signs of the time--job opporunities

smokecat20

smokecat20

Member
I remember when I first started as a PA and grip, $300 was the day rate!


http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sfc/tfr/1697014110.html

Producer/Director


"The Live From Midtown Documentary Series (www.dishnetworkdocumentary.com), which broadcasts Mondays at 8:00pm & 11:00pm EST on CoLours TV (DISH Network Channel 9407/9396) and has local productions in 5 major cities, is looking for a talented and dependable Producer/Director for its new, local production in San Francisco, CA. This is a part-time position that pays $300/month. The entire production is organized (scheduling, video editing, promotion, etc.) out of New York City; the job of the producer/director is to run the events (recordings & rehearsals) in San Francisco.

LFM is produced by the non-profit organization SYGM and ran by college/young adult age production team, so whether you are a seasoned pro with many years of experience, or talented, recent college graduate who has shown creativity and consistency in the production of recent projects, feel free to apply. We are looking not just for a competent producer, but someone who believes in creating positive, grassroots television programming and can join our vision in becoming America's #1 platform for up-and-coming performers.

Requirements:

1. Oversee 2 production events per month on Saturday afternoons. Production events last for 2 hours.
2. Own broadcast quality camera and audio equipment (lavalier mic) for use in documentary production.
3. Possess strong social and inter-personal communication skills in working with performers of all ages.
4. Consistently show up on time and prepared to oversee production events. Being late is unacceptable.

Availability:

1. If selected, applicant needs to be available for LFM casting call on Saturday, May 8th.
2. The first two production event dates are Saturday, May 22nd and Saturday, June 5th. This is an on-going position with 2 production events per month.

Compensation:

1. Payment of $300/month.
2. Free airtime during our weekly TV series to broadcast or promote your projects

Required information:

1. Name
2. Phone Number
3. Email Address
4. Description of your video production equipment (required, such as make and model of camera, etc.)
5. Web link to recent video project that you produced.
6. Description of any previous experience that has prepared you for this position.

Location: San Francisco
Compensation: $300/month
This is a part-time job.
This is at a non-profit organization.
Principals only. Recruiters, please don't contact this job poster.
Please, no phone calls about this job!
Please do not contact job poster about other services, products or commercial interests."
 
I do see A TON of rip off jobs, and it makes me angry, but this is $150 for two hours of work. Not too bad. Not going to pay the bills or anything, but not TOO bad.
 
stock said:
I do see A TON of rip off jobs, and it makes me angry, but this is $150 for two hours of work. Not too bad. Not going to pay the bills or anything, but not TOO bad.
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Actually $75 an hour. Two events a month.

Still it's $300 dollars for 4 hours of work spread over two days in a month.... Plus the ' Free airtime during our weekly TV series to broadcast or promote your project' part which may or may not be useful to someone.

For a true 'professional' I'm sure it looks horrible, but for someone that has already bought a ton of gear for personal projects or whatever, it would be a nice $300 bucks a month.... Not really arguing, just saying it's not that bad in perspective. It doesn't seem like a gig looking for someone with 20+ years of experience...

It's $300 more than most Craig List ads... Ha!
 
smokecat20 said:
I remember when I first started as a PA and grip, $300 was the day rate!

."
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Being able to produce an HD program with an $800 camera and a laptop is the new reality.
Someone at the top of that pyramid will be making a lot of cash if it works and that's also a sign of the times.
Can't go back. It's rule #1
 
Photography has been relatively cheap for a while now. The difference between the low end and high end are not that big of a deal. You can look at trends there too.
 
ROCKMORE said:
Being able to produce an HD program with an $800 camera and a laptop is the new reality.
Someone at the top of that pyramid will be making a lot of cash if it works and that's also a sign of the times.
Can't go back. It's rule #1
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I disagree with what I think your point it, from the other standpoint a project like this probably wouldn't have even existed 10 or 15 years ago.

I do agree with "Can't go back".
 
Burritoclock said:
I disagree with what I think your point it, from the other standpoint a project like this probably wouldn't have even existed 10 or 15 years ago.

I do agree with "Can't go back".
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Not trying to be smart, but I'm curious to know what point you disagree with,

A. An HD program can be produced with a Canon 550D and a laptop, or


B. Smart producers can make a lot of money hiring directors who own their cameras to shoot 2 event shows a month for $300.
 
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That sad part is that someone will put up about $5,000 in equipment and four hours of their life for $300.
 
ROCKMORE said:
Not trying to be smart, but I'm curious to know what point you disagree with,

A. An HD program can be produced with a Canon 550D and a laptop, or


B. Smart producers can make a lot of money hiring directors who own their cameras to shoot 2 event shows a month for $300.
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I disagree that it's a bad thing. I put I disagreed with "what I think your point is" because on the internet you have to assume tone and whatnot and are often wrong, ha.

Everyone assumes some guy at the top is making a boat load of cash, but I doubt whatever this show is is raking in the money on channel 1004 on Dish network or whatever. I hate the internet, this reads like attacks but I'm just thinking out loud here.


ChuckS said:
That sad part is that someone will put up about $5,000 in equipment and four hours of their life for $300.
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See I don't think that's sad. I have bought nearly $5,000 in equipment just for personal projects, short films, etc. Working 4 hours a month for a year would almost offset all of my equipment. Otherwise it's sitting in a box not bringing in any money.
 
Burritoclock said:
I disagree that it's a bad thing. I put I disagreed with "what I think your point is" because on the internet you have to assume tone and whatnot and are often wrong, ha.

Everyone assumes some guy at the top is making a boat load of cash, but I doubt whatever this show is is raking in the money on channel 1004 on Dish network or whatever. I hate the internet, this reads like attacks but I'm just thinking out loud here.




See I don't think that's sad. I have bought nearly $5,000 in equipment just for personal projects, short films, etc. Working 4 hours a month for a year would almost offset all of my equipment. Otherwise it's sitting in a box not bringing in any money.
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Only 4 hrs of work? I will do it for $200 or even $100, $300 is a great deal for only 4 hrs of work!
 
I remember when I first started as a PA and grip, $300 was the day rate!
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When did you start? I've been a union member working in the tv and film industry in Hollywood for 15 years, and PA's still don't make $300 a day. The union rate for grip and electric is around $30hr depending on the contract.

I started non-union for Roger Corman at $100 a day for a 12-15 hour day. $100 a day was the most money I had ever made in my life at that time and I was glad to do it.
 
JoeC said:
When did you start? I've been a union member working in the tv and film industry in Hollywood for 15 years, and PA's still don't make $300 a day. The union rate for grip and electric is around $30hr depending on the contract.

I started non-union for Roger Corman at $100 a day for a 12-15 hour day. $100 a day was the most money I had ever made in my life at that time and I was glad to do it.
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I dont know for sure but from his original quote I think he was saying he made 300 a day not a hour. If union rates are at 30 an hour today, then a ten hour day would net you 300. If they were higher in the past a shorter day would obviously net you the same 300. Granted if your working a long term project while you might only get 100 a day for non union you would in theory get it for more than three days :)
 
Valdeck said:
I dont know for sure but from his original quote I think he was saying he made 300 a day not a hour. If union rates are at 30 an hour today, then a ten hour day would net you 300. If they were higher in the past a shorter day would obviously net you the same 300. Granted if your working a long term project while you might only get 100 a day for non union you would in theory get it for more than three days :)
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I think his discrepancy was more for the PA position. PA and grip are often not one and the same. So $300 for grip/electric and $100 for a PA seems about right.

A PA can be anyone with some solid hands on production experience to someone just used as a runner of sorts. So I remember seeing varying rates between $50-$175. That was about 8 years ago.
 
i saw that CL add as well, and i was considering responding to it, but then i though, that probably doesnt include setup/ and tear down which depending on how much equipment you have could easily add 30-45 mins to each of those days making the pay amount even less per hour.
 
Burritoclock said:
I disagree that it's a bad thing. I put I disagreed with "what I think your point is" because on the internet you have to assume tone and whatnot and are often wrong, ha.

Everyone assumes some guy at the top is making a boat load of cash, but I doubt whatever this show is is raking in the money on channel 1004 on Dish network or whatever. I hate the internet, this reads like attacks but I'm just thinking out loud here.
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You may be missing my point, so I will try to be more clear.

I never said it was a bad thing, quite the opposite.

I think the new technology is the greatest thing to happen to HD production. I'm working with it every day both EX3 and Canon HD developing a doc series along with my regular paying productions. I have a new i7 that cuts my EX-3 footage like butter and it only cost me $1,200. I have a new 550D for $800 and when CS5 hits It will cut the same, and I never have to leave my studio to do it. What could be better than that for independence.
In a word "Fantastic"

The guy who is producing the $300 dollar a month production is smart and hopefully he makes money to eat, which is what it's all about. I wish the best for him and is venture. It's a great concept and if it works everybody wins.

One question though, why do you hate the internet?
 
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I have experience with the computer and the camera, I've got a 7D, but I am just getting started in business in a town with a fledging film community. I make $100 a day when I can find work. It's not much but I am glad to get paid at this point in my career for filmmaking. I volunteer to shoot and do post on a short each month.
 
Each person has a different experience level and equipment... thus its very difficult to say whats a good rate and whats not...

Someone that has invested $75k in film school, has some experience under their belt, and has $5000 in equipment is going to want more money than someone that just bought a $800 camera and edits on their 2 year old mac that is looking for experience...

That's just the nature of the biz - You get what you pay for.

Also JonE is right... often you are picking up the slack and having to bite your tongue when you really spent 8 hours for travel/setup/troubleshooting/breakdown on the project.
 
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ROCKMORE said:
One question though, why do you hate the internet?
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Haha that's what I meant by "hate the internet", we agreed the whole time but you can't tell tone and body language from text so then we end up debating when we actually completely agree with each other. I read your original post differently than you meant it.

Also this forum is so much more civil and reasonable than 99.9% of the rest of the internet, maybe it just takes adjusting to that.
 
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