What does it take to freelance?

Desperad0

I've never been freelancer before. I want to make games, but I also want the relatively more freedom to work on more innovative/experimental game with ideas and themes that isn't "safe enough" for publishers who want/need certain cash back from selling tried and true game themes. So that probably means indie games, and that probably means not staying in one studio, but be a freelancer (please correct me if my conclusion is wrong).

What does it take to support yourself (and maybe a better half as well) as a freelance artist in the game industry? What is freelancing like?

Count Vertsalot

It takes a solid network of peers and a kick ass portfolio. A lot of your work will be from people who vouch for you. To get started you'll probably be forced to take on a few not too great projects, but what you will lack in satisfaction you gain in industry contacts.

CrazyButcher

When you say, you've never been freelancer before, does it mean you have experience inside studios?

If you are totally new to the industry, I'd try to get some "first hand" experience yourself first, which should be easier in a studio. And in your freetime work on small things.

There is "cons" to either road: freelancing requires a lot of discipline. There is no "peers" to learn from, no tricks to see, no "we did this" achievements... Studio is also no guarantee on personal progression, nor that people are a good team...

Sorry if I am wrong, but the "want to be indie because of innovation..." sounds a bit "canned", e.g. kickstarter videos driven. Many of the kickstarter guys are actually veterans.

In all cases your portfolio is crucial, and both cases nothing stops you from making your own games in your freetime.

leleuxart

I've also been wondering this myself, but my big concern is actually getting steady work. I just graduated from college and due to not having a studio job and loan payment starting up soon, I decided to hold off on moving to a new city, which means I'm stuck in a city without studios. I don't think AAA/AA/any major studio really hires individual people anymore, right? It's usually outsourcing groups? Does anyone know any established studios that do hire freelance artists? I'm looking for something a little more reliable than a student's first game on ModDB. I just don't know where to look because not many studios that I've seen list freelance positions.

Laze

Mmm seems like a bad idea to try freelance if you've never worked in a proper studio before and shipped a few titles. I think one of the best assets you can have as a freelance artist is notoriety. You need a reputation from the things you've accomplished in your chosen skill set that's gunna make the studios want to hire you.

That's the way I see it anyway, I'd rather get a studio job than freelance just because of how much I'd grow being part of professional team. Freelancing is for masters and prodigies in my eyes.

Eric Chadwick

We have some good info here.
http://wiki.polycount.com/CategoryGameIndustry#Freelancing

Desperad0

Thanks guys! It looks like I'm still 10 years too green to freelance. Makes me wish I started 10 years ago, lol! So get in a studio, level up in studio, level up outside studio, and then go for what I really want to do? Sounds real busy. Will I still have time to practice other hobbies like sports, or maybe hang out? I don't want to be grinding to level up all the time alone...

Bibendum

For every clever innovative indie game there's a dozen that are just as generic as their AAA counterparts that can't get publishers to take risks on them because they've got terrible games and ideas not because they're not mainstream enough. Most indie games won't see the light of day and they'll want you to work on the promise of minuscule royalties that will probably never come or at very low rates of pay.

PogoP

I did a year in a studio after uni, went freelance for a year (well, working for one company but from home, with no permanent contract), and now I'm back in the studio again.

From my experience, you need to have balls of steel to freelance. You have to make an effort to socialize and see other people, or your work will quickly start to decline in quality. No matter how 'anti social' or introverted you think you are, you need interaction with other people.

The great thing is though is that the money is a lot better, in general, when you freelance. However, you won't get paid holiday/sick days so you have to work around that too!

That would be my big tip! In terms of getting contracts and clients, I'm not really sure as I worked with just one company, as a 3d artist.

Best of luck!

loki1991

I too was thinking about this and my friend "he makes html5 games as a freelancer ar the age of 21 and already earnt $50000 in 13 months au" told me to work with unity because I do what I want to do "3d props/character's" and have them on the unity store so my work could not only be seen on its own but hopefully in decent games made by others.

So maybe you could do something similar and work on parts of a game and have it up there. Eg some code or an interface/menu that cold be seen not only on it's own but in action allowing you to display your portfolio in a whole new level.

If others think this is bad just say and why you think it's bad.

Ps; using my phone and it likes to mess my spelling up more than it already is.