ABSTRACT
The title of the preceding chapter, What makes a freelance? suggests that there are some important distinctions between a freelance worker and an employed worker in the television and radio sectors of the audio-visual industries. Needless to say this goes beyond simply doing a good job; you are bound to do that to the best of your ability regardless of the status of your employment. But there is something different about being, say, a freelance camera operator as opposed to being a camera operator employed by a production company or broadcaster. This chapter sets out to deal with the qualities which are required in a special way by those engaged in a freelance career. Most of the readers of this book will either be contemplating a freelance career, or in the early stages of developing one, so this chapter will look at ways to begin a freelance career. Just as beginnings are important, finding ways to maintain and to develop a career are just as vital, if not more so; otherwise a promising career may stagnate or even stall. Chapter 3 will go on to look at ways of maintaining, developing and building freelance careers.
