Welcome to our community

Be a part of something great, join today!

Register Log in
  • Hey all, just changed over the backend after 15 years I figured time to give it a bit of an update, its probably gonna be a bit weird for most of you and i am sure there is a few bugs to work out but it should kinda work the same as before... hopefully :)

Red Undercutters in NY-Day=$800

yeah - watch your back in NYC - sounds like people will be gunning for you. You won't have many fans.

Its all fine till you start a price war which will force everyone to work cheaper to be competitive - in the end budgets will drop and you'll never get the price back up. Enjoy the new world you will create.
 
Fighting over the bottom bidder is a nightmare.

Very quickly after we got our camera we raised our prices to reflect the quality of the product, and the real cost to deliver it.

The people who will be buying your package will generally pay the least, and expect the most. Not just in camera department, but across the board. Get ready to be working with underpaid, understaffed, overworked, unhappy crews week after week. They'll know what your doing too, and wont be happy about it anymore then your fellow redusers.
 
I've lost so many jobs to these low-ballers, then the Production calls back for advice and workflow support for free when they run into every issue a DIT / Camera Tech 'should' know.
 
"Buyer beware." "If the deal is too good to be true, then it probably is." All these sage expressions are out there to give any half-wit enough warning to make their own decisions. And so, I do believe the market should simply dictate what prices are charged and paid, rather than trying to bully or scare or browbeat someone into keeping a rate higher. In fact, those veiled threats sound very old-school; an old world tactic that doesn't seem in synch with the new world that Red offers. Democratized filmmaking means the tools for shooting are getting cheaper and cheaper. The talent is what will matter in the end. Trying to protect a rate for equipment, which will become increasingly economical, isn't the direction the industry is going and you'll simply be part of the "old world" that also thought Red wouldn't happen in the first place. I just don't think you can embrace these new technologies and then expect the same rules of the business to apply. Besides, if someone tells me I can't do something, it just makes me wanna do it more. I'm rebellious by nature. I guess that's why I bought a Red.
 
Well you guys are very passionate about a spec rental package... I was asking for suggestions not a "screw you your package sucks and you'll fail" prediction! But anyway that you for your input no matter how rude it was. We will revise our offerings and I will post it up here as soon as we work it out.
Thanks again!
 
Competition is one thing but outright undercutting is another in my book. On one hand offering better quality gear with more experienced crew at the same price is one thing and on the other just dropping the ass out of the set market just to make a buck is another.

Suppose you just get what you pay for and i'm sure there will be budget battlers in NY.

Anyway, glad your not in my market...but i'm sure someone will do it here eventually. But then i'm in a smaller city where everyone knows everyone and things like this tend to come around and bite you on the ass.

Good luck to you.:bye2:
 
x86box said:
I've lost so many jobs to these low-ballers, then the Production calls back for advice and workflow support for free when they run into every issue a DIT / Camera Tech 'should' know.
Click to expand...
Every single day. We charge 10-15% over the "norm" in LA last time I checked - and nothing would make me happier than to NEVER service any clients that "bid everywhere and take the cheapest bid".
 
Given the choice, who wouldn't want to work with the most knowledgeable and reliable people? But when the production itself isn't a defensible business venture -- and what indie film is? -- and hasn't attracted professional funding, can you really blame filmmakers for seeking out the cheapest route?

Folks may live to regret an $800/day Red package, but it's a chance that's likely to get taken. If every choice on these fundamentally non-commercial projects had to be rational and cautious, the stuff would never get made.
 
Again its about the people, I'll agree with that 100%. You should find out what the market price is in your area and charge correctly. Being cheaper means that if you have issues you will not only upset a client but lose money. Best to respect the established and not undercut equipment costs. This is a touchy subject. Thats my thoughts.
 
Slimcorn82 said:
I was asking for suggestions not a "screw you your package sucks and you'll fail" prediction! But anyway that you for your input no matter how rude it was.
Click to expand...

What do you expect when you start with "Our idea is to undercut the competition" ?

As an independent owner-operator, there are absolutely times when I need to supplement my gear with rental kit from rental houses. An attitude like the above won't get you far, and will eventually get you in trouble when something breaks down and you desperately need a rental for a day or two to finish a project.... and no one will take your calls.

George Hupka
Saskatoon Canada
 
you probably don't need to be so vocal about low balling. the fact is that's what a lot of independent owners (and a few rental houses) are doing everyday. Published rates rarely sign. We're currently renting a complete rig (200k package) for 600/day (3day wk for 5 wks), including a dit station. We've got primes sitting around not even being used for pete's sake.
 
Slimcorn82 said:
Onsite tech means someone who delievers the camera to you and will stay will you on site for the day and trouble shoot any problems that will arise or merely show you how to use this camera if you don't know how. Or who will be your camera man for the day...
Full package means everything you need to shoot with the red...
Red One Camera Body...
Red Arri Sliding Baseplate
Red 5.6" LCD w/ Red Arm
Red EVF w/ Red Arm
Battery (x2)
Red Drive 320gb
Red 18-50mm T3 Zoom Lens
Click to expand...

This is a great package for student shoots and lo/no budget productions...if they can afford $800/day? Won't you need some kind of head & legs, though??

However for most professional shoots it wouldn't cut the mustard (only 2 batteries, only one Red Drive, are you relying on the renter to provide a MacBook Pro for backing up? No Compact Flash cards? - what happens if you have to film in bumpy conditions?). If I were you I'd take the cheque from my first few rentals and put it all into getting some more accessories (remember you'll need spares of things like cables - if they go down on a job all eyes will be on you to provide a solution). If you get some more accessories and make it a bit more of a professional kit you'll find you can charge a bit more for it and make yourself a bit more money - you'll also probably find yourself on a better class of production too.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top