Wednesday, June 12, 2013
How to never find a real DP
Posted: 2013-06-12, 7:06AM PDT
Producers: if you list "pay rate TBD, please submit rate" you are an
idiot. Real DPs have a day rate you will balk at. Real producers have a
budget and know what people and gear cost for a given type and size of
shoot. Any DP knows YOU GO FIRST on CL. So producer... post the rate.
Now... DPs easily get $650-1500 a day for non union work ( labor only..
no camera) Yes $1500 is over scale but you don't need to be union to
make $. If you offer $500..400..300 a day AND expect a DP with specific
equipment (Epic+Zeiss) that rents for many times over what you offer...
why are you suprised that the only replies you get are "me and my T3i
instead" or trust fund kids with shit reels? You either get a green
shooter who arrives on a skateboard with his kit in his backpack or a
rich asshole who is subsidizing your movie with his gear to build his
non existant reel. In either case those rates do not indicate reliable
fasfast and repeatable quality. Most real DPs work part time and are
glad to do an interesting indie project for a few bucks. Do not tell
them what to shoot or how to shoot it or what to use if you cannot pay
for it. And as for reels... if you ask for camera -specific reels you
have no idea how to look at reels. None at all. There are over 25
cameras in current use. Which DP has demo footage from all of them and
owns all of them ? Exactly. And you do not know what it took in the way
of time lights and crew to get that reel. If the work is good TALK to
thd DP and TRUST the DP. Or shoot it yourself. Look in the hole a d push
the button. Its easy. You can do it; everyone else does.
Friday, June 7, 2013
Reality Check for Delusional Wannabe's
Who are the people asking for these ridiculous demands? DP with Epic, Scarlet, Alexa etc. must have own gear. Sound guys must have own gear mixer boom 4 lavs 8 channel recorder a 2 ton Grip truck with a generator and HMI's for $100? $70.00? $50.00? Are you serious? It costs me $60.00 to put fuel in my gas tank. was there some sort of email sent out to the general public stating that you can now ask for tens of thousands of dollars worth of gear and industry professionals for next to nothing? not to mention the most important thing EXPERIENCE! All of the greatest gear does not mean you can get the results you want. Im trying to understand where you people are coming from literally and figuratively.
please reply with an intelligent answer so i can understand.
Thursday, April 18, 2013
RE: Crew Survival
Our 12hr days were soon turning into 14, then 16, and once 20 hours. Turnarounds were shortened as well. Someone got wind that camera was getting a "bump" under the table every time we went over 12. So we rallied together, G&E, wardrobe, art, sound, Ad's, all of us. We went to the producers and demanded overtime. And the days got back to 12hrs.
It's important to stand together. Share information. Help keep your rates at an appropriate scale. Help keep your fellow crew members from getting burned. Collective bargaining works, whether you are working under an IATSE contract or not.
Original Story 2:
Much like the story below only working on a current digital film (the usual low/no budget music video crap) as the DIT. I held the footage hostage and didn't release any drives until we got paid..
Original story:
A friend told me a story about shooting a project on 35mm film back in the day....They did not pay the crew at the end of the shoot as agreed...He called the 2nd AC at the lab and had him hold on to the shot film....then he told them he would expose a roll of film to the California sunshine each day until he and the crew were paid...it only took one day...and one roll of film!
Do you have a production survival tip or story to share?
Have you had to go to the extreme to get an honest days pay for an honest days work?
Tell us how you did it.
Saturday, April 13, 2013
Filmmakers: Stop Asking For Free Shit
If you have no budget do some things on your own. You don't need a storyboard artist. Draw stick figures. Spielberg did it, why can't you? No DP? Shoot it yourself with a camcorder. Lighting? 3 lights, Key, Fill, and Back. Done. Editing? Use freeware like Lightworks (28 Days Later, Hanna, Pulp Fiction and several other movies) or OpenShot Video Editor to edit your project. If you're creative enough to make a movie, you can budget your project. Want your Kickstarter project to look good? Pay for it to look good and I'm sure you'll get ample seed money. Don't expect pro level work if you can't pay for it.
Need DP with with Alexa
Need DP with Alexa
Monday, April 8, 2013
Attention all DP's & Camera operators!!!
Here's the plan and let's ALL stick to it.
When you see one of these "Looking for DP with gear for $100 per day or $75 or 50 or nothing. BOOK IT!!! YES BOOK IT.
And then stay home that day. Or call them 2 hours before the "shoot" and tell them a paying client just called last minute and sorry you CHEAP DICK.
So PLEASE let's ALL DO THIS AND MAYBE THEY'LL GET THE MESSAGE!!!
Thursday, April 4, 2013
RE: Location Sound Needed
Since you're a full service production company, obviously you're doing it for a profit. And what you're offering me is "no/low/deferred pay"?
So is it no pay, low pay, or deferred pay? They are all different in terms. Don't bother! Because we both know that you're not willing to pay a dime no matter what.
And here is your magic word, "We are looking to potentially hire someone full time onto our staff for future shoots."
By adding that one sentence, do you really believe that anyone believes you're gonna pay in future for something you're asking me to do for free this time?? With all my expensive equipment? Come on man, you're gonna just keep looking for more slaves, right sir MOTHERFUCKER!!!!!
-----------------------------------
Original motherfucking post:
We are a full service production company looking for a sound mixer for a shoot this Saturday April 6th from 5pm-2am. Need someone with a boom and a few lavaliere microphones. Shoot will include 3 locations. This is no/low/deferred pay. It is for copy, credit, meal, and gas. We are looking to potentially hire someone full time onto our staff for future shoots.
Sunday, March 31, 2013
RE- Sound Mixer
Reality check!
Minimum wage for California is $112 for a 12 hour day. That is what McDonald's pays high school dropouts to flip burgers and guess what McD's doesn't ask these kids to supply their own grill flipper and burgers.
A basic sound kit rental from a rental house will cost $450 for that you'll get a mixer, recorder, boom and a couple of lavs- that's it. No comteks, no extra mics no extras of any kind.
A skilled mixer will cost you more than minimum wage- approximate regular rate is around $550/ day, but most will offer good discounts to low budget indies
Post like this are not only illegal under CA wage laws they are disrespectful to our craft. Let me guess you're going to be feeding us unrefrigerated Subway Tuna sandwiches for lunch too. If you want to make your film on the cheap get your friends and family to help out- If you want it done right raise some money to pay professionals properly.
Original Posting:
Need a sound mixer for a shoot April 3-5 and 7&8th. $50 per day. Need to get someone ASAP, we have full production insurance. Can provide you with gear but your day rate will have to be less if we provide the gear. Our films do really well in festivals!
IMDB
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2002140/
Contact me ASAP
Ronnie
Monday, March 25, 2013
RE: DP/Cinematographer, $1500, 21 day-shoot, price with red scarlet/ep
1). California State minimum law is $112.00 a day for a 12 hour day X 21 days = $2,352.00 (I guess you just went over budget).
2). A RED Epic is going to cost you at LEAST $1500 a week... on a 21 day shoot... which will either be 3 and a half week rental (shooting 6 days a week) or a 4 week one day rental if you are shooting 5 days a week... so lets just figure around $5,000.00 for your camera package.
3). Lighting Package? well lets look at just ONE light! Something simple 4Ft 4 Bank System (with globes) $40.00 a DAY for ONE light! x21 days so we got $840.00 for ONE LIGHT..... I get a total of $8,192.00 for a MINIMUM WAGE DP, a nice camera and ONE LIGHT!!!!
WHAT PLANET ARE YOU FROM????? If you don't have the money to pay for SKILLED LABOR - Do not shoot! Without your DP you are basically shooting Radio! Oh but I guess you are looking for a Sound Guy with gear for $71.42 a day too....
Original Post -
21 day shoot: starting 4/14/13 (Los Angeles primarily, Palmdale)
$1500: for DP services and use of yourcamera (Red Scarlet or Epic only)
$2100 if you also bring your own lights with the camera package
Location: Los Angeles
it's NOT ok to contact this poster with services or other commercial interests
Compensation: $1500 (DP services plus camera use); $2100 (DP services + camera use+ lighting p
Friday, February 22, 2013
If YOU want LOW or NO PAY...READ!
LOW PAY:
Don't say "the pay is low BUT we will have MORE work for you if it works out!"
WHY? Who wants MORE LOW PAY?
Instead say "if this works out, we will have other HIGHER paying work!"
See what I mean?
NO PAY:
Don't say "there is NO PAY BUT we will give you CREDIT!"
WHY? Credit is AUTOMATIC and goes without saying, it's industry standard.
Instead say "unfortunately there is NO PAY, BUT, the project is REALLY great creatively, so you will get to do very compelling work for your reel and you will meet and work with some great people who are driven to succeed!"
See what I mean?
IF YOU CAN'T say either of these things, you probably should not be expecting LOW or NO pay from qualified and talented freelancers.
This IS a give and take, not ALL take!
Thursday, February 14, 2013
Crew Jobs
When craigslist just started, mandy.com was still viable. I got real jobs on TV and smaller ( under $1M) films from both. and real corporate gigs that paid a grand a day.
Now, Mandy.com is bullshit and CL is.... Unpronounceable. ....Unbelievable,,, does anyone have words for what's going on ?
We also see the current magic recurring posts from the ass hat who DEMANDS a DP who's shot a $10M+ feature or better. That's cool. There are 20 agencies in town who book those. May I suggest Montana Artists, Dattner Dispoto, and The Skouras Agency for starters ? They all turned me down and I have had 2 theatrical features so their DPs must be good. Or maybe it's because they all use 5k cameras like the ones mentioned in your ad. Never mind that only one of those cameras is 5K.
But what do I know ? Apparently nothing. I keep coming back to this toilet.
Grandpa used to ask " if you have WANT in one hand and SHIT in the other, which hand fills up first ?"
Sunday, January 20, 2013
DPs - 7Ds and BURGER KING
a whopping $40.00 a day.. Now that's a big whopper!!!
Hell, you can make $8.00 bucks an hour at Burger King.
This forum and gig section has been dragged completely into the dirt!
The days of making $300.00 a day and shooting a great script
are long gone!
Long live the wannabes who have ruined it for everyone!
Congratulations! Your selfishness has conquered the film industry
and destroyed any hope for real filmmakers who care.
Thursday, January 17, 2013
For the hiring of sound mixers
Any asshole with a DSLR can call themselves a DP and show up on set and get paid decently because they have a camera. A 744t recorder is nearly twice the cost of a 5d markIII and a 788 is more so. On top of that, producers want at least 2 wireless, a shotgun mic with great rejection, and comteks so they can hear and complain. Cameras have gotten cheaper but sound equipment hasn't. Don't pay less than minimum wage. $100 a day or $150 a day is garbage. If you have name talent you can afford a rate. You don't go into a store and say, "I want to buy this pair of pants that costs $40 bucks but I've only got $10 so thats what I'm gonna pay you." You want good sound? We are an investment. We buy more equipment so your movie can sound better and we'll work with you often if you do shit right. We can't do that if we're not even making our rent. Everyone has to eat and have a place to stay and have gas to put in our car.
We help people want to watch your movie. A film with terrible sound and a gorgeous picture is still unwatchable, a film with mediocre picture and excellent sound will be watched in its entirety (provided the story is worth it).
Don't insult production sound mixers or boom operators (two separate jobs, by the way) by wanting to pay $150 for a 12 hour day, subway for lunch, and no equipment fee. $350 +$250 kit fee is minimum. If we really really like you, we might do it for less if we're bored. But don't insult us by calling it a job.
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