Who brings what based on their role for small budget, indie, ads, music video? Rates?

[analogs]

Is there a standard when it comes to who brings what when it comes to their role in a very small budget film, advertisement, music video, documentary, interview, etc.?

Which role usually brings the following in general:
- sound recording equipment
- lighting equipment - lights, reflectors, flags, scrim, softbox, backdrop, etc.
- camera equipment - gh5/black magic/sony camera, shoulder rig, stabiliser, jib, tripod, etc.
- set design - furniture, props

What are the rates usually when it comes to these roles and what they bring to the table?

Are more roles being blended these days and they are expected to bring more to the table?

Thank you.

 

[IronFilm]

Is there a standard when it comes to who brings what when it comes to their role in a very small budget film, advertisement, music video, documentary, interview, etc.?

Which role usually brings the following in general:
- sound recording equipment

The Production Sound Mixer.

- lighting equipment - lights, reflectors, flags, scrim, softbox, backdrop, etc.

The Gaffer.

On super micro budget stuff, without a Gaffer (or it is an entry level "Gaffer" who hasn't got his own lighting package yet), then the cameraman might supply a few bits and bobs and/or the production is renting it in.

- camera equipment - gh5/black magic/sony camera, shoulder rig, stabiliser, jib, tripod, etc.

The DoP. Or/and it gets rented in by production. (and the higher up you go, the more normal it is that this would be rented in by production)

Some of the specialist roles will provide the gear for their job for rental, such as Jib operators or Steadicam Ops. Or established 1st ACs may supply their own monitors / follow focus / etc (and will get the rental fee for it too).

- set design - furniture, props

Art Department. (and as you get into a bit bigger production, then the Props Department would be its own separate department)

What are the rates usually when it comes to these roles and what they bring to the table?

I'm a believer you should always invoice your labour day rate and your rental package as two separate line items.

 

[analogs]

Thanks IronFilm!

 

[paulears]

While many people offer equipment packages, lots don't - and expect a production company to provide the tools. It depends what you actually want to buy? If you want a sound recordist for a simple interview type job, then most will have the kit and give you a price. If You want the same interview shot, the lighting people and video people will do the same. If on the other hand you want a sound guy to do a specific role - maybe radio mics or run a boom, then they could be just an operator, with the kit provided by somebody else. Nowadays you need to search for the package contents you want - people, or people and kit. Quite a few camera folk don't own much anymore, hiring the right kit for the job? I've noticed as a consequence the cheaper people can often need a big hire budget, while the more expensive ones can often be a better deal? You need to check.

 

[puredrifting]

It's all over the map. Generally, the higher budget the jobs, the fewer of the crew owns all or even most of the gear needed, it's rented.
On the low end, many crew are loathe to rent because they own gear that they want to rent to the production. But as Paul and Iron post,
it's highly variable depending on what kind of production and the budget levels involved.

I've observed most sound mixers like to own all or most of their package, sometimes sub renting extra wireless and or IFBs as needed because every shoot is different.
I've observed most camera ops and DPs own at least one camera, some have many. Few are like me, I like to rent out my cameras of course, but I never insist on it
and if the job calls for a camera I don't own like a Sony, Arri, RED, Phantom, etc. I rent it. Same with lenses, I'd rather rent the best than own the cheap, not that cheap lenses
aren't getting pretty good lately, but if the client is paying and we want a "look", why not rent some Signature Primes or Cookes?
Grips sometimes own a grip truck but often don't. You can often rent a loaded grip truck and the rental company throws in a driver/grip for an addtional rate.
Gaffers often own a truck and a lot of lights but sometimes don't.

 

[analogs]

Are brand names considered when people hire a particular person for a role, or do they usually just find the person who can get the job done who brings their own gear?

I understand cameras and lenses would probably be a specific request and the higher budget films will be selective on the type of tools used. How about for low to mid budget, with things like your gaffer who might not use well known lighting brands and support gear. It might be mostly cheap Ebay brands but can deliver the necessary tools for a shoot?

 

[Run&Gun]

Are brand names considered when people hire a particular person for a role, or do they usually just find the person who can get the job done who brings their own gear?

I understand cameras and lenses would probably be a specific request and the higher budget films will be selective on the type of tools used. How about for low to mid budget, with things like your gaffer who might not use well known lighting brands and support gear. It might be mostly cheap Ebay brands but can deliver the necessary tools for a shoot?

At certain levels, certain gear is owned and expected, even when it's not necessarily specifically requested, because that's just what everyone uses.

In my world, for audio, your average field mixer is going to be using:
Mixer/recorder: Sound Devices 664, 688 or 633. It's been a long time since I've seen a Zaxcom and no one uses Zoom mixers.
Wireless: Lectrosonics- usually an SR or 411A based system(s).
Boom/Shotgun: Sanken, Shoeps or upper level Sennheiser. No one uses Rode, Diety or any of those other bargain brands.
Lavs: Sanken, Countryman, DPA, Tram, Sony. The two MOST used are Sanken COS-11's and Countryman B6's with the Sanken's leading probably 3-1 or 4-1.

Gaffers:
Arri, Lightpanels, Quasar Science, Astera, LiteGear(LiteMat's), (maybe some KinoFlo's still), (maybe) AAdyn Tech, (maybe Nila). And you see(some) guys experimenting now with some of the lower cost stuff, like Aputure, that would have never gotten a second look just a few years ago.