IS there a way....

Why is everybody fighting the facts with "what ifs" and bad examples? Let the man go make his money. It's almost like y'all are HATING on the guy. It's amazing some of you are actually discouraging the guy to go get paid! lol

*sigh*

Ok, maybe I am missing something here..... let me be rational. I don't want to add any hypothetics, what-if's, consipiracy theories or make up any additional information that is above and beyond what Green Hornet has already told us.

Ok now...please slap the living sh*t outta me if I'm wrong....

....but isn't she offering $600 for 2 hours of work?

According to the calculator on my desk, Green Hornet will get paid more then what you guys are proposing he should accept to be a so-called "professional"...... however you mean to tell me, even though he's getting paid MORE then what you propose, if he accepts this job...he is BOTTOM FEEDING?? *shakin' my head*

Or is my math off?
 
or had a couple of bad month, $600 for 2 hours might just help pay the rent or the credit card bill for that month.
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There's merit to that, certainly. If you've never worked with a client before, then why not? Just don't go looking at it as $600 for two hours' work. It's $150 for 1/2 hour, with no guarantee that a) it'll be 1/2 hour, b) you'll actually get the $150, or c) there'll be any future days.

At the worst, he'll get experience. And you know what they say about experience: "Experience is what you get when you don't get what you want." :)
 
ShannonRawls said:

....but isn't she offering $600 for 2 hours of work?
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There's what's talked about, and there's what IS. She's offering $600 for him to show up for four consecutive days. Using his gear, investing his $10,000 worth of stuff and putting it at risk, turning down any other potential jobs for four days, etc.

And: is there any firm commitment that the other days will actually happen? Or is it going to be "oh, you know what? I got everything I needed that first day, thank you so much, you're awesome. Now if you don't mind, I can't pay you for a few weeks, but then I'll send you a check, just keep reminding me..."

Look, if you want to do this for the fun of doing it, tell her it's $150 up front, cash, for the first half hour. Every half hour after that it's another $150, or you shut the camera off. Just like a parking meter.

And no way on earth does she get the tapes (or other way of delivering the footage) until the cash is in hand and the check has cleared and the i's are dotted and the t's are crossed.
 
I agree with Barry on this one, ask for the money upfront. Since it is an unusual situation you do need a commitment.
 
One thing I can assure you, do any gig real cheap, and the next time the client has a real budget they will pass you by, cause your only as good as your percieved. People expect to pay for what they get. Right or wrong.
 
Okay, I agree with Barry here. I deal with people all the time who just lower the industry's rates, and screw the indusrty. I pay my bills with my gigs, and if I dont get a gig I starve, but I "starve" with integrity, go the the N-laws for dinner.
It is the same o sad song you hear from people who want thigns done for them super cheap. Here a smaple "But this guy charged me $90.00 unlimited pages of design, no way am I going to spend $1,500.00 for graphic design, which will intern make me look professional and make me the money I spent plus thousands more.

Here is one I got yesterday. Had me mad all night.

SurJones: Hello, thank you for calling "Company Name"

Client: I need to check your rates and equipment list for a event I need filmed.

SurJones: Okay, Great. Do you need this shot in Standard Def, or High Def.?

Client: Definitely High Def.

SurJones: Okay, well you called the right company, We shoot Panasonic DVCPro High Def. 720, and 1080.

Client: I will be needing your company to shoot our business meetings, which is 1.5 hours long and then DVD author them making about 5 copies.

SurJones: And how many meetings will we be needing to shoot per the day?

Client: Once a month for a couple years. Contract would be fine, and we pay up front before each gig, and free lunch, on us. We are wanting to spend $50.00 per 1.5 hour meeting.

SurJones: .............

Client: Hello?

SurJones: Sorry, How much did you say?

Client: Our budget includes this amazing catered lunch and $50.00.

SurJones: M'am, There is more than just production (setting up, shoting, and tearing down) there is also Post Production, where we fix audio levels, exporting and DVD authoring, and then Duplication. We would be willing to do a contract with your company for the amount of... (Pulling up my calculator, and calculating) $475.00 for a half days worth of work if you pay for the year in advance, I would be willing to do it for $400.00 times 13 months..

SurJones: (cont.) Hello?

Client: Oh sorry. Ya, I am sorry our budget is $50.00.

SurJones: Okay, well thanks so much for calling, and if we can help your company out, please feel free to call us.

CLICK.... RANT RANT RANT.. THROW THE PHONE AGAINST WALL... RAVE RAVE RAVE... sigh, and take another client call :)

This happned yesterday morning, and heard through someone they actually hired one of the payrolls employee's son who wants to do videography, and HE IS EXCITED ABOUT DOING IT, and doesnt have a tripod, and has a canon ZR25. ) $40.00 camera.
 
Here we go, mixing apples and onions again.

$50 bucks a month for 1.5 hours of HD footage "PLUS" 5 DVD copies and DVD authoring work
"vs."
$600 bucks for 2 hours of WHATEVER definition he wants and delivering raw footage in WHATEVER format he wants
--- is the best comparison you can give to convince him to pass on this gig???

*scratching my head* Why do you guys insist on giving these ridiculous scenarios exagerating the current situation? Is it to have a point? Is it so you can feel better about telling the man not to make decent money? Are you jealous he got the gig and you didn't?

Whatever happened to Innocent until proven Guilty? My goodness.

The man came here to ask you guys a technical question about a Data Cable to connect his camera to a Memory Stick....and this is what you have to offer him for an answer?? "HELL NO DON'T DO THE JOB!" type of advice??

Sheesh. *smile* is HATER-AID the thrist quenching drink of the day or something? if so, I'll pass.

Green Hornet.....do the job.

And to answer your question about the cable...I don't know of one. But if you have a laptop computer, maybe you can burn her a DVD right on the spot.

I hope that helps. *smile*
 
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Those are not ridiculous scenarios, those are actual people calling me :) I have invested so much money, 10's of thousands, and people wanting to take up almost 1/2 day for penny's. I like to think I have a skill :) And I have the investments, and throwing penny's is an insult. Like Barry examples about the car dealership. People are going to use that Green hornet is shooting and going to make WAY more money off of it then they spent.
 
Where´s the problem guys?
I´d just tell her: "Ok, since you didn´t book a half/full day, I can do the gig for you if you pay upfront. Since the rest of the day I´m booked for postwork on other projects, I´ll have to point out that I´ll leave 45 min max after my arrival, (repeat 45min...). If you can agree to that, `mam, we have a deal. And well, you can of course still book me for the full day at regular charge of xxx, if you prefer"
Again do this if there ain´t much going on anyways...
And Barry, I start thinking about moving to LasVegas if the rates are that good there...
 
Spartacus said:
And Barry, I start thinking about moving to LasVegas if the rates are that good there...
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Well I guess rates remain that good for Barry because:-

a) He has a talent that is valuable.
b) He doesn't accept the cheap paying clients.
c) There probably isn't a bunch of people with an HVX, living in vegas that are willing to work for peanuts.
d) If there are, they are accepting the jobs paying peanuts and Barry is working for clients that understand the value of his equipment and his work.
 
e) Barry and the rest of the people with HVX took a stand and said "They are not going to allow people to throw peanuts of insult at them" and then every one who wants him to shoot get the near the same price, but want Barry's Name.

I agree with this job: Get the money upfront, and walk off if she doesnt pay another 150.00 up front for anoher 30mins. Like Barry Said "Like a parking meter.".
 
I think that everyone has stories and situations and rules that they follow and that's really where it should stand. I turn down jobs for all kind of reasons and take some for God knows what reason. I would say that Cheap clients do tend to try and bleed ya and that.. but finances and bank accounts sometimes require me to do bogus gigs...


There are some that are so flatly rediculous though that they make me laugh. 2 weeks in a row a producer contacted me to come out for 12 hours days for a whopping 100 dollars a day. I laughed and told him that I make more money mowing lawns...


Scabs will always be here and this guy even got two people to come out for a hundred bucks for 12... We have to sell ourselves and our skills with the camera and not just the cam...
 
Shannon--

I think you may be missing the point. No one here disagrees that $600 for 2 hours of work is bad pay.

The point is that the job entails much more than 2 hours of work. She says it will take 30 minutes because she has no idea what she is talking about. This is the first red flag. 30 minutes could turn into 3 hours per location. Then there is the time Green Hornet needs to take to prep and pack his gear, deal with the lady on the phone, drive to the location, download footage at home, deliver, etc -- not once, but FOUR times on different days. Those are four different days that he probably can't work another gig. So there are good reasons why industry professionals often refuse to work this way.

Now, an alternative that would make more sense would be to shoot all the footage in one day. Green Hornet could charge $600 for the day, which is still a little low for his time and HVX, but not obsurd. This would require that the lady roll up her sleaves and plan the whole day out, transportation etc. If she screws up the planning and it takes more than one day, then he charges another full day rate.
 
Barry is correct and the problem is you have not built up value in your service

Barry is correct and the problem is you have not built up value in your service

Barry is exactly right.

If a client comes to me and tells me that they want to pay me 100 for the day. I will tell them why dont you get your brother in law to shoot it or if they have a friend that likes to film for fun, maybe you could get them for free or something and save the cash. (now you you have two options at least from here) If you really do not care about the look that much go that route. But for me, the look, style and editing is everything. You want to be able to show everyone you know the video and just blow them away. (From here you start building value and letting the client know we have some options to help keep pricing down, but show them some of your work and tell them how this software and this camera and your skill is going to impress them) Give them choices and options, it does not have to be HD maybe SD, let them know what editing costs or you can just give them the footage. The point is if you do not build value in your work then they think it is just point and shoot and any monkey can do it for cheap.
 
I would have to agree with most people here. All though the woman says it would only take 30 minutes there is no guarantee that is all it will take. $600 for 2 hours sounds ok but that is not what it will be. He has transportation, set-up, tear down and a bunch of other unforseen issues that can arise.

I agree with a previous poster. I would make it clear that all 4 interviews be done in one day and charge her a full day rate (whatever that is depends on you).
 
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