₦airaland Forum

Part 2: https://www.nairaland.com/4364280/how-make-lots-money-media

In the last post, I explored some of the ways you can make money as a photographer. Today, we will look at filmmaking. I will go straight to the point (if you have not read the last post, please find it here).

Making Nollywood-style movies can be very profitable. But Nollywood is, in many ways, a cabal. I encourage new filmmakers who need cash to explore these three options for more constant income:

Cinematic Weddings: Very few people have the time to watch a 4 hour video recording of their wedding. But most people would wish for beautiful, short, cinematic renderings of their special day. Doing it properly take time and a good array of skills. It can be very rewarding, though, if you are able to capture the right clients.

Documentaries: This is my forte (I make documentaries for non-profit organisations). A lot of NGOs want to showcase their impact and tell their stories. They often need documentary storytellers to help with that and are often willing to pay quite well. Just like for cinematic weddings, this is a skill that requires a high level of mastery. You often need to be able to summarize effectively (tell entire stories in two minutes or less), direct (you are often the director, cinematographer and “scriptwriter” as you are in the best position to determine the flow of the story), edit (and very quickly too), and make use of the right terminology that resonates with people in the social entrepreneurship space. I love this genre of filmmaking because you will not find every Tom, Dick and Harry doing it and can therefore charge your clients relatively well.

Music Videos: We all know that the best known artistes shoot music videos in exotic places and have huge budgets for it. Top artistes probably won’t ask you to shoot their video (if you are not already well known) however you can more easily target upcoming ones who are often willing to shell out a few hundreds of thousands of Naira for those videos. The key here is to learn all you can about music and more especially music promotion. Most artistes are doing those videos because they want to get popular. Can you guarantee that your video will get them air play on some of the popular TV stations? Can you get it on the popular blogs? If you can make the right contacts, you are much more valuable to the artiste than a mere filmmaker.

A few points:

Ensure that your sound quality is very good. This often means using an external microphone with your camera.

For videos, digital noise becomes a big issue very quickly. Invest in some prime lenses. Cheap options such as Canon’s 50mm 1.8 and 40mm 2.8 lenses can be lifesavers.

Like I said in the previous post, put some effort into building the kind of portfolio that would attract your target audience. It is much easier to sell your skills to people when you have relevant works to show.

We have a fantastic Digital Filmmaking course at The Twim Art Institute. However, I must add that we tell our students that the video world keeps evolving every day. Learn, unlearn and relearn regularly.

jefy:
Nice post...don't you think pro photography is on the decline? In this era of sophisticated phones..photographers are poorly priced,afterall,my phone has a good photo production rating,so they always say..

Hmm. I personally think that studio photography is on the decline. Gone are the days when you had no option but to find a photo studio whenever all your children and grandchildren were around or if your son was celebrating his birthday. You can capture those moments on your phone or other smart devices now. This is not to imply that photo studios are completely irrelevant, though.

I think however that demand for PROFESSIONAL photography has actually increased especially with relation to events. Just a few years ago, you would pay N100 per picture (or less) for your wedding. Now, photographers can easily charge in hundreds of thousands. This is partly because with the advent of social media, people are getting to see some really nice weddings (and other events) posted by their friends and they want theirs to be so well captured too.

Having said that, I also think that professional photography is now much more competitive. More and more people are going into it. At the institute, I encourage my students to study something we call "Multimedia Storytelling"which is a combination of Photography, Video Production, Entrepreneurship, Digital Marketing and Storytelling. The reason why I practically force them to learn so much is that the ability to do more is what will give them an edge in a world of fierce competition.

prinzmenzir:
how do you use social media to attract clients and is there any other means of attracting clients apart from social media.

Great question. I personally do not use social media that much anymore. This is however because I'm often really busy with work at the institute. It's a habit I'm trying to revive.

However, to answer your question, the simple answer is: Instagram!

I've checked the strategies of some of my most successful past students and almost all of them have two things in common:

1. They are very active on Instagram
2. They understand the power of referrals (building strong offline relationships).

There are 4 main secrets to Instagram for photographers:

1. Post great pictures
2. Write short but impactful text to go along with your pictures (tell a story)
3. Use lots of relevant hashtags
4. Don't get tired of doing it all the time. Be on Instagram as frequently as you eat- seriously!

Why Instagram? It has a far stronger engagement rate than the others.

Please read Part 2 (making money from filmmaking) here: https://www.nairaland.com/4364280/how-make-lots-money-media

By popular demand (lol), I’m writing a series on how you can make money in the media arts. I will do this every day for the next one week or so. I will be posting on The Twim Art Institute’s blog, and cross posting on our Facebook page and on Nairaland. I teach my students stuff like these in the Entrepreneurship Development class at The Twim Art Institute. Considering that we have had hundreds of amazing stories (and a number of international awards) as a result, I think I have earned the right to talk about this.

So let’s begin with photography. How can you make money as a photographer in Nigeria?

The best known cash cow is Event Photography. In Nigeria (and much of the world), the events industry is a multi-billion dollar industry. There is an “ariya” happening close to you almost every weekend regardless of the state of the economy. For these events, photographers are needed. And great photographers make a lot of money every weekend!

I once posted about a past student of mine who was charging N200,000 per event and who had a regular stream of events to handle. Some people replied that it could not be possible (someone even wondered how I could insinuate that a photographer could in effect earn more than a “well paid” banker in a month). That’s laughable because the student in question is just one of many and there are others who earn far more every week. Like our elders say, a child who hasn’t visited another person’s farm will think his father’s is the biggest. If you are not experiencing it, it doesn’t mean it isn’t real. In fact, if you still doubt my claim, do a Google search for any popular photography brand and call them to find out what they will charge for your wedding. You are in for a surprise.

The big question is therefore not the potentials of event photography but the methodology to adopt in order to become one of the big players in the industry. Here are a few suggestions:

Get trained: Be good at what you do. Get the best training you can lay your hands on. We can help you with that at The Twim Art Institute.
Start small: Photography gear (equipment) can be very expensive and there is every tendency to want more. Refuse to get tempted! Don’t buy gear that your clientele cannot pay for- when it’s time to upgrade, you will know! Like I usually tell my students, it’s not so much about the camera as it is the person behind the camera. Having said that, there are some basics…
Don’t open an office until you need one: With offices come direct and indirect costs. In most cases, people do not make their choices based on the presence or absence of your office. Your portfolio is more important to them. Besides, events often happen in parts of the country where you have no physical presence. Most of your potential clients will never visit you physically!
Use social media: If you don’t need an office at the start, then how do you reach out? Social media! Master the art of social media. Most wedding jobs are contracted on Instagram nowadays.
Work on your portfolio: If you do not have the kind of portfolio you want, do whatever you have to do to get it, including free or very low-priced jobs. If for instance a very wealthy politician in my church is giving out his daughter in marriage and it will be a classy event, I will approach him and do the wedding photos for free. I will also go a fantastic job. You know why? That’s the easiest way to enter into that clique. He may or may not pay me at the end of the day but I would have gotten the kind of pictures I want in my portfolio. To further understand this point, ask yourself: how come all the popular photographers in Nigeria are always showcasing photos from weddings done in exotic places?
There is no such thing as quick money: Be consistent. Do it again and again and again. It may not seem to work at first. Do it again and again and again!
Work on your service, presentation and packaging: You will be surprised that people pay much more when you appear well, are friendly, easy to relate with and not arrogant. No matter how good you are, no one will refer you to to others if you are arrogant. Also, ensure that your product packaging is impressive. Invest in those those things as they can make all the difference.
One more thing: There is a world of difference between someone who is self-employed and a business owner. When you start getting steady patronage, you may want to start creating business ownership structures. Ah… that’s a totally different topic. Maybe when you join our EDS class
I should add that there are many ways, other than events, to make money as a photographer. A friend of mine shoots corporate photos for big brands. I shoot for non-profits. I have other friends who are into other genres as well (such as wildlife photography and product photography). There are different strategies for different photography genres. You may be able to catch some more strategies from the next post (which will be about making money from documentary filmmaking).

Meanwhile, you can enrol for any of our classes at Nigeria’s leading school of the arts: The Twim Art Institute. We have courses such as Photography, Digital Filmmaking, User Interface / User Experience Design, Electronic Music Production, Multimedia Storytelling, Video Production, etc. Please visit our website: http://thetwimartinstitute.com or call/Whatsapp 09033279205 for more information.

I’ll be back with Part 2 tomorrow.

Olumide Adeleye
Rector, The Twim Art Institute

http://thetwimartinstitute.com/how-to-make-lots-of-money-in-the-media-arts-part-1-photography/

You can now enroll for courses such as Photography, Digital Filmmaking, UI/UX Design, Video Production, Digital Marketing, Multimedia Storytelling and Electronic Music Production. Visit http://thetwimartinstitute.com or Call/Whatsapp 09033279205.

Have you heard about The Twim Art Institute? It is one of Nigeria's leading schools where you can study Photography, Digital Film making, UI/UX Design, Multimedia Storytelling, Electronic Music Production, Digital Marketing etc.

The Twim Art Institute is the upgraded version of Twim Academy, which won many international awards for it's innovative way of using media and creative arts to raise entrepreneurs and creative professionals. Now, as an institute, The Twim Art Institute boasts of one of Nigeria's most equipped training facilities located in a conducive environment in the highbrow Onireke GRA area of Ibadan. There are separate studios for Photography, Video production, Post-Production, Sound, etc, ample class rooms for teaching and other learning facilities such as a library.

There's more to you than you know! Discover your creative potential at The Twim Art Institute today. Visit The Twim Art Institute, behind Jericho Mall, Onireke Link Reservation Road, Ibadan, Nigeria or call / Whatsapp 09033279205. You can also visit http://thetwimartinstitute.com.

I run a company and I'm going to try to be as objective as possible. I would also advice you as I would my younger brother who is just about to go into the job market.

First of all, it is unfair on any organisation for you to leave without a notice, or leave improperly- regardless of whether it is in the agreement or not. A lot goes into running an organisation especially in Nigeria, and as an employer of labour, you want to be able to count on your staff. When you leave without a proper notice, you are being very unfair to your employer. And even if it is not formally stated, what goes around comes around. You reap what you sow.

Secondly, always remember that you may need that employer in the future. Sometimes, someone who can not pay you much today might be the one to recommend you to the president tomorrow. Always leave a good impression of yourself, whether it's with the employer or even other members of staff (including even the gate man).

That said, I don't think it was proper to ask you to wash clothes or do any tasks that were outside the scope of your employment. I personally would quit as well if that happened to me- giving the proper notice, of course.

I also don't think it is mature for the employer to come to your house to threaten you. He doesn't need to, especially considering that you are young.

So what do I recommend?

I suggest that you tender a proper resignation letter to the organisation. I suggest also that you apologise to him in person, probably in the company of one of your parents.

If I were you, I would also look for the one month salary and pay it back, not because I have to, but because you always reap what you sow. If you are always fair to people, God will always watch out for your own interests. If you don't have it but can get him to forgive you, it's probably fine as well.

If you don't mind me being a little spiritual, permit me to share with you the story of Laban and Jacob.

Laban was an unfair employer to Jacob. He had forced him to work hard and paid him very little. Finally, Jacob fled without notice like you have done. Laban was very angry and chased after Jacob and God had to appear to Laban to ask him not to hurt Jacob. Guess what? Eventually, they settled the quarrel and LABAN BLESSED JACOB AND HIS FAMILY.

One of the reasons why many people never do well is that they don't realise these simple principles. Always do your best to be fair, be of good report, let even the seemingly unfair boss bless you. You never know who will recommend you in the future.

Tosinex:
He left banking to sell akara? Maybe he was a backyard banker. And if hes not going to export the akara balls then he should just forget it

When Bill Gates dropped out of Harvard to market a software company at a time when software was almost unheard of, was he a backyard student? When Mark Zuckerberg left Harvard to work on Facebook, was he a backyard student? Do you know how many people give up things other people consider to be prestigious to further their dreams?

Fatoki Ayowale is a Nigerian graduate of Mathematics with a flair for cooking. Although he got a "dream" banking job, he decided to quit to pursue his passion even when that meant starting small and selling by the roadside...


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g631fiupDz0&t=8s

Video by http://awarewa.tv

Stop scamming people with your 'unlimited' plan. Its a lie.

I am a heavy internet user. I've been paying Smile well for internet for more than a year now, even though I know its far more expensive than it should be. The consolation was always the speed. So I kept enduring it.

But when they came up with their 'unlimited' plan claiming there were 'no limits', I was very skeptical. But they kept mailing me and claiming it was truly unlimited without limits. I called their agents who assured me that there was no hidden speed cut. So, eventually, I subscribed.

Less than 2 weeks later, I noticed that my speed kept dropping. Eventually, it became almost unusable- couldn't even open Gmail. At that point, they sent me an email claiming some 'fair use' policy and asking me to resubscribe if I wanted the speed. What nonsense? I've used internet in various countries. If it is unlimited, the terms are always clearly stated from the beginning.

I was so annoyed that I moved to MTN LTE which is way cheaper and almost as fast. I don't mind paying for good internet. But I don't want to be lied to. NCC ought to investigate Smile for that fraudulent plan.

I watched the video on ChannelsTV and was quite impressed. If people like this guy can be encouraged, Nigeria will develop much faster. Yes, it's still crude. However, development starts when crude inventions are supported, become competitive and then the market will force such innovators to fine-tune their products.

School of Media Arts (Photography & Video Production), Creative Arts (Graphics & Web Design), Digital Filmmaking and Entrepreneurship: Twim Academy

Are you interested in pursuing a career in media or creative arts? You have it! Visit the international award-winning [url="http://twimacademy.com"]Twim Academy[/url] and you are in for a big surprise!

Available courses include Media Arts (Photography & Video Production), Digital Filmmaking, Creative Arts (Graphics & Web Design), and Entrepreneurship.

Whatsapp: 08103484322. Website: http://twimacademy.com.

Donald3d:
I could help ya

Nice to know you've found someone in Ogba to mentor you.

For people in Ibadan or who are willing to travel over to study at a world-class school of media and creative arts, please try Twim Academy. Available courses include Media Arts (Photography & Video Production), Digital Filmmaking, Creative Arts (Graphics & Web Design), and Entrepreneurship.

Dezzx:
You forgot nairaland's e-warriors

Absolutely correct! Unfortunately, we can't really identify them by name

If there is any point in Nigeria's political history in which the internet- and more especially social media- played a huge role in determining national decisions and outcomes, it was the 2015 elections. With the ruling party controlling state-owned media and having the financial resources to outmatch the opposition, Buhari needed to have friends in "high places" such as the world of the internet. Here are some of the people who played strong roles in getting him into power:

Oby Ezekwesili (@obyezeks)
Gbenga Sesan (@gbengasesan)
Japheth Omojuwa (@omojuwa)
Adebola Williams (@debolalagos) & Chude Jideonwo (@chude)
Kayode Ogundamisi (@ogundamisi)
Sahara Reporters (@saharareporters)

Read full article here: http://kudizone.com/2015/06/08/meet-the-social-media-activists-who-catalysed-burhari-into-power/

Can Buhari tackle Nigeria's unemployment problem using agriculture? Absolutely! There are a few thoughts in this post and I believe it's worth your while:

http://kudizone.com/2015/05/27/how-buhari-can-end-youth-unemployment-in-nigeria-part-1-agriculture/

Thinking of learning media / creative arts stuff like Photography, Digital Film Making, Visual Effects, Web Media Management, etc?

Then, enroll at Twim Academy!

Twim Academy is an international award-winning school of media and creative arts. It is government-approved, well-equipped, boasts of well structured courses and is affordable!

Visit Twim Academy online at http://twimacademy.com for more details.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQyw8-yIRFY

Still ongoing

Thank you for the emails so far. Please keep them coming.

A media company based in Ibadan requires marketers for immediate employment.

Please apply only if you are based in Ibadan, passionate about marketing and can deliver beyond expectations. Salaries are performance based and range from N45,000 to N120,000 depending on level.

To apply, email your CV and cover letter to president@trinitiweb.com.

Thank you for the applications so far. Please note that we are interested in only people who are based in Ibadan.

The following vacancies are currently available at Twim Academy:

1. Front Desk Officer
2. Administrative Officer

Beyond qualifications, we want people who can deliver! Kindly apply by sending an application letter and resume to info@twimacademy.com if you think this applies to you.

And please, only Ibadan-based people should apply.

I had the same issue with my dog. Was actually worried that I had been sold an animal with some form of genetic defect when it became so huge and was still so friendly- rarely ever barked. But with time, it started getting fierce. It took a bit of training, though. Simple stuff to make it more aware of who was a friend and who should be considered an enemy. Also, releasing it within the compound at night seemed to have an effect.

Based on my experience anyway, a 5-month old dog is not yet very old. Just give it some time.

A lot of the people you will meet in the airport are also flying for the first time, so it's no big deal. Just ask questions at any point where you don't know what to do. There is nothing to be embarrassed about.

And get there well ahead of time!

If you are employed, very busy or constrained for time, this is your perfect opportunity to learn professional photography or Digital Filmmaking in just 4 days!

PhotoCamp (the photography workshop) takes place from December 3-6, 2014. After the workshop, you will be able to take great pictures in both studio and outdoor conditions. You will also be able to edit them.

VideoCamp is our Digital Filmmaking workshop. Interested in shooting music videos, adverts, movies etc? You should attend VideoCamp! December 8-11.

For more details and registration, visit our website: http://twimacademy.com/mediacamp2014.

Thank you for the submissions so far. Please ensure that your CV shows the skill sets you have that will enable you handle the aforementioned topics.

Do you have a flair for teaching? Can you handle any of the following: Graphics, Web design, animation, video editing, photography, visual effects etc? Are you based in Ibadan? Do you need a job?

If your answer to all of the above questions is yes, then you should apply! Email your CV to info@twimacademy.com right away.

Yep!