Project Software, Freelancers 2.0, Book Recommendation!

This year, I moved off of one project management software platform- that was supposed to be for folks in our industry, and moved to a different project management platform. It’s cheaper and BETTER. Before I committed to the new software, I realized there were some things I wanted to make sure I did, and thought this could be helpful for you, if you find yourself moving from whiteboards to software.

1. Identify your requirements. For me, I wanted it to be cheaper, flexible, collaborative, and be able to integrate with other tools I was already using.

2. Free trials should last at least 30 days. Try a low-risk project out during this time, and try it within your team before bringing a client into the environment. Take advantage of any tutorials or knowledge bases available to get to understand the software.

3. Get input from others. My previous project management software was too complicated for my clients to be able to use. Remember, you never want to make the experience of working with you HARD! If a client doesn’t want to use your system, find out what bothers them about it. Is this something the software company can address, or is this going to be something that many clients struggle with?

4. Consider it’s ease of use. Whatever platform you are looking at, make sure it has a user-friendly and clear instructions so it can used at some level right away. Bonus points if the software features multiple views so you can prioritize what’s important to you.

So what did I go with? ClickUp, which was recommended by my virtual assistant, after I gave her the task of researching. The basic plan is free, and the lowest paid plan is $7 per member, per month. They’ve recently also made ClickUp AI compatible, for $5 per member per month in addition to any paid plan.

I’ll be doing a presentation in January for freelancers about what it takes to be a successful freelancer, for Women in Film and Video. This is more along the business side of things than any specific tech skills. I’ve done this presentation before, and this will be an updated version of my presentation. I’d love to include insights from other producers.

What do you wish freelancers did a better job of, from the business side of things?
If you started out as a freelancer, what do you wish someone had shared with you?

Please reply to this email if you’ve got insights you want me to address in my presentation. And in case you weren’t aware, I do a separate newsletter for freelancers specifically, so in the next couple of months, I’ll be publicizing the details and registration info for that presentation. Want to sign up for that newsletter? Just reply back and let me know. Like this one, it only goes out once a month, and contains news and info relevant to freelance life.

I recently was on a virtual event hosted by Women in Film and Television- US that featured a line producer describing her job, what it takes, and the role of a line producer to a production. It was a very interesting program, and gave me great respect for that position! But when she mentioned that the line producer is basically first in line to fix problems that arise…while being responsible for keeping the budget on track, I said, “I’m out!” Makes for some pretty good stories, but maybe…also ulcers??? In any case, as I’ve learned previously, some of the best lessons are found in learning what you DON’T want to do!

During the discussion, she mentioned that she used a book called “The Complete Film Production Handbook” to help her out numerous times. I made note, and looked it up. Originally published in 1993, I could see it might be used as a textbook in college, but since I graduated college that year, it was never part of my formal education. But what a goldmine! It’s filled with templates for all kinds of video production scenarios from shot logs to forms needed when you’re shooting overseas, and everything in between. These are forms I’ve cobbled together over the years through Google searches, various “video production school” sites on the web, and every way I can! They’ve all been vetted by attorneys, but you still might want another attorney before you put them into use, depending on how much money is on the line! And the book comes with a CD that has the electronic versions of all the forms.

I found it at Abe Books for $6, and it shipped within a week. It’s written by Eve Light Honthaner, so find an affordable copy of the newest version you can online. It appears to be super useful, and I plan to download the templates to their own folder on my computer. it’s currently in it’s 4th edition, but you likely won’t lose much by getting a slightly older version, as I see the newer version has 10 pages more than the version I bought. No need to pay $72 is all I’m saying.