Working for free or low pay

[Capt Quirk]

And that is what this whole thread is about- People working for nothing trying to get in, vs. people wanting to pay nothing for Professionals, because they are cheap bastards. I'm sitting somewhere in the middle. Sure, I have a nice camera. I paid close to $5k for it a couple years ago after we sold our house. That is the only reason I was able to get it. Otherwise, I'd still be using my old GL1. While I used it on a lot of jobs, it wasn't going to get me huge paying gigs either. Using a Red? Yeah, I see that happening soon too.

As far as cost of tools I mentioned earlier, a couple years ago, you had Avid or Final Cut as an NLE, unless you wanted to go the whole linear route with a VCR. Otherwise, the cost of an Edit Station was pretty well cost prohibitive. Now days, you can build a PC for just a few hundred, and for another $150? add Vegas and Bam! You are now and editer too. A couple years ago, if you really wanted a Broadcast quality cam, you were talking Digi Beta. For the cost of a cam and a deck, you could buy a really nice house. Things have changed, and the cost is coming down, making it easier for people to get in. It takes time, talent, and skill to get up the ladder though.

 

[Noel Evans]

The issue is that whilst you can separate those i.e. people trying to get in v people wanting to pay nothing for Professionals, is the former is the reason for the later.

Also I advertise ability to shoot on Red, any form of HPX and on Sony, I only own the 500. As Timur said, what you own is irrelevant. Its can you get the job done, regardless of the tool you are using for that particular job?

Anyway I few things I am doing to alleviate the issue are

- Work smarter and more efficiently. Instead of taking two and a half days to shoot x, Im shooting it in two - theres a cost reduction right there of 20% on shooting. Means your shot list has to be planned meticulously, so you can cut out superfluous safety shots and you must know your tools very well to reduce set up times. Just because you shoot in 20% less time doesnt mean you can cut corners on quality.

- Targeting larger production companies, they accept your rates (well in my case have thus far - with some minor haggling here and there), more readily than the direct to clients, and in addition if you do good work they keep calling you back and back and back. Seems to me the many of the larger production companies are on the look out for people they can trust, makes sense, it makes their life easier.

- Settle in an area and get out in the community and be part of it, let them know who you are and what you do.

- Looking at markets that dont exist presently - I liked Zacs thought on this one. Will it work? Only one way to find out... canvass the market.

 

[AwakenedFilms]

Nice points Noel.

The cost of technology has gone down significantly; so much so that 'amateurs' can now buy broadcast and HD cameras for hundreds of dollars (the same resolution used to cost a hundred thousand dollars). Rather than fear that amateurs with broadcast quality cameras might take my work, my philosophy is to create demand for work. Actually, my goal is to create demand for MY work. Every cinematographer and production company has their own style. Intrinsic style. It might be a personal preference, but I am not really interested in the type of client that would whole heartedly accept a cheap imitation of production value simply for the sake of 'saving' a few dollars.

It is for this very reason that I will give away my time and gear rental and crew and creative production ideas: No one can do what I do exactly the way that I do it. The more people that see my work, the more leads that are generated. It creates opportunity where there was none and also in many cases, helps a worthy cause.

It is worth saying that I do not willingly undercut my competition. Especially just to spite them. In fact, I would say that my rates are on the fair to expensive side.

As for the topic of gear bringing production value: Its actually a huge compliment to a few really talented people that so many think they need an HVX or EX1 or RED to make great productions. People made great productions with BetaSp, while expensive in its day, is absolutely blown away by the current resolution of the HV20. Gear doesn't make the production, talented, knowledgeable and creative people do.

I am willing to take on Pro-Bono or offer discounts for both benevolent and shrewd reasons. For me it is both a joy and a strategy.


Jason

 

[Chris Santucci]

The cost of technology has gone down significantly; so much so that 'amateurs' can now buy broadcast and HD cameras for hundreds of dollars (the same resolution used to cost a hundred thousand dollars).

Clients can buy gear also and certainly more are doing this. I was asked once through a friend about which prosumer HD camera a client of his could buy to shoot some promotional stuff with. I said I knew, but I wouldn't tell him and went on to explain why it was a far better idea for them to just hire me which they did.

Which brings up another issue related to the thread here: Giving up the knowledge for free. It's also a bad idea. When you keep up with technology and research on a daily basis and you've been in the game for a number of years, why just let some dipshit pump you for information under the guise of being interviewed for paying work? I had this happen to me once and as soon as I realized what was happening and that the potential client really had no intention of hiring me, I clammed up.

Also, I've lost work because clients caved to their clients desires to pay less and hence decided to do the work themselves. It's crazy, but it's happening more and more.

It is for this very reason that I will give away my time and gear rental and crew and creative production ideas: No one can do what I do exactly the way that I do it. The more people that see my work, the more leads that are generated. It creates opportunity where there was none and also in many cases, helps a worthy cause.

In the past, I've been approached by non-clients to do pro bono work. Strange, that someone who never gave me work before would be asking me to do free work, but I did it. Twice. The work got me paying work with other clients, and as much as I'd like to say "no thanks" if ever asked again, I might still go through it again but only under conditions that would allow me to come away from it with something that could get me paying work.

It is worth saying that I do not willingly undercut my competition. Especially just to spite them. In fact, I would say that my rates are on the fair to expensive side.

Lowballing on bids creates an expectation that you don't want to feed, and absolutely, there's a perception that the low cost option is the low quality option. With regard to bidding, it's generally ideal to fall in the middle of the range.

As for the topic of gear bringing production value: Its actually a huge compliment to a few really talented people that so many think they need an HVX or EX1 or RED to make great productions. People made great productions with BetaSp, while expensive in its day, is absolutely blown away by the current resolution of the HV20. Gear doesn't make the production, talented, knowledgeable and creative people do.

Clients generally don't know the difference, but more and more are becoming aware. Especially when something like the Red becomes a household name and is perceived as being the new standard for HD origination. I have clients that actually never even specify what format they want me to shoot on.

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