So I've been working in the business a few years in a variety of capacities but I got tired of never actually creating anything. I just facilitate other peoples ideas and thoughts and I do a good job at PAing and ACing but then I never was doing anything else. So I bought an FS700 with no real clients to speak of and no real experience in getting them because well I've never had a camera worthy of a client. So I'm excited and terrified and just want to post about it I guess. I didn't have to take out a loan or anything and paid the camera in full but now I gotta work on the business side of things and come up with inventive ways to out smart the competition while keeping rates as high as possible. Anyway, have a great day. I feel like a freshmen in college again, but now I'm older and more realistic about the future.
Just pulled the trigger on the FS700 slightly terrified.
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Congrats on your purchase, but if you dont use it a lot rent it out at the very least, don't let it sit there. You might be able to get some of your money back especially while its a new camera. I am in OKC and I may have some jobs soon that I could use it on. You should have no problem renting it especially if you get the Metabones adapter.
alaskacameradude
Veteran
Dude, don't stress it. You are way ahead of the game in my opinion, because you didn't have to take a loan to get it. I started my business the same way....I have NEVER
had a loan in the 10 years I have owned my business. I bought a PD150 with cash, a G3 Powerbook, and Final Cut Pro 2, I had zero clients, just an idea that I could do better
for myself than making $11 an hour working as a news videographer/editor for TV news, my TV production degree cost me a lot of money, I wasn't in it for an $11/hr job.
I always buy gear with actual cash, not credit, and it works for me. I'm not a big shot or anything, but I make more money doing this, than I ever did as a full time
'staff' shooter/editor, I have more time with my kids and get to work out of my home. You need to get a web presence, have some good demos on your site, print up some
business cards, do a ton of networking, join a chamber of commerce and the like (that's where the business owners that may hire you hang out). I try to do some things like
have a contest for a worthy charity once a year. Whichever charity 'wins' gets one free video from me. I don't usually do 'freebies' but this keeps it to a minimum
(one per year) you get a bunch of places 'competing' to earn your services, and you get a ton of free publicity if you play it right. Plus you are not doing a
'freebie' for a true 'for profit' business, but for a worthy cause. If I'm going to do a 'freebie' I'm not doing it for a business, except maybe as a 'thank you'
to a really good client for hiring me so many times.
If you need money, go out to any kids sport or event and shoot it and sell DVD's to the parents. I usually do this several times a year at dances, football, basketball,
soccer, plays, whatever is going on. Then I sell the DVD's for $25 each. There's plenty of ways to make money, and you don't have a ton of pressure to 'pay it off'.
Lastly, I would slightly disagree with the above comment. I would NEVER, EVER, EVER rent out my gear. EVER, EVER! UNLESS, they hired me as the operator. Letting someone
I don't know use my expensive new camera? Not gonna happen. You ever hear the expression 'Drive it like you rented it!'???? There's a reason for that saying. I rented
my camera out ONE time and it will NEVER happen again unless I am hired as the shooter. I baby my own gear, other people don't treat my stuff nearly as nice as I will.
Unless you are a TRUE rental house with corresponding insurance for your gear, I would NOT take that route. Just my opinion.
had a loan in the 10 years I have owned my business. I bought a PD150 with cash, a G3 Powerbook, and Final Cut Pro 2, I had zero clients, just an idea that I could do better
for myself than making $11 an hour working as a news videographer/editor for TV news, my TV production degree cost me a lot of money, I wasn't in it for an $11/hr job.
I always buy gear with actual cash, not credit, and it works for me. I'm not a big shot or anything, but I make more money doing this, than I ever did as a full time
'staff' shooter/editor, I have more time with my kids and get to work out of my home. You need to get a web presence, have some good demos on your site, print up some
business cards, do a ton of networking, join a chamber of commerce and the like (that's where the business owners that may hire you hang out). I try to do some things like
have a contest for a worthy charity once a year. Whichever charity 'wins' gets one free video from me. I don't usually do 'freebies' but this keeps it to a minimum
(one per year) you get a bunch of places 'competing' to earn your services, and you get a ton of free publicity if you play it right. Plus you are not doing a
'freebie' for a true 'for profit' business, but for a worthy cause. If I'm going to do a 'freebie' I'm not doing it for a business, except maybe as a 'thank you'
to a really good client for hiring me so many times.
If you need money, go out to any kids sport or event and shoot it and sell DVD's to the parents. I usually do this several times a year at dances, football, basketball,
soccer, plays, whatever is going on. Then I sell the DVD's for $25 each. There's plenty of ways to make money, and you don't have a ton of pressure to 'pay it off'.
Lastly, I would slightly disagree with the above comment. I would NEVER, EVER, EVER rent out my gear. EVER, EVER! UNLESS, they hired me as the operator. Letting someone
I don't know use my expensive new camera? Not gonna happen. You ever hear the expression 'Drive it like you rented it!'???? There's a reason for that saying. I rented
my camera out ONE time and it will NEVER happen again unless I am hired as the shooter. I baby my own gear, other people don't treat my stuff nearly as nice as I will.
Unless you are a TRUE rental house with corresponding insurance for your gear, I would NOT take that route. Just my opinion.
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Find a local business that has a website but no video to advertise their products and services. This is almost 90% of them in my experience. Tell them you'd be interested in shooting a video for them, for free. It'll take the stress / edge off the first time, and if you do a decent job you'll probably walk away with some really good references and experience to add to your portfolio.
Hit up a local mechanic / anything hands on that shows craftsmanship is fun to shoot, a tattoo parlor / artist, or the easiest sell of them all. Lawyers. I don't shoot corporate videos myself, I just shoot for fun. But I have a friend who does, and I helped him with the business side of it and showed him how to engage local business owners.
Hit up a local mechanic / anything hands on that shows craftsmanship is fun to shoot, a tattoo parlor / artist, or the easiest sell of them all. Lawyers. I don't shoot corporate videos myself, I just shoot for fun. But I have a friend who does, and I helped him with the business side of it and showed him how to engage local business owners.
I agree with most of the user above. I'm in the same situation as you are. I sold my modded-out car and spent close to 15-20k to have all the tools necessary to start a business. Picked up my FS700 about 3 weeks ago and did a free shoot for our local Big-Brothers, Big-Sisters agency. I plan to spend the next year just building my name and trying to juggle my real job. The big test for me will be at the end of that year where I *hope* I can go do cinematography full-time. It's a big world out there, but know that you are not alone 
Wow thanks for the outpouring of support. I have a lot of great ideas to generate business and I'm good at thinking long term about things. I'll take everything everyone said to heart and really work on it. It's just scary because now my only excuse is my OWN execution. No more soaking money on set working an hour for a whole day rate. Gotta hustle and as much as that's what I want it is nerve racking right now. Still plenty of gear I need to buy but I'm gonna do it smart and one step at a time borrowing from friends etc. @Steve-O I actually go up to OKC a lot (went to OU) to film sports so next time I'm up there with it we can mess around on it. Ahhhh so excited!
stanley k.
Member
awwww i know that feeling! I moved to Los angeles 5 years ago with nothing but a contractors license and no desire to work construction. Sold all of my tools and bought a canon xha1 and a mic. no clients, no connections and rent due in 30 days. But i jumped on craigslist did anything that needed a camera, "film an event for 100 dollar day rate", yes! "film my sons birthday party", yes!" help film a wedding as second camera in trade for a custom website", yes! I did anything that came my way until i could afford lighting, tripods, etc.... now i have many different day rate equipment packages, (including 2 sony fs100's) a full crew and 2 full time editors. Ive been here 5 years and have 14 companies that use our services throughout the year. it was risky but you only live once.....right?