Asked to film for another company

Chris Harding · August 8th, 2015, 12:18 AM

I exceed the 60 year old limit that Dave has set so I would have to make 4 trips then?? Seriously, I have a custom 4X4 trolley made from a garden cart chassis and I made aluminium framework on top that takes all my bags plus trays for the cameras ... takes slightly longer to load at the car than grabbing a few bags but I only have to ever make one trip and at the venue I have a "station" for all my stuff so it's less likely to get lost!

Gabe Strong · August 8th, 2015, 01:33 AM

I really don't think this is uncommon. I get calls all the time in other parts of
the video industry this way. Some ad agency or production company 800
miles from me, advertises in my area, books a client, and then posts ads on
Craigslist and similar for low rates, hoping to hire students to shoot for him.
When that doesn't work, he searches online, and starts calling locals and
offering them the work. A long time ago, when I was young and stupid, and
really needed work, I did a 'business promo' for $250. I did all the shooting
and editing and uploaded it to the 'middleman'. Later, I found out from the
client that they paid $5000.

Another time I received a call from a bride asking for a price for a wedding
(shoot and edit). I confirmed the date and time was open on my calender
and gave her a quote. She told me she'd get back to me. About 15 minutes later,
I received a call from another company wanting to hire me to shoot a wedding.....and
it just so happened that it was the exact same day and time as the wedding that I had
just quoted for. This company was hoping to pay me about 10% of what I would charge
to do the whole thing. I quoted them 95% of what I would charge for shooting and editing
for shooting only.....LOL. Because you see, I'm not in the business of competing against
myself. I knew they couldn't shoot it, and I wasn't going to give them an easy way to
get that job. They seemed rather offended at my 'unreasonably high' price.

It's kind of funny to me. Everyone has their own journey. At a certain time in
my life $40 or $50 an hour would have sounded great. Now that I am running
my own business, responsible for my own health insurance, retirement,
gear insurance, have to pay both the employer's and employee's Social
Security portion and so on, I charge about 4 times that amount. That plus
the place I live has no roads in or out, so literally everything has to be flown
or barged in and out of town....this makes it an expensive place to live. So I
just laugh when people tell me how expensive I am and how I should be
happy with $40 an hour. That's what is awesome about running your own
business. They don't get to have a real say in what I should be happy to work for.

To the OP, if you think it's too cheap, don't take the job. I turn down work all the time.
And I constantly hear this familiar refrain:
'It might be less than what you usually make, but wouldn't you rather
be working and making something than making nothing that day??'

And my answer is always the same.
'Nope! I'd rather be spending that time hanging out with my family!'

You only get so much time on this earth. My time is too valuable to
be spent doing half rate jobs for unappreciative people. I'd so much
rather have less money and more quality time to spend with the people
I love. Something I heard once about doubling my rates and only having
half as much work but having a lot more free time stuck with me.
Just my opinion.

Roger Gunkel · August 8th, 2015, 02:14 AM

Gabe, as the original poster I have to completely agree with everything you have said, it completely mirrors what I feel about it and why I turned it down.

Interesting what you said about the enquiry immediately after you had an enquiry for the same date. In the week or so running up to the call I had that prompted the post, I had two texts asking me for my prices for a wedding, with no questions, dates, area or anything else. Neither came back again, and they stood out as being very unusual enquiries.

Roger

Dave Baker · August 8th, 2015, 04:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris Harding

I exceed the 60 year old limit that Dave has set so I would have to make 4 trips then??

Chris, you fit in with what I said, because there are two options. One, stop doing it or two, find a way to carry, on as you did. Would you really be prepared to carry a load of gear on your back or shoulders now?

For my last few years at work I also put more and more of my equipment on wheels. As they say, it's no good getting older if you don't get smarter too! :-)

Dave

Chris Harding · August 8th, 2015, 04:55 AM

I'm still wondering if it's better to be 34 years old and dumber?? Both Dave and I share a birthday on the 30th of this month and we have both reached the majestic age of 69 and we are still going!!!

Roger? Just for interest our wedding rehearsal on Thursday ended up later than expected so it was under lights so I didn't bother too much with running test footage. The wedding is tomorrow so I think I'll just shoot this one at 1080 for now ..forecast is 60% rain, possible hail storms in the morning and a max temp of 14 degrees ...that's almost UK weather!! The outdoors stills shoots should be fun!!

Bottom line on this topic however is that we have the right to decide if a shoot for a 3rd party is worth doing or not ... straight off the line, I would be hesitant shooting for someone else to edit anyway.

On to better and more interesting topics now???

Roger Gunkel · August 8th, 2015, 01:55 PM

Chris, good luck tomorrow and regarding UK weather, it was blue skies, and 26 degrees for my Thursday wedding :-)

On other topics, nice to see you joined the ne FZ1000 thread.

Roger

Paul R Johnson · August 9th, 2015, 02:10 AM

We're on a ship in four weeks for three days and went on board yesterday to see how things will be set up. Thinking of this topic, I asked if we could get to the area we will be working by the route on the embarkation day. Small lift, long walk, but proper walkways, so some kit will need breaking down to fit, and it's going to be essential to have everything on wheels, it's a long way!

What would be great would be some kind of wheeled flat board that could have high sides and a mesh surround, so you could just fill it with odds and ends and then push it!

George Kilroy · August 9th, 2015, 02:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paul R Johnson

We're on a ship in four weeks for three days and went on board yesterday to see how things will be set up. Thinking of this topic, I asked if we could get to the area we will be working by the route on the embarkation day. Small lift, long walk, but proper walkways, so some kit will need breaking down to fit, and it's going to be essential to have everything on wheels, it's a long way!

What would be great would be some kind of wheeled flat board that could have high sides and a mesh surround, so you could just fill it with odds and ends and then push it!

Something like this?

https://www.esedirect.co.uk/s-142-roll-containers.aspx

Chris Harding · August 9th, 2015, 09:05 PM

For me the most important thing is the wheels! My first trolley had castors and you cannot imagine how many issues you can have with small bumps, expansion slots in pathways and uneven ground. I have spent more time trying to lift laden trolleys over obstacles than actually rolling it!! Big soft pneumatic tires make life so much easier!! My trolley has 10" pump up tyres and I just built my framework (detachable) over the "rolling base" Makes life a whole lot easier!!

August 8th, 2015, 12:18 AM	#76
Chris Harding Inner Circle Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Perth, Western Australia Posts: 8,441	Re: Asked to film for another company I exceed the 60 year old limit that Dave has set so I would have to make 4 trips then?? Seriously, I have a custom 4X4 trolley made from a garden cart chassis and I made aluminium framework on top that takes all my bags plus trays for the cameras ... takes slightly longer to load at the car than grabbing a few bags but I only have to ever make one trip and at the venue I have a "station" for all my stuff so it's less likely to get lost!

August 8th, 2015, 01:33 AM	#77
Gabe Strong Major Player Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Juneau, AK Posts: 814	Re: Asked to film for another company I really don't think this is uncommon. I get calls all the time in other parts of the video industry this way. Some ad agency or production company 800 miles from me, advertises in my area, books a client, and then posts ads on Craigslist and similar for low rates, hoping to hire students to shoot for him. When that doesn't work, he searches online, and starts calling locals and offering them the work. A long time ago, when I was young and stupid, and really needed work, I did a 'business promo' for $250. I did all the shooting and editing and uploaded it to the 'middleman'. Later, I found out from the client that they paid $5000. Another time I received a call from a bride asking for a price for a wedding (shoot and edit). I confirmed the date and time was open on my calender and gave her a quote. She told me she'd get back to me. About 15 minutes later, I received a call from another company wanting to hire me to shoot a wedding.....and it just so happened that it was the exact same day and time as the wedding that I had just quoted for. This company was hoping to pay me about 10% of what I would charge to do the whole thing. I quoted them 95% of what I would charge for shooting and editing for shooting only.....LOL. Because you see, I'm not in the business of competing against myself. I knew they couldn't shoot it, and I wasn't going to give them an easy way to get that job. They seemed rather offended at my 'unreasonably high' price. It's kind of funny to me. Everyone has their own journey. At a certain time in my life $40 or $50 an hour would have sounded great. Now that I am running my own business, responsible for my own health insurance, retirement, gear insurance, have to pay both the employer's and employee's Social Security portion and so on, I charge about 4 times that amount. That plus the place I live has no roads in or out, so literally everything has to be flown or barged in and out of town....this makes it an expensive place to live. So I just laugh when people tell me how expensive I am and how I should be happy with $40 an hour. That's what is awesome about running your own business. They don't get to have a real say in what I should be happy to work for. To the OP, if you think it's too cheap, don't take the job. I turn down work all the time. And I constantly hear this familiar refrain: 'It might be less than what you usually make, but wouldn't you rather be working and making something than making nothing that day??' And my answer is always the same. 'Nope! I'd rather be spending that time hanging out with my family!' You only get so much time on this earth. My time is too valuable to be spent doing half rate jobs for unappreciative people. I'd so much rather have less money and more quality time to spend with the people I love. Something I heard once about doubling my rates and only having half as much work but having a lot more free time stuck with me. Just my opinion.

August 8th, 2015, 02:14 AM	#78
Roger Gunkel Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: LIncolnshire, UK Posts: 2,213	Re: Asked to film for another company Gabe, as the original poster I have to completely agree with everything you have said, it completely mirrors what I feel about it and why I turned it down. Interesting what you said about the enquiry immediately after you had an enquiry for the same date. In the week or so running up to the call I had that prompted the post, I had two texts asking me for my prices for a wedding, with no questions, dates, area or anything else. Neither came back again, and they stood out as being very unusual enquiries. Roger

August 8th, 2015, 04:55 AM	#80
Chris Harding Inner Circle Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Perth, Western Australia Posts: 8,441	Re: Asked to film for another company I'm still wondering if it's better to be 34 years old and dumber?? Both Dave and I share a birthday on the 30th of this month and we have both reached the majestic age of 69 and we are still going!!! Roger? Just for interest our wedding rehearsal on Thursday ended up later than expected so it was under lights so I didn't bother too much with running test footage. The wedding is tomorrow so I think I'll just shoot this one at 1080 for now ..forecast is 60% rain, possible hail storms in the morning and a max temp of 14 degrees ...that's almost UK weather!! The outdoors stills shoots should be fun!! Bottom line on this topic however is that we have the right to decide if a shoot for a 3rd party is worth doing or not ... straight off the line, I would be hesitant shooting for someone else to edit anyway. On to better and more interesting topics now???

August 8th, 2015, 01:55 PM	#81
Roger Gunkel Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: LIncolnshire, UK Posts: 2,213	Re: Asked to film for another company Chris, good luck tomorrow and regarding UK weather, it was blue skies, and 26 degrees for my Thursday wedding :-) On other topics, nice to see you joined the ne FZ1000 thread. Roger

August 9th, 2015, 02:10 AM	#82
Paul R Johnson Inner Circle Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Lowestoft - UK Posts: 4,045	Re: Asked to film for another company We're on a ship in four weeks for three days and went on board yesterday to see how things will be set up. Thinking of this topic, I asked if we could get to the area we will be working by the route on the embarkation day. Small lift, long walk, but proper walkways, so some kit will need breaking down to fit, and it's going to be essential to have everything on wheels, it's a long way! What would be great would be some kind of wheeled flat board that could have high sides and a mesh surround, so you could just fill it with odds and ends and then push it!

August 9th, 2015, 09:05 PM	#84
Chris Harding Inner Circle Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Perth, Western Australia Posts: 8,441	Re: Asked to film for another company For me the most important thing is the wheels! My first trolley had castors and you cannot imagine how many issues you can have with small bumps, expansion slots in pathways and uneven ground. I have spent more time trying to lift laden trolleys over obstacles than actually rolling it!! Big soft pneumatic tires make life so much easier!! My trolley has 10" pump up tyres and I just built my framework (detachable) over the "rolling base" Makes life a whole lot easier!!