Production Services: A new string to our bow

Since 1984 our main focus has always been promoting uk-based illustration, design and photography freelancers to advertising, design, publishing and marketing professionals worldwide.

However there are many associated service providers to the commercial and creative industries that the companies and individuals we are already promoting  to, and indeed the creatives already on our books, would also be interested to find out about – so it’s time to spread our wings!

Pre-production services, post-production services, suppliers and specialists: The more diverse our roster, the more valuable we are as a resource to potential clients at ad-agencies, design groups and publishers, which can only serve to create more opportunity and benefit for everyone involved.

Here’s a list of relevant areas we’re keen to build approved listings in over the next few months:

Illustration & Graphic Design, Photography & Videography, 2D, 3D, Stop-motion & Mechanical Animation, Software, Application & UI Design, Copywriters, Proof-readers & Authors, Social Marketing, Services & Design, After-Effects, Motion & Broadcast Design, Models, Actors & Voice-overs, Music Composition & SFX, Model-makers, Cardboard & Paper Design, Scenery/Set Design & Build, Photo Re-touching & Scanning, Video Editing, Finishing & Effects, Home Economists & Food Styling, Photo Retouching, Restoration & Enhancement, Prop hire & Interior Stylists, Hair, Make-up and Prosthetic Make-up stylists, Location & Studio Hire, Specialist Email and UI Designers, and anything else similar that you think we’ve missed out!

If you know any UK professionals working in these disciplines click here to send yourself an application email and please forward it to them and share on your social networks to help us find those who qualify.  Share the love!

Alternatively, if you have another string to your own bow and provide associated services, click here to apply.

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Contact is now an agent-free zone!

We’ve recently made a very big change to the way Contact Creative UK works and more importantly; who it works for. As of the beginning of 2016, we no longer actively promote on behalf of agents or solely represented creatives.

We’re all about the independents now, and that’s the way it’s going to stay. Capiche?

This return to our original ethos is a reaction to current market conditions; which we believe are making it tougher for independent creatives and production service providers to get noticed.

We have nothing against agents, most do a very good job for the artists they represent.

However our fundamental philosophy has always been that all freelance creatives should be able to compete on an even playing field  – it shouldn’t matter what an agent or competition panel thinks of their work, nor how aggressive they are at marketing themselves. Any professional freelance creative should have the right to be judged on the quality of their artwork and proven ability to deliver in a commercial environment.

With the onset of online and social marketing clients have the world at their fingertips and creatives can market themselves for free, so it’s like that already right?

Well Contact have good reason to believe otherwise. We spoke directly with thousands of commissioners whilst identifying recipients for the latest Contact Creative Annual and something we heard time and time again is that it can be time consuming and difficult to identify the best creatives for the job in the current online marketplace, and with so many options to choose from there is more risk of getting it wrong.

This has the unfortunate duel-effect of driving new clients towards agent representatives due to their increased online presence and apparent guarantee of quality , whilst simultaneously the rates being offered to independent freelancers are being driven down

With this in mind, we came-up with the idea of Contact Approved Free Listings – a way of creating a truly trustworthy online directory of commercially experienced professionals where commissioners can search, check, compare and review with 100% confidence.

Click here to find out more about this exciting new venture or if you’re independent uk-based creative click here to apply for a free listing

Contact Creative: Approved Free Listings

Over the past 30 years Contact has developed a large and loyal customer base and is recognised as a trustworthy resource by commissioners of creative talent across the UK and Europe, but after some blue sky thinking we’ve decided to take a massive leap forward.

Contact Creative UK are offering any uk-based creative with a proven track-record of satisfying clients at a commercial level a free listing on contact-creative.com!

Free listing accounts will display contact details, web and social links, a single image and 3 client reviews. To apply creatives and service providers just need to fill out a quick online form, providing contact details and 3 client references for us to check.

Once we receive approval from the referees the account will go live, providing a transparent and unbiased stamp of approval that potential clients who are researching online can find and review, providing direct contact details in the process.

We’ll also fire out an update on social networks for all to see – a bit of free promotion to say thanks for being good at your job.

In this way we are looking to quickly build a vast, valuable and highly visible resource where potential commissioners from all over the world can check to ensure the UK creative or service provider they are looking at is real, reliable and trustworthy.

The UK boasts many of the finest creative minds in the world and has a rich heritage in innovation, invention and creative thought… time to show off about it.

If you are an independent creative or service provider to the creative industry then please click here to apply for your free contact approved online listing.

To help the cause, click here to be sent an application email to forward it on and share on social networks so it can be found by any commercially active uk-based creatives or production service providers that want to try and qualify for a free account.

Get involved; be a champion for UK independent creatives and service providers.