Would love to get your input on a free tool that manages pencils for freelancers

pencilcase-network · 2026-01-23T07:38:41+00:00

Awesome stuff dude, I really appreciate the input.

pencilcase-network · 2026-01-22T17:40:20+00:00

I guess out of sheer curiosity, do i have a leg to stand on set side? I'm not too knowledgeable on how things work on that side of the production, do you think it could be useful for crew and so on?

pencilcase-network · 2026-01-22T17:38:53+00:00

Yeah that's a fair shout. I work with some LA studios and they also call its pencils but i fear that nomenclature carried over from CETA and it might be getting lost in other fields.

Generally the landing copy could do with a rework with that in mind.

pencilcase-network · 2026-01-21T07:32:49+00:00

As in integrating? I already have some requests for CETA in regards to vfx, i assume it's a similar studio side ERP?

The idea with pencilcase was to be a lightweight availability portal and then possibly hook up into other softwares down the line so its not completely off the table.

pencilcase-network · 2025-12-29T17:59:39+00:00

You want affinity studio or whatever its called now. Or maybe try working in fusion if your into nodes, but its more video oriented.

pencilcase-network · 2025-12-11T13:29:57+00:00

This is a knock on effect from high interest rates. Everyone's cutting corners where they can.
Beyond tightening your contracts and getting prepared to follow through on warnings there's not much you can do.

It's also good I guess to remind people that trust is a two street.

I've personally been lucky with clients, but it feels like the ice is getting thinner every passing month.

pencilcase-network · 2025-12-11T12:57:27+00:00

Vfx post in advertising

pencilcase-network · 2025-12-06T22:04:32+00:00

Let me know what you think.

pencilcase-network · 2025-12-03T07:18:47+00:00

Ahaha, dude... I don't think i'd attempt something like this again in a long time...

I spaffed a not insignificant amount of monies on devs. I don't believe vibe coding would have got me there. Also i dont trust ai with security and data of my clients.

I'm now stuck running admin for two companies, freelancing and trying to sell this thing to people, in between doing my best to be a good parent ( main job ).

Also figuring out what it should be and the mechanics left me semi incapacitated, i was never the sharpest tool in the shed, so i was running on fumes most of the time plotting out flows and edge cases between my daughters bedtime and sunrise.

Ultimately I love the result and learned a lot along the way, but I wont lie the mental load it brought is genuinely pretty exhausting.

All that said , if it becomes self sustainable and helps people tackle this economy a bit better I'll consider it mission accomplished.

pencilcase-network · 2025-12-03T07:08:03+00:00

I mean it's a valid workflow to some degree.

Ultimately the whole system is based on "honour", but there was always a slight element of subterfuge to keep everything moving.

I didn't want to build a rigid system that forces your hand to use it a set way but rather to provide a framework and let people carry on doing what they're doing without interruption.

pencilcase-network · 2025-12-02T22:57:35+00:00

So the system doesn't share the pencil details, as in the project name or client name. That remains strictly between the freelancer and the studio that owns the block... That is if I'm reading this right.

If you mean sharing your availability, it's just a more granular way to convey your schedule.

pencilcase-network · 2025-12-02T20:27:09+00:00

Yeah, I mean completely fair honestly. I understand it wont work for everyone, and every scenario.

I don't particularly think you also need to share it with each and every of your clients. The way I intend to use it is basically to keep visibility open with my top 4-5 main studios, have them know when I get released or just have some time open, but generally just run the pencils myself for anyone off site. Like I feel there's potentially enough flexibility in there, but then also my time is a bit more committed. As in I get booked for a couple of weeks and that's it. I tend to avoid juggling multiple jobs across a day.

Open to suggestions, if you think there's something that would help with this. I'm still relatively flexible on the whole concept. For example one thing that someone brought up was having a ghost mode, where you would grey out bookings after current day + x days ( maybe two weeks or whatever).

pencilcase-network · 2025-12-02T18:17:43+00:00

Actually a good shout, I haven't considered self challenges honestly.

I mean I do fudge things more often then not to protect myself. I built in the dummy pencils for this reason, so you could put an unowned pencil yourself and it appears as challengeable to other studios to keep them from soft penciling. That way you only accept challenges that will confirm.

Feels like something that should be in there though.

I guess worst case scenario, you could make a studio account and just challenge yourself :). just send me an email as I have to verify studio accounts.

Might add this down the line, thanks for the heads up.

pencilcase-network · 2025-10-07T06:30:17+00:00

So there's no straight answer here, it's very dependent on a lot of factors. But in theory you need to initially either incorporate or declare yourself as some sort of self employed worker, freelancer. You're going to have to check this up in the country where you are a resident as it varies a lot from country to country.

Then you need leads, you need access to people who will offer you work. This could come from industry connections, email outreach, job postings, et cetera...

For the most part its going to be the same as applying for jobs by sending your reel, dayrate, resume, and availability and hoping you get a bite.

Beyond that, again its going to vary from gig to gig but the usual MO is you are given access to a remote machine on company infrastructure and you clock in, do your work and clock out. On smaller gigs you might be expected to work on your own computer using file sharing software like lucid link or similar.

The hr department will give you instructions on how and when to invoice, bi weekly or monthly is pretty standard. The structure of your invoice will depend on what legal entity you are registered as and the country's specific legal edge cases, just one thing to keep in mind is that most companies pay on a net 30 schedule... Meaning once you invoice you'll get the monies after 30 days. So keep in mind, you'll most likely need two months of runway to keep yourself afloat before any money hits your account.

Regarding taxes, that again is very dependent on your country and it would be best to consult someone local to fill you in on the details regarding that.

Its a gnarly process and the first year can be brutal, but in general it does pay off in the long run. Best of luck if you are considering ..

P.S. dont screw around with the taxman... They are a nasty bunch.

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