I just wanted to get people’s opinions/hear about experiences of making freelancing work pay the bills. I’ve just graduated but during university and over the summer I’ve really honed my 3d modelling/animation skills, and I’ve done a few bits of paid work, but nowhere near enough to afford rent etc. I’ve got a bit of a dilemma because I’ve just been offered work writing for an essay writing service (this one to be precise http://essayseek.com/blog/professional-essay-writing-help/ ) and I can’t decide whether to take it - I’m not sure I’m quite comfortable doing this kind of thing for a living. On the plus side, it’s flexible and would provide a bit of cash/time to get on with my animation. What’s the best way of getting into this line of work? Is it possible to live off of freelance work alone? Just feeling a bit like I’m stabbing in the dark atm - any advice would be appreciated!
Congratulations for graduating. (Really!!)
Now . . . Welcome to the real 
world.
If someone offers you paid-work, take it. Meanwhile, if you are interested in developing “3D modeling/animation” as another potential way to raise cash . . . see if you can find anyone in your town who’s doing animation or 3D work in any capacity with any tool, and try to persuade him or her to “just let you in the door.” (Just be sure that you get paid some amount of money for it every day: “internship” sucks.)
Someone lets you in. (Hey, we’ve all started there …) You show-up e-v-e-r-y day “ten minutes early,” fresh-dressed and ready to work, and you humbly do what is given to you to the best of your {growing …!} ability. “Those who are faithful with little, will be faithful with much.” You have but one chance to make a First Impression."
Every now and then, you receive another pie in the face: " :eek: I thought I knew a lot, however …(!)"
… perhaps you fail to notice that those around you, who are watching you attentively, all the time, “suppress a knowing smile.”
(They’re not having fun at your expense. No, they’re just remembering.)
Always remember that “computer graphics” [and for that matter, most of data-processing in general …] is much too big for any single person, no matter how talented (s)he may be, to realistically do ‘alone.’"
You’ll be part of a team from day one. Regardless of how much you are self-taught, (the good news is!) you will always be learning.
You may want to include an early payment option with an appealing discount – between 5 and 10 percent is typical. This can be amount payable at the completion of the job and is often a good idea for large jobs, or if you’re working for a company where you invoice might otherwise go unnoticed.
Thanks sundialsvc4, some interesting thoughts there. I guess it’s just a case of keeping going and trying to make opportunities for yourself.
first thing, show your portfolio.
yes, you can live off freelance work alone.
here is the thing, if you are not good enough for the industry, take that essay job and work on your 3D skills. that’s the only advice i can offer you, since i don’t know how skilled are you.
i’m not sure about internships, in the end it all comes down to your skill, no matter how many internships you’ve done it’s all about your skills and your portfolio.
I kinda agree with the show port-folio thing. Anyways, once you have something really cool in your portfolio, you can actually approach interested parties like TV commercial makers with your ideas. You may have to ask around 50 times, but then again, these TV commercial makers have to ask their own clients a hundred times and get 99 no’s and then just 1 yes, and its the sums of these 1’s that make their business go around.