Any graphic designers here working for Odesk?

Question

Freelance

Friends, I am looking for fellow designers (namely, graphic designers, not Web), who regularly work on foreign freelance exchanges.
I plan to smoothly switch from Russian freelance to foreign countries, I have a few questions.
1. How is the content legality? if here we buy photos from the shutter for a penny and use fonts obtained ... hmm .. in different ways, then how are things going there? do we need to attach files with a license to all layouts that we make? :)
2. Differences in technical requirements for layouts: are there any major differences in preparing files for printing? or Russian standards - suitable? The same question about formats: are standard formats used: a5, a4, a3, (I only know about the difference in business card layouts), or do they have their own standards? Where to read? :)
3. How long did it take to enter the market from "registered" to "received the first order" and "working steadily"?
4. Basically, is the client directly the customer, or an intermediary?
I would be very grateful for the answers, I want to be more or less prepared, especially given the triplet English (although my husband freelances with good English, I count on his help at first).

Answer 1

I don’t work for Upwork (Odesk), but I have been freelancing for a long time; I also work with foreigners.
1) Things with the legality of content are the same as everywhere else: not caught - not a thief. Of course, you can take risks, but ask yourself - what if you get caught? Therefore, it is better to do the right thing: inform customers that they will have to pay separately for photos, fonts, graphics.
2) Formats need to be studied separately, in different countries they can be quite different. There is nothing complicated - wiki to help. As for prepress preparation - in fact it is exactly the same, the difference can only be hidden in the features of a particular printing house, but I have not encountered any problems. On the contrary, it is much more difficult to negotiate with Russian tipuhas, because they hire dilettantes for a meager salary.
3) Here you will hear many different stories - someone immediately joins the stream, someone generally fails. It is important to seek and not give up. The seeker will find. Don't limit yourself to just upwork. I came across foreigners through Russian freelancing thanks to a penny order for freelancing.ru, and since then I have been working with them.
4) Mostly on the stock exchanges, direct employers, who, as a rule, are looking for direct performers (no one likes intermediaries).
By the way, don't brush aside web design, it's a very interesting field, your printing will only help you in its development (as I did in my time, when I was sick of drawing waste paper)
PS: now I'm also freelancing with my wife :)

Answer 2

1) most often we ask you to buy all the customer, and it does not depend on whether Russian or not Russian freelance.
2) usually the customer says in what format he needs, like there are no special differences.
3) anyone who works well quickly enters the market.
4) Mainly customers