Love working with a camera? Learn how to become a freelance videographer in Abu Dhabi by following these simple steps.
When you’re watching films, TV series and documentaries, do you ever stop and think to yourself: ‘You know what? I could make something just as good as this…’
Well, if you’ve already got the natural attention to detail, passion and creativity that’s essential for being a successful videographer, then the hard bit is done.
You can easily turn your favourite hobby into a money-making profession with twofour54, and this blog post will tell you how to do it.
How to become a freelance videographer with twofour54
First and foremost, if you want to be a freelance videographer in Abu Dhabi, you’ll need to obtain a permit to legally practice your craft.
This might sound a bit daunting, but we’ve set up a process that makes it very easy to become a freelance videographer and handle all the paperwork and processes that come with getting your permit.
It’s low stress and simple; we promise.
As the leading media hub in Abu Dhabi, our dedicated teams will not only explain to you how you can become a freelance videographer, but they’ll also guide you through the process of obtaining your residence visa, medical insurance and sponsorship requirements.
The support even continues long after you have your permit, too. Our team will assist you with finding work opportunities, and invite you to networking events where over 600 local and international partners gather to connect, collaborate and create. These events are great opportunities to find new work, and any potential partners who are looking to hire a videographer like you.
Utilise your full set of skills
In fact, our freelance work permit, or “Sole Proprietor License” is perfect for those who are multi-talented.
Each permit grants permission to do up to three activities. So, if for instance you’re a videographer but also a great photographer, and have experience as a graphic designer, you can actually get one permit to practise all these skills for no additional cost.
More than 100 activities are covered in the twofour54 freelance permit, including roles in pre-production, production and post-production, communications-driven roles such as PR, marketing and creative design, and gaming positions such as animator, and web and app developer.
By widening the choice of skills you can offer, you may find you come across more work opportunities and chances to make your creative visions a reality.
Not only that, but Abu Dhabi Media Zone Authority has now waived all freelance license fees for each new applicant’s first two years*. This means that all you have to pay is the fee for processing your residency visa.
*T&Cs apply
Your new career is waiting
Applying for your permit doesn’t take long, we’ll just need copies of your passport, a photo, an up-to-date CV/portfolio and your professional references’ contact details. You’ll need two references for each category you’re applying for, so if you put three skills down, you’ll need six references.
We’ll also ask you for a work offer or a letter of intent from a twofour54 business partner, but if you don’t have one, don’t panic…
Instead, you can submit a business plan, including a brief personal profile, details of the work you’ve already carried out in Abu Dhabi (or plan on doing in the future), and an estimate of how much income you expect to make from your creative skills.
Once we have all this, we’ll review your application, contact your references and get back to you very soon with the rest of your application and details of the documents we need from you.
Then, once your references have responded, we’ll look at your experience, check the finer details and contact you about starting the residency process. This takes either five or 10 business days depending on whether you pay for a normal or urgent service.
Finally, you’ll get your stamped passport back, new freelance work permit and Emirates ID and that’s it, you’re free to start sharing your talents as a freelance videographer in Abu Dhabi.
If you have any questions about any of the above, or about how you can become a freelance videographer in Abu Dhabi, please contact freelancewithus@twofour54.com.
Or, for more information and to start your application, visit https://www.twofour54.com/en/freelance.