on the other side
 

okay it's shit out there right now, we're sitting around wondering what to do - but what are we doing to prepare for the eventual 'end of the tunnel'?

what are you learning? Will you stay in the industry?

I'm aiming to improve my Resolve skills & drone skills

Re: on the other side
 

Wein the UK are only allowed out for essentials. Groceries, exercise, and work if you are lucky enough to still have work. Me, I'm digging my vegetable plot amongst getting in my wife's feet.

Re: on the other side
 

Pretty much the same as you, Paul, but I can't fly the drone at the moment due to restrictions.
Other than that, time to upgrade my pc and learn new skills, really learn to use the scopes when editing, learn to land a jet the way it should be done in MS Flight Simulator and understand it too, learn to use the Weebill S gimbal I bought in December.....and wish I'd moved back home to Oz before all this lock down began.

Thankfully, all my wedding couples are resceduling and I haven't lost any yet, even picked up a few. But nothing now until at least June though they may change.

Good luck and health to everyone here.

Re: on the other side
 

All my regular work has been cancelled clear out to August. But I will continue to process and upload my backlog of stock footage. I've already submitted another 200 clips in the last two weeks with another 100 almost ready to go. I earned $3K at Shutterstock in March and a few hundred more at Adobe and Pond5. I'm sure April will be a little siower but its still nice to have any income rolling in during the slow times. When I'm done processing what I have already shot I will go out and look for covid related subject matter. But right now there is nothing worth shooting in my area and it almost seems like business as usual except for TP at the grocery store.

Re: on the other side
 

I'm going back to creating stock music tracks for my projects. :)

I have recently been doing music beds for countdown sequences etc.

It's a seemingly dead situation, but I'm trying to maintain my sanity lol

Re: on the other side
 

I've learnt that the reason I haven't got in shape and done all of the DIY that needs doing isn't due to a lack of time. Who knew :)

For us we've been doing financials, seeing how the delays have impacted us, what we do on the other side and how things might be. It's largely unknown.

Next year is busy now but not from new bookings. Could this be the only work we get next year as couples delay until 2022 to make sure? Could people be delaying until just 2021 so we have all the 2020 couples who were yet to book come our way? Could the economy be in such bad shape that everyone slashes their prices and everyone is fighting to be the cheapest? That one could well be the most likely if things go the way of 2008.

We could beat this thing later in the year and have a flurry of last minute bookings as if I was getting married later in the year, I would be waiting to see what happens to see if I change dates and I certainly wouldn't be booking video or anything until the picture is a little clearer.

I honestly cant call it and have no experience of similar situations to call upon. Next year could be super busy, could be an absolute bust.

Re: on the other side
 

The real question is, how far is it to the other side? Don't know much about weddings (mine was in a judge's chambers and I've only attended about 3 others in my life). But when it comes to theatre and other events with a large audience, I think it will be a good long while before we get back to anything like normal.

Here in the US, there's already lots of talk about professional sports being cancelled through the rest of 2020, there are calls to use mail-in ballots for the presidential election in November, and many experts think the virus will come back in the winter, even if it subsides over the summer.

Breaks my heart, I had a 40-year career in theatrical design, technology and managment so I have many friends in the business. My ex is a costume designer, son in law is an actor, granddaughter just entered a professional dance training program. My daughter has a degree in musical theatre, but now works as operations manager for a large advertising agency. At least I can take some comfort there, she is still busy, working from home.

What especially upsets me is that the management of many performing arts organizations are stringing their staff along on the hope they can proceed with their seasons in September. I just don't see that happening myself, and think it would be better to be realistic now, so the staff could start looking for other employment. Sure hope I'm wrong, would love to see things getting back to normal as soon as possible.

But instead, I have a sick feeling that this will be an "extinction level event" for many performing arts organizations and even when it's over, audiences will be very reluctant to sit in crowded theatres. And it has the potential to be a perfect storm, with donors losing lots of money in the stock market and those who have deep pockets facing lots of pressure to give their money to hospitals and other humanitarian organizations. If you're somebody who does fundraising for a performing arts organization, you might also feel a moral obligation to use your talents to raise money for those humanitarian causes as well.

Re: on the other side
 

It's clear from the forums and posts ive read that for a lot the pain they feel now is nothing compared to what's coming. Those taking balance payments now for 2021 weddings are in for a nasty shock when their accountant reveals their tax bill. The sort of bill which will break most companies.

Re: on the other side
 

I'm not taking any balance bills from any Weddings rescheduled for next year. I shall weather the loss this year and hope these rescheduled Weddings will support me next year.

Any tax increase will be gradual. At the very least I expect to pay in percentage what other employees have to pay as a percentage of our earnings. This I can afford.

Further increase I expect will happen late 2021, for 2022 tax bills. I think 2021 is still to early for the Government to impose their payback tax. Too soon and it could crippled business and hinder efforts rather than help to increase tax. Better to wait and allow businesses to recover and then gradually add the tax. Last thing Government wants is to push businesses further down or make things worse for the economy. A long game approach would pay better than a quick reactionary tax.

Re: on the other side
 

That set me back on my heels, particularly considering the audience for most theatre performances is an older audience, I fear you may be right. Community, Co-op and even professional theatre will struggle once people get used to 'social Isolation' and the fear of infection.

"almost booked out' may be a reason not to go.

Re: on the other side
 

Payback tax, like that.

Im talking about the fact that so many are taking money which is still classed on the books as 'at risk' and that hasnt matured into revenue. Kind of like how your deposits could also be classed as at risk depending on how you book keep. This means when they take out that money to pay their bills they are infact taking a loan against their own company which is taxable. So when they give all their details to their accountant and they do their clever math stuff they slap them with a rather large tax bill they weren't expecting. I remember the tax bill just from accounting the deposits wrong back at the start. All these balances is going to sting.

Re: on the other side
 

And this is also the demographic at greatest risk of dying. Such a terrible situation all-around. On the news this morning, they talked about a survey where they asked people when they would be ready to attend live sporting events again. 75% of the respondents said "not until a vaccine is available". And the experts continue to say that is 12 to 18 months away,

Re: on the other side
 

I only take a £50 deposit. Which is non refundable on cancellation. I'm not planning a loan. I'm hoping my savings and the grant from the Government in June will coast me over until the Weddings resume. I've made some changes to my life that will help me weather this better. I'm moving to a smaller place. So my bills will reduce by half. Now I wait to see ho next year folds. If it does well, I will quickly bounce back. It remains to see if this crisis will put off other couplew next year from booking.