Extremely Frustrated, I'm tired of clients saying T2i does not look professional

SilverFox said:
Image is everything. If you want to command the big bucks, you have to look it.
Even if half your gear is "FAKE" or "unneeded"

When people who know nothing about video are cutting checks for $5k and up they expect to see what THEY interpret as PRO GEAR. They get worried by "SIZE" because everyone knows SIZE MATTERS.

You have to know how to play the game.
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whats the device on the side ,is that an audio recorder?
 
I'd love to see how the Tascam is mounted, although it is not positioned to use the stereo onboard mics.
 
I got the 550D just to figure out if the VDSLR´s shortcomings are sth I´m willing to trade in for that look most of us like so much.
I never considered it sth I would show up with at a production.
So a new client approached me and I told him I´m shooting on the HVX, he said "Oh, we want that filmlook, don´t you have one of this Canons?", I said "Well yes, only the 550D but it´s on par with the 7D", he said "Oh OK, I trust you on that.".
Well, after an easy going 3 hours shoot, I had compensated back more than half of what that plastic thingy had cost me, money I wouldn´t have in my pocket, if I could "only" have offered the HVX.
Nevertheless I still believe, creating a "professional" atmosphere, in that case using a Kino and a slider, helped to reassure the client, that he had chosen the right guy for the job (besides having a 12 years track record in this).
To sum it up for me: At just over half the price I paid for a 8Gb P2 card a couple of years ago, the 550D is a no brainer.
Do I now think that the look of the camera is not important? No. It might not be for some jobs, where the client already knows what to expect, but a lot of non-techie clients, still will need that matteboxed pana-monster to feel save about their investment...
The job also didn´t call for audio recording besides some in-camera location sound, so I´m still not getting all psyched about VDSRLs for video production.
 
The democratization of technology means that all of us as independent artists new to build value in our personal brands. If your client is complaining about your gear then they have not really hired YOU. They have hired technology with an opperator. My clients don't ask me what I'm shooting on. They hire and trust me to pick the best solution for their vision. I could show up with an iphone and a tripod and they would be ok.

I have been careful to make sure my clients know that I am the product not the production.

Cameras are only going to get smaller, better, and cheaper. Build value in the creator and not the tools and you clients will trust you even if you show up with a box of crayons.
 
jason.adams said:
The democratization of technology means that all of us as independent artists new to build value in our personal brands. If your client is complaining about your gear then they have not really hired YOU. They have hired technology with an opperator. My clients don't ask me what I'm shooting on. They hire and trust me to pick the best solution for their vision. I could show up with an iphone and a tripod and they would be ok.

I have been careful to make sure my clients know that I am the product not the production.

Cameras are only going to get smaller, better, and cheaper. Build value in the creator and not the tools and you clients will trust you even if you show up with a box of crayons.
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one of the best pieces of advice on here.
 
jason.adams said:
The democratization of technology means that all of us as independent artists new to build value in our personal brands. If your client is complaining about your gear then they have not really hired YOU. They have hired technology with an opperator. My clients don't ask me what I'm shooting on. They hire and trust me to pick the best solution for their vision. I could show up with an iphone and a tripod and they would be ok.

I have been careful to make sure my clients know that I am the product not the production.

Cameras are only going to get smaller, better, and cheaper. Build value in the creator and not the tools and you clients will trust you even if you show up with a box of crayons.
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That´s why you put a picture of a RED on your opening page? And assure, that you use "state-of-the-art technology" to deliver the "highest quality video production available"?
Sorry, if you´re that confident about you being hired for your skills, why not change your welcome text to sth like your claim above?:
"I could show up with an iphone and a tripod and YOU would be ok."
Don´t you think your post is a little pretentious, when you´re playing the same try-to-look-big-game in your own online presence (no offense...)?
 
That´s why you put a picture of a RED on your opening page? And assure, that you use "state-of-the-art technology" to deliver the "highest quality video production available"?
Sorry, if you´re that confident about you being hired for your skills, why not change your welcome text to sth like your claim above?:
"I could show up with an iphone and a tripod and YOU would be ok."
Don´t you think your post is a little pretentious, when you´re playing the same try-to-look-big-game in your own online presence (no offense...)? __________________
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Wow my post must have really bothered you enough to visit and quote my personal website. I appreciate the fact checking. But let me get this out of the way. My post was not ment to be self aggrandizing. I mean in know way to elevate myself. We are all students of this craft. This is my humble opinion on where we must all build value as the cost of cameras continue to fall.

The ad copy on my website is written to start the education/introduction process with clients. Clients need to here reassuring talk until they meet and get to understand our knowledge and experience.

We use whatever technology is best. I have worked on shoots from Film all the way down to 7D. The point is WE use the technology. We want our clients to know us as artists not operators. We wrapped a 7 day shoot a month ago for a large hospital. We had a full crew and grip truck with jib, dollies, all supporting a 7D. 7D was the best solution because of the limited size of patient rooms. I did not have to sell the client. We did not even tell them what we were shooting with.

I am not saying to disregard best-foot-forward marketing on websites. I am simply saying that if your client still has questions on the shoot day. You have not communicated what your real expertise is. All I am saying is spend more time communicating vision to clients and you will need to spend less time defending your technology choices.

let people hire you because of your creativity and not the cameras you own.

I am not a rock star Director/DP. My clients are happy and I continue to learn. I love my job but I still have lots to learn. Sorry if my post seemed too pretentious. That was not my intent.
 
jason.adams said:
I am simply saying that if your client still has questions on the shoot day. You have not communicated what your real expertise is. All I am saying is spend more time communicating vision to clients and you will need to spend less time defending your technology choices.
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I agree with that.
But that´s a much more humble statement than the one before :beer:.
And again, my question wasn´t ment to be offensive, just open discussion here! :thumbsup:

Still I think there isn´t a generall answer to the OPs dilemma and it will vary from job to job and from client to client, so I´m skeptical with "size does NOT matter" answers...
 
Spartacus said:
That´s why you put a picture of a RED on your opening page? And assure, that you use "state-of-the-art technology" to deliver the "highest quality video production available"?
Sorry, if you´re that confident about you being hired for your skills, why not change your welcome text to sth like your claim above?:
"I could show up with an iphone and a tripod and YOU would be ok."
Don´t you think your post is a little pretentious, when you´re playing the same try-to-look-big-game in your own online presence (no offense...)?
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lmao:grin::grin:
 
And again, my question wasn´t ment to be offensive, just open discussion here! :thumbsup:
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No offense taken.

Also Glad Shane is having good laugh at my ad copy.

This is a good discussion in this thread. I think the real question will be what we all do 12-18 months from now when the next"buzz" camera is 400 bucks and even smaller.
 
Is this not the case, my **** is bigger than yours? Who cares what they say. In the end all that matters is the quality of your work. Does not matter if you shot it on a cell phone that is capable of producing quality images. (which i know there isnt but you get my idea)

This reminds me of a stringer in my market, he use`s a big ass beta cam that is 20yrs old with all kinds of crap hanging off of it. I ask him why doesn't he go with a newer camera such as mine, his reply is the new cameras are to small and i will not look important with a smaller camera. Nevermind his video quality looks like crap. I guess he just wants to look like a big shot.

I remember when i first started stringing i owned a Canon HF S10, other photogs would just look, i know what they were thinking. Everytime i brought my video into the station the editors were like holy crap this cameras video quality is amazing, it looks just as good as our camera guys video`s. I eventually moved up to the HMC-150 and low and behold about 5 months later i see media photogs with them.

I was going to get the T2i the only reason i didn't is because i felt the 7D would hold up better in my climate in Florida.
 
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jason.adams said:
No offense taken.

Also Glad Shane is having good laugh at my ad copy.

This is a good discussion in this thread. I think the real question will be what we all do 12-18 months from now when the next"buzz" camera is 400 bucks and even smaller.
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Crazy right? All I can think is talent and art will be the reason to hire someone. I have seen footage with more expensive cameras than mine that did not look that good, so while technology is great I think it's ultimately the operator that is providing the great art.
 
Thats what i`m talking about! See how they like that crap!

That thing shoots better video than the guys 20yr old betacam.
 
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Here is my answer. This is not for show. I use everything on this rig. If I need to impress someone with my rig there is something wrong.
 

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