The Freelance Producer Breaking the Rules (and Winning Big)

Reese Hopper is a freelance producer, author, and business educator who helps creative professionals build sustainable freelance careers through transparent content creation and practical business guidance. Try Saturation free: https://saturation.io/?ref=RXS Starting his content journey in 2018, he developed his content creator voice through five years of consistent blogging (including an ambitious 465 blogs in 465 days from late 2020) before achieving viral success with his "Run the Numbers" budget breakdown videos in 2023. These transparent looks at production costs have helped democratize industry knowledge, shattering limiting beliefs about freelance pricing and project budgets. His book "What Gives You the Right to Freelance?" emerged from years of daily writing, advocating his philosophy that "everyone should freelance in some capacity" to develop entrepreneurial skills and financial independence. As a producer, Reese has worked on a diverse range of commercial projects, social media campaigns, and lifestyle shoots, collaborating on high-profile music videos including for The Chainsmokers. His production experience spans budgets from $10K social campaigns to $150K+ commercial productions, working directly with brands doing $1-10M in annual revenue through his systematic approach to client relationships and creative development. Connect with Reese Website https://www.reesehopper.com/ ‘What Gives You the Right to Freelance’ Book https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D726BD5M Instagram https://www.instagram.com/reesehopper.co/ LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/jreesehopper/ Reese’s Links https://www.reesehopper.com/links Produced With Podcast Listen / Subscribe to The Show https://linktr.ee/producedwith Connect on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/producedwith/ Try Saturation free for 14 days: https://saturation.io/join?ref=organic-youtube&utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social 00:00 - Introducing Reese Hopper 02:00 - Balancing Client Work & Personal Projects 03:00 - Building Confidence 05:30 - Freelance vs Agency Producing 06:45 - Touring with The Chainsmokers 14:10 - Breaking into Freelance Producing 16:00 - Book: *What Gives You the Right to Freelance?* 22:30 - Writing 465 Blogs in 465 Days 31:50 - Viral Success with "Run the Numbers" 40:45 - Helping Creatives Build Sustainable Careers 41:20 - Talking Budgets: $10K to $150K Productions 50:30 - The Future of Freelance Producing 59:45 - Producing Commercials & Lifestyle Campaigns 01:08:15 - Book: What Gives You the Right to Freelance? 01:17:40 - Freelancing as Entrepreneurial Training 01:24:30 - Sustainable Careers for Creative Professionals 01:32:00 - Closing Thoughts & Wrap-Up Whether you're a producer, line producer, or production accountant, Saturation.io can transform your budgeting workflow. Saturation is a collaborative budgeting and production management platform designed to streamline workflows and enhance collaboration within the entertainment industry. 🎬 🎉 Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/saturation.io/ 🎉 Follow on X: https://twitter.com/saturation_io 🎉 Follow on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/saturation 🎉 Follow on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/saturation.io #ProducedWith