Working and Feeling Good

This week was a straightforward week of working. I continued to steadily march forward with my 3 primary business objectives. Some work I can't show, other work has it's own blog already, and the other thing is less showable. So, yes, nothing to look at today. 

But that won't stop me from chatting with you for a bit. :)

I'd like to restate just how happy I've been, owning and working for my own business. My goodness. The level of satisfaction and calm that I possess absolutely dwarfs the last seven years of my career. My choice to objectively listen to what I want was the best thing I've ever done in my life. It sounds hyperbolic, but it's true. Sometimes I start to feel bad when I tell people how happy I am, because maybe it comes off as boastful. But to hell with that. I am happy. I think I've earned it.

The thing that would make me even happier would be to help or give confidence to others to go out and get what they need. A number of my closest friends have also gone out on their own, and they too seem much happier. Owning a business isn't for everyone, I know, but lots of people I know complain about working at a big company. All I can say is to listen to your heart. You may not like what it has to say, but it won't lie to you.

If anything, I'm the epitome of this idea. I was actually pretty happy with where I used to work. I was an artist working with great minds. I also happened to live in one of the nicest and safest cities in America. And to top it off, I had great friends and family all around me. And to top the top off, I made pretty good money. What could be wrong?

My heart. That damn heart of mine didn't just want something else, it needed it. It wasn't money that I wanted. It was a more fulfilled and satisfied type of happiness, specific to me. In my case, it meant I needed to do things my own way (among other things).

Of course, this is the same story I tell everyone. Maybe I'm wrong, but I don't think so. If you feel like something is amiss in your life, go out and fix it. Remember: good is the enemy of great. It takes time and effort to figure it out, but it's worth. It's so, so worth it.

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And as a reminder, there are 2 blogs on this site. The one you're reading, which updates every Friday. And the other one is about my short film. That one one updates every Tuesday. So go read about Hunted if you haven't in a while. Because dude, there's always stuff to look at. Last Tuesday, for instance, I showed some screenshots of me working on the finale for the film. Cool stuff is happening!

Bailey

More 20-Mile Marching

This has been a good week. Now that I'm feeling really good about what my objectives are, my mind can just focus on getting things done. Knowing what not to do is a freeing experience. I recommend it.

In addition to this, I decided to keep better track of my 20-mile marching. I have 3 calendars on my wall, and each day I get to add a satisfying x when I hit my minimum performance goal. Why 3 calendars? Each one represents some aspect of my business strategy. So far so good.

Speaking of 20-mile marching, I decided it was time to dedicate an article to the subject. I wrote about it in the blog last January, but now it has a permanent home in the Learn section of the site. If you've never heard of this concept, or are a little hazy on the details, go read it! I tried my best to make it easy to understand. My hope is that it is a useful resource that people can refer to or send to their friends. I even made a poster that people can print out. :)

Bailey

Change

Up until now I've thought about this business as a two phase business strategy. Phase one would focus on contract work as a revenue source. Phase two would be when all efforts focused on developing unique IPs for revenue. However, I've been wondering if this is the right approach. And, more importantly, when would I make the switch? Of course I have years of failure ahead of me, but that's expected. So why not start developing IPs faster? I've had them on slow burn while I've been doing client work, but is that really so smart? In the end, I want to make sure I'm turning the right flywheel (read Good to Great for more on that).

First of all, I've discontinued doing the daily animation sketches. I did a two month run, but I figured out that I want to be doing more interesting and high quality things with that time each night. The good thing was that the sketches resulted in a lot of new knowledge, so it wasn't for nothing.

Secondly, Forma Pictures will remain open for business as a freelance shop. However, more time this year will be devoted to developing original works. I don't know when I'll have this chance again, so I'll be damned if I'm not going go for the gold (successful, self-sustained business). Worst that happens is I learn a crap ton, faster.

These decisions I made this week, and more like them, took a lot of effort (and help from the people I trust) to come to. I'm not afraid of failure. I'm more afraid that I could end up getting good at something I don't fully want to be doing. Here's where I'm at...

“Forma Pictures will develop original art, animation and music in the service of creating stories. We will own these characters, worlds, and ideas. The goal is to create and own meaningful properties.”

The format is less important, but they'll be short films and serial episodes for now. This won't be easy, but that's the direction. After writing all of the options out and staring at them for days, I feel confident in what I need to attain. Monetizing is going to take time to figure out, but working on and owning meaningful works of art is what I want to have 10 years down the line. In summary, I have my 3 circles mostly figured out. However, my economic engine is a tad weak. Still looking for a more effective method of cash flow. That precise profit per x eludes me.

As always, when I write publicly like this, I worry that I'll come off as a bumbling idiot. Or worse, arrogantly. If you know me, then you'll know how much I fear hubris. It's the poison that ruins people and businesses (not to be confused with confidence). But the truth is that I'm on a journey, and it is one that has largely been solitary. And on this journey, I've been learning the hard way about what works and what doesn't. But more importantly, I'm discovering more about who I am and what I want to accomplish. I hope that the mistakes, insights and stories I share have some value to you, the reader.

Remember, you can always reach out to me about anything (info@formapictures.com). Let me know if you think I'm being dumb, going down the wrong path, or maybe you like something I've made. I love feedback, however brutal it may be.

Bailey

P.S. My media recommendation this week is the podcast called StartUp. It documents the beginning of a real business. They make mistakes, but they usually figure it out. Makes me want to do something like that! CHECK IT.

A Bay, Bai Holiday

What a week! I was on vacation for the first time since I started Forma. I went to San Francisco! Here's some of what I did (like seeing Pixar):

Calvin and Hobbes

I had the opportunity to see a real Calvin and Hobbes painting by the one and only Bill Watterson. What you see here is an actual photo of the real thing. I was beside myself!

A portion of the full painting.

I think I stared at this painting for at least fifteen minutes. Bill Watterson is one of the handful of artists whose work inspired me to pursue art. So, it was meaningful to me in a big way.

Industrial Light & Magic

For years I've wanted to head over to the Presidio to check out the place that I've admired for ages. So, I finally did! It was absolutely gorgeous. I can say it is one of the most beautiful campuses I've ever seen. Wonderful, clean landscapes combined with stunning architecture, bay views, and the looming Golden Gate Bridge give ILM a very lovely home.

It was a gorgeous day too.

Pixar

I had the rare opportunity to see Pixar Animation Studios. I was pretty excited because Pixar is, well...Pixar! Their movies were inspiring to me as a kid, just like they were for so many of us. My friend and collaborator Colin Levy (who works there) was kind enough to show me around. Thanks, man!

Yay!

I got to see a lot of cool things they had there, like a giant Luxo Jr. lamp, beautiful facilities, and the big paintings that adorned the interiors. There were things I wasn't allowed to see or photograph, but what I could see was pretty darn neat.

Yikes!

Colin is on the left. I'm on the right.

The campus was beautiful, elegantly designed, and altogether playful. But the best thing, of course, was getting to hang out with Colin. Pixar was a nice backdrop, but ultimately it was the excellent conversation that made the day great. What a stellar dude! He's a layout artist at Pixar, but he's also directed a bunch of short films on his own. Go check out his work if you haven't yet. :)

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Overall, I had a great time. I saw a lot, hung out with good friends, and spent some time with family. In keeping with my 20 mile marching mantra, a vacation was just what I needed. Sometimes I get so wrapped up in my work that I forget to slow down for a little while. And I can say that it did me good. Lots of thinking time, inspiration, and relaxation.

So, I'm back to work now. Lots to do! :)

Bailey

Brain Break

This was a busy week mostly because it was dominated by a lot of business paperwork (can you say tax season?). But I did get to work on a number of projects, client work, and of course the daily sketches.

Speaking of which...I completed my month of sketches, wherein I created a short animation every day using Cinema 4D for the entire month of March. Although the art was mostly pretty bad, I did learn a whole lot. Think of them less as pieces of art and more as technical experiments. I learned something new with each one of them. And it wasn't so long ago that I knew zilch about the program. I'm going to continue making sketches every day with no immediate plans to stop. The entirety of the catalog can be viewed and followed on Tumblr.

Last Tuesday I posted a special edition of the blog where I talked about my early experiences in the industry and about my colleagues and friends I met at Reflexive Entertainment. In the end, it's about how the people we choose to be around can make life really great. Go check it out if you haven't yet.

Finally, I'm going to be honest...I'm a bit lost as to what to do next for an original short. Hunted is ambitious and is going to take a long time. However, I feel that I really should release something a lot sooner. I have a hunch that I'm going to figure out a good balance this week. Actually, I'm taking my first real break this week since starting my business! Going to get some good thinking time in. But in the meantime, here's somethin' to look at:

Bailey

Good People

This special Tuesday edition of the blog will focus on a look back at my career so far. For whatever reason, I feel like sharing.

Way back in 2007, I started working as a game tester at an independent game company called Reflexive Entertainment. It was the same week that I started my freshman year of college. I was a teenager! 

What an awesome place it was. It was a game studio! And one that I had known about for years. I was thrilled. But I remember having to earn the right to be in that office. Here was this inexperienced kid in an office full of brilliant, passionate, hard working, experienced, and self-motivated creatives. I had an inkling of it at the time, but it took me a few months to realize just how great that group of people really was. All I knew was that I really, really wanted to belong. I wanted to help create stuff, but that meant I would need to become an artist.

Through sheer tenaciousness, I began to transition myself into working on art. Testing was my foot in the door, but art was my passion. I remember walking into offices and asking if they needed help with any art. I would do anything. It was a struggle, and I had to really push myself to learn fast. I knew practically nothing, but I was determined.

Over time, I started to make art exclusively. But some people wondered what I was doing. Who does this kid think he is? Isn't he a game tester? They were right that I sucked horribly (so, so bad), but somehow I managed to prove myself. Well, that was my memory of it. Maybe it was my desperation, or my willingness to learn, or my passion. Whatever it was, it took a lot of effort to begin to feel comfortable in the company of my betters. But it would be years before I felt like I wasn't the worst piece of shit artist who ever lived. Of course, I'm still just a student of art, and I always will be. One of my good friends that I met at Reflexive often says "Ancora Imparo," which is a quote from Michelangelo. It means "I am still learning." And that's exactly how I feel too.

Looking back in this moment, I am filled with a tremendous fondness for so many of the good people I worked with during all those years. I'm still friends with most of them to this day. I've known many of them for almost 8 years at this point! And that's really what I'm writing about. Friendship. Forgive me if it sounds hokey, but my career has only been as good as it's been because of the people I've known. I often say that "I'm just barely smart enough to surround myself with smart people." I was fortunate to stumble onto a great bunch of people at the start of my career. And for that, I will always be grateful.

I'm sure they had no idea at the time, but I did learn an insane amount from them. Probably more than even I can remember. Because in all honesty, I was shaped by them. I could sense that their philosophies were rare even in the industry, but I had zero experience to compare them to. Desperate for knowledge, I garnered every truth I could from those guys. I remember hanging on to every word from the artists and programmers around me. I wanted to know what they knew. I wanted to be good, by god! I wasn't going to school for art, so I had to learn on the job and during all my free time. And for better or for worse, I'm still a self-taught artist.

The Buy Out

Reflexive was purchased by a big company about a year after I started working there. But the effects of that company's culture took years to establish a strong presence. In simpler terms, it mostly felt like an independent game company to me, but that was because I was removed from the bureaucratic stuff for a while. I did eventually feel the negative things, which ultimately led to me to move on. But the purpose of this is not to vent the frustration I had with that corporation. But still, it happened.

As the years passed, my skills improved, but so did the challenges. I learned about creative collaboration, and worked to contribute to the group in important ways. I learned about being ruthless with yourself, how to develop smart working habits, and how to be a better communicator. I was in training, and there was much to learn. Ultimately I just wanted to be invaluable. Simply understanding the technicalities of being an artist was not enough, I wanted to know how to be an effective member of a team. I also wanted to help make the workplace a fun place to be. We were, after all, living our lives together. I read a lot on the subject of business as I began to distill my philosophies on work, being effective, and of course happiness.

The spirit of Reflexive lingered on for an astounding amount of time. And even after many of the original members had long since left, there was still a pervading sense of camaraderie among those that stayed and many of those that came in the later years. The reason I stayed for as long as I did had to do with the people. I just loved them.

Time to Go

Alas, as the years stacked upon me, I knew that it was time for me to move on. And although I enjoyed working with such great people, I could no longer stomach the practices and direction of the corporation. I was unhappy. Of course what had happened was that my heart just needed something else, which was no one's fault but my own. Besides, great, unknown adventures were calling my name. It was time.

For a long time I thought about leaving to go work at a different company. But the notion finally dawned on me that going to another company would not satisfy my heart. What I needed to do was something else entirely. I needed to try going out on my own. This prospect simultaneously terrified and delighted me. So, after 4 months of careful preparation, I established Forma Pictures and began life as a freelance artist.

A company to call my own. Many of its founding principles are based off of what I learned at Reflexive.

So, what is the point of all of this? I think the message that I feel deep down is that I'm grateful for the amazing people that I've known so far. And I want to thank them for all they did for me. A teeny tiny part of me feels battle-bruised from the trials of business, but most of me feels true joy. And that's the honest truth. I'm happier than I've ever been. And I recognize that I've had luck in the company I've kept. I hope to work with many of them again in the future because that would make me happy. The day is young, my friends. Let's make it a great one!

Your friend, co-worker, and all-around bud,

Bailey

Laying the Groundwork

This week is one of those weeks where there's not a lot to show. Frankly there was a lot of business and prep work being done. However, that's not to say that there isn't anything new to see. I'm still creating daily sketches in the sketchbook. With each sketch, I learn a new technical thing. Most suck overall, but here are two of the better ones where I tried different ways of getting stylized atmospheric perspective.

Forma Pictures has more than a few projects lined up for release in the coming months. And each of them will serve the company in different ways. Some are client gigs and others are original IPs that will be produced by the company. Hunted, the film that's had the most attention, is but one of them. One of the other projects in an early stage of development is a more stylized, lighthearted adventure.

Hunted

And lest you forgot, all the updates for the progress of my short film have been moved to a different blog. And it updates every Tuesday right HERE. Two painted concepts are already over there just waiting to be looked at! What'r'ya waiting for? :)

Coming Soon

Next week I'm launching my 4th edited short. It's been a labor of love, so I'm excited to finally share it! In the meantime, take a stroll down memory lane with the first edited short I made a while back:

Stay tuned, lovelies.

Bailey

Eating Frogs

I've been gulping down frogs this week. Well, figuratively. It's a concept from the book "Eat That Frog!" by Brian Tracy that I picked up this week. It describes ways to organize and prioritize tasks in business and in life. Each day there is a task that is more important than the other tasks. This is the one that will have the greatest, positive impact on one's life. This high value task is the "frog" that should be eaten first, before doing the low value tasks that yield fewer positive returns.

It also describes how to practice "creative procrastination." We all procrastinate, but we need to procrastinate doing specific things because there will never be enough time to do everything we have to do. Instead, we should just be on top of our most important responsibilities. The book discusses how to approach this and much more. In the end it's about being productive, efficient and smart. One can fulfill their ambitions and still get home each night to be with their family. I recommend it.

What else...oh, the good people at MatterHackers commissioned me to create some art for the tech conferences that they attend throughout the year. See?

View fullsize

A bunch of banners for all their convention needs. :)

And last, but not least, I've been building a SHOP for Forma Pictures. And in it, you'll be able to buy art I release in the future as well as some merchandise. Actually, the first batch of goods will be arriving today, so I expect to start selling with the next week or so. Stay tuned...

Bailey

Be You

This week I'm gonna talk about my favorite subject in the world. But first, an update: I can't release some of the recent client work I've done, because it's still not official yet. I know I said I'd show it this week, but I can release it in like 3 days so it'll be live soon. As for this week, there's a cube dancing video at the end of this. :)

If you've spent even two minutes with me, then you know what I love to talk about: happiness. As far as I can tell, happiness is the only thing worth pursuing in life. If you're happy, truly happy, then you don't give a shit about anything else.

Quiting my day job was the best thing I've ever done. Ever. It's not like I was laying bricks before and now I finally get to do art. In fact, I was an artist who was able to work with some great artists everyday. But something was off. And there was a lot of bureaucracy I was dealing with. It wasn't exactly what I wanted, and it was eating me up inside.

Today, I'm still an artist, but the rules are different. And it feels good. Actually, it feels criminal to be enjoying it as much as I am. Every day is an opportunity to pursue my passions and experience existing. I've been thinking that life is like the world's best open world game. You can do anything in it. But unlike video games, in the real world you can actually go into any store, climb any mountain, and talk to whoever you want. There are endless speech choices and an infinite number of plots with boundless decision trees. Not to mention the scenery or the ultra HD resolution. And as for the personal and cultural expectations we place on ourselves? They're idiotic. There are no rules. We're all just making it up. Obviously don't harm anyone, but other than that...it really is boundless.

The point is that anything is possible. There are no excuses. You can do anything. You can become anything you want to become. There are people way less fortunate or able-bodied than I who are achieving ten times more than what I'm achieving. 

Yesterday I watched the movie Chef directed by Jon Favreau. The job situation the main character has in the beginning reminded me of the yucky stuff I had to deal with at companies. But then he goes out and starts to get what he wants...what he needs. I was really relating to this guy. But we all have this need, and it's different for all of us. I sure didn't like the particular system I was working in, and now I don't have to be in it. I get to choose more of what I work on, I get to collaborate with some killer artists, and most of all I get to take care of me. I've got a limited number of years left on Earth (if I'm lucky and don't get hit by a car), so I'm going to squeeze every drop of goodness out of it that I can.

So if you're feeling lost or even slightly frustrated, have heart and listen. That voice inside you is crying for a better life. It wants you to be you. And it will never stop pestering you, so you've got to listen to it because no one will do it for you. I learned that the hard way. That damn voice just wouldn't stop yearning for something better, so I had to go out and make a life for myself. I'm stumbling around just like everyone, but I'm doing it.

And let me tell you, the world is greener. Much, much greener.

Bailey

20 Mile Marching

The climb out of the darkness is going well. Because it's near the end of the project, my days have been filled with finalizing art and animation.

Here are some cool buds in the video I'm making. If you know me, you may recognize some or all of these critters as real life pals from years ago!

Man's best friends!

I'm animated a lot right now too. I think that curve editors look pretty. Check out this collection of animation curves for a couple objects in a scene (a plant and a speech bubble).

Animation curves! This is what I look at while I work.

20 Mile Marching

I'm working a lot right now, which has left me to think about pacing and taking care of myself. So, this week I'm going to ponder on the term "20 Mile Marching". I talk about it all the time, and I first read about in Jim Collin's book "Great by Choice."

What is it? It's a term used to describe a way of working and thinking. In simple terms, it's about achieving consistent performance with both and upper and lower bounds. We need both the ambition to achieve and the self-control to hold back.

In the book, they describe an example of two people on an expedition across the country. One person marches 20 miles every day, rain or shine. No less (so it's a hurdle to overcome), but no more (so he doesn't overexert himself). Some days it's easy to march 20 miles, and some days it's not, but every day always only 20 miles.

In contrast, the second person begins marching on the first day and feeling excited, he marches 40 miles. Exhausted on the second day, he wakes to find that it's extremely hot outside, so he waits inside his tent for a better day to go out. He continues this behavior of overexertion on good days to make up for lost time, followed by weakened days where he doesn't march at all. But when a powerful storm hits (metaphor for a trying time in business), it nearly kills him and he is forced to wait for better weather.

By the time this second person stumbles past the half-way mark to his goal, our 20 mile marcher is nearing the end. The person who paced himself will cross the finish line by a huge margin. He had the ambition to achieve in bad times and self-control to hold back in good times. In other words, he had the strength to persevere during bad times because he hadn't spent all his resources during the good times.

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It's so tempting for artists to push themselves hard to achieve their goals. We want to be good. We want to earn the respect of our peers. We want to earn enough money to feel secure. Naturally we figure that if we push ourselves to our limits, we have a better chance of achieving these worthy goals.

However, ceaseless exertion of our talents isn't going to do it. I've worked hard in my years. I've been up at the ungodly hours of the night, working and working. I'm ambitious as hell, and I obsess in a way that can lead to frustration. Of course we need to exert our talents ambitiously and obsessively, but we need to do so smartly. Wailing on a cave wall with a spoon is not the smartest way to dig.

As much as I hate it, I have finally accepted the fact that I am a not a robot. I too must heed the 20 mile march. I'm also a physical creature who actually needs to sleep at night, eat right, and stay active in physical ways. But it's hard because creating with my brain and my hands is very engaging. Why stop at 11pm to sleep? Animating this character is fun! Why spend the time to make a nutritious snack? Reading tips on cinematography is much more interesting. And why would I ever want to stop storyboarding a chase scene so I can go for a real run that will only leave me drenched in sweat and pain?

But humans need more than that, they need brain stimulation (or lack thereof) too. We need social connection with other humans (especially those we love), and time spent letting our brains rest from our work. I used to think that when I let my brain rest from my work, I was slacking off. I wasn't being dedicated, and if I liked resting, it meant I didn't like art as much as an artist should. The truth is that I love art, and I usually can't stop thinking about it. I don't doubt my conviction as an artist. So, I've found that when I free my mind to think about other things, like how a bike works or laughing at a funny puppet video, I find that my art benefits.

Daydreaming and thinking about "useless" stuff can really pay off. Of course, you can't just do that, but that goes without saying. When I do rest, I'm giving my brain a chance to make subconscious connections that I hope will lead to an epiphany. You know those "ah-ha" moments when an idea feels like it "comes" to you? That's your brain making a connection between two things that you had thought hard about individually, but not together. You can't know when a connection will happen, but you can increase the odds by developing the right environment for them. It starts by giving your brain a chance to wander. And by the way, I'm not saying anything new here. I've read books on this stuff.

So, letting myself rest with a 20 mile march regimen has helped me so much that I feel it's worth telling everyone I know about it. It's about balance. We should work hard everyday, but we must also rest well everyday. I can't tell you how many artist I've encountered who are burned out, apathetic, frustrated, and plain ol' sleepy. They need to pace themselves. And if they work at a company, the company needs to stop forcing them to not pace themselves. The big companies in the industry don't understand 20 Mile Marching, and it's hurting their teams of artists. It makes me sad.

Resisting the urge to work a lot when you have lots to do and the energy to do it is not easy and it's downright un-intuitive. So, think of it like a Chinese finger trap, you know those toys we used to play with as kids? The trick to escaping our entrapment is not to push harder against our cement walls. It's by taking a step back, planning, and making a proper vault over the obstacle in the morning...after we've got a good night's rest in us.

Work smart and rest well, my friends.

Bailey

A Big Year

Happy Holidays!

Well, I've slept about 2 hours in the past 40 hours. It's been a frenzy of family time, client work, and a mad dash to get a new cube dance finished (it's the most ambitious yet). But I enjoyed my Christmas, albeit with heavy eyelids.

It's hard to believe that I've been writing the blog for three continuous months already. And it's thanks to my friend for the idea. It's been good to force myself to release art every week. I have no plans to stop anytime soon, so keep coming back to see better and better things!

And what a year! It's been a truly great year for my career, and I don't say that lightly. I'll be brief... At the top of the list is that I quit my salary job and started my own business. It's the smartest thing I've ever done for myself because it has brought me so much joy. This year also was the most productive year I've ever had, having released more finished and behind-the-scenes content than ever before. And I've continued to meet and work with more great people!

Where is Forma Pictures heading?

Well, I've got more than a few projects queued up. More ideas than there's time for, as usual. Client work will remain an important part of my plan. But with Hunted (and more like it), Forma Pictures will begin to release its own content. It's going to take time, and 2015 will be a huge learning year.

Things to look for in 2015

Small, choreographed animations - Like the cube dancing videos and other expressions of intense musicality are forthcoming. I'll release these every two weeks.

More edited shorts - I love editing, and my series of re-edited movies will continue on. The 4th one is already in development.

Fortnight of Frames - This will be a two week romp of constant design and animation creation, with daily releases. It will be intense!

Continued Hunted development - Hunted isn't going away. So far there are three of us contributing to the project. Lots to do yet!

Improvements to site - Forma Picture's website has never been completely finished. I released it because I had to. There are aesthetic and back-end updates coming.

2-minute, animated company video - I'm finishing this in January, and I'll release it as soon as I'm able.

Secret project - I've had the opportunity to work with some great people on something I can't talk about yet. Hope I can share the details this year.

And without further ado I give you Mann Co. Party, the 4th in my series of Cube Dancing videos. I can't seem to place what it's an homage to...

Bailey

Billing the Hour

Today I'm going to talk about time tracking and what I've learned when it comes to billing a client for the work that I do. But first an update:

I'm doing a lot of client work at the moment. The rest of December and most of January are going to be very busy for me. I've been designing 2D stuff like cartoon people, dogs, trees, and other lighthearted things for a commercial. I may also post a photo of the print work I've been doing once it's printed.

Although I'm busy, I'm still making time for you guys. On Christmas Day I'll be releasing my fourth cube dancing video. It's gonna be the best one so far! And after that I've got content lined up for you for the next 3 weeks. Some concepts, some videos, and some behind the scenes. LOTS coming up.

The Billable Hour

There are a few different options when it comes to determining how to bill a client. There are flat rates, where you do all of the work for fixed price. And there are day rates (or hourly rates), where the end cost depends on how long it takes to do. I've done both, depending on the job.

For some design work, especially the smaller jobs, I'll quote a fixed price. I'm fairly confident in my estimations for jobs that take less than a week. But for the larger, more ambitious projects, I favor the day rate approach, which in turn is based on an hourly rate.

A typical 90-120 second animated commercial is a daunting task. There are so many steps, each with varying time costs. And depending on the complexity, it can take months and months to complete. And I never create something that's completely like what I've done before, so there is always an element of learning and exploration that adds to the uncertainty of the final cost. All of this means that, as a contracted artist, I need to keep careful track of the time I bill.

Contrary to what you might think, I do not start at 9am, stop at 5pm and call it a day. Billable hours, as they say, are only those hours where you were actively doing meaningful work for the client. Bathroom breaks, lunch breaks, and checking my email do not count. So, I have my iPhone sitting at the side of my desk with a timer. Whenever I'm painting, animating, or editing, I start the timer. But, say, if I happen to tab over to Twitter, I stop the timer immediately.

What I've found is that getting to 8 billable hours takes at least 9-10 hours of real time. And that's working pretty much non-stop. And when things like dinner are factored in, it can easily take 10-11 hours of the day to make 8 hours worth of money. So, a "9 to 5" doesn't actually produce a real 8-hour day. All the little, seemingly innocuous, things add up fast. A few 5-minute email checks leave me missing a quarter of an hour. And while I'm writing this blog, I'm not getting paid!

When I hear people say they get 16 hours of work done in a day, I pause. I certainly have no doubt that they were on the computer for most of that time. But to truly get 16 hours of real work done in a day is very difficult. Things like commutes, lunch, dinner, bathroom breaks, email checking, adjusting Photoshop shortcuts, chores, exercising, and reading up on the industry take time out of our precious days. Even if you eat while you work, you're not going as fast as normal. Not to mention any family time, entertainment, or getting a good night's rest. So, yeah...I often work from 9am to 2am. But there's no way I can bill a client for all of that time.

If you made it this far, here's an early, early concept I drew last year for the 3D Printing commercial I made. Is this different from the final look, or what? Just goes to show how much things can change over the course of a project.

A very early concept for 3D Printing: Making a Better Future. Very different from the final direction!

A very early concept for 3D Printing: Making a Better Future. Very different from the final direction!

Bailey

The Life of a Freelance Artist

Artists have to make money. I wish I could just create whatever I wanted and not worry about finances, but I'm not there yet. Most of us are either working at a company earning a salary, or we're out hustling on our own, booking gigs, selling our art and earning a living that way. Right now, I'm doing the latter.

One of the things that's been most surprising to me since starting my business is how my perception of money has changed. I worked in an office for seven years. I earned steady income for that entire period, and I was never out of work. During those years, I didn't really think about money very often. As long as I had a job, everything was magically alright.

But now I think about money every day. It's what keeps this adventure going. So, I hustle, research, and strategize all the time. And when I sign contracts for paid work, it's a feeling like no other. Diving into the unknown can be terrifying, but completely invigorating. I choose to perceive this path as a series of opportunities to make my life the way I want it. And because of that, I feel very good just about every day.

It's important to note that I make every effort to keep my creative time free and clear of stress. It's hard to create when stressed. And if I can't create, I can't live. So, stress mitigation is kinda important. Luckily, I learned a great deal about stress management over the last seven years, and I'm still working to be better at it.

So, would I recommend this path to other artists? Well, it depends on what kind of person you are. It takes a lot of work, time, care, responsibility and discipline. That's just fine with me, because I relish that stuff. It does mean that every move I make matters, but that's why it's so great too. I get to be making the moves, not someone else.

If you're on the fence, think about it like this: you need to satisfy the priorities in your life that are specific to you. For me, this is what I want. I want control, responsibility, and opportunities for insane growth. It suits me, so I'm absolutely happier than I've ever been. But everyone has different intrinsic or situational needs. And they must satisfy them or risk being unhappy. And remember, good will always be the enemy of great (more on that here).

The best piece of advice I have is this: Listen to yourself. We're always subconsciously telling ourselves what we want in life. But do we have the courage to objectively listen, no matter what it says? It may not be easy to accept what we want. I wish I loved building rockets, but I don't so I won't be trying to work for NASA. And years ago, members of my family were upset with me that I didn't pursue a career as a dancer. They said I was throwing away my talent. But here's the deal: I didn't love it. If I had done it, I would have been throwing away my life, not my talent. So, I didn't do it.

I know that fear is the biggest de-motivator. Believe me, I've had my fair share of it. And it was because of fear that I resisted starting my own business. But when I remembered that the days of my life were falling away, like grains of sand, I knew I had to do it immediately. And I knew that I could fail, but I could fail just as easily not doing what I loved. In fact, we're more likely to fail at things that we don't love. And besides that, we can get a string of bad luck, no matter what we're doing. So, I implore you...do what you love.

It's worth it.

And now, for the dumbest yet in my super dumb series of dancing cube videos that I force myself to make quickly. They are not masterpieces, but they make me laugh while I'm making them, so that's something.

Your pal,

Bailey