Today we’d like to introduce you to Shane Faye.
Shane, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I started a side hustle as a video producer in the Tacoma, WA area back in 2013 when all my friends were getting married and wanted me to shoot their wedding films. After years of doing that, my wife and I moved to Northern California, where I worked as a promotions producer for a local news station. That’s when I started producing my first commercials and social media videos.
After a couple of years there, we moved down to San Diego in the spring of 2019, where I decided to go full-time as a self-employed freelance video producer. Since then, I nearly doubled my income from when I was working full time and side hustling in Northern California. Don’t get me wrong, it can still be tough in some slow months, but the ceiling here is much higher than in a lot of other places I’ve worked.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
My biggest struggle has been in being my own boss and making business decisions. Motivation and work ethic isn’t really a struggle, but knowing where to put my time and energy to get enough work for the month to pay the bills. That’s the biggest struggle. Also, not only paying the bills but making enough to grow as a business and as a family with our personal wealth as well.
There have been so many times I’ve been tempted to go back to the 9-5 world just so I can have a consistent and reliable paycheck again, but I always get hung up on the idea of building someone else’s business. Similar to paying someone else’s mortgage through rent, I’d rather build my own business so that I’m building my own wealth instead of someone else’s.
Please tell us more about your work. What do you do? What do you specialize in? What sets you apart from competition?
I am a freelance video producer. I specialize in cinematography, but I can do all phases of the video production process, from scripting and storyboarding, to producing, shooting, lighting, editing, VFX, motion graphics, and more. I’m definitely known for being a talented shooter, and I’m working on getting known as a producer.
So, what’s next? Any big plans?
With the whole AB5 bill, I’ve had to re-evaluate my relationships and reliance on sub-contracting work. I’ve always wanted to have my own production company, but as we’re still relatively fresh off of our move to San Diego, it’s been nice to have consistent, easy income from having relationships with other production companies who need crew now and then. But with the new bill, I’m evaluating either getting an LLC or just start weeding out those subcontracting relationships in favor of my own clients. I haven’t made up my mind quite yet, but I have a feeling that’s where I’ll have to start heading.
Pricing:
- $65/hr average price
Contact Info:
- Website: www.shanefaye.com
- Phone: 619-259-0643
- Email: shanefaye.work@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/srfaye/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shanefaye
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