Who's already paid for their HVX with HVX work?

benandaim said:
Hi,

I was just curious as to how successful the HVX has been for you guys. Since all members of this site have different levels of experience, I thought it would be interesting to share some rough "earnings" figures for fun. I still work full time so i don't get a lot of time to shoot, edit and whatnot but personally in 6 months i've clocked up about $2,500 (all SD stuff) AUD it's not a lot, But what i have done with this cam has been effortless!

Thanks in advance for sharing :)
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We own one HVX , an HP AMD laptop with DVackHD + Ext HD, A Home made steady, Etc, and have made 4 TV comercials and 2 short features, all our gear cost about US$ 20.000 and give us abou US$ 50.000 in about 9 months
 
That's a really good result, Well i think it's confirmed "I am officially the least profitable HVX user on EARTH!!!" ...LOL ah well! It's truly astonishing how much money some of u guys r making off this badass camera. I mean i'm sitting here looking at my HVX, It's so small and innocent looking but my god "hasn't it presented us with endless opportunities"
 
ben... profitablility is really not just about dollars brought in.. but personal enjoyment and professional growth. I couldn't be happier about the camera if I never made a dime. I really bought it for my TV show that I'm doing and for a couple of documentaries and personal projects. I wanted to own a high end camera without the high end price. I didn't want to have to rent an expensive camera to shoot them on.. so the HVX was the vehicle to make it all happen.

Things are good if you are getting the results you want. Making cash is not always the end that you need to be seeking...
 
Well said, Your right. I am having an absolute blast with this camera and gaining valuable experience along the way...the cash will come later!
 
I'm just getting started doing commercial work. I've been doing stuff for about six months and, once I get paid for the two jobs I'm finishing up now, I'll have around $4800. The camera with two P2 cards cost me an even $6000. Not quite there yet but getting there. My biggest problem is that I'm currently in the middle of no where and thus I gotta deal with getting under-bid by buys using dinky mini-DV junk and TV stations still using Beta SP.
 
Paid off on first gig (with 17" monitor RAIDS, FS-100, MBPro & the works)
Currently busy paing my house, cars, children, Red, beer & Graemes choice of excellent whiskies.

Hope it stays that way for a year or so...
I'll employ! -;)

Gunleik
 
My story with the HVX (and DVX) is quite unique: (This is going to be a loong post)

I work for a the local tourism Bureau. Its very dinamic, and actually is one of the best praised departments of the government. However, they never had their own production work. I came into this organization with everything to prove. I was (and still am) a young filmmaker/producer out of film school with one and a half year of experience at the local TV station. When I came in, no one knew what was possible to do. So they gave me a budget of 10 000 euros to buy filming and editing equipment. I bought a Sony PD170 and a PC with Premiere pro, after effects and other software. Bought a canopus DVrex- back then. I already owned a DVX myself, and didn't want the job to buy one, mainly because the Sony product seemed format wise (DVCAM) more professional. They started to assign me some common ENG jobs- event coverage. However, the potential to do more, like commercial videos, docummentaries, event promotions, etc. was there. There was, in fact, very little knowledge of how having an own independent audiovisual production team could improve drastically the value of tourism promotion. I started to use the DVX for some in house event specific promotions, and used the Sony for ENG. I started to also use my own equipment, like tripods, my very own Glidecam and many other things in order to raise the production value of my work. After that, I proposed doing some Commercials for local TV, done on DV. I did, but competed with an local outsource company. I ended up winning. So I started to do more.

Since I always wanted to do short film production, the DVX was a veery good practice tool and I did do some small short with it. However, I felt the DVX was still not the camera that could give me the results I wanted, and I heard about the HVX. So I bought one on the day it was released here, with my own money. And what have I done with it? Two international TV spots which I'm very proud of. I can look at the footage and say: This picture quality doesn't pale vs all the film and Expensive HD shot commercials. The Last commercial I shot was for the Local Grand Prix. The clip was so well received that The Board decided to upgrade all my equipment. This time, I got a much bigger budget to buy the equipment I need. Suffice to say, now we have an independent studio with great audio, video and post production equipment. And that's thanks to the HVX.

Many people said I was crazy to invest so much of my own money on my pay job. However, if I didn't do so, I would have learned as much as I did, and wouldn't have raised my portfolio the way I did.

And now I'm much more confident on doing an acceptable short film.

And that's my challenge for this year: Filmmaking.

(Sorry about the rant- too long.)
 
Bought the camera... client paid for 2 x 8 gig P2 cards.. sold them back 3 more shows.. camera well and truly paid for..

But as stated before...if there just was not so many other toys to buy....

PS.. just curious how many Aussie users we have... I'm based in Canberra...
 
A great example and model for growth. That's what I did with my HVX and didnt' worry about the cost and went over my budget.. but its been so worth that investment. Sometimes though a camera might be a rental one as it's into another league.. like the Red. BUT... if there's a paying market for it here in Orlando then that would be a cam I'd consider owning again. Hard to say but with more HD sets going out there.. more demand and being positioned to deliver HD is not a bad place to be right now... Remember how much a fully functional Beta camera and edit package cost 10 years ago... that's where DV came in..

SPZ said:
My story with the HVX (and DVX) is quite unique: (This is going to be a loong post)

I work for a the local tourism Bureau. Its very dinamic, and actually is one of the best praised departments of the government. However, they never had their own production work. I came into this organization with everything to prove. I was (and still am) a young filmmaker/producer out of film school with one and a half year of experience at the local TV station. When I came in, no one knew what was possible to do. So they gave me a budget of 10 000 euros to buy filming and editing equipment. I bought a Sony PD170 and a PC with Premiere pro, after effects and other software. Bought a canopus DVrex- back then. I already owned a DVX myself, and didn't want the job to buy one, mainly because the Sony product seemed format wise (DVCAM) more professional. They started to assign me some common ENG jobs- event coverage. However, the potential to do more, like commercial videos, docummentaries, event promotions, etc. was there. There was, in fact, very little knowledge of how having an own independent audiovisual production team could improve drastically the value of tourism promotion. I started to use the DVX for some in house event specific promotions, and used the Sony for ENG. I started to also use my own equipment, like tripods, my very own Glidecam and many other things in order to raise the production value of my work. After that, I proposed doing some Commercials for local TV, done on DV. I did, but competed with an local outsource company. I ended up winning. So I started to do more.

Since I always wanted to do short film production, the DVX was a veery good practice tool and I did do some small short with it. However, I felt the DVX was still not the camera that could give me the results I wanted, and I heard about the HVX. So I bought one on the day it was released here, with my own money. And what have I done with it? Two international TV spots which I'm very proud of. I can look at the footage and say: This picture quality doesn't pale vs all the film and Expensive HD shot commercials. The Last commercial I shot was for the Local Grand Prix. The clip was so well received that The Board decided to upgrade all my equipment. This time, I got a much bigger budget to buy the equipment I need. Suffice to say, now we have an independent studio with great audio, video and post production equipment. And that's thanks to the HVX.

Many people said I was crazy to invest so much of my own money on my pay job. However, if I didn't do so, I would have learned as much as I did, and wouldn't have raised my portfolio the way I did.

And now I'm much more confident on doing an acceptable short film.

And that's my challenge for this year: Filmmaking.

(Sorry about the rant- too long.)
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I work for an NBA team shooting all their features on players, events, and games. I bought the HVX with a Macbookpro, 2 4gig P2s, tripod, and other misc. back in Aug. The whole package has made its money back and taken my career to some interesting places. There is currently a Show on MSNBC called Warrior Nation that i shot 80% with the HVX. It matched well with other cameras that where usually DVX's.

I really worried about buying the package with everything being 1st generation. Many people i worked with thought it was a high risk and in some ways it was. My friends that bought the DVX100 roughly before the A model came out where telling me to wait for the "A model" of the HVX. But the plan was always to try and pay everything off before the new year or 1Q. Thankfully, the investment worked out. A lot of those people that where telling me to wait are now quickly coming to the conclusion to buy now and figure out this P2 work flow. Most people that I've talked to that bought the HVX when it came out have made their investment back and more. But everyone will admit now that we're all in a rat race for new P2 cards.
 
For me, $450 for a SFX gig put onto 35mm (should be checking it out soon), $700 gig for a Holiday Pageant (SD two camera shoot - other was a VX-2000), $2000 for tear down of house/fund raiser video (waiting for the check!).

Not bad.

:-)
 
Cuantos the Wrestler said:
For me, $450 for a SFX gig put onto 35mm (should be checking it out soon), $700 gig for a Holiday Pageant (SD two camera shoot - other was a VX-2000), $2000 for tear down of house/fund raiser video (waiting for the check!).

Not bad.

:-)
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When do you have time to practice your wrestling moves?:Drogar-BigGrin(DBG)
 
Work

Work

WOW! Its great to see everyone putting their cameras to good use and making some money. My question is, all of you that are making money with your camera, did you have a demo reel to show potential clients for that first gig or did you do a few gigs for free to build up a demo reel?

Thanks
Tim
 
Fxguy said:
WOW! Its great to see everyone putting their cameras to good use and making some money. My question is, all of you that are making money with your camera, did you have a demo reel to show potential clients for that first gig or did you do a few gigs for free to build up a demo reel?

Thanks
Tim
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Neither,

I had existing clients that wanted to start migrating to HD.
 
Fxguy said:
did you have a demo reel to show potential clients for that first gig or did you do a few gigs for free to build up a demo reel?
Tim
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Tim and others:

You might have to do a bit of free work and crew on some projects but it doesn't take fancy equipment to build a little demo reel.

Find some serious actors in local acting classes or local theater and ask them to pick two 2 minute scenes they'd like to do and you'll shoot them. Tell the other actors they have to be extras for each other and then you'll do two for them. They're responsible for props and wardrobe and you're responsible for camera and audio. Beg, borrow and trade other work for equipment. You don't have to have a DVX or HVX, just a cheapo camcorder. Good light is good light, good acting is good acting and good camera work is good camera work. You and them get valuable experience and material for your reels. Win-Win for everyone!

Do two scenes every week and in eight weeks you'll have enough for a short demo that will play fine on the web or on a DVD. You'll have a great time too!

DO NOT try to make a movie or a short; just do a great job with eight good scenes. You need variety not a movie. Make a three minute demo reel out of the eight scenes. Don't do more than one scene of any genre. Keep the blood, violence and profanity to a minimum; most people just use that as a crutch for lack of good dialogue, storyline and acting ability. A little goes a long way.

While you're building your demo reel you need to start tracking down potential clients to show it to. Why bother if you don't have prospects?

See my other posting / Sticky on "How to get started and stay in business". Read it, follow the steps there and here and in six months you'll be on your way. Don't waste money on gear! You can always rent gear, but you can never rent a customer!

http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showthread.php?t=83958

My first demo reel was done on Hi-8 and the first job I got I put half into a full size Sony DVcam camera and the other half into getting more clients. That one stupid demo reel booked a few million dollars worth of business before we had time to do a new one! Frankly, I still like that reel best but the material is dated.

Put down the mouse, pick up the phone and make something happen for yourself! Your competition is!

I've been in business 28 years and still to this day shoot new work on my own dime and my own time for our reel... particularly when we're focusing on breaking into a new client or target market. We shot eight new scenes in the last six weeks, PLUS our normal work.

All the best!

Robert Starling
Producer - Director - Steadicam Operator
Starling Productions, Inc.
Las Vegas, NV
 
<<Who's already paid for their HVX with HVX work?

More importantly, the HVX has paid for it's replacement, the RED and the RED zoom. That's why my RED serial numbers are so high... not that I didn't have faith in the RED concept, but from a business standpoint I wanted the HVX to "prove" the potential worth of the RED, as I'm doing with the HVX what I'd be doing with the RED.

I do mostly VFX and animation, but have done more and more live shoots this year, getting back to my roots. The HVX has been very good for green screen projects, and I specialize in that more and more.

I've got a MAJOR international spot finished as of last week shot entirely with the HVX (I'll post on it as soon as I get the mixed audio back), and three green screen shoots that generate enough VFX work for the entire month of Feb upcoming...

There are many things I don't like about the HVX (including the P2 format), but many things I do. All in all, it's simply a tool and I treat it as such. A far better "tool" is on the near horizon, at which point the HVX will be up for sale...
 
Who's already paid for their HVX with HVX work?
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Done and done - and my HVX isn't even going to be here until Wednesday.
:thumbsup:

Jim Arthurs said:
More importantly, the HVX has paid for it's replacement, the RED and the RED zoom.
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I'm hoping to be right there with you soon.
 
It's taken 6 month's for me to recover the costs of the camera shooting HD & DV. People are just starting to appreciate the HVX here. Finally!
Four jobs already booked for February and lost out on another two jobs cause they were on the same dates. Getting another HVX soon to keep up with demand :happy:


Adam Lokman
Director of Photography
Camworks Solutions
 
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