Why do you continue to shoot video ( off topic )

vision_filmz said:
The simple thought of buying an Hpx-170 with P2 cards was well over $4000, something that was truly impossible for many. Along came the t2i camera which made it possible for anyone with under a $1000 to own a great camera. So in a sense this DSLR Community allowed me to grow, get my name out there and ultimately paint a vision that would not have been possible.
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Great but think how frustrated someone who did spend $4,000 on an HPX170 is when they have the exact same issues with clients. I don't have the energy to tell you how dejected I got with client issues after spending $6,000 on an HVX200 plus another $2,000 for a good tripod and audio gear. I'd be tempted to complain but I know I'd get my ass kicked by a friend who quit the buisiness years ago after spending about $50,000 on his gear (beta cam, lenses, ect.). If all you invested financially was the cost of a T2i, then you got off pretty lucky.

I did it for the love of Music and working with artists who couldn't afford big budgets. I did videos for free, videos for $500 , videos for $1000 and videos for even more. My frustration came from people seem like they are never happy. This really wasn't specific to Dslrs as I could easily be experiencing this with any camera. Corporate jobs are great, but you dealing with No Name artists who think they are somebody and try to micro manage everything can drive you crazy.
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I share your frustrations but can't help but point out again that none of these are specific to DSLR users. Many people have had to invest ten to one hunded times what you did for those same frustrations. When a lot of them are forced to walk away, it means bankruptcy (did for one guy I knew).
 
I do this for the freedom it gives me. No boss, no small corner office, no set hours. I don't know how most people here get jobs but clients ask me for a quote. If they too cheap, I'll never hear from them again. If they aren't then great. So the lowballers never become an issue.
 
I figured out my break-even point and stick to that. Realistically, in this area, in this economy, ~5-7 days' work per month is all I'll find doing what I prefer to do... so I price myself accordingly. Anything above that, then, is gravy. If there's no work whatsoever, make some, explore new revenue streams, or practice with some personal projects, and in super-slim times take on an odd job or two doing whatever else.

Sure, I could work 40 hours a week in a cubicle or even 50-60 hours a week as a local news photog and have "security," but would still be making the same money with no freedom.


Now, the side note of the DSLR "affordability..." Quasi-ironically, and largely because of the DSLR siren-song, you can now buy a used HVX for less than a comparable DSLR kit and arguably have a better camera (depending upon your uses)... Think of it - $700 for your body, probably $1000 for lenses to cover the same range and speed, then add on your sound recorder and even the cheapest rig to be able to handhold it. P2 is now only slightly more expensive than CF and only maybe twice the cost of SD (assuming you go for higher-end dependable media) and records a better codec. Yes, if you want all that 60's-smash-zoom wowiness of '10s slim DOF, you have to pony up for a cumbersome (but now relatively cheap) SLR lens adapter. Nothing's perfect.
 
@vision_filmz what state do you live in? For music videos it seems like if you aren't in NY or LA it's going to be hard to get bigger budget gigs especially for hip hop. So many artist are getting stuff for free and cheap (even top name artists) that the budgets are significantly low. A trip to worldstarhiphop will show you this lol
 
I think it all has to do with your knowledge of your craft. If you're good at what you do you'll get work. If you don't take the time to study and learn and you just expect the camera to do all the work than you won't get much work

That's just my noob-ish 2 cents^^


DavidBeier said:
Great but think how frustrated someone who did spend $4,000 on an HPX170 is when they have the exact same issues with clients. I don't have the energy to tell you how dejected I got with client issues after spending $6,000 on an HVX200 plus another $2,000 for a good tripod and audio gear. I'd be tempted to complain but I know I'd get my ass kicked by a friend who quit the buisiness years ago after spending about $50,000 on his gear (beta cam, lenses, ect.). If all you invested financially was the cost of a T2i, then you got off pretty lucky.



I share your frustrations but can't help but point out again that none of these are specific to DSLR users. Many people have had to invest ten to one hunded times what you did for those same frustrations. When a lot of them are forced to walk away, it means bankruptcy (did for one guy I knew).
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How do you get the money to invest $50k in gear and than end up in bankruptcy? By not knowing his craft and thinking the camera will do all the work? no disrespect to your friend, I'm seriously wondering how he got into that situation
 
there is a lot of stuff happening that i chalk up to "symptoms" of the DSLR "fad". its a scenario of "just because you CAN, doesnt mean you SHOULD"

a lot of people are just drunk as s**t on the price and spec illusion of the DSLR. right this very moment i know of three major corporate entities in houston that used to hire skilled crews around town who have now spent $80,000 on DSLR and related gear to have their in-house designers or marketing people or whomever produce their material.

same s**t happened with desktop publishing in the late 80's.
ask a tried and true press man today about digital printing. its largely the same discussion...
 
M. Gilden said:
Whenever I get that nagging micro-management type client, I think of this:
http://theoatmeal.com/comics/design_hell

I've actually shown it to a couple of clients that were starting up with me... I said "don't be THIS guy", half jokingly. And you know what? They backed off.
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Yes, I'm familiar with this page, and I wish some of my clients *would* back off. In the past i've thought about forwarding the link to many of them, sadly I don't think they have the wit to grasp what's going on.

Oh well, as long as the checks clear, I'll do whatever they want. And that brings me smack-dab back to post #1. I can totally relate.
 
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