Marvel.com Blogs - Blah Blah Blog by Tom Brevoort

web marvel.com

BLOGS HOME|COMIC BLOGS|VIDEO GAME BLOGS|OTHER BLOGS|MARVEL NEWS

Another Perspective
2007-02-13 09:49:06

In response to my blog post last week about creators taking on one more assignment than they can comfortably handle at one time, inker Scott Koblish--a guy who's been in the business for a decade--sent me the following addition that I thought was worth sharing:

Hi tom!

You mentioned a number of good reasons for the phenomenon of freelancers taking on more than one project at a time, and I wanted to add one from the freelancers point of view -

I'd say that there are other reasons a freelancer would overschedule besides fear of not being "hot", or editorial infighting/jokeying. Irregularity of pay can play a big part in the psychology of a freelancer taking everything that's offered. One of the best ways to addict a mouse to any sort of behaviour is to give the mouse intermittent reinforcement. And believe me, even the most regular of comic book careers produces that intermittent reinforcement. The insecurity of missing a few paychecks can goad even the most stable of people into accepting any and all things they're offered.

It takes awhile to acclimate to the level of control necessary in taking on a freelanacer's life - unlike most jobs, we have to take on all of the rolls of a
corporation: Sales (snaring the job), Production (doing the job), Marketing (tayloring style and content to the marketplace), Accounting (negotiating, billing, and collecting for the work) and Promotion (enabling the sales dept. to snare the next project).
If a freelancer is lax at any of these skills the whole thing collapses. It takes a lot for all these rolls to be properly juggled, especially when the control of the schedule for the freelancers corporation is really in the hands of editors with competing needs (all of the schedule, budget, production and promotional needs of the editors corporation).

Just a thought.
All the best-
Scott-
(it's chilly here in L.A. too - highs only in the mid 60's. Brrr.)

More later.

Tom B

Put the onus on the freelancers?
How does one acquire the layers of discipline in order for a comic book creator to be considered truly professional? How are formal or informal apprenticeships provided?

Does Marvel take any part in developing talent?

Posted by Beta Ray Benny on 2007-02-12 12:52:25

Thats a tuff one
Speaking as a freelancer in the design business, I have to agree that as a freelancer the load at times can be heavy because of all the other kinds of business you must handle. Also as freelancer your not just thinking about the project at hand but what about the one after? to make the money that you may require you must keep yourself working, and you are in charge of that so if you end up putting to much on your plate its understandable although it can look unprofesional to the client. Its time managment really.

Posted by terciera on 2007-03-28 10:12:48

Array

Enter a response to this blog post: