How many times...

Robert86

Robert86

Carbonite Member
Hey everyone.
This is the first time that I have posted in this particular forum. I am wondering, how many times have you guys videotaped a public event or some other event for free/experience. I am assuming that you would be only doing this as you were barely starting to get into videography. I am asking for statistical reasons:laugh: Thanks.
 
I'm doing things cheap/free as many times needed until I've proven to myself that I can charge people.

Right now I finished giving a face lift to a show with after effects and the next time I will charge up in the couple thousands of dollars.

Next I plan to do a wedding for cheap/free and edit it to the best of my ability. Then the next time I do a wedding I will charge whatever I feel fit.

I will do the same thing for anything else related to filming and editing (directing, making a music video).

You need a portfolio to back up what you charge.
 
HMG has the right idea. You sort of have to prove yourself first, I feel anyways, before you can start charging decent amounts of $.

I have done my share of weddings, events, etc for people for nothing or at an exchange of service deal.

Also the more work you do for people for nothing or next-to-nothing the more people are going to see your name and depending on the quality of your work you'll have the opportunity to pick up more clients down the road from that charity work.
 
Hey, thanks for responding guys.

Well, I have been shooting video and editing video and audio for almost two years now. I done a few free things for friends and have done a few other things just for fun. I recently finished my short film "Insurance Fraud". I gave a free copy of it to a friend and he brought it over to another friends house, the guy who lives there(he really liked what I shot and how I edited it) wanted me to do a music video for his band, so I called him and we got together. Now, I am left with a price to give him so I thought $540 which includes the tape stock and the external HD. It is a flate fee and not going by hours. Is $540 a good price to offer them, I believe that the amount of time and creative ability I put into the project is worth it. So what do ya' think.
Thanks.
 
Just curious how you came up with $540 and not say $525 or $550????

Like gas - why is it $2.39.9/10 gal. and not $2.40!
 
I am charging $120 for a 60-100 gigabyte external HD. And $20 for tape stock. That is $140.
The cost of videography and editing is $400 flat. All together the cost is $540. There is logic to everything, including project costs :)
 
HMG said:
I'm doing things cheap/free as many times needed until I've proven to myself that I can charge people.

Right now I finished giving a face lift to a show with after effects and the next time I will charge up in the couple thousands of dollars.

Next I plan to do a wedding for cheap/free and edit it to the best of my ability. Then the next time I do a wedding I will charge whatever I feel fit.

I will do the same thing for anything else related to filming and editing (directing, making a music video).

You need a portfolio to back up what you charge.
Click to expand...
I'm still doing things for cheap and free. I too want to feel comfortable charging for my services. I've shot, edited and made DVD's for church functions, charities and local functions. I've done many videos for family and friends. I always edit and burn my own videos and each time I learn something new. We've made some money for charity and much of the work is tax deductable but I have yet to make any significant money. I love the work and I am starting to get some requests (paid) . I have started a business and intend to start getting paid for my work but I wouldn't feel right charging if I hadn't proved to myself that my work was worth the price. Besides, my goal is make a movie and to do that I need all the experience I can get!
 
the thing to watch out for while doing things cheap /free. is that people will expect the same service later on.. if they paid you 100$ and then reccommend you to their freinds fortheir wedding.. and you say its 1500.00 your going to have a hard time telling them why.. even if they know your first job was promotional.. so be ABSOLUTELY SURE to tell anyone you do something for cheap or free for that it is a very unusual cost, and you are doing it just to promote yourself. tell them what the regular going rate is and let them know its a one time thing that nobody else can get or whatever. ..just let them know somehow that its not going to be like that when they want something done again. otherwise youll build a reputation on refferalls and being known for being chep/free and nobody will want to pay you or anyone else what they are worth down the road..

people dont understand how much time it takes to do this stuff. they dont know what a 20:1 shooting ratio is, or why it takes forever to make a custom complex dvd motion menu system or days of work to do an edit of their wedding .. they have no idea.. they think that since everything is done by computers now you just stick your camera in front of it when your done shooting and the computer pops out a DVD. they dont undestand why it takes an hour just to set up lighting for one shot or why you have to use 4 different programs over hours to make a shiny logo with some cool music in the beginning. and they certainly arent going to understand why your skills and knowledge and talent are worth anything more than 100.00 for the 100 hours you put in the first time. you really need to explain that you are a hired artist and creative talent. not just some technical guy with a camera and a computer that does everything for you. let them know how much work it is if they are sticker shocked by the price, and then let them know how confident you are in your ability to create something beautiful/awsome for them. anyway.. point is that you need to place the idea of value on yourself and help them understand the need for quality and creativity . not just another hashed out poop looking video, because they mostly have no idea how to judge the value of your services and will mostly judge you by your price tag.


people in the industry or that work with production often enough know better, but if your outside that loop you need to sort of welcome them to your world.
 
iamloser said:
the thing to watch out for while doing things cheap /free. is that people will expect the same service later on.. if they paid you 100$ and then reccommend you to their freinds fortheir wedding.. and you say its 1500.00 your going to have a hard time telling them why.. even if they know your first job was promotional.. so be ABSOLUTELY SURE to tell anyone you do something for cheap or free for that it is a very unusual cost, and you are doing it just to promote yourself. tell them what the regular going rate is and let them know its a one time thing that nobody else can get or whatever. ..just let them know somehow that its not going to be like that when they want something done again. otherwise youll build a reputation on refferalls and being known for being chep/free and nobody will want to pay you or anyone else what they are worth down the road..

people dont understand how much time it takes to do this stuff. they dont know what a 20:1 shooting ratio is, or why it takes forever to make a custom complex dvd motion menu system or days of work to do an edit of their wedding .. they have no idea.. they think that since everything is done by computers now you just stick your camera in front of it when your done shooting and the computer pops out a DVD. they dont undestand why it takes an hour just to set up lighting for one shot or why you have to use 4 different programs over hours to make a shiny logo with some cool music in the beginning. and they certainly arent going to understand why your skills and knowledge and talent are worth anything more than 100.00 for the 100 hours you put in the first time. you really need to explain that you are a hired artist and creative talent. not just some technical guy with a camera and a computer that does everything for you. let them know how much work it is if they are sticker shocked by the price, and then let them know how confident you are in your ability to create something beautiful/awsome for them. anyway.. point is that you need to place the idea of value on yourself and help them understand the need for quality and creativity . not just another hashed out poop looking video, because they mostly have no idea how to judge the value of your services and will mostly judge you by your price tag.


people in the industry or that work with production often enough know better, but if your outside that loop you need to sort of welcome them to your world.
Click to expand...
You're right about the sticker shock! I have started making it a habit to write up an invoice with a release for tax purposes and getting them signed by the responsible parties. The look of shock on their face when they see my bottomline is a scream.
 
Sweet. That is some good advice. Even though I have only been doing this stuff for a relatively short period of time(2yrs), I think that my prices are good. Though, I probably shouldnt charge too much for a wedding, since I am new to weddings and I probably should "tag along" with some wedding videographers around here to get an idea. I did make a breakdown of the flat rate for a band, but I have not shown it to them yet.
 
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