The 5-Minute Freelancer Q&A #40 — Kalli Anderson
In this regular feature, Story Board asks Canadian freelancers to share a few details about their work habits and their strategies for navigating the ups and downs of freelance life.
Photo by Jenna Wakani
Kalli Anderson is an award-winning freelance audio producer, filmmaker and journalist based in Toronto.
She has produced radio documentaries, news reports and current affairs segments for CBC Radio. Her writing has appeared in publications such as The Walrus, Chatelaine, Today’s Parent, and The Globe and Mail. Her short films have screened in festivals across North America.
Kalli also teaches multimedia reporting. documentary production and feature writing at Ryerson University School of Journalism.
She spoke with Story Board recently about the value of working in a variety of media, the ways in which teaching complements her journalism, and the importance of sharing information among freelancers.
You work in a lot of different media — print, audio, film. What are the challenges of balancing all of those various skills?
I see it differently than it being a challenge. I’ve always consciously tried to be able to be skilled in different media because I think that helps me get different kinds of work, which has practical implications.
But also a journalist and as a documentary maker, I really like to be able to think “what medium would be best for this story or for this material?” I think it helps me do different kinds of work creatively if I have the ability to do it in these different media — because I don’t think all stories fit super well as a magazine piece.
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Off the Wire: News for the Canadian media freelancer Feb 20-25
Once a week, we gather stories about the media business, journalism, writing, communications, and freelancing—with a Canadian focus—and share them in Off the Wire. Who needs a water cooler?
From Canada:
- What layoffs at Elle Canada, Style at Home and Canadian Living mean for the future of print [J-Source]
- Alberta Views short fiction contest open [Alberta Views]
- CBC and CMG Reach a Tentative Deal [CMG]
From The U.S. and beyond:
- Rookie mistakes freelancers make when they launch a business [Creative Boom]
- What to look for before writing a story about an academic study [CJR]
- Four tips for building your professional brand [Freelancers Union]
- These 4 questions might be preventing you from starting a side hustle [Inc]
- Bounce back from burnout with these three simple steps [Freelancers Union]
- How to work at peak productivity–and know when to take a break [Fast Company]
Recently on Story Board:
- Freelancer-related highlights of the CMG’s tentative agreement with CBC: The proposed agreement will provide more clarity to distinguish between the various types of freelance engagements. The CMG will have access to additional contact information for freelancers to improve communication about their rights. As well, we negotiated freelance rate increases in line with the across-the-board wage increases for other members…
- Public Lending Right program’s 2019 registration period now open: If you’re a Canadian author, illustrator or photographer with one or more published books, it’s time to register for the Public Lending Right Program. The program is a Canada Council for the Arts initiative that sends payments every year to creators whose books are in Canadian public libraries…
Spot a story you think we should include in next week’s Off the Wire? Email the link to editor@thestoryboard.ca or tweet us at @storyboard_ca.
Freelancer-related highlights of the CMG’s tentative agreement with CBC
The Canadian Media Guild’s bargaining committee reached a tentative agreement with the CBC earlier this month. Highlights of the tentative agreement as it relates to freelancers are as follows:
The proposed agreement will provide more clarity to distinguish between the various types of freelance engagements. The CMG will have access to additional contact information for freelancers to improve communication about their rights. As well, we negotiated freelance rate increases in line with the across-the-board wage increases for other members.
You can find more information about the CMG’s tentative agreement with CBC on the CMG website.
If you have any questions about the contracts you’ve been given for your freelance work at CBC, you can email CMG Freelance president Don Genova anytime at freelance@cmg.ca.
Public Lending Right Program’s 2019 registration period now open
If you’re a Canadian author, illustrator or photographer with one or more published books, it’s time to register for the Public Lending Right Program. The program is a Canada Council for the Arts initiative that sends payments every year to creators whose books are in Canadian public libraries.
This year’s registration period runs until May 1, 2019. To register, you’ll need to fill out and mail in a signed registration form along with photocopies of the title page, copyright page and table of contents of the book or books you’ve contributed to.
If you’ve already registered but you have new books to add to your file, fill out the blue file update form you’ll receive in the mail over the next few weeks. Forms should arrive by March 27 and need to be returned before May. If you don’t receive a form by the end of March, you can contact program administrators at plr@canadacouncil.ca.
The minimum payment the program will send out is $50. The maximum payment issued in 2017 was $3,521.
For details on eligibility criteria or the application process, see the Public Lending Right Program’s website.
Off the Wire: News for the Canadian media freelancer Feb 12-19
Once a week, we gather stories about the media business, journalism, writing, communications, and freelancing—with a Canadian focus—and share them in Off the Wire. Who needs a water cooler?
From Canada:
- Bail out journalists, not their bosses [J-Source]
- Workers at BuzzFeed declare intention to unionize [Globe and Mail]
- BuzzFeed Canada staff file to unionize [CWA Canada]
- If you read this statement it will tell you why BuzzFeed Canada is unionizing [Medium]
- Data storytelling in a diversifying field [J-Source]
- Let’s talk about rates, baby! [PWAC Toronto]
From The U.S. and beyond:
- 4 ways to create and maintain a writing habit [The Write Life]
- How freelancers can battle imposter syndrome [The Freelancer]
- In open letter, freelancers demand fairer pay and better treatment [IJNet]
- Am I too expensive? Asks every freelancer, ever. Spoiler: no! [Mediabistro]
- 8 books that will improve your freelancing in 2019 [Freelancers Union]
- Young reporters find news ways to break into journalism [Financial Times]
Recently on Story Board:
- Audio rate card survey aims to empower freelance producers: A group of freelance producers are running a survey of freelance audio production rates in an effort to gain a better understanding of how much producers are charging for their services across the country…
- SABEW Canada’s 2018 Best In Business Awards are open for submissions: Freelance business writers, it’s time to apply for the SABEW Canada Best in Business awards. Submissions opened this week for the 5th annual awards program, which covers work published, broadcast and posted during the 2018 calendar year…
- BuzzFeed Canada staff file to unionize: The Canadian Media Guild (CMG), media union CWA Canada’s biggest local, is filing with the Ontario Labour Relations Board and the Canada Industrial Relations Board after a majority of the 10 BuzzFeed staff in Toronto signed union cards…
Spot a story you think we should include in next week’s Off the Wire? Email the link to editor@thestoryboard.ca or tweet us at @storyboard_ca.
Audio rate card survey aims to empower freelance producers
If you do freelance audio production work, you’re invited to contribute to the creation of a rate card for Canadian audio producers.
Freelance producers Michelle Macklem, Aliya Pabani, Jess Shane, and Kalli Anderson are running a survey of freelance audio production rates in an effort to gain a better understanding of how much producers are charging for their services across the country.
Once they collect enough responses, they’ll compile them into an accessible format to serve as a guideline for independent audio producers.
“From my experience, a lot of us have been having these conversations offline for years, and we felt it was valuable to create some public resources, especially for producers who are just starting out,” Macklem told Story Board via email this week. “If we can all get a sense of how much we charge, it empowers producers to set rates with reasonable expectations.”
Macklem said she’s seen producers enter the industry passionate about their work, only to burn out after months of working contracts with no stability and low pay. Despite drastic increases to the cost of living in Canada’s major cities, she said, pay rates have not risen to reflect this change.
“Talking about money is hard,” she said. “We hope that this survey can help alleviate that stress and provide support around what fair pay looks like.”
You can take the Canadian audio rate card survey right here. The group is hoping for over 50 responses by the time they close the survey at the end of February. And stay tuned to Story Board — we’ll share details about the audio rate card when they become available.
SABEW Canada’s 2018 Best in Business Awards are open for submissions
Freelance business writers, it’s time to apply for the SABEW Canada Best in Business awards. Submissions opened this week for the 5th annual awards program, which covers work published, broadcast and posted during the 2018 calendar year.
There are 15 categories for this year’s awards, including new categories for outstanding achievement, best young journalist, and best trade article. Entries are judged by a panel of business writers.
Freelancers who wish to submit their work must be SABEW members in good standing. The regular entry fee is $45 (USD) with a special discounted entry fee for freelancers of $30 (USD).
The deadline for entries is March 1, and the awards will be handed out in Toronto on April 17.
For detailed guidelines or to enter your work for an award, check out SABEW Canada’s website. For more information, email bib@sabew.org.
BuzzFeed Canada staff file to unionize
TORONTO – Canadian staff at digital media company BuzzFeed have officially filed for union certification.
The Canadian Media Guild (CMG), media union CWA Canada’s biggest local, is filing with the Ontario Labour Relations Board and the Canada Industrial Relations Board after a majority of the 10 BuzzFeed staff in Toronto signed union cards.
The filing comes in concert with similar actions by BuzzFeed workers in the United States and Germany. It is part of a wave of recent unionization in the media industry. VICE Canada staff joined CMG and CWA Canada in 2016 and secured their first contract in 2017.
In a mission statement, BuzzFeed Canada staff said they want to secure their working conditions and improve transparency through collective bargaining: “The ongoing volatility of the industry makes it necessary for workers to have a voice.”
“Our move to unionize is not born from a lack of trust in BuzzFeed’s leadership, but rather as a move to build a sustainable relationship that’s mutually beneficial,” it states. “We believe that collective bargaining is the best means to achieve that goal.”
CWA Canada President Martin O’Hanlon, a veteran journalist, said the union drive is about protecting quality jobs and journalism – and about fairness.
“We all want BuzzFeed to succeed; that’s good for everyone. We think the best way to make that happen is by treating workers as respected professionals and giving them a real voice in the workplace with the power to negotiate wages and working conditions.”
CMG President Kamala Rao noted that BuzzFeed workers have already mobilized and are poised to build on those efforts.
“Workers at BuzzFeed have demonstrated the impact of joining together publicly to defend each other, including to protect employees’ deferred earnings, like paid time off. A negotiated collective agreement will further codify such rights,” Rao said. “We are delighted to welcome fellow media workers from BuzzFeed in Canada into the Canadian Media Guild.”
Off the Wire: News for the Canadian media freelancer Feb 5-11
Once a week, we gather stories about the media business, journalism, writing, communications, and freelancing—with a Canadian focus—and share them in Off the Wire. Who needs a water cooler?
From Canada:
- Let’s talk about rates, baby! [PWAC Toronto]
- More devastating cuts at The Canadian Press [CMG]
- Torontoist has been acquired by Daily Hive [Torontoist]
- Tracking the gender gap in Canadian media [J-Source]
- An optimist’s guide to starting out in Canadian journalism [Canadaland]
From The U.S. and beyond:
- How Freelancers are Reshaping the Law Around the Country [The Freelancer]
- Where to pitch, based on data from the website, Who Pays Writers? [CJR]
- If time is money, let’s value both [Freelancers Union]
- Meet the 26-year-old who has been laid off three times [CJR]
- 2019 Writing Contests You Should Consider Entering [Freelance Writing Jobs]
- The businesses demanding the ‘free’ from freelancers [BBC]
Recently on Story Board:
- Next CBC Doc Makers Program deadline March 5: CBC employees, temps, and experienced Canadian audio freelancers are invited to pitch sound-rich, unique stories to the programs. If your application is successful, you’ll be paired with a mentor who will help you put your documentary together…
- Finding Better Clients Through Positioning: In theory I knew what I needed—fewer, higher paying clients—but I was tired of guessing and muddling my way through. I wanted someone to draw me a road map. In December, I hired a coach to help me through the process…
- CMG Freelance resolution for 2019: CMG Freelance president Don Genova has some advice for you now that we’re into 2019…
Spot a story you think we should include in next week’s Off the Wire? Email the link to editor@thestoryboard.ca or tweet us at @storyboard_ca.
Next CBC Doc Makers deadline March 5
Audio freelancers, the next deadline for CBC Radio’s Doc Makers mentorship program is March 5. There are three programs accepting applications: the Doc Mentorship Program, the Current’s Advanced Doc Maker Program and the Emerging Indigenous Doc Maker Program.
CBC employees, temps, and experienced Canadian audio freelancers are invited to pitch sound-rich, unique stories to the programs. If your application is successful, you’ll be paired with a mentor who will help you put your documentary together. Mentors are associated with a variety of CBC programs, including The Sunday Edition, Ideas, and Now or Never.
For more information about the three programs and what they’re looking for, check out CBC’s Doc Makers website. The site also has plenty of advice on a wide variety of audio documentary-related topics, including focusing a pitch, interviewing, and telling stories with sound.
If you have questions about the program, you can email docmentorships@cbc.ca.
