Mar 29, 2024
Visit our sister site:

Front Page, Industry News

THE BRIEF: Freelance innovations, surviving the crisis and how long is enough?

By TO411Daily Columnist
Linda Chandler

In case you’ve been living through your avatar from The Seriously-Violent-but-Happy Galaxy, these no-end-in-sight tough economic times make finding freelance work a full-time job unto itself. Even those freelancers with established client relationships know their clients are a text message away from a cheaper deal. Like a new logo design from New Delhi for $25.00. The competition is fierce because anyone can compete. Work can be negotiated anywhere in real time. And what’s unacceptable remuneration for someone who has worked for over 7+ years or so in Canada may be this month’s rent in Katmandu.

Veteran freelance art director/logo designer/graphic artist, Ronnie Lebow wrote on his blog about these times as a freelancer - a piece called “We have become cheap whores.” Lebow says, “Name me one single industry where somebody can simply buy some software, hang up a sign, and call themselves a professional without any prior training or work experience? I see it in our industry every single day. And to many businesses and their owners in today’s economy, we are a dime a dozen.”

Necessity is a mother. Fortunately for freelancers, a naturally creative bunch, necessity is the mother of invention. So freelancers have evolved new and innovative models to work and even sometimes, to make money.

The Bauhub. You’d want to be part of this club, if they wanted you as a member: The name, inspired by Bauhaus School, German for “Built House,” signifies form, functionality and technology in one place. A new place for experienced freelancers, (7 years minimum,) to get work to with clients on their own terms, to find collaboration with other members, (94 and growing worldwide) and for the passionate-at-heart – to be part of a collective whose mission is to bring a standard of excellence to the industry. Heady stuff. 

The Brief spoke to The Bauhub’s President, Scott Morrison, who explains that to join The Bauhub you must be recommended by an existing member and go through a vetting process. “As a member of The Bauhub you can choose to work with other Bauhub members, which gives a freelancer a pool of experienced talent to expand their own services; in turn, clients can choose to work individually with members or customize a team with the guidance of The Bauhub.” As far as The Brief’s concerned, this model sounds ideal for the entrepreneur with a full-time freelance career who wants to grow it. http://www.thebauhub.com. But come back!

Giant Hydra. For the young who love to freelance for the fun of the game. Giant Hydra is a mass collaboration model created by Ignacio Oreamuno, founder of the ad industry’s vital community: ihaveanidea.org. Oreamuno explains the name and concept of Giant Hydra: “The Hydra* had multiple heads, but was a single being. With Giant Hydra, projects are run by HydraHeads, or talented freelancers. They work on specific projects; they don’t compete, they collaborate. All working together to accomplish a specific goal, brief or task.” What comes to mind is that a freelancer for Giant Hydra has to want to play creatively with no desire for ownership, either IP or real estate. 

The Brief asked Daniel Del Toro of Sao Paulo, an art director with 3+ years experience whether mass collaboration works. Del Toro says, “I think we’ll see more groups like Giant Hydra. Having creative diversity at your disposal is a great benefit. The younger creatives seem to be more attracted.” Jaime Schwarz, a New York copywriter with six years experience, half as a freelancer adds, “As long as you are OK contributing at all hours and working well with others only with text… The big thing you have to give up is ownership of an idea.”

That was young and this is then. The older freelancer, 50+ (of course, nobody admits to 60+!) are freelancers too. On the threads, the older freelancers wonder what to wear to work. How to act. How to morph into now. And this despite how current they might be. They wonder how to integrate 25+ years experience, hundreds of awards and diverse client experiences – with clients young enough to be grandchildren much less children.

When you read the threads on Linkedin and other social networks you hear tentative voices. Reminiscent of T.S. Eliot’s poem about aging, The Love Song of J. Alftred Prufrock:

And indeed there will be time

  To wonder, “Do I dare?” and, “Do I dare?”

  Time to turn back and descend the stair,

  With a bald spot in the middle of my hair- 

  [They will say: “How his hair is growing thin!”]

  My morning coat, my collar mounting firmly to the chin,

  My necktie rich and modest, but asserted by a simple pin-

  [They will say: “But how his arms and legs are thin!”]

  Do I dare 

  Disturb the universe?

There is still an economic crisis. It played and continues to play havoc with the advertising industry. Imagine now that you’re a self-employed creative. A professional freelancer. Hats off to you and your courage to hang in. 


As always, thanks to my sources

Ronnie Lebow

Scott Morrison

Giant Hydra

Daniel Del Toro

Jaime Schwarz

The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock – T.S. Eliot 1917

—–

Comment to Linda at this address: thebrief@to411.com.
LinkedIn // Facebook // Twitter

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Front Page, Industry News

THE BRIEF: Freelance innovations, surviving the crisis and how long is enough?

By TO411Daily Columnist
Linda Chandler

In case you’ve been living through your avatar from The Seriously-Violent-but-Happy Galaxy, these no-end-in-sight tough economic times make finding freelance work a full-time job unto itself. Even those freelancers with established client relationships know their clients are a text message away from a cheaper deal. Like a new logo design from New Delhi for $25.00. The competition is fierce because anyone can compete. Work can be negotiated anywhere in real time. And what’s unacceptable remuneration for someone who has worked for over 7+ years or so in Canada may be this month’s rent in Katmandu.

Veteran freelance art director/logo designer/graphic artist, Ronnie Lebow wrote on his blog about these times as a freelancer - a piece called “We have become cheap whores.” Lebow says, “Name me one single industry where somebody can simply buy some software, hang up a sign, and call themselves a professional without any prior training or work experience? I see it in our industry every single day. And to many businesses and their owners in today’s economy, we are a dime a dozen.”

Necessity is a mother. Fortunately for freelancers, a naturally creative bunch, necessity is the mother of invention. So freelancers have evolved new and innovative models to work and even sometimes, to make money.

The Bauhub. You’d want to be part of this club, if they wanted you as a member: The name, inspired by Bauhaus School, German for “Built House,” signifies form, functionality and technology in one place. A new place for experienced freelancers, (7 years minimum,) to get work to with clients on their own terms, to find collaboration with other members, (94 and growing worldwide) and for the passionate-at-heart – to be part of a collective whose mission is to bring a standard of excellence to the industry. Heady stuff. 

The Brief spoke to The Bauhub’s President, Scott Morrison, who explains that to join The Bauhub you must be recommended by an existing member and go through a vetting process. “As a member of The Bauhub you can choose to work with other Bauhub members, which gives a freelancer a pool of experienced talent to expand their own services; in turn, clients can choose to work individually with members or customize a team with the guidance of The Bauhub.” As far as The Brief’s concerned, this model sounds ideal for the entrepreneur with a full-time freelance career who wants to grow it. http://www.thebauhub.com. But come back!

Giant Hydra. For the young who love to freelance for the fun of the game. Giant Hydra is a mass collaboration model created by Ignacio Oreamuno, founder of the ad industry’s vital community: ihaveanidea.org. Oreamuno explains the name and concept of Giant Hydra: “The Hydra* had multiple heads, but was a single being. With Giant Hydra, projects are run by HydraHeads, or talented freelancers. They work on specific projects; they don’t compete, they collaborate. All working together to accomplish a specific goal, brief or task.” What comes to mind is that a freelancer for Giant Hydra has to want to play creatively with no desire for ownership, either IP or real estate. 

The Brief asked Daniel Del Toro of Sao Paulo, an art director with 3+ years experience whether mass collaboration works. Del Toro says, “I think we’ll see more groups like Giant Hydra. Having creative diversity at your disposal is a great benefit. The younger creatives seem to be more attracted.” Jaime Schwarz, a New York copywriter with six years experience, half as a freelancer adds, “As long as you are OK contributing at all hours and working well with others only with text… The big thing you have to give up is ownership of an idea.”

That was young and this is then. The older freelancer, 50+ (of course, nobody admits to 60+!) are freelancers too. On the threads, the older freelancers wonder what to wear to work. How to act. How to morph into now. And this despite how current they might be. They wonder how to integrate 25+ years experience, hundreds of awards and diverse client experiences – with clients young enough to be grandchildren much less children.

When you read the threads on Linkedin and other social networks you hear tentative voices. Reminiscent of T.S. Eliot’s poem about aging, The Love Song of J. Alftred Prufrock:

And indeed there will be time

  To wonder, “Do I dare?” and, “Do I dare?”

  Time to turn back and descend the stair,

  With a bald spot in the middle of my hair- 

  [They will say: “How his hair is growing thin!”]

  My morning coat, my collar mounting firmly to the chin,

  My necktie rich and modest, but asserted by a simple pin-

  [They will say: “But how his arms and legs are thin!”]

  Do I dare 

  Disturb the universe?

There is still an economic crisis. It played and continues to play havoc with the advertising industry. Imagine now that you’re a self-employed creative. A professional freelancer. Hats off to you and your courage to hang in. 


As always, thanks to my sources

Ronnie Lebow

Scott Morrison

Giant Hydra

Daniel Del Toro

Jaime Schwarz

The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock – T.S. Eliot 1917

—–

Comment to Linda at this address: thebrief@to411.com.
LinkedIn // Facebook // Twitter

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Front Page, Industry News

THE BRIEF: Freelance innovations, surviving the crisis and how long is enough?

By TO411Daily Columnist
Linda Chandler

In case you’ve been living through your avatar from The Seriously-Violent-but-Happy Galaxy, these no-end-in-sight tough economic times make finding freelance work a full-time job unto itself. Even those freelancers with established client relationships know their clients are a text message away from a cheaper deal. Like a new logo design from New Delhi for $25.00. The competition is fierce because anyone can compete. Work can be negotiated anywhere in real time. And what’s unacceptable remuneration for someone who has worked for over 7+ years or so in Canada may be this month’s rent in Katmandu.

Veteran freelance art director/logo designer/graphic artist, Ronnie Lebow wrote on his blog about these times as a freelancer - a piece called “We have become cheap whores.” Lebow says, “Name me one single industry where somebody can simply buy some software, hang up a sign, and call themselves a professional without any prior training or work experience? I see it in our industry every single day. And to many businesses and their owners in today’s economy, we are a dime a dozen.”

Necessity is a mother. Fortunately for freelancers, a naturally creative bunch, necessity is the mother of invention. So freelancers have evolved new and innovative models to work and even sometimes, to make money.

The Bauhub. You’d want to be part of this club, if they wanted you as a member: The name, inspired by Bauhaus School, German for “Built House,” signifies form, functionality and technology in one place. A new place for experienced freelancers, (7 years minimum,) to get work to with clients on their own terms, to find collaboration with other members, (94 and growing worldwide) and for the passionate-at-heart – to be part of a collective whose mission is to bring a standard of excellence to the industry. Heady stuff. 

The Brief spoke to The Bauhub’s President, Scott Morrison, who explains that to join The Bauhub you must be recommended by an existing member and go through a vetting process. “As a member of The Bauhub you can choose to work with other Bauhub members, which gives a freelancer a pool of experienced talent to expand their own services; in turn, clients can choose to work individually with members or customize a team with the guidance of The Bauhub.” As far as The Brief’s concerned, this model sounds ideal for the entrepreneur with a full-time freelance career who wants to grow it. http://www.thebauhub.com. But come back!

Giant Hydra. For the young who love to freelance for the fun of the game. Giant Hydra is a mass collaboration model created by Ignacio Oreamuno, founder of the ad industry’s vital community: ihaveanidea.org. Oreamuno explains the name and concept of Giant Hydra: “The Hydra* had multiple heads, but was a single being. With Giant Hydra, projects are run by HydraHeads, or talented freelancers. They work on specific projects; they don’t compete, they collaborate. All working together to accomplish a specific goal, brief or task.” What comes to mind is that a freelancer for Giant Hydra has to want to play creatively with no desire for ownership, either IP or real estate. 

The Brief asked Daniel Del Toro of Sao Paulo, an art director with 3+ years experience whether mass collaboration works. Del Toro says, “I think we’ll see more groups like Giant Hydra. Having creative diversity at your disposal is a great benefit. The younger creatives seem to be more attracted.” Jaime Schwarz, a New York copywriter with six years experience, half as a freelancer adds, “As long as you are OK contributing at all hours and working well with others only with text… The big thing you have to give up is ownership of an idea.”

That was young and this is then. The older freelancer, 50+ (of course, nobody admits to 60+!) are freelancers too. On the threads, the older freelancers wonder what to wear to work. How to act. How to morph into now. And this despite how current they might be. They wonder how to integrate 25+ years experience, hundreds of awards and diverse client experiences – with clients young enough to be grandchildren much less children.

When you read the threads on Linkedin and other social networks you hear tentative voices. Reminiscent of T.S. Eliot’s poem about aging, The Love Song of J. Alftred Prufrock:

And indeed there will be time

  To wonder, “Do I dare?” and, “Do I dare?”

  Time to turn back and descend the stair,

  With a bald spot in the middle of my hair- 

  [They will say: “How his hair is growing thin!”]

  My morning coat, my collar mounting firmly to the chin,

  My necktie rich and modest, but asserted by a simple pin-

  [They will say: “But how his arms and legs are thin!”]

  Do I dare 

  Disturb the universe?

There is still an economic crisis. It played and continues to play havoc with the advertising industry. Imagine now that you’re a self-employed creative. A professional freelancer. Hats off to you and your courage to hang in. 


As always, thanks to my sources

Ronnie Lebow

Scott Morrison

Giant Hydra

Daniel Del Toro

Jaime Schwarz

The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock – T.S. Eliot 1917

—–

Comment to Linda at this address: thebrief@to411.com.
LinkedIn // Facebook // Twitter

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Advertisements