Freelance

[VickyR]

I was wondering if it is difficult to do freelance. How can you secure a job long enough so as not to have a large gap while searching for jobs?
Also how do you file your taxes if you're a freelance stage manager? I've heard some people having difficulties with taxes.

[MatthewShiner]

Freelance sucks.

You get very clever about accepting work you either butt up shows, or allow a big enough gap you can fill a show.  (I chose the former).  I tend to look for a job when I start a new job, and have a hard ending date - but, currently, I am booked to 2016 (and possibly longer . . . depending on how some of these show fall).  You can also be a jerk, and double book yourself - which is my case - I have jobs lined up in case something falls through - but, they do know I may not be able to do it - it's tricky when you start working with commercial projects.

Most SMs, at the AEA level, are paid through normal payroll - so you just have any additional business/travel deductions - it gets tricky if you are paid a fee . . .

[bex]

Obviously freelance is harder than having a nice cushy resident job, but it's only as hard as you make it.

I ended my internship in May of 2012 and I haven't had more than 3 weeks between productions since then, and I'm currently booked through April of 2015. I'm also non-AEA, and holding down a day job (although granted it is a well-paying, part-time, theater-related day job with an incredibly flexible schedule- it's like Haley's comet- you find one of those once in your lifetime).

Taxes aren't that bad if you TRACK YOUR EXPENSES and expect that you're going to owe self-employment taxes at the end of the year- you probably won't be getting a refund unless you have a very well-paying day job that withholds taxes. That's not a big deal if you're expecting it, though.

There are a lot of threads about freelancing/booking work in advance, and also about taxes. Look around on the board a little for some more in-depth discussion.

[MatthewShiner]

things are very different if you have a day job - sadly, SMing at a living wage and day jobs are hard to mesh.

[Maribeth]

Freelance is a tough lifestyle. Regarding booking gigs- it depends on where you are living/working. In my area, it's not uncommon for SMs to book in Jan-Feb-Mar for the coming season (starting in Aug). So it's easier to see ahead of time where your gaps are, and work on filling them. (I've posted here before about the difficulties of filling those gaps, but that's a whole other issue). If you can find a flexible job that you can use to fill gaps, so much the better- but finding a job like that can be difficult.

Or, you can fill them as work comes up, with workshops and sub gigs and other small projects. I think it all comes down to budgeting- if you manage your budget well, you can afford to have a week or two (or more) between gigs without going broke.

Regarding taxes, [caveat- I am not a tax expert, I'm just getting this info off of the IRS website] it depends on how you get paid. If you expect to owe less than $1000 when you file your return, you can file your taxes once a year like most people do. (This is usually the case if you are paid with a W2, and taxes are taken out before you receive your check).

If you expect to owe more than $1000, you need to file quarterly estimated tax payments, as you are considered "self-employed". (This usually happens when most of your income comes through 1099s. The IRS website has info on who needs to file quarterly taxes, and how to do it.

I've been freelancing for about 10 years. Some years have been easier than others- things line up well, and I don't have to take any "other" work. Other years I've had to be more creative- doing side projects, or branching out into other areas (I was the interim manager of a costume shop for a few months, while they searched for someone to fill the position full time.)