are now (touch wood) starting to hum along fairly well. Even so, I was damn lucky to fall into this job in the first place and am not taking it for granted; although I think the fact that we can potentially tap into other, non-entertainment markets, could work in our favour.

 

The general opinion (at least in the corporate sector), is that things should pick up again come mid Feb/march...

Well, there'll be the usual round of (legally required) AGMs to provide some relief, but I expect they'll be even more spartan affairs than ever. The corporate sector usually feels the pinch worst of all during a recession, but that's not to say there won't be any gigs at all (I see Glasto has sold out).

 

I think the live music sector will survive better than most, but that we'll see a reduction in the number of festivals - there have been too many for years now. If the price of petrol goes up again and we get another rainy summer, it may tip several of them over the edge :P

 

...Its just been that atm, the few people who always/usually do have events on at this time of year, have just decided not to because of the doom and gloom and are maybe not wanting to be seen to be blowing/wasting £30k+ on an event at one of the London museums or hotels.

Yes, it's difficult to justify wining and dining your staff at huge expense one week and then sacking half of them the next. OTOH, does anybody else remember tales of mid-conference mass-sackings, during the 1991-92 recession?

 

At one event, after lunch, the audience was asked to look under their seats, where they would find a coloured envelope. If it was one colour, they were to remain seated; but if it was another, then they were to pack their bags, check out immediately and gather by the busses outside, which were waiting to take them home. Anybody who'd travelled up by company car was to leave their keys at reception. Sadly they were all now surplus to requirements :(

 

At another event, they took a simpler approach: everyone seated on one side of the room got the chop, while the others... paid very close attention to what was being said for the rest of the conference

 

Good luck everyone. I hope that whatever happens, it doesn't turn too bad in the end and that we'll all end up stronger people because of it :)

[David Lee]

Yes, it's difficult to justify wining and dining your staff at huge expense one week and then sacking half of them the next. OTOH, does anybody else remember tales of mid-conference mass-sackings, during the 1991-92 recession?

 

The one I heard about was all the staff sitting down, and a list of names was scrolling up the screen. 1st announcement was that if your name was on the screen your bags were packed in the foyer and you didn't have a job. Not nice really.

[MarkA74]

Yes, it's difficult to justify wining and dining your staff at huge expense one week and then sacking half of them the next. OTOH, does anybody else remember tales of mid-conference mass-sackings, during the 1991-92 recession?

 

The one I heard about was all the staff sitting down, and a list of names was scrolling up the screen. 1st announcement was that if your name was on the screen your bags were packed in the foyer and you didn't have a job. Not nice really.

 

The part I hated about those types of event was that as the "delegates" trooped past you sitting at control you got some REALLY evil looks, like it was your fault they were going!

[vbm]

At one event, after lunch, the audience was asked to look under their seats, where they would find a coloured envelope. If it was one colour, they were to remain seated; but if it was another, then they were to pack their bags, check out immediately and gather by the busses outside, which were waiting to take them home. Anybody who'd travelled up by company car was to leave their keys at reception. Sadly they were all now surplus to requirements :** laughs out loud **:

 

At another event, they took a simpler approach: everyone seated on one side of the room got the chop, while the others... paid very close attention to what was being said for the rest of the conference :stagecrew

And with behaviour like this typical of the smug arrogance, ignorance and viciousness with which it behaves, is it any wonder the world of big business is right in the sh*t, and is it any wonder the regular man in the street has no sympathy for them..?