How did you do in 2009?

[johannperry]

I was just doing my accounts today for last year and once again it made me sit up and realise that another year had passed when, once again I had made a pretty good living from doing what I love doing most, i.e being off around the world with my camera making films. There was a real fear this time last year that 2009 was going to be an all out total meltdown and the financial world coming to an end was going to finish us all. But here we all are, still enthusiastic about making images, telling stories and geeking out over cameras.
I thought it might be encouraging to have a poll to see what people made last year from their camera work or other image making activities. If nothing else it might help people who have not turned pro yet realise that you can survive a recession and still do what you love doing to make a living.
I should just add that I sincerely hope that 2009 did not kill anyone's spirit, even if it dented their finances.

 

[christopher witzke]

I had a great year.... a few clients disappeared ( along with not paying their invoices ) but I gained some as well....

 

[Gavin Greenwalt]

Personally enough to buy a new FF35 package if they ever release it.

 

[Cüneyt Kaya]

are we talking profit?

 

[johannperry]

I was thinking turnover.

 

[Tom Lowe]

Very good year for me. It was my first year as a filmmaking professional.

 

[johannperry]

Very good year for me. It was my first year as a filmmaking professional.

So the recession didn't kill you then? Thats the spirit.

 

[Matthew Bennett]

Banner year, I had to turn down a lot of jobs, which can be difficult, too...

Got to DP a couple of nicely budgeted RED shoots, tonnes of workaday 7D,5D,ex3 shoots, and then dvx-andromeda for funtimes testing on the weekends.

I was happy all told. I won't be satisfied until I get to use 35mm anamorphic though (probably will never happen but I can dream, can't I..)

 

[Alexis Hanawalt]

Had a great year. Just finished reconciling some accounts. Found that I put almost exactly 50% of my money back in to maintenance and buying new gear, and the rest was personal income. Seems like a ratio I'll be happy with for a while.

 

[Ace]

Whilst my involvement with the film industry at the moment is more to do with image projection rather than image making, the rise of Australian RED shot features in 2009 has meant a boom in business for distribution/film marketing ... So business has been plentiful.

Thankyou Ben Bernanke for fending off total world catastrophe in 2009. Seriously.

 

[Chris Henze]

I improved year over year but would have done nicely if there wasn't so much pressure to do "favors" or the flood of people with Final Cut and a prosumer HD camera pretending they're filmmakers. I'm optimistic about the upcoming year.

 

[Matt W.]

I made just under $1000 from camera work and another $2500 from retail work and odd jobs, so about an average year for me.

 

[Stephen Williams]

I made just under $1000 from camera work and another $2500 from retail work and odd jobs, so about an average year for me.

Can you really live on $10 day?

 

[Matt W.]

Not for much longer....

 

[Andrew Wilding]

Presumably he has another job.

 

[Matt W.]

I did (that's where the $2500 comes from), but I left my last two jobs when I got offers for features. Luckily, I have very low expenses for the time being.

 

[Joseph Hutson]

I was blessed greatly. Best year overall of my life. :smiley: In spite of no Scarlet...yet.

 

[Scott Miller]

You don't have a "<" option

I just bought the kit in Sept/Oct.... so waiting for the millions to start rolling in

 

[Frank Weeks]

Year 25 was on par with 23 and 24. All in all, life is good.

 

[Peter Hodgins]

Better than I'll do in 2010.