Do I Offer Contracting Services? Here's the Real Answer.
Short answer: Yes.
Long answer: Keep reading—because if you're a production house or a studio looking to bring me on board, I want to be transparent about how I operate.
I run a full-service studio—but yes, I contract.
At C King Media we’re a full-service photo and video studio. That means we handle everything—from client consultations to production and post. Most of our work comes directly from our clients—corporate, commercial, events, you name it.
But even with a full calendar, I (Charles King, lead shooter and founder) do accept contract work. Not because I need to, but because I enjoy it when the project is a good fit or the schedule allows. Contracting gives me the opportunity to work with other creatives, get out of my normal groove, and sometimes just knock out a cool gig without having to handle the entire client experience.
I’m not a career freelancer. And that matters.
Many talented folks in this space are full-time freelancers—working camera ops, assistants, and more—who rely on contracting for 100% of their income. They rarely manage their own client load, and instead work job-to-job under other studios.
That's not my setup.
C King Media is a business. I have my own clients, recurring projects, and brand to manage. So when I do accept contract work, it’s not from a place of desperation—it’s a mutual opportunity. Which brings me to the important part...
Pricing: It’s about fairness, not flat rates.
You’ll find plenty of contractors out here with one-size-fits-all rates. That’s not how I work. Why? Because not every job is created equal—and I’ve learned (the hard way) that some studios will take advantage of that.
For example: I’ve worked with national production houses where I handled nearly the entire shoot—pre-pro, day-of coordination, client-facing, gear, camera op, and even the edit. The producer? Just cc’d on the email chain. And when I found out what they charged the client compared to what I was paid, let’s just say the numbers were insulting.
So no—I don’t publish flat rates. I ask smart questions:
What’s the total budget?
What are the deliverables?
What level of creative or technical responsibility is expected of me?
Then I build my rate accordingly—fair to me, and fair to the studio hiring me.
Camera op, DP, full production… what do I actually offer?
I contract as:
Camera Operator (with or without gear)
Director of Photography / Lead Shooter
Multi-cam Director or Technical Director
Livestream Specialist
Post-Production (when it’s a fit)
Or full turnkey production crew under the C King Media brand as a referral or contractor
If I’m just being called in as a shooter, cool. If you need someone to take the reins and handle the shoot like it’s my own job, I can do that too—because I do it every day for my own clients.
TL;DR: I contract. But I do it my way.
If you’re a studio, agency, or brand looking for top-tier support—from a pro who knows how to run shoots, handle clients, give a great experience and hospitality, and deliver on deadline—reach out. Just know I’m not some $400/day freelancer. I bring experience, gear, and results.
Want to talk numbers? Let’s talk project first.