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  • 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 :)

American DITs... ugghhh

Zakaree Sandberg said:
there are lots of these guy..
think they are the shit.. watch youtube all day.. occasionally back up data/transcode..

charging 1k a day + 700-1000 kit rental isnt unheard of.. i mean.. its a great rate..
i havent ever got that.. average is 700-900 for me and kit is anywhere from 400-800.. just depends what im doing and what needs to be done..

but i act as if im an additional AC.. if im not doing on set grading or transcoding.. im right there to run batteries, cover the 2nd on lenses or slating.. pulling cases off the truck.. i actually act as if im part of camera department.. rather than and onsite POST guy ..
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Zak,
You are a legend. I love that atitude. If you don't mind me saying, it is a very Japanese mindset. You would fit in wonderfully here.
 
I don't understand the complaint here about kit rates. Why does it matter what someone charges for the kit? The kit should depend on the job requirements, pure and simple. The requirements vary from camera to camera, post houses, production to production, etc and should be appropriately based off the equipment provided in your kit. Charge whatever the hell you can get for it, so that you can keep up with the high turnover rate for computers, monitors, scopes and such. Or as I like to call it, the DIT kit arms race.

And as far as being part of camera or post, a DIT really is both. Ultimately, the most important duty is ensure that the image integrity is properly shot, safe and ready for post, as per their specs, while preserving DP's aesthetics. You're often the only liaison between the two departments, and they're often at odds with each other. Sometimes they need dailies, sometimes not. Sound sync... uggh. Depends on the job, and unfortunately you're often the only one figuring out the workflow outside of the DNX format post needs.
 
Also, if the only douchebags you've met on an American set have been DIT's, consider yourself lucky.


7508434032_8f503aa6b9_o.jpg
 
"ok back to talking about douchebaggery" It has been my experience that the less powerful a person feels personally the more he/she.....is insecure, arrogant, angry, petty, you know....a douchebag.
 
Depending on the size and scope of the production a DIT can fulfill a lot of various roles. I mostly work as a DIT I should warn you guys...

I have been asked to do everything from coloring, transcoding, logging, organizing, show up early, leave the latest, sweep the set, vacuum the set, empty the the trash and generally just be a whipping boy. At times it can be daunting when you need to know the camera menu, the editing system, how to troubleshoot both like your a professional Avid tech or camera repair guy, and your the only one responsible for data integrity. You have to plan ahead, you have to troubleshoot on the fly, you have to bicker over workflows while trying to not step on too many toes. Being a whipping boy is a lot of work... Some of these kits DITs provide ain't cheap. Not everyone uses an iPad 3 or Flanders, some of us have kits that rival the camera package in pricing... So I can totally justify rates of circa 2,000+ depending on gear and how much coloring, or masking, or rocket cards a person has...

That being said I try to keep things rolling, while always being beaten down on my rate, and being told an intern could handle what I do, or that "this camera is so easy you don't need a DIT" by the manufacturer... Great lol....


Don't get me wrong, I love DITing, but the role is far too malleable depending on the expectations of the other crew members. On these smaller productions you can basically be asked to do almost anything regardless of how unrelated it is to your primary duties and I get it, the producers need to save money, but at times you can be spread pretty thin. I enjoy knowing the whole workflow but personally if I had choice in the matter I'd rather cut or operate. I basically do all three in this economy.

So I'd like to think the best DIT's I know, the most reliable ones I know, with the best kits, far more knowledge then myself, far more skill sets then myself, better kits worth ten fold what mine is, are worth their money...

I know I'd hire someone with that kind of expertise if i was a producer, but chances are the best DIT's I know of charge a ton...Probably ten times my rates or more... But I think its justified knowing the kind of gear and experiences they can provide....
 
Ralph N. Madison said:
"ok back to talking about douchebaggery" It has been my experience that the less powerful a person feels personally the more he/she.....is insecure, arrogant, angry, petty, you know....a douchebag.
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That is oh so true and the hardest thing to manage on any given day both personally and inter-personally. How many of us feel like we have "made it" though? Most of us are insecure to some deree, no?

Is there anyone else here who is constantly struggling NOT to be a douchebag, or is it just me? :-)

Ivan Kovax said:
On what day did god create douchebags again? :)
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Every day is douchebag day.
 
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Scott Crawley said:
That is oh so true and the hardest thing to manage on any given day both personally and inter-personally. How many of us feel like we have "made it" though? Most of us are insecure to some deree, no?
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Hunger and desire to do bigger and better things is what keeps us all going be we Directors, DPs, DITs or what have you...
 
Maybe its not the DIT's, maybe its Americans are douches in the eyes of the world to begin with lol?
 
Ivan Kovax said:
Ketch mate, chill out. I didn't mention in any way in the body that I think all american DITs are douches. ANd to that extent, how do you not know that i was referring to American DIT douches alone?

Douchebaggery is a universal attribute for sure, and not confined to the USA, but the body was crystal clear what the situation was and this thread was about. I don't think I nor anybody else ever claimed or assumed such a thing.

So please don't turn this thread into something that it is not.
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Ivan,

I respectfully replied to this post giving my opinion on what I got form the post, I did so as I always do, most respectfully, however I do not like when people tell me "Chill out" I don't refer to you in such a way, so please don't use such terms with me in return, thanks.

You are in a public forum and must certainly understand that each has their opinion an d each has the right to understand what ever they understand out of a post or a specific wording and such was my case, and I voiced my opinion.

Voice your opinion back, do so respectfully and all is good, is worth nothing for you to come in fb private messaging to further discuss this if then you reply here with such attitude.


dino g said:
... and thanks ketch for having my back, i always loved your cooking...and you too!
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... ;)
 
Ivan Kovax said:
Hunger and desire to do bigger and better things is what keeps us all going be we Directors, DPs, DITs or what have you...
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Can I extrapolate then that you feel the most ambitious of us are generally, the biggest douchebags? ;-)
 
I think a lot of this can be avoided by casting you DIT ... Working with the same people ... Being on the same page, and giving the DIT time to do their job... There are people who could behave better at every level in pretty much any business.

- E
 
Out of control egos and "douchebags" are clearly not contained to the states and are obviously a worldwide problem.

Lets resolve to band together and stamp it out, people!

Peace and Love. ;)
 
KETCH ROSSi said:
Ivan,

I respectfully replied to this post giving my opinion on what I got form the post, I did so as I always do, most respectfully, however I do not like when people tell me "Chill out" I don't refer to you in such a way, so please don't use such terms with me in return, thanks.

You are in a public forum and must certainly understand that each has their opinion an d each has the right to understand what ever they understand out of a post or a specific wording and such was my case, and I voiced my opinion.

Voice your opinion back, do so respectfully and all is good, is worth nothing for you to come in fb private messaging to further discuss this if then you reply here with such attitude.





... ;)
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Ketch,

Mate, seriously... I am not gonna start some kind of debate here, as there is absolutely none to be had... and to be honest with you, that wasn't the point to the thread as you can well appreciate.

Yes, you made your point, and it was taken. I both disagreed, and agreed and I made it quite clear in both cases. I did voice my opinion, and did so respectfully. And so did you.

There is no issue here. Now lets move along with things...
 
learn while you earn.
 
Not to change the subject, but...
Can anyone explain to me, why, as a colorist, having much more, than quoted $40k in equipment, calibrating it religiously using very expensive software and gear, etc, I never get to charge the kit rental, but DITs do? What gives?
 
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