Will Work For a Red One

[John Bannister]

Hi Team.
I thought long and hard before I decided to post this on the RedUser forum. There are many reasons behind it, but I feel that this is an adult forum and as adults we can see the intention of such a post and the honesty behind it. I also feel that this post does not degrade or lessen this forums function in any way as was my original fear. This is the industry I WANT to work in so what better place to make such a post.

This economy has been not been kind to some of us. My working career fell apart when the Company I worked for closed its London Branch and share holder confidence fell along with the market. I was the Dir. Operations at the time and I was chosen by the CEO to partner in closing the whole plant down, 160 people on the street over 8 months. It was the hardest 8 months of my career. The doors are now closed on that chapter of my life.

As with many events that impact life in such a way, we tend to take a look at where we have come from and where we intend to head. What we have become and what we WANT to do. At 42 years of age I don’t feel that my time or chances are over, on the contrary, I feel I have matured and can now move forward with open eyes and for the first time have the courage to embark on fulfilling a childhood dream. I want to make INDIES.

The saying goes “ desperation is the mother of all invention” I believe it, and sometimes we need to think of NEW ways of accomplishing our goals when the beaten track no longer leads you to where you want to go. In this instance, I have a screenplay, I have the motivation, and unbreakable drive. What I don’t have is the money to buy the equipment required to accomplish my objectives. All I have to trade is the person I am and the knowledge of this world I have accumulated over my life time.

Therefore, I am looking for work. I really do not care what position or function the job entails, I am willing to trade, 6 months of my life, for a RedOne Package with accessories, either new or used. ( no salary required )

What I offer:
·I have residency for New Zealand, England and the USA ( I am currently based in Phx, AZ, USA.)

·A Strong business pedigree in Operations, Management and Sales

·I hold a NZ Certification in Mechanical Engineering

·The capability to design, spec, build custom computer systems with an up to date knowledge of PC components, Software and Op Platforms. I have also had experience in Networks, wireless technologies and peripherals.

·I can build and construct projects to code

·Held Welding certification 4711, 4703 and Asme IX

·Have extensive experience in Back stage work for Concerts and Shows including rigging and fly work.

My gift is, I can learn any new discipline in a very short period of time due to a lifetime with A.D.D. I absorb information quickly and can apply what I have learned directly to the objective at hand. I cannot express how driven I am. I have incredible discipline due to 35 years in the Martial Arts, and I always give every ounce of effort I have towards my career. I remain positive and motivated no matter what the world throws at me and I do not veer from obstacles or problems as I love to troubleshoot.

If you can utilize someone like me, I am ready. You need to contact me ASAP so we can talk candidly and openly about a bright future. Be assured I WILL give you 110% and more don’t doubt me, you need to write that email to:

Johnbannister at thetollhouse dot net

I want to thank all at REDUSERS.NET for the opportunity to post and for any consideration offered by anyone.
Cheers.

 

[Matt Gottshalk]

What a background!

You sound like you would make a fantastic employee.

Good luck.

 

[John Bannister]

Matt, I appreciate your encouragement. Thank you!

 

[XiaoSu Han]

Maybe ask at http://www.red.com/contact_us for job opportunities at RED directly?

I guess with the salary of 6 months you should be able to buy a RED ONE directly at the source

Good luck!

 

[Cüneyt Kaya]

you want to make films, right? why not rent a R1 and spent the next 6 months making that movie.

 

[John Bannister]

Maybe ask at http://www.red.com/contact_us for job opportunities at RED directly?

I guess with the salary of 6 months you should be able to buy a RED ONE directly at the source

Good luck!

This was a thought early in the process. The thing is, I have been reading REDUSER forum for some time, but only joined a few days ago. Over the last couple of months I have read several post that lead me to believe that RED is doing business on a shoestring, keeping their business as "close to the bone" as possible. I can respect that, so I chose not to approach RED directly. Regardless, my offer is open to anyone in the Industry

you want to make films, right? why not rent a R1 and spent the next 6 months making that movie.

I am living on the severance of my last job as I have been unable to find employment. With four wonderful children I need to keep that money safe and secure and dedicated to the well-being of my family. ALSO, I am hoping to land a spot in the Industry. No Matter the position, I will use the OP to learn all I can about working in film ....priceless

 

[christopher witzke]

Hey... I was born in Goodyear Arizona 42 years ago....

good luck with the hunt to get the camera.... it's well worth it as long as it does not just sit in a case all the time.

 

[Jeff Coatney]

Good hunting John! They're making films next door to you in New Mexico, too.

 

[David W. Jones]

Hi Team.

I feel I have matured and can now move forward with open eyes and for the first time have the courage to embark on fulfilling a childhood dream. I want to make INDIES.

Cheers.

My advice... If you want to earn a million dollars making Indies,
Start with 3 Million dollars!

It may be a childhood dream, but in all honesty there are very talented people that have the advantage of years of experience in the film industry, that are not able to make money doing Indie films.
And FYI owning a Red camera has nothing to do with making a successful Indie feature. It's just more expense.

Not trying to burst your bubble, just trying to keep it real.

All the Best!

 

[John Bannister]

Hey... I was born in Goodyear Arizona 42 years ago....

good luck with the hunt to get the camera.... it's well worth it as long as it does not just sit in a case all the time.

Hi Chris!

Thanks for the support M8 and don't fret, if I have anything to do with it, the RED ONE wont have time to be gathering any dust

Good hunting John! They're making films next door to you in New Mexico, too.

Hey Jeff, one thing I have always enjoyed is the hunt! Thanks for the support. New Mexico huh ? well I am prepared to locate to ANYWHERE in this big wide world to bag my quarry...

My advice... If you want to earn a million dollars making Indies,
Start with 3 Million dollars!

It may be a childhood dream, but in all honesty there are very talented people that have the advantage of years of experience in the film industry, that are not able to make money doing Indie films.
And FYI owning a Red camera has nothing to do with making a successful Indie feature. It's just more expense.

Not trying to burst your bubble, just trying to keep it real.

All the Best!

David, I appreciate your candor and don't worry no bubble busted. I am not going into this blind folded and this is not a decision I have made out of impulse. I have spent a great deal of time doing my research and laying down a plan. I am a Firm believer in "What doesn't kill you make you stronger" When I was in the Military, my nickname was "L.J" Short for "Lock Jaw" because once I got my teeth into something I refused to let go until it was well and truly dead.

My eyes are indeed wide open and I am not in this for the money. Q.T. once said: "You need to make something that is like a stick on dynamite you drop in an audiences lap, most movies are like waves on the beach, you have to give them something they cant ignore"

Believe me, there is method to my madness. Thanks for the open and honest reply David, I do appreciate it!

 

[Noah Kadner]

Why not buy a camera you can afford today and just start making movies? RED is a very cool toy and makes pretty images but it won't give you a career in THE MOVIES. Just a lot of debt if you don't have a major plan for renting it out every day. It's also hardly required for making indies that go to festivals and beyond. Nobody at festivals really cares what a project is shot on anyway- is it a good story, script, acting, directing, etc. That's what makes indies stand out.

You mentioned QT- well did he really make it because he bought a 35mm camera package and shot his dreams? Nope- he made it with a pencil and a pad of paper- i.e. a script someone else helped pay to create because it was so awesome. That's the dynamite he was referring to.

Any camera that shoots HD like a Sony EX1, Panasonic HVX200- heck even all the DSLR cameras like Canon 7D/5D are perfectly suited to shoot an indie as we would consider one. Or wait for Scarlet to come out- hopefully sometime this year and you'll have the tools. Well that plus a good script, good crew, actors, etc. And those cameras won't cost you six months of salary to even consider purchasing. Or find a DP/RED owner with similar dreams to shoot your project for you. There's a lot of different ways to go about this but buying a camera package that can easily top USD$100K to be really top notch seems like the hardest and not really necessary way to go.

Noah

 

[Adil Lahoulou]

I'm with Noah on this. The fact is you really don't need a Red. As a tool it will never be essential. Rather, it is something that you evolve into. If making films is what you want to do then a small minidv or vhdslr will do the trick.

Why not buy a camera you can afford today and just start making movies? RED is a very cool toy and makes pretty images but it won't give you a career in THE MOVIES. Just a lot of debt if you don't have a major plan for renting it out every day. It's also hardly required for making indies that go to festivals and beyond. Nobody at festivals really cares what a project is shot on anyway- is it a good story, script, acting, directing, etc. That's what makes indies stand out.

You mentioned QT- well did he really make it because he bought a 35mm camera package and shot his dreams? Nope- he made it with a pencil and a pad of paper- i.e. a script someone else helped pay to create because it was so awesome. That's the dynamite he was referring to.

Any camera that shoots HD like a Sony EX1, Panasonic HVX200- heck even all the DSLR cameras like Canon 7D/5D are perfectly suited to shoot an indie as we would consider one. Or wait for Scarlet to come out- hopefully sometime this year and you'll have the tools. Well that plus a good script, good crew, actors, etc. And those cameras won't cost you six months of salary to even consider purchasing. Or find a DP/RED owner with similar dreams to shoot your project for you. There's a lot of different ways to go about this but buying a camera package that can easily top USD$100K to be really top notch seems like the hardest and not really necessary way to go.

Noah

 

[John Bannister]

Noah and Adil,

Thanks guys for the run down on Making movies on the cheap. I understand your reasons and the direction you are coming from, I appreciate it!

I think that I may have mislead or missed some crucial information out of my initial post as I seem to be getting a lot of emails on how to make a movie WITHOUT a RED ONE, on a RED ONE Users forum I find this a little confusing.

Truth is, I am not a novice when it comes to producing. I made several Promotional shorts for my last company, gaming clans and private groups and have been shooting with a Sony DCR SR100 HD camcorder for the last 4 years. I shoot still Photography with my Nikon D300. ( neither of which have time to gather ANY dust ) I am adept at Vegas 9.0c and have worked a little with my Adobe CS4 Suite. I have crewed on large productions before, the Last Samurai was shot in my home town of New Plymouth in New Zealand. I travel a great deal and I not only follow, but get involved with the action at any opportunity.

I read a great deal before signing up on the REDUSER Forum. My main reason for subscribing is the fact that I have made a decision to SHOOT the project I have in hand on a RED ONE, so what better place to seek advice and information on the process. As an engineer I tend to seek out the best tool available for the job at hand. The REDONE is perfect in regards to ALL the Major factors I require for now and in the future. I have been an Industry enthusiast for many years, I think its time for me to step up to the next level.

Six months of my life, no money changing hands just equipment. I see the only DEBT I will owe there is to my family for supporting me in my endeavor.

My Post was "Will Work For a RED ONE" If there is someone out there that can help or has interest great! if not, I will find another way, but my ultimate object is to secure a RED ONE.

Cheers!

 

[Emyr R. E. Pugh]

I'm with Noah on this. The fact is you really don't need a Red. As a tool it will never be essential. Rather, it is something that you evolve into. If making films is what you want to do then a small minidv or vhdslr will do the trick.

While you and Noah are certainly correct that a RED is not an absolute requirement for shooting every independent feature, I think it is needed for some. I see there as being essential two REDs. One is a professional tool that, like all professional tools, allows for the completion of the job at hand with the maximum efficiency. The other, however, is an artistic tool that captures images of a certain quality. Buying a RED One will not necessarily make you a better filmmaker, but it most certainly will allow you to capture a different quality of image and that is a crucial point that should never be overlooked.

Both of you have mentioned that what is needed primarily are elements such as a good script and good acting, and I don’t think anyone would disagree that those are crucial elements in narrative cinema. If John’s film falls into that category then any of the cameras Noah mentioned will more than suffice. But it ends there. There is, after all, no one-to-one correspondence between a good script and a good film and if John’s project is visually driven, which, looking at his site, seems to be the case, then the aforementioned cameras will not be sufficient.

The Sony EX1, Panasonic HVX200, 5D/7D and the RED One all have their place and the decision of which to use for a given circumstance depends entirely on what that circumstance is. Each one can excel in the right hands and in the right application.

 

[Noah Kadner]

Have you truly thought this through though? I.e. what do you expect for 6 months of work. A RED ONE body worth $17,500? Can't shoot anything with just that. How about a bare bones production package worth say $30K with a single zoom lens- sure you could make a movie with it but it's not likely to be very visually stunning on one slow zoom lens. Or a full on RED ONE decked out with a set of RED Pro Primes and all the support gear- that's more like $50-100K. That's a pretty wide margin for your six months of labor. What about lights? What about post gear, etc? That stuff is necessary as well to make a movie.

So if someone does contact you on that offer- they could be on the line for anywhere from $17,000 to $100,000 or more worth of capital equipment in return for six months of labor. Seems like a weird way to work out a salary range- especially in this present economy. I'm not trying to shoot down your dreams- just suggesting there's a big difference between "Going for It" with a capital I and actually having a feasible plan to get from A to Z.

For example, you could work for a production house that already has all that equipment and can give you access to it to make your project on the weekends and when it's not being rented out in exchange for your time. That makes a lot more sense to me if the idea is to create a movie rather than to simply acquire a mythical object as if its powers will somehow convey greatness.

Noah

 

[Adil Lahoulou]

While you and Noah are certainly correct that a RED is not an absolute requirement for shooting every independent feature, I think it is needed for some. I see there as being essential two REDs. One is a professional tool that, like all professional tools, allows for the completion of the job at hand with the maximum efficiency. The other, however, is an artistic tool that captures images of a certain quality. Buying a RED One will not necessarily make you a better filmmaker, but it most certainly will allow you to capture a different quality of image and that is a crucial point that should never be overlooked.

Both of you have mentioned that what is needed primarily are elements such as a good script and good acting, and I don’t think anyone would disagree that those are crucial elements in narrative cinema. If John’s film falls into that category then any of the cameras Noah mentioned will more than suffice. But it ends there. There is, after all, no one-to-one correspondence between a good script and a good film and if John’s project is visually driven, which, looking at his site, seems to be the case, then the aforementioned cameras will not be sufficient.

The Sony EX1, Panasonic HVX200, 5D/7D and the RED One all have their place and the decision of which to use for a given circumstance depends entirely on what that circumstance is. Each one can excel in the right hands and in the right application.

And yet some of the most beautiful images recorded on film reside on super8mm...What you describe amounts to gear lust.

 

[John Bannister]

Hi Noah,

Everything you say is pretty elementary. I am 42 year old Business Professional, not some pimply faced desperate film student that has become star struck over the RED. ( no offense to pimply faced film students ) Like I said, I have MANY reasons for wanting to shoot on a RED. Professionals that shoot RED will already know what those reasons are.

You ask " Have I really thought this through?" no, no I haven't, I just thought I would piss 6 months on my life down the shitter, then screw some poor bastard out of $100,000 in gear when I am done. And who cares about my wife and four kids.........sigh.

A deal could be struck with any combination of business method, I am open to all offers and I am sure there will be lengthy discussions over the details to protect both the business owner and myself. There is a lot to be taken into consideration and talked about with any prospective employer. But I don't see how any of that should concern you, since your not offering me work. However, I do appreciate your shot of realism.

Once again, please don't fret over destroying my dream. My dream has become a plan, my plan a mission, the mission is so succeed in the face of failures and nae sayers.

"Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure, than to take rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much, because they live in the gray twilight that knows not victory nor defeat." : Theodore Roosevelt

And yet some of the most beautiful images recorded on film reside on super8mm...What you describe amounts to gear lust.

Then call me a gear Whore. I Cant argue with that

 

[Alex Kornreich]

“ desperation is the mother of all invention”

"close to the bone"

"What doesn't kill you make you stronger"

"You need to make something that is like a stick on dynamite you drop in an audiences lap, most movies are like waves on the beach, you have to give them something they cant ignore"

My dream has become a plan, my plan a mission, the mission is to succeed in the face of failures and nae sayers.

"Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure, than to take rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much, because they live in the gray twilight that knows not victory nor defeat." : Theodore Roosevelt

I'm sorry man, but all the cliches in the world aren't going to negate the reality of the situation.

I think Noah's pretty much covered it all. One more thing I'd like to add is a serious problem when working for things like equipment, or anything in the "not money" category. Let's say you work out a deal where you'll get $40K worth of equipment, a pretty barebones package. At the end of the year, when the IRS comes calling, you'll be liable for about $8-10K in taxes. Since the IRS stopped accepting CF cards as payments back in 2005 (kidding, sorry..), you'll have to sell off, because of depreciation, way more than the 25% of equipment that you've acquired. In other words, you'll have to sell off a third or more of the equipment just to cover the tax bill.

In my opinion, this is not a business plan, but rather a gamble, or a "shot in the dark" as one might call it...

 

[Steve Das]

In my opinion, this is not a business plan, but rather a gamble, or a "shot in the dark" as one might call it...

True..yes..but you just described the entire film industry.
When studios greenlight a picture it's a $100 million
dollar gamble. And with piracy and DVD's not selling like they used to
it's a particulary risky time. Obama will bailout banks that gamble
and dinosaur car companies that go bankrupt but not gonna
be a film bailout. You either sell tickets or you lose money.

Frankly if everyone knew that each year there are 1,000 U.S. and
1,000 foreign films submitted to Sundance with only 24 being accepted.
Indie film production might grind to a halt. When you
know how hard it is...well...sometimes ignorance and alot of passion
may just be what gets you to start/finish. Indie film really doesn't
exist as an industry but more of an expensive hobby with
each year only a couple films getting any theatrical release. Noah..
few years back you did one..maybe you or someone else could chime
on in here on the daunting economics..regardless it's better to know
what one is up against I believe..

Two years from now you might find a Red one w/ original sensor that
some rental house might trade you for work..but we're not there yet.

You might buy a DVX or HVX 200 and shoot on weekends only..which is
what this woman did and she gets a very decent picture quality. She
basically built her film around her car..very..smart to do so.
http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showthread.php?t=160032

If you want to shoot Red you could try to assemble all of the elements
script..locations..production design values..and actors and then get
a Red one owner to shoot if for free. There are cameras out
there and enough people w/ no feature credits that you might very
well find someone. You get camera use...they get feature credit/reel.

 

[Noah Kadner]

Well anyways keep us posted on how it goes. I think everyone can see where you're coming from at this point offer-wise.

Noah