So you’re an independent creative — maybe you shoot video, take photos, edit, animate, design, or make content. You're your own boss. But let’s be real: being freelance in 2025 isn’t always freedom with a latte. It can feel more like juggling chainsaws. Here are the biggest problems nobody warns you about… and why they matter.

1. Financial Insecurity in the Video Production and Creative Freelance World

Freelance life looks glamorous until payments get delayed or clients disappear. A recent UK-wide survey of freelancers revealed that over two-thirds of freelancers suffered late payments or “ghosting” by clients in 2024 — meaning clients stopped replying or vanished mid-project. That kind of unpredictability makes budgeting, paying rent, or even planning a holiday feel like a high-stakes gamble.

More broadly, a 2024 report found that about one in three UK freelancers don’t feel confident about their long-term future, often due to economic uncertainty or a general market slowdown.

It’s hard to feel secure when there’s no guarantee of steady work — especially if you rely on freelancing as your main income.

This uncertainty often leads creatives to take on every project they can get, even low-paying ones, or stuff outside their core skill set, just to keep the lights on.

2. Mental Health and Isolation

Freelancing might look independent and flexible, but isolation and stress come with the territory. In fact, a 2024-2025 survey of UK freelancers found that 45% reported their mental health got worse over the past year. Add to that uncertainty, late payments, and a lack of support, and it becomes clear why burnout, anxiety, and depression have grown into serious issues within the creative freelance world.

In-fact, the TV and film charity reported that 1/3 of film and TV workers have taken steps to leave the industry.

Many freelancers also report feeling disconnected — lacking a support network, no steady team to lean on, and no structure. Freelancing often means working alone, at odd hours, and juggling multiple gigs just to stay afloat. That pressure wears you down over time.

3. Rising Competition in the Video Production and Creative Sector

Being a freelancer in the video production industry used to be a niche path. Now, everyone’s a freelancer. Accessible gear, social media, and remote work have opened the door for more creatives than ever — and while that’s great for the industry as a whole, it also means that competition is intense.

A 2024 survey found that freelancers are struggling to raise their rates to match inflation, even as living and equipment costs rise. Oversupply pushes prices down and squeezes independents, especially those without a large portfolio or network.

The result is a race to the bottom, where talented people undercharge just to stay competitive.

4. Unpredictable Workload

Being a video production freelancer, you rarely get a comfortable middle ground. Some weeks you're drowning in deadlines, other weeks you're refreshing your inbox and hoping something lands.

A 2024 report found that freelancers in the creative and cultural sectors often face unpredictable gaps between projects, extreme workloads when jobs do come in, and underpayment during busy periods. It's a cycle that leads to financial instability, exhaustion, and burnout.

Because of that inconsistency, even the good months don’t always feel relaxing — you're constantly prepping for the next drought.

5. Lack of Support and Zero Protection

Unlike salaried employees, freelancers get none of the benefits: no sick pay, no holiday pay, no pension contributions, and no real process to chase unpaid invoices beyond costly legal routes.

Only 6% of freelancers felt supported by the UK government during their recent financial struggles. When you’re on your own, even a small setback — illness, a dip in work, a delayed invoice — becomes risky.

This lack of a safety net is one of the biggest contributors to stress and instability in the freelance world.

6. Creative Burnout in the Video Production Industry

Being talented isn’t enough. You also have to constantly promote yourself — creating content, posting, chasing leads, updating portfolios, networking, writing proposals, negotiating rates. It’s a full-time job on its own.

That self-marketing load drains the exact mental energy you need to be creative. It blurs the lines between work and personal life, and before long, you’re always “on” — even when you’re supposed to be off.

7. Devaluation of Creative Work

Clients increasingly expect top-tier results — cinematic video production, polished branding, high-level editing — but often want it at a budget that barely covers the labour.

With more competition and cheaper DIY tools available, many creatives feel that their professional value is being chipped away. This isn’t just annoying — it threatens the survival of independent creatives who rely on fair pay to stay in the industry.

8. Constant Need to Adapt in a Changing Video Production Landscape

The creative industry changes constantly. New cameras, new AI tools, new algorithms, new trends — and you’re expected to keep up, often at your own expense. And video production can get costly, with the gear becoming more expensive every year.

Training takes time. And freelancing doesn’t come with paid professional development. This constant pressure to stay current is one of the most exhausting parts of being independent.

9. No Benefits, No Backup

When you work for a video production company, you get structure, a routine, and—most importantly—security. Freelancers get none of that. No paid time off, no HR team, no workplace support. Everything depends on your ability to keep generating work.

In 2024, many freelancers reported they weren’t confident they could continue long-term under these conditions. That’s not a sign of weakness — it’s a sign of how fragile the system is.

Final Thoughts

The video production industry has always relied on freelancers, yet the culture often overlooks the pressures they face. Independent creatives are the backbone of this industry — they choose freelancing for the freedom to experiment, collaborate widely, and maintain creative control. That independence is what gives their work its edge.

At Dawn Star Productions, we want to protect that. Our mission is to support independent creatives, not squeeze them. We collaborate with freelancers because they bring unique perspectives, fresh ideas, and a creative energy you can’t replicate in-house. By backing them, we’re helping build a healthier, more sustainable creative culture — one where freelancers feel valued, respected, and supported.

The industry works because they do. And at Dawn Star, we’re here to make sure they can keep doing what they do best.

References

• Leapers Survey 2024–2025 via EmployerNews: 45% of UK freelancers report declining mental health.

• Arts and Humanities Council Report 2024: Support for mental health services for the creative community.

• AGF Late Payment Report 2024: Over two-thirds of freelancers faced late payments or ghosting.

• HR Director Study 2024: One in three UK freelancers lack long-term confidence due to economic uncertainty and IR35.

• Arts Council England 2024: Creative and Cultural Freelancers Report.

• Film and TV Charity: photo