"normal" $1000/d DP lighting kit?

My pleasure, I would just recommend doing a lot of research to pick the right cart before making an investment. For example, the 42" scout is great because you can ship it, has a huge space for set up and can carry tons of gear. The ranger is not as compact as the echo but the onboard brake is extremely useful (and the larger tires) so the small cart might be more practical some situations.

One of the best ways to pick a cart might be to goto their facebook page and look at user pictures:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Inovativ-Equipment-Carts/118911398183594

That will really give you good insight into how people are incorporating the carts+accessories.
 
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JPNola, a little background. The world I live in is mostly network TV(not network news). You are expected to have more than just a basic lighting package(a few Arri's and a Kino kit). Is it "typical"? I'm guessing in the commercial and feature world, no. But in my world yes, at least with the higher end guys, and most of us have extensive packages like mine. Some even more. I'm not saying that all of that comes out on every shoot, either. I'd say most times when I do need to light, it's closer to what a "basic" package may actually be, but it's there for my use if I need it. I need to be ready to cover a lot of bases, sometimes with very little lead time or info about the situation I'm going into. I may be preaching to the choir here, but in my world, I could get a phone call and need to be somewhere in just a few hours to do a live shot(probably with the LP's or Kino's or HMI if it's outside) or a one or two camera sit-down inside(probably with the tungsten). Maybe even all of the above and more. That's why I, and a lot of guys like me, carry such a large lighting package. I also have multiple camera packages, so I need to be able to provide lighting to go along with them, if necessary. And my rate is the same whether it's just me and my camera shooting some off-the-shoulder sound or lighting an interview.

Also, two HMI's and genny are not part of the "included" package. My main clients rate card/gear list requires one HMI. If a second one(or more or larger) is needed, that's extra. The OP asked about lighting package and I was trying to give him some insight into what an owner/operator may have. In your opinion/world, mine may not be typical, but in my world, it's definitely not atypical.


"Earn repeat clients with your talent and the relationship you build with them. Don't earn repeat clients because you provide a bunch of kit for essentially free of charge to the client. If you are good the clients will pay your rate without you having to give away the farm."

I don't know if the comment was specifically directed at me or just general advise to everyone, but building and having a great relationships with my clients and earning their repeat business(some for approaching two decades) by doing good work is what has helped pay for the gear that I have now and use on their shoots. I didn't start out with all of this. I started out with a Lowel three light kit a few months after buying my first camera and grew from there. I'm not advocating that someone just goes out and drops $40K in a single pop on lights and grip, because it doesn't work like that for most of us, but depending on the sandbox you play in, you better have more than four Arri fressnels and a Diva or Litepanel at your disposal.

BTW JP: I agree 100% with 'not giving the farm away'. I have been seeing it all too much over the last few years, but not with basic support gear. I see guys giving cameras and stabilizers(movi's) away. And I don't mean throwing in a 5D for a few hundred bucks as a reversal or extra angle. I'm talking C300 and up. Those are the guys that really hurt the market.

You could show up on a shoot with 100 lights and most clients wouldn't notice or care. Having a big lighting package isn't whats getting me calls, but what I can do with it does. I think I've been asked about my lighting package maybe two or three times over the years. And most recently twice by producers I've never worked with before for my biggest client(17+ years). Talking to some others 'in my circle' that have gotten some similar questions in the last few years like that from various clients, we think it stems from them getting burned by guys that show up with nothing or next to nothing. At this level you shouldn't have to be telling a producer that calls you, "Yes, I have a tripod and lights. Yes, I have enough lights to light a sit-down interview." To me it's ludicrous, but apparently it's enough of a problem now that they're having to ask to cover their butts.


*EDIT*
I'm a dog person and they're great for lots of reason's. One of which is because this just popped into my head while I was out walking mine.

JP, I think you're looking at this(me) all wrong. You're looking at it like I'm actually using 21 lights and all that grip on each and every shoot and it would cost $XXXX to rent that from a rental house. You have to look at it like I AM the rental house. I have all of that in stock, but only a portion of it is probably ever 'going out' at one time. As I pointed out above, more than likely, If I'm doing a live shot outside I'm probably using the HMI(it's 'out on rental') and the Kino's and tungsten and Litepanels are sitting in the truck(back at the rental house). Or if I'm shooting a sit-down interview with the tungsten heads, more than likely the HMI and other lights aren't being used(not being 'rented'). Maybe that's a better perspective.
 
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