People who take public transportation, what's your carrying kit look like?

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sonofaresiii

Well-known member
Just curious and thought it might get some discussion going. I'm in NYC and have no car. 90% of my jobs are either just camera+tripod or have transportation provided, but every now and then a gig comes along that wants some lighting equipment as well... and wants me to take the subways. Dragging my stuff through the subway sucks, and I'm always super limited in what I can bring, but I'm just wondering what you guys manage to do.

I physically max out what I can carry at:

Camera bag - Camera, lenses, batteries, media, shotgun mic/xlr cord, a few sheets of diffusion paper tucked in the side

Two small tungsten lights go in my backpack (can't carry another bag/case)

Travel tripod

Two lightstands

and maybe a few accessories can fit in the backpack as well-- extension cords or black tape or something.

Is there anything out there you guys are using to carry significantly more? I can't imagine trying to drag a huge pelican case or more bags on public transportation, but we're getting to the point where producers are expecting it-- or at least, expecting higher quality images. (Think you can get some backlight there? No, no I can't, because I don't have any more lights with me)

I'll almost never spring for a cab if I'm not getting reimbursed for it. You want more gear, YOU pay for transportation...

so what do you guys do?
 
Simply tell them you can't take the subway with that much equipment. Either they pay for a car service or an assistant to help you out. If they are unwilling then they can't afford you.
 
For quick small budget interviews I use a Remin Super 600 Cart that I load up with two Pelican 1524 cases ( one for camera and audio, the second for lighting gear ), on top of this I strap a Manfrotto tripod bag that contains my tripod and three light stands. ( if I need more stands I'll carry another bag in my free hand ) It's a bit of hassle getting up and down stairs, but the cart is made for this so you won't damage it.
 
Raise your rate to include transportation costs.

I carry my gear in a Mercedes Sprinter Van, and if I know there are going to be parking issues, I make sure arrangements are made to accommodate a parking place for my van, as well as a load in/out area.
 
You said it yourself:
sonofaresiii said:
You want more gear, YOU pay for transportation...
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That one extra backlight that you can't carry yourself isn't going to be what makes or breaks the day if the scale of the job is such that there's not even a van to move camera and lighting.

As a side note, I would look into rifa lights if this is a recurring thing.
 
Guys, I really appreciate the feedback, but I'm wondering what people who take public transportation use to carry their gear and how much they carry. If you don't take public transportation, that's okay, but that's where I'd like the discussion to head. "Don't take the job/Raise your rate (which is the same as don't take the job)" isn't really the kind of feedback I'm looking for, though I do appreciate your help.

And Dingo, that seems like a solid option.
 
I will only take transit with gear that will fit into my lowpro flipside backpack. That is my most mobile and all I use on transit. Anything more than that and I will rent a van or take a cab and expense it with company or include in my rate.
 
sonofaresiii said:
"Don't take the job/Raise your rate (which is the same as don't take the job)" isn't really the kind of feedback I'm looking for, though I do appreciate your help.
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Sometimes clients ask for favors, which might be something where they need a 5 minute interview shot and prepped for web delivery and their total budget is $300. If I say "no thanks", then I might not be first on their list when they do have a real budget. ( I once had a $28K bread'n'butter job come from a $200 favor that I did for someone ) So unless I'm already too busy, I make time for favors when I can.
 
Charge extra for a couple of Taxi rides, the only way to go. Favor or not, it shouldn't raise the price up too much and it's a logical expense.
 
I'd avoid proper equipment cases, unless they look completely generic or you can disguise (e.g. wrap) them in some way - the last thing you want is to tell every crim on the subway and streets that you're carrying piles of valuable stuff. The 'crazy person carrying a box of worthless crap' look is a lot safer :)
 
I take the subway all the time but seriously for 30-50$ car service will take you anywhere in NYC. Both ways it ads up to $60-100. Assuming that you charge even half-decent rates, no producer would be squeamish about it a sit's self explanatory. So instead of worrying how to minimize your gear, mention that the XYZ amount of gear will require transportation - car service/taxi or something organised by the producer.
 
There are times for personal projects that I take the subway. Conceptually, there are two ways I think about it:
1. Whatever I can take in a Think Tank Airport Takeoff rolling backpack plus a shoulder bag (such as the Think Tank Urban Disguise 60). I carry the camera body (Sony FS700) in the shoulder bag, and it will fit on the top of the "cart".
2. The above plus one rolling bag. This is possible, but really pushing it.
 
Patryk_Rebisz said:
I take the subway all the time but seriously for 30-50$ car service will take you anywhere in NYC. Both ways it ads up to $60-100. Assuming that you charge even half-decent rates, no producer would be squeamish about it a sit's self explanatory. So instead of worrying how to minimize your gear, mention that the XYZ amount of gear will require transportation - car service/taxi or something organised by the producer.
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Well, thanks for your input, but I guess I don't charge even half decent rates because $100/day over a month hurts me pretty bad.

And as far as the producers being squeamish about it goes, maybe you're in a much better place in this city than I am, but I charge what I can get and no more-- because I can't get it. So, no, producers aren't willing to bump me by $100/day after negotiations, because if they were, I'd already be getting that amount.

So at the end of the day, it may work for you but as I've said already charging more or spending more isn't an option for me. In this city alone I've seen plenty of people commanding very fair rates while trucking their gear on the subway, I'm just curious as to what method everyone uses.
 
My heart goes out to you guys making a living (trying to make a living?) in production in NYC. I realize the scene is probably a lot busier than Houston, but transporting gear issues plus serious rate competition combined with cost of living out there has to make it pretty difficult.
 
Josh Bass said:
My heart goes out to you guys making a living (trying to make a living?) in production in NYC. I realize the scene is probably a lot busier than Houston, but transporting gear issues plus serious rate competition combined with cost of living out there has to make it pretty difficult.
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Have to agree. I got a call a few years back to work on a popular kids TV show being shot on location in my area and was appalled at the rate they wanted to pay and the gear they expected to be included, as well as the lack of travel costs for driving almost 2 hours each direction. The producer said they could hire 3 people including gear in NYC for my day rate.
 
I'm pretty much in the same situation. Starting to have more equipment than I can carry. Working mostly with artists in a poor city like Berlin also means rates aren't the best.
Even when taking a cab it's a bit of a pain cause I live on 4th floor with no elevator, so have to carry stuff down the stairs then leave it and go back up for the rest.
Ive been thinking of getting a big trolley of some sort, but even if padded well, there will be lots of vibrations when lugging it around over cobblestones etc. And that feels it'll hurt the equipment eventually.
Looking to get a backpack for the FS700, big trolley for lights and stands and a bag for everything else.
It's a real pain lugging all this crap around. And it means I shoot less than I'd like to for personal things also.
 
I work in NYC all the time, also often hire crew members - don't worry rates are good here - like anywhere else all depends on what circles your revolve around.
If i ask for certain amount of gear it's A GIVEN that someone has to pay for its transport - this isn't mid-west where everyone has a vehicle. If someone also has a car - that's fantastic - but NO producers in NYC assumes that. I NEVER dealt with a producer who wouldn't understand that. Hell i've shot plenty of jobs all over the US and since i don't drive i would always mention that i'll have to be picked up and they had no problem organizing the transport. As always, don't rudely demand just politely asks and you will be surprised how often it will not be a problem at all.
 
Josh Bass said:
My heart goes out to you guys making a living (trying to make a living?) in production in NYC. I realize the scene is probably a lot busier than Houston, but transporting gear issues plus serious rate competition combined with cost of living out there has to make it pretty difficult.
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It's been my experience that the people asking for the lowest rates are usually calling from NY or CA. A friend had a similar conversation to David's before. His response was something like: fly your camera guy out here, ship his gear or rent it here, get him a rental car and put him up in a hotel and see if it's still cheaper. I had an inquiry at the beginning of '13-'14 NFL season from an company in NY for a game down here. I quoted them my usual rate and even said up-front that I'm willing to be flexible to try to help work with their budget and never heard back. And as recently as a few months ago a friend did a shoot for a WELL KNOWN sports entity out of NY down here and the rate for HD(P2, broadcast 2/3" cam) was less than SD 10-12 years ago.

I also wouldn't know how to act without a vehicle. I live in a place where it's almost a birth right to get your DL as soon as you're old enough and most people have at least one vehicle, if not two or more. You can not function in this business in this area without your own transportation. It's just not possible.

Good Luck.
 
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Josh Bass said:
My heart goes out to you guys making a living (trying to make a living?) in production in NYC. I realize the scene is probably a lot busier than Houston, but transporting gear issues plus serious rate competition combined with cost of living out there has to make it pretty difficult.
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"Trying" to make a living is a pretty fair way of putting it, ha! But hey, I'm still here. Managed to get by somehow, and things keep getting better every year.

I've always kind of found it interesting talking about NY/LA v. elsewhere. Sure, it's extremely competitive here (making rates go down in a lot of cases) but I honestly wouldn't know where/how to get gigs anywhere else. I don't have any connections in Houston or Chicago or wherever, where do you guys find your jobs (as freelancers)? I built up my connections through various places, but a lot of them were job listing sites, and it seems anywhere but NY/LA is dead for those sites. In NY it's so busy that if I don't get a call from someone I've already worked for, I can still browse CL or Mandy (or cml on occasion) and maybe pick something up-- which may turn into another contact.


Patryk_Rebisz said:
I work in NYC all the time, also often hire crew members - don't worry rates are good here - like anywhere else all depends on what circles your revolve around.
If i ask for certain amount of gear it's A GIVEN that someone has to pay for its transport - this isn't mid-west where everyone has a vehicle. If someone also has a car - that's fantastic - but NO producers in NYC assumes that. I NEVER dealt with a producer who wouldn't understand that. Hell i've shot plenty of jobs all over the US and since i don't drive i would always mention that i'll have to be picked up and they had no problem organizing the transport. As always, don't rudely demand just politely asks and you will be surprised how often it will not be a problem at all.
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Again, thanks for your input, but my experience has been different from yours. It sounds like you don't actually work/live in the city? I'd imagine that means you only come in on bigger jobs where they're willing to transport you.

Fact is, it's not at all uncommon for me to get a call from someone needing me to do an interview for one reason or other and pay a modest day rate. "Well we'll need your camera, your lights, your tripod, your sound gear. Here's what we're paying." "Okay, I can't really carry all that though, can you cover transportation?" "No, you'll have to get yourself there." And there are plenty of people in this city who do have cars, that they can easily hire instead of me.

These kinds of gigs, I'm sure, aren't what you're after or what you're hired for in the city, but they're-- not necessarily typical, but not uncommon for me.

It's not that the producers don't "understand" that I don't have a car... it's that they don't care. They can find someone else who does, if I'm not willing to drag my **** through the subway.
 
sonofaresiii said:
Again, thanks for your input, but my experience has been different from yours. It sounds like you don't actually work/live in the city? I'd imagine that means you only come in on bigger jobs where they're willing to transport you.

Fact is, it's not at all uncommon for me to get a call from someone needing me to do an interview for one reason or other and pay a modest day rate. "Well we'll need your camera, your lights, your tripod, your sound gear. Here's what we're paying." "Okay, I can't really carry all that though, can you cover transportation?" "No, you'll have to get yourself there." And there are plenty of people in this city who do have cars, that they can easily hire instead of me.

These kinds of gigs, I'm sure, aren't what you're after or what you're hired for in the city, but they're-- not necessarily typical, but not uncommon for me.

It's not that the producers don't "understand" that I don't have a car... it's that they don't care. They can find someone else who does, if I'm not willing to drag my s*%t through the subway.
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Even though i make most of my money DPing, i've produced enough stuff that i feel confident providing a different perspective. Basically noone is hiring you - exuding one or two jobs here and there - for you vehicle. Trust me not as a DP but as a producer. If someone asked for transportation, it would be a given. I've noticed that lots of crew members don't really know how to play the game - they either give away too much or overvalue their stuff. If you charge for rental what Adorama would charge, it's not a great deal for me, moreover it's insulting to me as a producer because i think you take me for a sucker who doesn't know the prices. Likewise, if you give away stuff that's not included in the fee - trust me again, i'll take it. Incidentally not because i'm cheap and a scumbag (my rates are decent and i'm only rarely an a-hole) but because i've learned that giving too much away is never healthy and creates precedence where the crew members start taking advantage. Is transportation something that's normally provided - yes, some people who grew up out of state drive/have cars and often give away transportation, which the producer - any producer is more than happy to take BUT it's not a given. Value your skills (and your gear)... play the Jesus part... "Ask [for transportation] and you will be give."

[trying to up your value in your own eyes, not to be mean]
 
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