Asking myself: What will I gain from this project?

SCOPE:

This Professional Practice module allows me to explore work as a freelance creative collaborator, drawing from my skills as a composer, recording engineer and producer to create an immersive audiobook of poems about childhood.

My future career goals include working on commission as a freelance producer, tailoring projects to meet a customer’s needs and working alongside other creatives to do so. For example, this project will require working with a poet, perhaps other musicians, and at least one vocalist. This will require diplomatic communication skills and an ability to work diligently in order to meet the deadline in May. I will also gain experience in creating music and sound design based on an already existing piece of art; as someone keen in working in sound design for screen this process will be of vital use.

In addition to extending my portfolio, this module is a chance to explore my own capabilities within the field and identify areas for improvement. I want to have reached a ‘professional’ level of creative output upon its completion. I will also have insight as to how creative freelancers manage their time and budget effectively for each project.

END GOALS:

The question ‘how do people in your chosen career get paid’ is difficult to answer since I don’t even have an official title for my ‘chosen career’ yet! Creative collaborator? Producer? Composer? Musician? Recording engineer? The beauty of a career in the music industry is that I can try my hand at everything, which somehow still excites me despite the daunting prospect of staying afloat in a late capitalist gig economy.

So, who’s gonna pay me to dick around for the next five to ten years ‘til I find the right Sam-shaped gap to fill in the arts world? From what I’ve experienced so far of the desperately underfunded music scene in Ireland… no one? Everyone? Sources of income as an artist can include funding from government bodies (i.e., the Arts Council); revenue from audiences buying tickets and merchandise; product sales; private commissions; PRS/PPL payments; rich parents (sigh, I wish); and other, less tangible elements such as guest lecturing, tutoring, part-time work and crowdfunding for specific projects.

WHERE I WANT TO END UP:

How do people get where I want to be? Where do I want to be? I guess the answer to that is simply having the financial freedom to make art without worrying about also needing to make money to pay bills. Fully depending on my creative pursuits to meet the cost of living is not something I’ll do until I know it’s financially viable; I feel like putting that much pressure on creativity could ultimately squash it and result in my feeling bitter or resentful if I was unsuccessful. I guess this is the rock/hard place of needing to work for a living to support artistic endeavours, but also being too tired after work to then pursue those goals. Ultimately, I would love to get to a place of security where I know that my creative work will keep a roof over my head. Big dreams, eh?