1hr shooting HVX200A

dantewaters

dantewaters

Well-known member
How much would you charge for 1hr shoot?
720p. The footage is of young kids on bikes riding along a strip.

He wants 5mins of usable footage for a documentary.
 
I love these threads.

I will start the bidding at $250


Ok all kidding aside. The way I look at it is how much is he looking to spend? If you have not asked him that yet, then that is where you need to start.
The bottom line is can you meet in the middle of what he wants to spend and what you think you should get should his amount seem to low. If his amount seems high then take it.
 
Yea it is funny... I said to him what would this footage be going he said for a future documentary that you and I will be shooting... I said ahhh well this time around is a different story the last time we took about 2yrs to finish something should have taken months (don't ask).

So he said I know you booked till the end of the year, then I said a docu will run you over 2k he said what how come? Anyway then I said the least I can do is $200 this way you can get storage if I decide to do the docu he said what no way am I paying you $200 to do that can't you give me a break. Seems this project wont work he wants something for nothing, and I still have to pay for insurance for my equiptment and such I will lose too much....

Let me know what you guys think?
 
No such beast as a "1 hr shoot" exists. Planning, set-up, take-down, travel, AND a planned hour will usually run over by an hour or two; the whole thing will eat half a day at least. The cheapest rate most pros offer is a 1/2 day rate which amounts to 3/4 of rate charged for a 10 hour day. If they ask why, you simple explain that your day is lost by taking their gig. It's not like a freelancer can string several "couple hour" shoots back-to-back to make a living wage for the day. Equipment rate should also be a full day rate regardless of hours worked. If you had to rent your gear from a shop they wouldn't give you a hourly rate, neither should you.

The second part is golden time starts immediately at 5 or 6 hours (depending on what you agree to). Otherwise producers try to secure a 1/2 day rate that might or might not extend to just a standard day if they didn't plan properly. Of course this leaves you completely unable to plan your life. Don't put up with producers who nickel and dime you this way.

Cheers
 
wabbit said:
No such beast as a "1 hr shoot" exists. Planning, set-up, take-down, travel, AND a planned hour will usually run over by an hour or two; the whole thing will eat half a day at least. The cheapest rate most pros offer is a 1/2 day rate which amounts to 3/4 of rate charged for a 10 hour day. If they ask why, you simple explain that your day is lost by taking their gig. It's not like a freelancer can string several "couple hour" shoots back-to-back to make a living wage for the day. Equipment rate should also be a full day rate regardless of hours worked. If you had to rent your gear from a shop they wouldn't give you a hourly rate, neither should you.

The second part is golden time starts immediately at 5 or 6 hours (depending on what you agree to). Otherwise producers try to secure a 1/2 day rate that might or might not extend to just a standard day if they didn't plan properly. Of course this leaves you completely unable to plan your life. Don't put up with producers who nickel and dime you this way.

Cheers
Click to expand...

Wow well said... That means no gig I do should be under $400
heck $500 even if it's 2hrs...

Thanks a lot
 
wabbit said:
No such beast as a "1 hr shoot" exists
Click to expand...

We have a winner...

I run a recording studio business when I'm not scheming to rule the world of narrative filmmaking, and one of my most dreaded job offers goes something like this:

Client, with big smile on face: "We need to record six singers, piano and bass, next Sunday. It'll just take a half hour! An hour tops..."

Great, since traditionally, recording studios don't charge for setup time (although this has changed somewhat just recently). So that "half hour" session takes 3 hours (with set up and tear down), requires me to be on the premises (rather than let's say, fishing) for a measly few bucks. It's the absolutely worst possible dollar-to-hour ratio, on a day when I'd otherwise be enjoying some leisure time. The thing that's all the more exasperating about it is that the client in these cases invariably says "only half an hour" as though that's a *plus*. Nuh-uh...

So...I turn 'em down : ) Simple, actually. Except that the client usually doesn't get it, and I'm disinclined to do the money-math for them. Makes me sound like too much of a mercenary.

Geez I'm off on a rant now, aren't I? Sorry...

Back to the OP: yeah...charge 'em at a 3-4 hour rate. Maybe $300-400. Unless you're interested in having the experience for its own sake, like for learning. Then just charge whatever they'll pay you, and enjoy/learn.
 
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dantewaters said:
Yea it is funny... I said to him what would this footage be going he said for a future documentary that you and I will be shooting... I said ahhh well this time around is a different story the last time we took about 2yrs to finish something should have taken months (don't ask).

So he said I know you booked till the end of the year, then I said a docu will run you over 2k he said what how come? Anyway then I said the least I can do is $200 this way you can get storage if I decide to do the docu he said what no way am I paying you $200 to do that can't you give me a break. Seems this project wont work he wants something for nothing, and I still have to pay for insurance for my equiptment and such I will lose too much....

Let me know what you guys think?
Click to expand...

Go read the article at Barry's sticky at the head of the Business/Post Production section called "how to fire your client."
 
Isn't that a dangerous strategy?

Isn't that a dangerous strategy?

robertwerden said:
...The way I look at it is how much is he looking to spend? If you have not asked him that yet, then that is where you need to start.
The bottom line is can you meet in the middle of what he wants to spend and what you think you should get should his amount seem to low. If his amount seems high then take it.
Click to expand...


Personally, I've always had a problem with that approach, whether in pricing a job or shopping for something where bargaining/dickering is considered part of the process. I think it's unnecessary for a vendor or service provider to know how much $$ is "in my pocket".

In my experience, everyone wants whatever the item/service is for as little as they can get away with paying for it. As soon as someone asks me "how much am I looking to spend", I get suspicious; they know my ballpark figure and, if it's low, they can tell me that, or trim extras to meet my figure. If it's high, they get the extra as "gravy" and I might never know that I'd be overpaying. IMO, if I describe what I want, then the vendor can tell me the price. If I don't like the price, I move on or don't buy, and I end up without the item, while the vendor loses a sale.

(Some vendors love to dicker on price and start high with that in mind. I don't/won't do that, and if I get even a hint that's what a vendor/potential client is doing with me, I consider that being less than forthright or trying to take advantage of me, and they lose the sale, and a potential future customer/service provider).

Simple example: buying a new car with a trade-in, I was once asked "how much do I want for the trade-in?" In my mind, a silly question...I WANT the amount equal to the price of the new car...but I doubt I'll get it. SO, IMO, even asking such a question is a waste of time.

When pricing a job, I get as many details as I can, then provide either a rate for the job, for the day, or by the hour. At least that way, I have a better idea of what I'll get for a given job.

Personally, I don't like "shopping" and absolutely loathe dickering on price for anything; I think it's a waste of my time and the other party. I think it's a clear indication of the proverbial "tire kickers". (But that's just me; others I know have no problem with it).

I see danger in this approach. A description of its' benefits would be appreciated.
 
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