Apr 11 • 📺 Visual Media Tips/Thoughts
The work that did not pay upfront is what paid me later
Let me share something I wish more creators understood earlier in this "visual media" industry.
The moment you decide you are going to take this career seriously, whether that is composing, producing, or creating in any lane, you are already stepping into a long game.
There is no version of this where it happens fast.
What most people see is the main road.
The obvious path.
The one tied to upfront money, quick wins, and immediate results.
That path is real. You should be on it.
But there is another road running alongside it.
Less obvious. Slower at first. No big upfront payoff.
Just work that builds over time.
Same destination. Same goal. A different way of getting there.
Early on, I made the decision to take both.
I stayed on the main (one) road. But I also took opportunities that did not always pay upfront.
I focused on building something, not just earning something.
I said yes to work that gave me ownership, gained experience, and volume in the form of a writer’s share.
I treated every piece like it mattered, even when it felt small.
Why? ......
Because that work does not disappear.
It compounds. It stacks.
One piece turns into ten.Ten turns into a hundred.
A hundred turns into something that starts working for you long after the work is done.
For me, that window was 2012 to 2015.
During that time, I was still on my main path, building my career as a composer.
But alongside that, I was contributing to catalogs every chance I got.
Some of it went directly into catalogs.Most of it went through publishers who had direct relationships with working music supervisors. So the pipeline was simple.
From my DAW to the publisher to the music supervisor to the editor that placed it directly into picture
That was it.
No middle confusion. No waiting around.
Just consistent output going straight into real opportunities to be placed.
That is when everything shifts. You stop chasing every dollar.
You start collecting from the work you already did.
That is how I built.
-----
Over time, that path put me in a position to build Paint The Noise.
Not just for myself, but to create opportunities for other creators who are serious about building something long-term.
But here is the part I want anyone reading this to really read.
Whether you ever work with me, know PTN, or take part in anything connected to it, this still applies to you.
You are going to be presented with opportunities.
Some will pay upfront. Some will not. Some will look small. Some will not look like what you expected.
The mistake most creators make is only moving when the money is immediate.
That keeps you on the "one road."
If you want to build something that lasts, you have to recognize opportunities that move you forward, even if they do not pay right away.
That is how you build a catalog. That is how you build leverage. That is how you can build something that grows beyond the moment.
So when something comes your way, ask yourself a better question.
Not just "what does this pay right now?"
But instead, "Does this help build where I am going?"
If it does, take it seriously.
Show up. Stay consistent.
Set the ego aside and respect the work, opportunities, and give it your all.
Because both roads lead to the same place.
A real, working career that can sustain you.
The difference is, one road leaves you with something that keeps paying you long after the work is done.
16
18 comments
The work that did not pay upfront is what paid me later
powered by
skool.com/ptn-pulse-6707
PTN Pulse is the starting point for serious creators in music and A/V. Real drops, real rhythm, no ego. Just signal... before the Broadcast.
Suggested communities
Powered by