How I deal with each job system.

[Janice Arthur]

Hi all;

 

In this new age of everything I've gone back to a very simple way to manage information.

 

I made up sheets (8 x 11) that say; Client, date, phone, email, What I am bringing, What camera, location, rates and I left a lot of space between each for notes. I put them in a binder (I know old school.)

 

When I get a call out comes the binder, and each client gets a sheet.

 

Lots will say they put it in their phone but you can't do that while talking on it. I'm sure there is an app for that but boy this is simpler and faster for me.

 

Now I've got all the info in one place. If there is a call sheet it goes in the binder too. (Now if I don't get paid, its easy to find).

 

On the day of the shoot I put the paper in a pocket and use it when needed to load my GPS etc.

 

At the end of the day I note hours etc on it and it goes back in the binder.

 

I've found it helpful to find old crew members phones etc.

 

Maybe you all have already done this but I can't keep all this stuff in my head consistently and every job has many details today.

 

When the job is really over I move the paper to the back of the binder and only the current jobs or the ones I'm still negiotiating are in the front.

 

Just an idea that you may want to try, its worked really well for me.

 

(In the very front is a tally of my accounts receivable, which is fun to look at.)

 

JA

[Rob Vuona SOC]

Hi all;

 

In this new age of everything I've gone back to a very simple way to manage information.

 

I made up sheets (8 x 11) that say; Client, date, phone, email, What I am bringing, What camera, location, rates and I left a lot of space between each for notes. I put them in a binder (I know old school.)

 

When I get a call out comes the binder, and each client gets a sheet.

 

Lots will say they put it in their phone but you can't do that while talking on it. I'm sure there is an app for that but boy this is simpler and faster for me.

 

Now I've got all the info in one place. If there is a call sheet it goes in the binder too. (Now if I don't get paid, its easy to find).

 

On the day of the shoot I put the paper in a pocket and use it when needed to load my GPS etc.

 

At the end of the day I note hours etc on it and it goes back in the binder.

 

I've found it helpful to find old crew members phones etc.

 

Maybe you all have already done this but I can't keep all this stuff in my head consistently and every job has many details today.

 

When the job is really over I move the paper to the back of the binder and only the current jobs or the ones I'm still negiotiating are in the front.

 

Just an idea that you may want to try, its worked really well for me.

 

(In the very front is a tally of my accounts receivable, which is fun to look at.)

 

JA

 

Exact same way I do it, accept it's all i'n my iPhone

[Bryan Fowler]

Janice, thanks for sharing this.

 

As a creative bloke, keeping organized is something that I struggle with from time to time. So hearing how others do it helps a lot.

 

Rob, any iPhone apps out there that you use? or do you just use address book.

[Blake Waldock]

Janice, thanks for sharing this.

 

As a creative bloke, keeping organized is something that I struggle with from time to time. So hearing how others do it helps a lot.

 

Rob, any iPhone apps out there that you use? or do you just use address book.

 

 

I use the calender in the iPhone. Works a treat!

[Rob Vuona SOC]

Hey Bri,

Nope just address book, Every day is punched in, call times call times, initial phone call, contact persons and notes on the job.

 

I can go back 10 years in my iphone and see what I was doing and how much I charged and how many hours I worked on any specific day, thanks to Palm info transferring fairly seamlessly over to iphone.

[William Demeritt]

As an iPhone junkie, I've started using Bento to manage this information when away from my computer. I had fields for everything, plus who referred me job, rates, notes and dates. Thanks to the iPhone, I can talk while filling out the fields. Bento is essentially a personal database app, where you create the fields of the database, enter the info, can link to other databases, etc. Made by Filemaker.

 

Further, there's a powerful desktop client (also called Bento) which syncs with the app. From there, I can sync to iCal and address book. On the desktop client, I can also attach PDF docs to track call sheets, etc.

[mark morgan]

rob what happens if you drop yo iphone in da toilet lol

[Rob Vuona SOC]

rob what happens if you drop yo iphone in da toilet lol

well . . . . . you sync the new one with your computer . . .

 

Bento sounds interesting

 

Hey Mark,

 

there was a posting for someone looking to buy the G-50 or G-70 the other day, did you see it?

did you sell yours?

 

I have a gig this week requiring all 4 black canisters in my Pro Arm, uuugh, i'm going to be beat after this week!

 

Hope all is well with you

[Peter Abraham]

 

I can go back 10 years in my iphone and see what I was doing ...

 

Made me smile. Rob, are you very sure you WANT to go back 10 years to see what you were doing ? :)

 

Janice, that's a bulletproof method of tracking incoming and outgoing work. I like it ! And, it is easier to read than my Droid®.

 

Peter Abraham

[richard bellon]

 

I can go back 10 years in my iphone and see what I was doing ...

 

Made me smile. Rob, are you very sure you WANT to go back 10 years to see what you were doing ? :)

 

Janice, that's a bulletproof method of tracking incoming and outgoing work. I like it ! And, it is easier to read than my Droid®.

 

Peter Abraham

 

 

old school :)

[Janice Arthur]

Hey Richard;

 

Yes, I know its old school. I know by the smiley face you meant no harm.

 

I said that in my original post but I thought I'd throw it out as a system that works for me. Of course I'll continue to refine it and one day maybe I'll switch to a digital system.

 

I'm intrigued by the Bento system. I do have an iphone.

The reason I posted this system is that for decades I've just kept most of this in my head and now its so obvious that a "system" for it would have been so much better.

 

I'll tell you though I've been so ahead of the curve here that you couldn't see the curve so I'll take old school in this and let others do some of the paving the way on things they are clearly more adapt/interested in at than me.

 

Our man Ted said once "The pioneers are the ones with the arrows in their backs."

 

My system allows for my doodling and editorial thoughts in the margins of the paper; I like that.

 

Have a nice Sunday.

 

 

JA.

 

Thanks Peter.