Creative Mayor's Academy: Setting up as a Freelance in the Screen Industries

Based on the Screenskills Freelance Toolkit this course will provide support, advice and guidance for you to set-up and take on work as a freelance in the creative industries. Losts of work in the creative industries is freelance due to the nature of short/long-term productions. The industry generally hires work when needed so many contracts are fixed-term. It is possible to earn a consistent and sustainable living this way and this course will show you how.

You will learn:

- the core skills of a freelancer

- setting up as a freelancer

- finding and sustaining work

- marketing and selling your service

- setting up your finance system - tax, income and expenditure

- managing a good work/life balance

These are practical sessions and by the end of the course you will be set up and ready to start your new career as a freelance.

You must have a specific creative skillset that you would like to trade:

-hair stylist

-make-up technician

-wardorbe assistant

-costume designer

-graphic designer

-visual artist

-photographer

-videographer

-focus puller

camera trainee

--camera operator

-video editor

-copywriter

-content creator

-painter/decorator

-carpenter

-accountant

This list is not exhaustive.

Please be prepared to provide your residency documents such as a passport, EU citizen ID card, UK Birth Certificate or Biometric Card. If you have been in the UK for less than 3 years or have entered the UK with a visa you will need to provide evidence that you are eligible to study in the UK - your visa, your biometric card that covers the duration of your course or any relevant home office documents to support your residency should all be uploaded. If you’re an EU, EEA or Swiss citizen we will need to see evidence of 'Pre-Settled' or 'Settled-status' documents. Also for funding purposes we would need to see evidence of payslips if working (within the last 3 months). If you are receiving benefits (e.g JSA, ESA, Universal Credit (UC), Housing benefits etc. please bring evidence of this).

Start promoting yourself and working as a freelance.