Real Talk: Why is filmmaking so expensive (e.g. $40k lenses, $30k+-$100k+ cameras?)

NorBro said:
I've already made a firm decision to not buy a single thing in 2017. I don't care what comes out or if all of my equipment fails...I need a break for my own mental health.
Click to expand...

I've been thinking of doing the same thing. Trying to wrap up the last few things I need and then ride it out a year. I'll probably have to stay off here so I don't hear about all the new things! hahaha ;)
 
NorBro said:
I've already made a firm decision to not buy a single thing in 2017. I don't care what comes out or if all of my equipment fails...I need a break for my own mental health.
Click to expand...
There are witnesses...

Run&Gun said:
I hope your constitution is stronger than mine. ; ) I said I was only going to add a few lights before the end of the year, but here we are two weeks before Christmas and I just took delivery of a brand new Canon 17-120 last week. It may be bare under the tree this year... Lol.
Click to expand...
Of course, you could have bought it next year, unless you:
a) are using it in the next 2 weeks
b) don't have the control NorBro professes to have
c) need the deduction this year... :happy:

Also, should this thread be titled Real Talk or Reel Talk? :grin:
 
Last edited:
groveChuck said:
There are witnesses...


Of course, you could have bought it next year, unless you:
a) are using it in the next 2 weeks
b) don't have the control NorBro professes to have
c) need the deduction this year... :happy:

Also, should this thread be titled Real Talk or Reel Talk? :grin:
Click to expand...

A) I actually used it today
B)...
C)We can always use an extra deduction ; )

And D) I have a good source that says when the $5K rebate goes away 12/31 it is not coming back like how they extended it this year.
 
I think filming never was as cheap as it is today. You can have 'good enough' quality with even the cheapest camera's. And the broadcast image is so much better than 25 years ago.

You can have millions of viewers on youtube or vimeo and only use a dlsr or even a Iphone. It is the story (or the hype) that counts.
 
Publimix said:
I think filming never was as cheap as it is today.
Click to expand...

I pretty much agree. And I haven't kept up with the whole thread, but... I also like:

- No film lab expenses (I never really had much of those; my bosses/clients did, though).

- Don't need to buy a couple VTRs and then rent others. That's a big savings in my world.

However, labor rates haven't really improved in a long time. I mean, sure I raise my rates periodically...but compared to what friends were getting 20-30 years ago, things are about the same. And yet cost of living isn't...

Used to be an expensive and difficult --but fun-- business. Still is.
 
Jim Feeley said:
I pretty much agree. And I haven't kept up with the whole thread, but... I also like:

- No film lab expenses (I never really had much of those; my bosses/clients did, though).

- Don't need to buy a couple VTRs and then rent others. That's a big savings in my world.

However, labor rates haven't really improved in a long time. I mean, sure I raise my rates periodically...but compared to what friends were getting 20-30 years ago, things are about the same. And yet cost of living isn't...

Used to be an expensive and difficult --but fun-- business. Still is.
Click to expand...

When we went HD many moons ago, my friend called that our "raise" for the decade. If you owned gear, rates came close to doubling. But now with the inexpensive gear and clients not wanting to spend a penny on anything, rates are getting pushed back down and in a lot of cases I see people working for and even well below our old SD rates, while our cost of living continues to climb.

Our labor rates have been mostly stagnate for 5-10 years. The only guys with the balls to regularly(every few years) bump their rates up seem to be the audio guys.
 
Jim Feeley said:
I pretty much agree. And I haven't kept up with the whole thread, but... I also like:

- No film lab expenses (I never really had much of those; my bosses/clients did, though).

- Don't need to buy a couple VTRs and then rent others. That's a big savings in my world.

However, labor rates haven't really improved in a long time. I mean, sure I raise my rates periodically...but compared to what friends were getting 20-30 years ago, things are about the same. And yet cost of living isn't...

Used to be an expensive and difficult --but fun-- business. Still is.
Click to expand...


My comparison of 'then and now' is the Bolex Windup 16mm camera, which was $300 at the time i was considering going in the direction of cinematography vs. still photography.

So, a Bolex $300 in 1970 is equivalent to about $1800 in 2016 dollars, and right off the bat, the Blackmagic Pocket at 'new' price of $995 is 1/2 that, and has great quality for full screen theater projection.

Then there's the processing. I actually can't recall the details, but it was a significant cost item.

And then there's sound... the windup Bolex had no 'sound' or 'sound sync' option. One needed a crystal controlled motor with sync pulse... hooked up to a recorder...

In any case, I'm pretty sure for $1800, I could produce a usable package for capturing motion pictures + sound, and with another $1000 for a really crappy computer... produce superior content to whatever was available to me in 1970.

Then there's 'where to show it'... friends and I use to kick in to rent a 16mm projector to show movies, mostly art documentaries, at 'home'. But still it was too expensive to rent more than a few times a semester. So these were more 'events' than coming home from work and watching a zillion youtube clips...

So, I'd say the modern world is far superior to 'back then' despite the nostalgia for Film film...

I would say that one of the reasons for the big ticket films having lots of CGI and live camera 'work' is due to the competition from 'below' where everyone has a camera these days, even if it's a smart phone.

The hurdle modern 'youth' have for entering the business I think is based on 'marketing' rather than equipment.
 
JPNola said:
But have you seen the Bright Tangerine self-supporting arm that allows for adjustment without having to loosen the main knuckle?

http://www.newsshooter.com/2016/04/19/nab-2016-bright-tangerine-tighten-articulated-arm/

You know, the arm you really, really want? :Drogar-BigGrin(DBG)
Click to expand...

haha, it looks good, but I wouldn't get it. I'm only really crazy about cameras.

DLD said:
Ya, right. Norbert is saving a quarter mil for the Bösendorfer Imperial. Don't stand in his way.
Click to expand...

Maybe one day... :violin:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top