Jason Adams
Section Moderator
DVXuser is such a diverse group of professionals I was just curious to know how many of you run one-man production companies and do it full time as your primary income.
Who is out there?
Who is out there?
Any one man crews out there?
- Thread starter Jason Adams
- Start date
Luis Caffesse
Admin
Count me in that group.
I'm technically a 'one man' production company, though I often contract out other people to work with me.
I'm technically a 'one man' production company, though I often contract out other people to work with me.
ConspiracyPenguin
Nosey Penguin
You know that guy Jason Adams does everything himself.
Oh...whoops!
Oh...whoops!
Postmaster
Dark Side of the Camera
One man show.
Thou I call for help on bigger productions, I have to do as much as possible by myself.
Frank
Thou I call for help on bigger productions, I have to do as much as possible by myself.
Frank
Gord.T
Still "Senior Member"
A one man prodution company working full time as a primary source of income?
Wow. I can't even fathom that.
How is that even possible?
It takes at least 10 government officials just to process and deliver my welfare check on time.
Not including the bank teller, whom upon arrival, then calls the bank manager who explains I don't have proper ID who then calls the police to subdue 'someone creating a disturbance in the lobby' but I digresss.
Cool.
Wow. I can't even fathom that.
How is that even possible?
It takes at least 10 government officials just to process and deliver my welfare check on time.
Not including the bank teller, whom upon arrival, then calls the bank manager who explains I don't have proper ID who then calls the police to subdue 'someone creating a disturbance in the lobby' but I digresss.
Cool.
pmark23
Veteran
I used to use a crew, but began getting contracts filming in restricted areas and was only allowed one person on the shoot, so started doing everything myself. I still use a crew for larger projects, but if I can get away with doing it myself I will -- a lot less hassle (and more profitable).
Jeff Anderson
Custom Title!
We're technically a 2 man crew but its usually just me that goes out on shoots. If its a slow day at the office we are a two man crew though. Kinda nice to have an extra pair of hands to carry stuff.
Jason Adams
Section Moderator
This is very cool and encouraging...who else
Capt Quirk
Veteran
Yeah, I run audio and camera, then edit. But, I don't do it full time. Dammit.
Luis Caffesse
Admin
Jeff Anderson
Custom Title!
Already have one Still lazy What do you guys do for carrying tripod and light stands? I've got all my stands in a hard sided golf case that rolls but is pretty much the only thing you can carry during a trip from the car. Everything else lives in plastic milk crates for the most part for me and stacks well on the cart. The camera/monitor have a large portabrace soft case. If I'm using all my lights I have a couple large pelicans everything fits in, but usually I know which ones I'll need and dont take everything.
Still lazy What do you guys do for carrying tripod and light stands? I've got all my stands in a hard sided golf case that rolls but is pretty much the only thing you can carry during a trip from the car. Everything else lives in plastic milk crates for the most part for me and stacks well on the cart. The camera/monitor have a large portabrace soft case. If I'm using all my lights I have a couple large pelicans everything fits in, but usually I know which ones I'll need and dont take everything.
Scott F
Pug Life
Hi. I'm salaried by a production company, but on the side I do tons of freelance work. More and more each year.
So in that sense, I'm a one man band. Lighting, shooting, editing and post. These are fairly small projects that I work on and I certainly bring an extra hand or two with me for lighting and grip when applicable.
Anyone in the lower Fairfield County, CT area that wants to collaborate....PM me! (commercials, corporate vids, music videos)
Jeff: Carrying equipment can be a pain in the ass. My Arri kit has a nice hard case, but everything else I keep in canvas bags & such. Looks like I should invest in a Rock N' Roller. The true test is getting it all to fit in a Honda Civic. :grin:
So in that sense, I'm a one man band. Lighting, shooting, editing and post. These are fairly small projects that I work on and I certainly bring an extra hand or two with me for lighting and grip when applicable.
Anyone in the lower Fairfield County, CT area that wants to collaborate....PM me! (commercials, corporate vids, music videos)
Jeff: Carrying equipment can be a pain in the ass. My Arri kit has a nice hard case, but everything else I keep in canvas bags & such. Looks like I should invest in a Rock N' Roller. The true test is getting it all to fit in a Honda Civic. :grin:
Luis Caffesse
Admin
I will only take with me what I can take on the cart.
If anything more than that is required then I figure it's probably an indication that this shouldn't be a one man job.
So tripod, light stands, everything gets put on the cart and secured with bungee cords.
Just make sure the client isn't near you when you undo it all - as someone could lose an eye if you're not careful.
If anything more than that is required then I figure it's probably an indication that this shouldn't be a one man job.
So tripod, light stands, everything gets put on the cart and secured with bungee cords.
Just make sure the client isn't near you when you undo it all - as someone could lose an eye if you're not careful.
Jason Adams
Section Moderator
I have played drums for years and I use a drummers hardware bag for stands.
Like this one. They go for about 110 bucks. You can get them with wheels also.
This is great keep the good info coming. I have to get one of those carts.
Like this one. They go for about 110 bucks. You can get them with wheels also.
This is great keep the good info coming. I have to get one of those carts.
Fessin' up.
Fessin' up.
Am a 1-man show myself, and being relatively "young" to the business (though not in age), actually have few contacts for when I need/could use help. Little choice other than to do it all myself, which limits the scope of jobs I can take on with confidence, (except for one repeat client who's hired me 3 yrs running for an annual performance; then I use an assistant).
However, I don't yet qualify as making a living at it; more like just enough to pay the debt incurred to get my equipment. (Still hold a part-time job). Am sure I'm priced slightly lower than others in my area, (which makes it extra difficult to pay any help), but with each new job, both my experience and my rate increase slightly. Have done lots of low-cost, on-spec, and gratis work just to get name out/build a rep. That's happening, though slower than I'd like. But, have seen the number of jobs increase over time. Recently took an on-spec job as a sub from a 5-man +/- shop on the west coast; that may turn out to be a little lucrative, (fingers crossed), but still won't pay off the debt.
I've read in other posts that some (elitists/purists ?) say the sure sign of a "rookie" is the use of a handtruck rather than "real" travel cases. Bah...humbug. I sometimes assist for another long-time vid who transports his tripod & dolly in a wheeled golf-club case. Certainly appreciate that, because that sucker is heavy. Other than a vest (that weights 8 lbs +/-) with mics, tools, etc, and a case w/lighting & ext. cords, the only other thing taken to a shoot is the camera, mod'ed to hold 2 batteries and semi-permanent wireless. (It's an old DVCPro cam w/ 2 batts, dual wireless receivers, shotgun, and glass; that baby weighs upwards of 20 lbs). I gotta learn to travel lighter/more compact myself.
What I'd like to see is containers/cases/trucks with larger wheels (4", 5" or 6") for going up/down stairs or into "remote" areas; luggage-type wheels for cases containing weighty gear are crap, particularly when haulin' them over 5 + blocks of NYC streets and sidewalks , but, 'til I complete a design and prototype,
"Ya' do what ya' gotta do."
Fessin' up.
Am a 1-man show myself, and being relatively "young" to the business (though not in age), actually have few contacts for when I need/could use help. Little choice other than to do it all myself, which limits the scope of jobs I can take on with confidence, (except for one repeat client who's hired me 3 yrs running for an annual performance; then I use an assistant).
However, I don't yet qualify as making a living at it; more like just enough to pay the debt incurred to get my equipment. (Still hold a part-time job). Am sure I'm priced slightly lower than others in my area, (which makes it extra difficult to pay any help), but with each new job, both my experience and my rate increase slightly. Have done lots of low-cost, on-spec, and gratis work just to get name out/build a rep. That's happening, though slower than I'd like. But, have seen the number of jobs increase over time. Recently took an on-spec job as a sub from a 5-man +/- shop on the west coast; that may turn out to be a little lucrative, (fingers crossed), but still won't pay off the debt.
I've read in other posts that some (elitists/purists ?) say the sure sign of a "rookie" is the use of a handtruck rather than "real" travel cases. Bah...humbug. I sometimes assist for another long-time vid who transports his tripod & dolly in a wheeled golf-club case. Certainly appreciate that, because that sucker is heavy. Other than a vest (that weights 8 lbs +/-) with mics, tools, etc, and a case w/lighting & ext. cords, the only other thing taken to a shoot is the camera, mod'ed to hold 2 batteries and semi-permanent wireless. (It's an old DVCPro cam w/ 2 batts, dual wireless receivers, shotgun, and glass; that baby weighs upwards of 20 lbs). I gotta learn to travel lighter/more compact myself.
What I'd like to see is containers/cases/trucks with larger wheels (4", 5" or 6") for going up/down stairs or into "remote" areas; luggage-type wheels for cases containing weighty gear are crap, particularly when haulin' them over 5 + blocks of NYC streets and sidewalks , but, 'til I complete a design and prototype,
"Ya' do what ya' gotta do."
grinner
Carbonite Member
I have been a one-man-band production facility for 7 years.
I sat the world on fire when I first went out on my own, billing out 300k the first year.
That ages a brother quickly. I cut my income in half and my hours in a third, found balance and am prepared for the peaks and vallies that follow.
workin at home now. wasnt diggin the overhead of a studio.
I sat the world on fire when I first went out on my own, billing out 300k the first year.
That ages a brother quickly. I cut my income in half and my hours in a third, found balance and am prepared for the peaks and vallies that follow.
workin at home now. wasnt diggin the overhead of a studio.
Luis Caffesse
Admin
Postmaster
Dark Side of the Camera
Most of my equipment lives in six cheap but solid flight cases.
Here are some of them (in the living room in the moment - the wife hates it) - just got some new pick`n plug foam and reorganize some of them . I also got 2 of the rollers. The "vintage" ones are better build, but still one of my favourite tools. Serves also as a table or emergency dolly.
Frank
Here are some of them (in the living room in the moment - the wife hates it) - just got some new pick`n plug foam and reorganize some of them . I also got 2 of the rollers. The "vintage" ones are better build, but still one of my favourite tools. Serves also as a table or emergency dolly.
Frank
