Remote Audio GRIP (Rycote sells the same one)
- Thread starter MattinSTL
- Start date
There's a number of ways a product can be innovative. It could it's design but it could also be innovative in how it's manufactured and/or in the materials used. Unless there's a patent involved, I don't know how anyone could fault what Matt is offering here. Afterall, how many ways can you design a basic cushioned handle?
-Dan
-Dan
Jeremy Ordan
Major Contributor
yuli said:
What the hell does a comment like that add to the on going conversation here?
You know, this is a kick ass product and I admire Matt for what he is doing. He is bringing a great product to people who may not be willing to spend money on other alternatives. I commend him.
hemophilia
Well-known member
Boy it's a good thing you don't have an orange dot on your handle there Matt! Otherwise the handle-patent police would've repelled in your skylight and hauled you off to the state-pen where my brother is serving time for whittling a pair of chopsticks w/o having filled out all the right forms in triplicate.
Yuli will make friends fast on this board.
Yuli will make friends fast on this board.
Jeremy Ordan
Major Contributor
I don't know what all this fuss is about.. I own the patent on the circle...
MattinSTL
Sound Modulator
I have this guy totally figured out... I was tempted to call him out on it, but that wouldn't be very cool and I actually feel better about myself for not posting the complete explanation. I'm sure he's a cool guy... as is the other version of him.
I've explained this a few times... but plain and simple this is the deal on all this stuff I'm doing. I like problem solving. The problem can be an issue of weight, function, appearance, or COST. I've been a low-budget shooter from Day 1 and that means I've had to figure out ways to do things for which I couldn't simply buy the solution.
If you read some of my other posts you'll see that I have a lot of respect for the creative work of people who aren't totally reeming us.
There are a few things... such as blimps and this handle... that are a total rip at the retail price.
I've explained this a few times... but plain and simple this is the deal on all this stuff I'm doing. I like problem solving. The problem can be an issue of weight, function, appearance, or COST. I've been a low-budget shooter from Day 1 and that means I've had to figure out ways to do things for which I couldn't simply buy the solution.
If you read some of my other posts you'll see that I have a lot of respect for the creative work of people who aren't totally reeming us.
There are a few things... such as blimps and this handle... that are a total rip at the retail price.
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Matt,
It is about general ethics standards only. Nothing personal.
You are a great and generous person, With a pure golden heart. But as you mentioned in one of your posts, you are usually broke.
How would you feel if you will be making your "Wooden frame fig rigs" and selling
them for 20 $. and you invested in stock of 200 units.
Then some one else will copy the idea and offer them for 10 $ ?
More then this, the imitator will use your original photos and brand it "Matt's rig" to promote his products.
Don't you see what is wrong here ?
Yuli.
It is about general ethics standards only. Nothing personal.
You are a great and generous person, With a pure golden heart. But as you mentioned in one of your posts, you are usually broke.
How would you feel if you will be making your "Wooden frame fig rigs" and selling
them for 20 $. and you invested in stock of 200 units.
Then some one else will copy the idea and offer them for 10 $ ?
More then this, the imitator will use your original photos and brand it "Matt's rig" to promote his products.
Don't you see what is wrong here ?
Yuli.
MattinSTL
Sound Modulator
Look at the 5-day gap between my first post and my second post. I want to clarify that when I STARTED this thread I had none of the parts to do the grips. I was actually curious if anybody had bought one. Okay now that I have that off my chest please read on.
So the Remote Audio Grip and the Rycote Grip pictured... no comment on that? (Who is the villian there?)
What about blimps? Everybody makes them.
Softies? Everybody makes them.
Cables? Everybody makes them.
Should I just keep typing these statements until I reach the character limit?
Do you honestly think that: a) I am doing this to genuinely compete with those companies? or b) that the few things I sell to other broke-ass filmmakers is going to affect the bottom line of those companies?
I'm not making anything significant on this stuff and I'm not TRYING to make anything significant on this stuff. I'm having fun sharing a hobby.
You have a valid point in that perhaps I shouldn't have mentioned the brand name of the other companies. Maybe Jarred should edit the word "Kino" out of all those lighting threads including the one HE started. The reason I used those names is for identification of the product type... and I think that's the fastest way to convey the information to a reader who is breezing through the topics as I'm sure we all do. Thread titles are like newspaper headlines and you want to put something there that will get people to read your thread.
I try to be a very moral and kharma-conscious person in my life... but if you follow the lineage of businesses (even video related businesses with seemingly specialty products) you will find that most products are either inspired by or of direct lineage to similar products.
Also I might add that I'm kind of trying to put myself out there as a socially conscious (to the forum) person... and that some of my stuff is on more or less "introductory pricing" based on a low-to-no profit margin. Let's face it... I wouldn't mind making enough on this stuff to make it worth my time... but I figure once I've got about a hundred people saying what a generous guy I am I might be ready to actually make a legitimate go of all this.
With my lighting stuff I have ideas that I really want to pursue... but I'm limited in a lot of ways. For one I don't know how many people will pony up for a light from me which isn't too far off price-wise on a light from Kino or Gyoury. Perhaps once I build a (hopefully) strong and positive reputation there will be people who are comfortable (or even excited) about getting some of my more complex (and necessarily higher $) light designs that I want to develop.
I actually get your point Yuli... but I think there are many products in the video industry that are an outright gouging because people simply have no other choice. I was broke when I bought my DVX and it was a BIG deal for me to get it! I mean that was a fortune to me! Every time I work on some new product idea (or a way to reel-in the insanity of certain products) I think about the people out there who are like me.
So far I haven't needed to haul out the velvet ropes to control the crowd of people trying to make my life easier.
If our stupid economic system here in the US was a little different... maybe not exporting every good job and importing a poverty class to do the "jobs that people don't want"... as I endlessly see big companies scoring record profits and record layoffs... and even the american car companies use factories all over the world to build cars that we are (sometimes) guilt-tripped into "buy american"... etc. etc. etc. Maybe then I wouldn't feel the need to have the attitude I do to do something that I feel is win/win. I like sharing my abilities and if it covers my car payment each month AND people enjoy my work... then that's good enough reason for me to do it.
So the Remote Audio Grip and the Rycote Grip pictured... no comment on that? (Who is the villian there?)
What about blimps? Everybody makes them.
Softies? Everybody makes them.
Cables? Everybody makes them.
Should I just keep typing these statements until I reach the character limit?
Do you honestly think that: a) I am doing this to genuinely compete with those companies? or b) that the few things I sell to other broke-ass filmmakers is going to affect the bottom line of those companies?
I'm not making anything significant on this stuff and I'm not TRYING to make anything significant on this stuff. I'm having fun sharing a hobby.
You have a valid point in that perhaps I shouldn't have mentioned the brand name of the other companies. Maybe Jarred should edit the word "Kino" out of all those lighting threads including the one HE started. The reason I used those names is for identification of the product type... and I think that's the fastest way to convey the information to a reader who is breezing through the topics as I'm sure we all do. Thread titles are like newspaper headlines and you want to put something there that will get people to read your thread.
I try to be a very moral and kharma-conscious person in my life... but if you follow the lineage of businesses (even video related businesses with seemingly specialty products) you will find that most products are either inspired by or of direct lineage to similar products.
Also I might add that I'm kind of trying to put myself out there as a socially conscious (to the forum) person... and that some of my stuff is on more or less "introductory pricing" based on a low-to-no profit margin. Let's face it... I wouldn't mind making enough on this stuff to make it worth my time... but I figure once I've got about a hundred people saying what a generous guy I am I might be ready to actually make a legitimate go of all this.
With my lighting stuff I have ideas that I really want to pursue... but I'm limited in a lot of ways. For one I don't know how many people will pony up for a light from me which isn't too far off price-wise on a light from Kino or Gyoury. Perhaps once I build a (hopefully) strong and positive reputation there will be people who are comfortable (or even excited) about getting some of my more complex (and necessarily higher $) light designs that I want to develop.
I actually get your point Yuli... but I think there are many products in the video industry that are an outright gouging because people simply have no other choice. I was broke when I bought my DVX and it was a BIG deal for me to get it! I mean that was a fortune to me! Every time I work on some new product idea (or a way to reel-in the insanity of certain products) I think about the people out there who are like me.
So far I haven't needed to haul out the velvet ropes to control the crowd of people trying to make my life easier.
If our stupid economic system here in the US was a little different... maybe not exporting every good job and importing a poverty class to do the "jobs that people don't want"... as I endlessly see big companies scoring record profits and record layoffs... and even the american car companies use factories all over the world to build cars that we are (sometimes) guilt-tripped into "buy american"... etc. etc. etc. Maybe then I wouldn't feel the need to have the attitude I do to do something that I feel is win/win. I like sharing my abilities and if it covers my car payment each month AND people enjoy my work... then that's good enough reason for me to do it.
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dustino
Well-known member
Matt, got my grip today - looks great, works great, shipping was super-fast. Thanks for a great item and great service. I think I'll be able to suppress my guilt enough to get a decent's night sleep.
It always amazes me how successful corporate america has become in convincing citizens that whatever serves the interest of business is also the morally correct thing to do. Cooperation between "ordinary" citizens is only commendable if sanctioned by corporate america and the legal justice system that they've bought and built to serve their interests.
Let's take a moment to analyze our transaction:
You charged me $4 shipping - but I see you actually paid $4.55 because of the USPS sticker on the box. So that brings the cost of this grip down to $10.40. Now, let's say you "paid" yourself minimum wage to order supplies, build the grip, take my order and ship the product. Maybe you're superman and all that only took 1 hour: $10.40 - $5.15 = $5.25.
Ok, now let's subtract the cost of the materials and the cost of their shipping to you (or your gas/automobile wear and tear). Then the cost of your shipping supplies (bubble wrap, box, and ziplock bag), and the cost of driving to the post office.
I'll be super-conservative and put all those costs at $6.
Final cost: $ - .75
So, as a business, you paid for the privilege of building and making me a well-crafted and useful product. I don't know how you can look yourself in the mirror.
It always amazes me how successful corporate america has become in convincing citizens that whatever serves the interest of business is also the morally correct thing to do. Cooperation between "ordinary" citizens is only commendable if sanctioned by corporate america and the legal justice system that they've bought and built to serve their interests.
Let's take a moment to analyze our transaction:
You charged me $4 shipping - but I see you actually paid $4.55 because of the USPS sticker on the box. So that brings the cost of this grip down to $10.40. Now, let's say you "paid" yourself minimum wage to order supplies, build the grip, take my order and ship the product. Maybe you're superman and all that only took 1 hour: $10.40 - $5.15 = $5.25.
Ok, now let's subtract the cost of the materials and the cost of their shipping to you (or your gas/automobile wear and tear). Then the cost of your shipping supplies (bubble wrap, box, and ziplock bag), and the cost of driving to the post office.
I'll be super-conservative and put all those costs at $6.
Final cost: $ - .75
So, as a business, you paid for the privilege of building and making me a well-crafted and useful product. I don't know how you can look yourself in the mirror.
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MattinSTL
Sound Modulator
You forgot to take off the Paypal fee of $.73 (3%)
Where people keep screwing this up is by thinking I'm doing this as a business. No matter how many times I keep telling people many of them don't believe me when I state my intentions. I did find out that my shipping charges need to go up a buck across the line. I shipped 7 packages in the last 2 days and only one of them didn't cost me more then I charged.
Yuli... I don't know how to take you. Are you suggesting that the world is going to be mean to me for what I'm trying to do? My guess is your initials are DN and you don't like the stabilizer rig I'm working on.
Where people keep screwing this up is by thinking I'm doing this as a business. No matter how many times I keep telling people many of them don't believe me when I state my intentions. I did find out that my shipping charges need to go up a buck across the line. I shipped 7 packages in the last 2 days and only one of them didn't cost me more then I charged.
Yuli... I don't know how to take you. Are you suggesting that the world is going to be mean to me for what I'm trying to do? My guess is your initials are DN and you don't like the stabilizer rig I'm working on.
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Noiz2
Sound Ninja
Martin,
I tried to send you a message but I don't think it went through andthere don't seem to be any other way of getting in touch.
Could you email me off list at scott@askinc.net
I have some cable questions.
Thanks
And sorry for the OT
SK
I tried to send you a message but I don't think it went through andthere don't seem to be any other way of getting in touch.
Could you email me off list at scott@askinc.net
I have some cable questions.
Thanks
And sorry for the OT
SK