Tools of the trade.
WHAT CREATIVE WORK DEPENDS ON
Equipment that works Storage of the work Somewhere to work
WHAT TO ESTABLISH
What equipment is essential and what is aspirational.
WHY
Creative businesses accumulate equipment that does not earn.
WHAT TO ASSESS BEFORE BUYING
Whether it enables work you are actually paid for Whether renting would suit better What it costs to maintain
WHY RENTING MATTERS
Occasionally used equipment is cheaper to rent than to own.
WHAT TO ESTABLISH ABOUT BACKUP
That failure does not stop work.
WHAT TO HAVE
Backup for anything whose failure would prevent delivery.
WHY
Equipment fails during jobs, not between them.
WHAT TO ESTABLISH ABOUT FILE STORAGE
That work is backed up, automatically, in more than one place.
WHY
Losing client work is unrecoverable and it ends relationships.
WHAT TO BACK UP
Working files Delivered work Project records
WHAT TO ESTABLISH ABOUT ARCHIVES
How long work is retained, and where.
WHY
Clients return years later, and archives have licensing value.
WHAT STUDIO OR WORKSPACE REQUIRES
Space appropriate to the work Power, reliably Acoustic treatment, for audio work Security Insurance
WHY SECURITY
Creative equipment is portable, valuable and targeted.
WHAT TO INSURE
Equipment, including away from the premises.
WHY
Standard cover frequently excludes equipment in use elsewhere.
WHAT TO ESTABLISH
Whether hiring out the facility is worthwhile.
WHY
Idle studio capacity is a cost.
