Making a Living?

So I'm going to be quite greedy today and start up yet another thread

This is a very subjective question, so I understand if some don't feel comfortable answering...

I was wondering, and always really curious- Is it possible to make a living making machinima? Like, a decent, steady income? I mean, I don't want to throw out numbers persay..

Again, I'm not sure if it's very appropriate to ask this. But if you are reading this, and this is your only job- Well, I must say you probably have one of the best jobs EVER!

Is it challenging finding work? How is the competition? Where do you see the future heading? Is it kind of like RL- once you get your name out there- people come to you?

There was a post like this before- about how much one should charge. I'd really like to avoid having this turn into another one of those- I'd rather like to know if you see this as a hobby that gives you a few extra bucks every month, or as a potential CAREER?

Realistically, I would say it's nearly impossible to 'make a living' by making machinima. Unless you can somehow coax a continuous stream of real life companies and musical artists to spread to Second Life (or any other game engine), you're not going to make enough money to support yourself (on average).

Another example is creating machinima for Second Life companies themselves--certainly in this example you're not going to make much money. No one is going to fork out tens of thousands of Linden to a machinima director to advertise their company.

Lastly: making your own machinima movies, and selling them to...what...real life television networks like Adult Swim...getting a syndicate together. Nearly impossible.

Machinima is great, and there are many amazing directors out there that use game engines to create some fantastic shorts, commercials, music videos, and perhaps even features...but there is no money to be made on this. At least, not for 98% of residents.

If you find a way to market and sell your machinima skills, or movies...let us know. Directors in real life have a hard time making money...what makes you think a director making movies with game engines will profit?

I think one of the few ways to really make money as a machinimist are the two examples I started with. Getting promos for real world advertising, or by filming musical groups willingi to pay. Other than that...it's about creation...not profit.

Hmm..

I guess I see what you mean. I'm currently doing machinima part - time, which is really nice as a college student. I can afford to pay the bills I have (of course my bills aren't as crazy yet as an adult living in the real world), but I was able to quit retail and do this for money right now. I have a pretty decent reel right now (for a beginner, I suppose)- been doing this for monetary compensation since September 07.

I graduate soon, unfortunately Guess I got to start looking to other venues. I know that the machinima thing will put some extra bucks in my pocket, at the very least- so that's always nice

I appreciate your replies!

"Doing machinma will be the least of the time you spend. Keeping up with technology, marketing, sales promotion, advertising, public relations, legal issues, paying bills, analyzing spreadsheets, evaluating markets, all this for developing your machinma business - inside, and outside of sl."
As a freelancer, I never had to do those things. I am talking more from a freelancer perspective- that's my experience. But open to other trains of thought.

Also, in regards to my experience: http://directressariella.blogspot.com/
That is my blog with links to all my work in the first entry.

Thanks for replying! definitely interested in hearing more opinions?

oh I forgot... so here's something that really made me think about the whole "Making a living" with this thing:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/12/arts/artsspecial/12second.html?_r=3&ref=todayspaper&oref=login&oref=slogin&oref=slogin

Ok so I understand not all of us will have our work bought for $100,000... but still, one can dream!

Yes.

Essentially yes.

Always is. Biggest competition is that everybody thinks they can do a pro-level job. Drama - most likely. Yes.

It's just an extension of what we were already doing.

skribe, may I ask if you freelance or have your own company?

Both. Our team produces independently for clients and I also work as a freelancer for developers who need an additional machinimator for larger projects.

Hi Ariella,

From what I have seen, you certainly have the 'directors eye' for machinima. What you get out of making machinima in the likes of a VR platform, depends very much on the markets you think you can appeal to given the platforms limitations and your own skills, facilities.

As a group of companies we diversify, each group making its own financial way, supported and investing in eachother. We do not have loans, shareholders, nor outside investors. Having been a business man for most of my RL carreer, I have applied the same principals of business plans and cachflow forecasters. We keep transaction reports and have invoices to support expenditure against profits for taxation. For the most part, we reinvest most of our profits back into either existing group companies, or to invest in developments of other companies for our group.

Profit is a subjective thing. We do make more than we spend, but our investments create non-liquid assets, which should we disolve our companies, would pay out a handsome sum to the owners.

As already stated, working hard (I works 18 hour days 7 days a week, 9 for RL and 9 for the companies, except weekends, then thats 18 for the companies), against 'pay', doesn't equate to much. Our RL contracts pay for much of our hardware/software/servers etc, so SL is a platform of networking and activity.

When the VR platforms evolve to offer greater quality, then the potentials will be realised. The trick is, to be ready and a leader in the field. You can make a 'living' from machinima, if you have the right contacts, can network and even develop markets in this growing platform. My advice, is use SL to create a portfolio of your skills.

I see. thanks for the responses everyone! That helped put things into perspective and everything.