RED OPERATOR W/GEAR $ 7000/Month

[Pietro Impagliazzo]

I don't think this is about a having a business plan or justifying the work-income-to-hour ratio. Remember, the film industry is a strange world and people tend to do even stranger things to get a foot in the door or even sometimes just to expand on one's routine. Famous actors and DP's have worked for free on certain projects. Would you call them nuts? No. It all depends on the project and the circumstances. Maybe the original poster figured out the minimum amount of money that he would need to get by in a month and decided to make a one-time offer to get involved in something exciting to jump-start his or her career or to expand his network of contacts.

Take David Mullen for example. You all might ask what kind of crazy business plan is he following by posting here for free? Is he saying his time isn't worth anything? Well, of course you wouldn't ask that because it's not always about just making money. We all know he is an awesome guy who is giving back to the community and at the same time he gets a chance to stay sharp on all kinds of topics just by the sheer variety of questions he gets on these forums. Maybe the original poster also has something honest and mutually beneficial in mind. Why not give him or her the chance?

While this thread is pretty laughable with a guy posting a crappy banner shouting "RED FOR LOW PRICE!" and not giving any info, what you say is pretty right.

I agree.

Ask David how much he got paid shooting his first 20 movies.

Well, not everyone start working in the film industry the same way, some have better chances, others do crazy stuff.

But I would be a little more informative when doing these stuff.

 

[Mitch Gross]

Is that 30 days straight? Work seven days a week? 6? 5? How many hours per day? Is that a 12 hr.? 10? 14? 24?

Anything more than a camera body? Do you have a lens? Or a battery?


By the way, with a deal like this, do you really think they're hiring a Camera Tech and getting the camera for free? I think it is the other way around.

 

[ThydNostrum]

Is that 30 days straight? Work seven days a week? 6? 5? How many hours per day? Is that a 12 hr.? 10? 14? 24?

Anything more than a camera body? Do you have a lens? Or a battery?

By the way, with a deal like this, do you really think they're hiring a Camera Tech and getting the camera for free? I think it is the other way around.

I worked with such a deal not long ago. It was an experienced operator DP/DIT/etc. and the price was $10K/mo.
It was assumed the project would take 3 months. Came with all the equipments, accessories and basic lighting.
Would work 10 hrs everyday and stay longer if necessary without additional pay.
He thought it was better than letting these stuff sit around and rust while collecting unemployment.
So, don't be so quick to ridicule and put down this offer just because it does not meet union rates.

 

[Obin Olson]

By the month.. Lol.

Okay, I am going to hire your ass and make you hike the John Muir trail, shooting 4K all the way, on a Steadicam. Think you can finish it in 1 month? If so, you're hired!

I mean, after all, your company's name is "ready to go."

very funny

 

[Mitch Gross]

So, don't be so quick to ridicule and put down this offer just because it does not meet union rates.

I wasn't. I just felt that perhaps the offer might not have been thought out completely. Trust me, I'm a guy who used to own his own film camera package and I worked on dozens and dozens of indie features where these issues came up all the time. They try to hire you for a flat rate but don't want to hear about any limitations to that deal. They feel like they own you 24/7 for the time period and if you don't have a certain item in your kit you have to produce it out of your own pocket. I speak from experience when I state that this can be a very incomfotable road to travel. What happens when you get to the 14th hour of the day and they want you to keep going? Are they going to give you some more money? How much? What if they don't want to give you a decent turnaround after a long overnight shoot? I actually had a producer try to get me to come in after four hours of rest! Then I had a production that wanted a camera with a different lens mount so they could use a specialty lens. I arranged a deal to bring that in for a day at a great rate -- so great that they then said they wanted to use this camera for the whole shoot and not mine -- and not have to pay for mine. F-you guys!

Here's the scoop from down in the trenches. If you're a top notch talent and you so happen to have a camera that is appropriate for what they want to shoot, then production will hire it along with you because what they really want is you. But unless you're someone special with a client roster, what they're really doing is hiring a camera cheap and getting the guy along for free. That's devalue-ing yourself. I've had shoots where they would have been fine with sending me home because all they wanted was the gear. That makes me a chunk of meat -- a commodity.

Remember, there are now thousands of RED One cameras out there. If you think that just having a camera will get you work you're most likely mistaken. If a production company just wants to hire a camera they will do so from a reputable rental company. If they want it cheap they will get it from a personal owner. If you are some kind of expert or creative talent then they will want you whether you have a camera or not.

I hope I'm not sounding nasty or coming off like I'm trying to burst anyone's bubble here, I'm just speaking from experience and trying to illustrate how the business works in general.

 

[Andrew Walker]

I worked with such a deal not long ago. It was an experienced operator DP/DIT/etc. and the price was $10K/mo.
It was assumed the project would take 3 months. Came with all the equipments, accessories and basic lighting.
Would work 10 hrs everyday and stay longer if necessary without additional pay.
He thought it was better than letting these stuff sit around and rust while collecting unemployment.
So, don't be so quick to ridicule and put down this offer just because it does not meet union rates.

I understand that people that bought the camera need to eat and everything. But a rate of $10K a month is something that hurts the rental market for this camera. If it was just for the camera I could see that. But for a DP/DIT/whatever, that's just BS. People need to have at least some plan when they are getting ready to spend that kind of money on a camera.

But on the flip-side of the $10K/month thing. I'm sure the production would be getting what they pay for. If you want the job done right and delivered on time you need to pay for that.

 

[jimhare]

I understand that people that bought the camera need to eat and everything. But a rate of $10K a month is something that hurts the rental market for this camera.

Even lower. $7k/month. :blink:

 

[Zakaree Sandberg]

But on the flip-side of the $10K/month thing. I'm sure the production would be getting what they pay for. If you want the job done right and delivered on time you need to pay for that.

exactly.. dont worry to hard.
his offer will swing with low budget indi productions.. which is ok.
ill take the studio gigs

 

[Andrew Walker]

Even indy gigs pay my rate, which isn't too high because I don't have a huge lens package and a ton of gear. But I try and stay competitive with what other people/rental houses offer and the same goes for my DIT rates as well. My favorite thing to hear was when people would ask my rate on set, like a grip or something and I would tell them. They would respond with they could get more lenses and more gear for that price, I would just say, then rent their gear.

 

[Steve Gal]

I am sure if this person bought all top end items, he would not be offering this low of a rate. I wonder what you would get with this package and I am sure he doesn't have back-ups of all of his items. What happens if something breaks down.

 

[Chris Parker]

you get what you pay for. generally.

 

[donatello b]

7k , 10k , 3k , free a month ??
i guess it all depends on where you are on the $$, experience/ladder ..
this is nothing new ... since i've been in the business there has always been somebody that offers their camera & services for less ( little, cheap, below market rate etc) ..
when i started back in early 80's i shot 16/35 for free to get experience & a reel ... along that way i've seen many operators, 1st AC's , Gaffers get FREE camera's, lighting-grip equipment from rental houses for their 1st films as DP's ... so based on that 7k could be a bit over priced ( depending on experience) !!!