How much should i charge to film a live band?

Ferret Lady

Ferret Lady

Well-known member
Hey guys, I'm sure this is the wrong category for this but i really can't figure out the right one, so i apologize for that.

anyways i'm just starting out with filming, as i just got my first camera, a canon xh a1 a few months ago. i've been using final cut express for about a year. a few weeks ago, i filmed my friends band performing live to get some good experience. i had a second camera man with a dvx100.

aside from the shitty sound i got from the sound board (must have done something wrong, i'm thinking), i got some fairly good footage. and as a result, i already have another band asking me if i can film them, and what do i charge.

I could tell them it's for free again, but how much do you think i should charge if i decided to? for the other band, i've been working tirelessly ediding the footage, turning each song into its own video for internet distribution (facebook, youtube,expsoureroom.com etc.)

i just don't know what to do because i'm not entirely confident in my services at this time. but maybe i'm just too hard on myself. well, what do you guys think?
 
scratchpatchfilms said:
Hey guys, I'm sure this is the wrong category for this but i really can't figure out the right one, so i apologize for that.

anyways i'm just starting out with filming, as i just got my first camera, a canon xh a1 a few months ago. i've been using final cut express for about a year. a few weeks ago, i filmed my friends band performing live to get some good experience. i had a second camera man with a dvx100.

aside from the shi*ty sound i got from the sound board (must have done something wrong, i'm thinking), i got some fairly good footage. and as a result, i already have another band asking me if i can film them, and what do i charge.

I could tell them it's for free again, but how much do you think i should charge if i decided to? for the other band, i've been working tirelessly ediding the footage, turning each song into its own video for internet distribution (facebook, youtube,expsoureroom.com etc.)

i just don't know what to do because i'm not entirely confident in my services at this time. but maybe i'm just too hard on myself. well, what do you guys think?
Click to expand...

Well I don't know if this is the right place either, but I will answer. you really need to come up with a price that fits your area. Regardless of what you charge, I suggest that you DON'T DO IT FOR FREE. That is a trap taht is hard to get out of. Regardless of your experience, your time is worth something.

Whatever you do, be specific, don't leave open ended agreements. X hours filming, X hours editing all for X dollars. Put it in writing, even if you just do a one page thing that say I will do this and you will do that.

Hours: Think of it in terms of man-hours. how many many hours is it going to take meaning, if you have two people filming, add up both of there hours (2 guys filming, 2 hours each = 4 man hours), etc. Something along those lines. Add cost of expendatures, tape, Gas, toll to get there, etc. Then allow for the unknown which usually means you add a flat percentage to the overall amount. Some double or triple. once you have done all that, then subtract some based on your experience. that is usually a good GUIDE for a big project.

If you got a buddy that wants you to film for an hour, then say, "sure I will do it for a couple hundred bucks or whatever?" however... in my experience, the buddy deal usually bites you in the but. Often I have found that the most difficult clients to work with are the ones that are getting stuff for free or cheap. If you don't value your work, no one else will.

What does all of that mean? It means who knows what you should charge, it depends on your client, the circumstances and everything involved, but if you are doing professional work, then you should get a professional price. They can do there own video for FREE or have the cousin Jimmy do it with his $100 mini DV camera, but the minute you step into a pro or semi-pro realm (meaning you are learning to do it right, you forked out for equipment, etc., etc.) then you need to start asking for pay. And regardless of whether you are doing someone elses stuff or not, keep filming. You get better each time. Keep looking at your stuff, keep comparing to pro stuff and keep learning. The best way to learn is to do... fall on your face and get up and do it right...

Best of luck to you!:cheesy:
 
Something I forgot to add... the "Pain in the A$$ fee" I know that sounds humorous and if you don't know what that is, you will! Sometimes you will have a client that is a PIA and sometimes you will find that they keep coming back so pad your budget to compensate yourself fo the hell they put you through, or don't take their return business. Most of the time, I opt for the PIA fee!

NOT JOKING BTW!
 
Doing live music videos on the real small scale is equally awesome and crappy.

I loved shooting live music while I was in school and did quite a bit of it for school projects. Outside of that, it is difficult to do it, because small, unsigned bands seem to think that the $5 cover charge and 2 drink tickets are equal to a 3 man camera crew with pro gear for 4 hours. Indy labels will try to throw out a few bucks occasionally.

On the other side of the coin, they are trying to rise through the ranks as musicians, just as some of us are trying to rise through the ranks as film makers. That can be respected and If you come across a decent band that can provide music, audio post, etc in trade for your films (and they will actually do it) then sometimes it's better to think as a lo/no budget filmmaker.

It can really be a toss up starting up.

For a fee, I can't say it's a flat rate issue. Gauge the size/draw of the band, whether the video would benefit the band for their EPK more than it would benefit you for your reel, and how much of a pain in the ass it would be.

One last note, if you do it on the low pay scale with no trades involved, shoot the whole set, then edit one song, and upload it with a watermark on it. If they want anymore, they can compensate you for your time and gear.
 
i like the watermark idea... i'd say a 2 man shoot on the cheap could be around 500 buckaroos. as far as editing, that's a whole 'nother level of time involved.
i've gotten myself trapped many times saying i'll edit the project, not even thinking about the hours involved. they add up quick!!
i'm so done with all that free crap! unless it's for a good budddy.
 
hey guys, thanks so much for your GREAT replies!!! i appreciate the time you took to write those out! I found it very helpful, and I spoke with my second camera man and we decided to charge this band $500 for filming the concert and then $100 per video that we edit from it (basically a video per song).

The band has ACCEPTED these prices! I just got my FIRST paying gig. I can't believe it. I'm so happy right now. In the future I hope to charge more but I think this is pretty fair, considering it costs about $500 just to RENT two pro cameras like ours for a day..

thanks again for all your help.. and if you have any other input on what to charge as i get more experience i'd love to hear that to.

Alison
 
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