Tim Otholt
Member
Well, the way I figure I can buy a new 1200 HMI every month and still pay rent. Not that I buy new HMIs, they are too expensive. 8)
If you need a 2nd shooter and grip truck in Oregon, call me. 8)
Tim Otholt
408.406.1832
DPs and how much
- Thread starter Back to One
- Start date
Well, the way I figure I can buy a new 1200 HMI every month and still pay rent. Not that I buy new HMIs, they are too expensive. 8)
If you need a 2nd shooter and grip truck in Oregon, call me. 8)
Tim Otholt
408.406.1832
Zak Forsman
Major Contributor
depends on the client. My favorite client just paid me $1100 to shoot b-cam for a two hour interview (a handheld A1). And $700/day for two travel days. AND $500 for the camera package.
$3000 total.
$3000 total.
filmat11
Well-known member
Holy S %# T Man...Raise your rates to at least $ 1200.00 All that gear+ insurance+ expendables...Hope your hitting your clients for those items..
Especially the HMI's.. Do you have different ways of charging for the same things ? Ala -cart or with the whole truck included ?
Your location in the LA area is certainly adding to your # of work days, good for you.
You must be non- union, I'm guessing.
Hey Tim, you have distro? You do tie-ins?
Tim Otholt
Member
I try to work within the client's budget. As you can probably guess, I work alot.
Most of the time I throw in all the equipment on the truck, but you should know, that list is my total list, not what actually fits on the truck.
rogar-BigGrin(DBG)I'm non-union, and I don't have an interest in going union at all.
Tim Otholt
Member
I usually rent distro, but I will be buying a serious amount of distro soon (two to three months). You can get distro in Los Angeles very cheap.
I don't do tie-ins, in California tie-ins are for the big boys, small fish owner operators (like me) just ask the producer to have a 500 amp generator delivered.
:violent5:
filmat11
Well-known member
Rubbersquare
Well-known member
i have a feeling in 2-5 years, zak's gonna be the next soderbergh. i've called many talented folks out way early (usually actors) so i just have a feeling.
Luis Caffesse
Admin
Allen Green
Active member
Guys the thing to remember is that in LA it's a supply and demand thing. I had a director from LA tell me one time when I was talking rates to mix audio on a feature film in GA "If I were in LA there are soundmixers standing in line waiting to be hired... I know it will cost more outside LA". This is why I work in Texas and haven't made the move to LA. I can get a higher rate out here in the hinder lands. JMTC
JonathanLB
Carbonite Member
Yeah I'm really starting to wonder about what all you guys say... I mean, I've seen over and over again from people here that L.A. rates are terrible and that the market is just oversaturated, and I can see that myself here just when I post on craigslist offering a low rate for a long day and get 200 people who send me amazing resumes and reels. It just makes me think, wow, really? Because initially my expectations were very low, I'm not trying to get anyone to work for slave labor prices, but I thought, "Well, I'll offer $150 a day for a grip and probably the people who will apply will be looking for experience more so than money, and it's ok if they're not the best grips because this isn't a huge budget shoot," but then I'd get people applying who really knew their stuff. It has made me realize more and more that everyone here is desperately seeking work, of any type, and often will take way below their desired day rate if they aren't booked for that day.
I think a lot of people have a certain day rate they charge to book X amount in advance, like say $300/day, then if they aren't getting enough work they start trying to get those $100-200/day jobs just to pay the bills. It's a tough industry here.
All of the money for big budget filmmaking is in L.A., but that means the little guys are making the least. We've had this problem, too, it's very hard to compete with people who will offer so much equipment for so little, or who will offer to make a music video for $500 when we need ten times that much to make anything decent by professional standards.
I think a lot of people have a certain day rate they charge to book X amount in advance, like say $300/day, then if they aren't getting enough work they start trying to get those $100-200/day jobs just to pay the bills. It's a tough industry here.
All of the money for big budget filmmaking is in L.A., but that means the little guys are making the least. We've had this problem, too, it's very hard to compete with people who will offer so much equipment for so little, or who will offer to make a music video for $500 when we need ten times that much to make anything decent by professional standards.