*$$h&le Craigslist response. WTF?

David G. Smith

David G. Smith

Steak Knife Member
There was a listing in the Detroit Metro area Craigslist "Crew" section that read:

" Gaffer available (Detroit)

Gaffer available with own lighting gear. Paid work only."

I politely responded with:

"Hello,
I am responding to your listing in Craigslist for a gaffer that is available. I was wondering if you could provide a gear list, a list of credits and your rates."


I got back a response that said:

"What is your shoot dates? That is a good place to start seeing if I am free.
I can tell you I have worked on several local films for short sections, Ozz, Red Dawn.
Life and Migrane. TV Commercials lots of TV commercials.
Some I worked as gaffer some as AC or DP. I am non-union. My day rate is based on a standard 12 hour film shooting day, it is $325.00 per day. Anything over 12 hours is $60.00 per hour. If we are still talking then I will list my gear that fills a Doge Caravan. Expendables are extra."

Uhhhh.... WTF?! I think that his posted rates are very reasonable, but he won't supply a gear list until... What... I come to him hat in hand and acknowledge that I think that his posted rates are reasonable? I am sorry, while I think that the quoted rates are very reasonable for "Gaffer available with own lighting gear...", but I'll be danged if I am going to pay those rates for somebody to show up with a "Doge" Caravan full of cheap Chinese Red Heads, Home Depot clamp work lights and a pile of orange 16 gauge extension cords. Help me out here... am I out of line to be pissed off at this?
 
Calm down.

Just respond that his rate is good and the DP wants to know what instruments are included.

See what he comes back with.

Ask for references.
 
I don't think there's any reason to be mad. He is just establishing that he gets paid so as to rule out the huge percentage of "no pay" solicitations he probably gets. Which is why he said "if we are still talking"... I take it to mean that he is acknowledging that freeloaders and opportunists are going to be driven away by the notion that he actually expects to be paid for his work. Given the climate on Craigslist, I don't blame him.
 
mcgeedigital said:
Ask for references.
Click to expand...

Well, that is the other thing, his "Credits", especially the "Local" films "Oz ("Oz the Great and Powerful") and "Red Dawn", are a more than a little sketchy. Those two films, big Hollywood productions taking advantage of the no longer available Michigan Film Incentives, hired every swinging d*ck "Film Technician" in the area. No local non-union personnel served "...as gaffer some as AC or DP."


Yeah, I understand you Barry and, "...that freeloaders and opportunists are going to be driven away by the notion that he actually expects to be paid for his work." The thing is that in this competitive world a person that is posting his services for hire and who can not respond back to my simple and reasonable request for information about his services with direct information instead of a relatively snarky attitude is not someone that I care to work with.
 
Ask for known references.......Tell him you are not among those that want something for nothing......but don't want to pay something for nothing, either. Ask for stellar references you can confirm and talk to. I have seen it too many times.....guys that talk the talk......but can't walk the walk. Or even crawl for that matter.

If he is a pro......he'll get it. If he balks at giving references.....tell him, "Thanks for responding. But no thank you. Need someone whose work is confirmable."
 
respond back to my simple and reasonable request for information about his services with direct information instead of a relatively snarky attitude
Click to expand...
Well, maybe I'm blind, but I don't see any evidence of a "snarky attitude" at all. At all. I see someone who responded with direct information about his rates, a basic idea of the level of stuff he works on, and a basic idea of gear (probably a half-ton or more, crammed into a Dodge).

If you don't want to work with him, I'm sure that's fine, but I have no problem with his response. Besides, not everyone is eloquent in email. If you're actually interested in hiring him, give him a call. How someone behaves on the phone will be a vastly better indicator of whether they have an attitude or not.
 
In case you didn't notice it yet, maaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaany crew members don't have the best business sense. So yes, it would make perfect sense to included the gear list as extra incentive, it might not make sense to him for whatever reason.
 
For whatever it's worth, I know a DP/Gaffer in VA Beach that works out of a completely beat-to-hell looking Dodge Caravan... he has a full complement of LED's, Kinos, HMIs, etc, but sometimes works in sketchy neighborhoods and finds the minivan serves as effective "thief repellent."
 
Uhhhh.... WTF?! I think that his posted rates are very reasonable, but he won't supply a gear list until... What...
Click to expand...

Until he knows who you are.
In my opinion he sent you one long response too many. I would have responded with 3 words: and, you are?

Downfall of craigslist...Hidden employers, scam artists, data collectors all there wanting to know your whole life without bothering revealing any identity....

As a side note, if that truck was full of with what you presumably listed(chines red heads, orange cords etc) his rates would still be justified, provided he has the industry experience. Do you really think that showing up to a production with HDSLR gear is different than using home depot supplied cords? The pot calling the kettle black. Are you such a pro that bothered by the performance of the chinese redheads whereas %90 of forum members here never setup a proper lighting let alone touching a redhead chinese or not? And if you are such a pro, why on earth would you be looking for a gaffer yourself?

am I out of line to be pissed off at this?
Click to expand...

Yes you are. He gave you a great respond; well balanced and sounds like he is NBS pro to me.
 
I have been in correspondence with the gentleman and he is really a very nice fella. His film and video experience is actually a bit limited, but from what I have seen he is quite an accomplished photographer. I think that I was totally out of line with this post. I don't know; I have been very frustrated lately with some rather inarticulate individuals in some things I am trying to put together and I might have become too critical and sensitive about an individual email response. That is not an excuse though and I apologize for this post.
 
I always try to be as pleasant as possible in these dealings especially since people in general are so touchy/strange that you never know whats going to put someone off. Even if im blowing someone off i do it nicely. So yeah, regardless of how it ultimately turns/turned out, i see your point in the initial post.
 
I don't see a need for an apology. You reached out to peers for advice. Nothing to be ashamed of or worthy of an apology, IMO.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top