Traveling costs money!
That's a fact.
And those of us, who are not, e.g. Jay Alvarrez (young, good looking model from Hawaii; made a fortune with lifestyle videos jumping out of airplanes and stuff), we need to come up with different ways to fund ourselves.
In fact, there are many ways to finance your travels or holidays around the world. Some people save money before they go traveling for a period, some have rich parents, some couchsurf or work mini-jobs, and more and more become so called "Digital Nomads" (yeah it's supposed to be in quotation marks). What that means is that you are working with your computer to make money while traveling. Here, working can actually mean a lot of things. Your imagination is the limit.
Right now, I will provide you with one way that works for me.
For making videos you basically don't need much. Basically, all you need is camera and a computer with an editing software. Regarding the editing software, you can get those for free anywhere on the internet beginning with the Appstore or Playstore. Simply by googling, you will find free editing software. Just make sure to use trusted sites for downloading free software.
Regarding your camera, you can get it almost for free. Nowadays, everyone runs around with a smartphone, most times not even closely making use of this powerful allrounder master weapon. Besides the fact that you also get proper editing software for your phone in any Appstore or Playstore, all smartphones have a camera. Especially, smartphones that came out in the last 3 years have the ability to shoot from 1080 to 4k quality and even do time lapses and slow-motion captures. All you need to do is start playing around with it for the beginning. As soon as you get used to start seeing your videos and photos from a more professional perspective, you will start using your camera more differently. However, if you are looking for a more advanced camera for filming, I have good and bad news for you. The bad news is: your options are almost endless (if you want to consider this as bad news); the good news is: this is the best time to start getting into video making since you can get proper movie cameras that can shoot in high quality at an affordable price.
Doing some beginners research, you will come across vocabulary like, e.g. campera pans, stability (!!!), cutting speed, frames, and so on. But don't worry, most of it will come to your attention naturally throughout the process of cutting your first videos. The secret is: Learn from every video you make or see and try to apply what you've learned in your next production.
A little further down below I will let you in on another secret, which proved to be way more valuable for me than I would have expected it to be in the beginning.
The way I like to describe the process of becoming a film maker who actually gets paid, is that this process includes two sides. I am talking about the mindset and the technical skills. Both sides are equally important, and also, one without the other doesn't get you where you could be with your individual approaches and ideas.
(If you want to see the first video I sold for actual money, scroll down to the very end of this article!!!)
1.The technical skills
The technical skills are very important in terms of producing proper output according to your ideas. There is no use for shaky footage nor cuts that don't fit the pace of the action or music of your video. Therefore, just like with any skill, you will have to get there by practicing. By making different videos with, e.g. different music or no music at all, you will realize what techniques work and what don't. Don't be afraid to show your videos to friends and family, or even better: strangers you meet throughout your journey. You'll receive valuable feedback by people who haven't been there throughout the process of shooting or editing. They don't know what your thoughts were while doing it.
But be careful ! Like I said, they don't know what kind of result you were aiming at, so pay close attention but don't take it personal. Also very important, don't justify, just take it in ask why they felt in a certain why or what would have made that desired feeling appear instead. Sometimes, someone who isn't focused too much on the details can help to remind you of what makes the bigger picture work.
2.The mindset
To actually get paid to make videos you will have take action! Grab your camera and go out! A typical move for me became grabbing my camera before I go anywhere, "cause..just in case, you know!?". The first few times, it may feel uncomfortable to be the guy with the camera and that it draws attention to you in. One small trick to help you with this is: if you act like it's normal, eventually, it will feel normal, and this is what you will radiate to observers.
When it comes to working with friends, you can only make them act naturally by getting them used to be filmed until they eventually just forget the camera...this is the moment when you should be there to capture it. The cool thing about getting those moments on camera is that most people will be happy about it when they see your final product and those special moments you caught.
An ambitious mindset is also what you need to make actual money from making videos. Getting in contact with clients (shops, cafés, restaurants,...) requires a bit of self-confidence and the ability to present yourself as a reliable business partner. Almost every business is heavily dependent on their online image, and if they claim the opposite you might help them realize their options. Videos and pictures are extremely important to online marketing and to present your business online. Nevertheless, I would recommend to walk up to possible clients in person instead of sending them an email or calling them. Think of it this way: Would you want to make business with a random person sending you some mail!?
When talking to clients, make sure to let the know about your ideas what you would like to do and why you think you should do it. In most cases, you are the guy or girl with experience in making videos (or photos) and this is what convinces clients in the first place.
When presenting yourself, it always helps to have samples of former work of yours at hand, e.g. a youtube channel, Instagram or videos that are saved on your phone. This is important as you are investing time to present yourself to a business owner, and this way, the he or she can realize that you are serious about your work and that you are also prepared. As obvious as it sounds, rather oversell than undersell your abilities. Worst case scenario is that they are not a 100% into the video, which is fine. Sometimes you can still sell your video/s for a little discount or you simply walk away with advanced experience about negotiating.
And now, here is a secret !!! In fact, it is a mental exercise: You can do it anywhere where you have no one talking to you for a couple of minutes. Make sure to get some headspace. As soon as I have achieved that state of mind I think of what kind of videos I would like to do in the future. Not necessarily a specific video, but, in what kind of style should they be, what emotions shower down on me when I think of those videos and what should my audience feel when they see them. You may also use other videos or film makers as an inspiration. I always "celebrate" that feeling for a while as I recognize how my ambitions and ideas align once more with my dream and creativity starts to flow. You may repeat this exercise as often as you like and wherever you like.
This exercise will also help you stepping out of your comfort zone on a regular basis when it comes to making good videos and sell those.
Check out my video I sold to a Café in the Dominican Republic:
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