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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 :)

THE RACE TO THE BOTTOM

Harry Clark

Harry Clark

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Anyone care to chime in? It's been discussed on this forum before, but I thought it might be nice to have it on one thread.
When I started in the film business (20 plus years ago), it was an intriguing combination of craft, art, and business. Sometimes now it seems like a monkeyf**k of hobbyist BS, with budgets and standards setting new lows.
Personally, I'd steer any young people away... my own kids included (I'm actually thinking one should become an electrical contractor, one a plumber, and one a landscape architect) Someday it will surely be a loser "job", like being a "rock musician" with a day job.
I still enjoy what I do, and am fortunate to work far in excess of the number of days it takes to support my family, so I should consider myself lucky. But I often wonder where it's all headed...
I'm speaking of the commercial and corporate business, not episodic or features, since I rarely work in those genres... but if anyone in those worlds would like to chime in, that would be great.
Cheers
 
Harry Clark said:
Anyone care to chime in? It's been discussed on this forum before, but I thought it might be nice to have it on one thread.
When I started in the film business (20 plus years ago), it was an intriguing combination of craft, art, and business. Sometimes now it seems like a monkeyf**k of hobbyist BS, with budgets and standards setting new lows.
Click to expand...

It seems that way now... but I think it will start changing for the better in the next few years.

I can see why people are upset though. It used to take years and years of work and experience to get up to the level of being able to shoot on what is considered "cinematic" or "professional". Now 16-18 year-olds are getting that same quality for their birthdays from Best Buy.

Once producers, businesses, and companies see that pretty much everyone has access to the same "general" quality of video, they're going to start noticing things like camera movement, editing, coloring, pacing, and just general creativity more than they use to. This will be great for the creative types who otherwise lacked the people skills and contacts to "climb the ladder" to the big jobs. It going to be hell for the business types that have the mind frame of "well if I invest X amount of into this camera system, then I can expect Y revenue based on the amount of other people that can provide the same level of quality in the region." It's no longer an arms race to the top in terms of equipment.

It only seems like a clusterf*ck right now because we're on the verge of a MAJOR paradigm shift of how, and by whom, content is created for the masses. Things like the home computer, the internet, youtube, DSLRs, natively running Protools, Reason, Final Cut, ect... have/are really changing where and who quality content is coming from.

It used to be those with the dollars controlled the talent and what/where/when it was produced due to their grasp of a certain "quality" that others would never have access to, unless they spent their lives climbing(slaving) their way up the ladder for those who came before them. This whole industry... from commercials to cinema was basically based on the fact that "I can provide this level of quality... and you can't." Not so much anymore. To barrow a little from Atlas Shrugged... The "mystics" that were once controlling this industry are losing their power. No longer can they keep it to themselves and their friends... it belongs to the individual and the masses now.
 
Same thing happened to the music recording business after digital DAWs and cheaper computers became the standard. Sorry, but everyone is just going to have to get used to it.
 
I think you are seeing the commercial film business mirror the current economy. As the disparity in wealth grows in this country, our business will unfortunately follow suit. What used to be the "middle class" commercial budget (50K-300K) is now often being given to the lowest bidder.

However ... real talent is still the only quality that means anything.

I have to laugh when I read all of these discussions about the need for 50K camera sensors, completely uncompressed 5K footage and 20 stops of DR. Having a great camera is truly an amazing thing, and it does give a slight edge to people with equal skill. However, it is nothing compared to the people operating the camera.

If you gave a Canon T2i to Stanley Kubrick or Roger Deakins, they could wipe the floor with your average kid armed with two loaded Epics.

Keep the faith Harry. The cream always rises to the top. :thumbsup:
 
Have to agree with Peter here...

I we do the audio parallell . the guys who were real kings of the hills on analogue are back with a venegance these days whe the "I have a studio because I have a 32 bit float Cubase setup at home" thing has worn off, and they can charge as much as ever...
 
I agree with Peter as well. I've worked in this industry for over fifteen years (as a rental agent, a below the line agent, a writer, a director, and now back into camera rentals) and new blood comes into this business every day. But even after a four years away from a rental house, the names and faces of those who are still working and crafting excellent work are still the same. There will always be change, that's called progress. But as artists, cinematographers adapt. That's called success.
 
I also agree with Peter. I'm currently working my way up and at our university and we all have access to the same equiptment HVX200 / HPX170, P + S Mini 35s w/ nikkon primes and still cmaeras. I have seen films of all diffrent spectrums produced here. Some shot on the Mini 35s and not looking very good at all and some shot on 35mm still on old slrs which look fantastic. What I keep on syaing and all the tutors here say. It's not what you use but what you manage to create.
 
I will repeat it again in a different context...

Everything is amazing and no one is satisfied. It is you who decide your own level of interest and involvement.
 
You know who I'd like to see with a couple Epics?

storaro.jpg
 
Mark L. Pederson said:
And if you gave Stanley Kubrick or Roger Deakins a couple of EPICS ...
Click to expand...

Well, Kubrick wouldn't do to much with it because he's dead, may he rest in piece.....and Deakins seems to not like RED very much.....

All joking aside, and on topic, Corporate video and commercials are a great way for younger people to break in to the industry and get on their feet fast. However, I hate this option. Corporate video, while very profitable, isn't too terribly exciting and has no real creative juice to it. Commercials are a good place to learn the basics, but doing hundreds of takes of a single shot can be a bit tedious for some people, especially grips and electrics. As a grip, shooting a commercial is like watching paint dry I find. Especially if it's a single lighting set up, like say a person standing in front of a green screen.

To be fair though, getting into features and series television doesn't seem to difficult. Once you're in a union, it becomes a straighforward process. Getting into a union is usually a challenge, depending on the union. A buddy of mine recently got into IATSE only because they ran out of camera trainee's in the fall and called him up since they saw his application.

As for budgets, shooting on small budgets is no fun, and usually the end product turns out like shit (not always though). Micro budget stuff means you work for no pay, in crap conditions with shit gear and people that usually have no idea what they're doing (or at least in my experience that's been the case). The plus side to that is that it allows you to make mistakes without too many repercussions.
 
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