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Another One Bites The Dust
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There are some decent calculators online that will at least remind one what one needs to consider when running a business or doing freelance work.
https://freelanceswitch.com/rates/
and
https://www.nppa.org/professional_development/business_practices/cdb/cdbcalc.cfm
and this regional cost of living chart might help if you’re relocating or pursuing clients outside your immediate market.
https://www.bankrate.com/calculators/savings/moving-cost-of-living-calculator.aspx
And since we’re often compared to plumbers
https://www.masterplumbers.com/utilities/costcalc/ -
[Patrick Ortman] “Plus you’re one of the best guys in the southeast, plus you’re located close to, and have connections with, things going on in Atlanta- which is a regional production hub.”
One of the funny things is very little of our work comes from Atlanta. All those tax incentives you hear about apply to Production only. Almost all of the Post goes back to L.A. and Post is the bulk of our work.
Something I did very early on was to start working in the “cloud” before anyone knew what the “cloud” was. We’ve been working remotely with both clients and talent since at least 2004 for file exchanges, project reviews, etc… So while we have the nice big building here, the bulk of our work is done remotely with clients literally all over the globe.
[Patrick Ortman] “And finally, there’s a little bit of luck (we all need luck, too).”
Plus an excellent partner, which in my case is my wife. 🙂
Walter Biscardi, Jr.
Editor, Colorist, Director, Writer, Consultant, Author, Chef.
HD Post and Production
Biscardi Creative Media -
Plumbers unite!
I love the NPPA one, really, base office expenses @ 3,600 a year? Geez, that’s like a month’s worth in LA…
But fun & useful, thanks Craig.
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PatrickOrtman, Inc.
Los Angeles Digital Agency and Video Production Company -
An ace up the sleeve, for sure.
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PatrickOrtman, Inc.
Los Angeles Digital Agency and Video Production Company -
Walter writes
“Volume of work + Low Overhead. That’s our formula simplified.”
No doubt a good formula But I do have a few questions
1. Do you pay a living wage to your employees?
2. Do you provide health insurance? sick days? vacation pay?
3. Do you use unpaid interns?
4. Do you carry liability insurance? original negative insurance?
5. Do you pay all your payroll taxes?
6. Do you use the abusive and Quasi-legal practice of Permalancers?
7. Do you pay overtime?
8. do you pay workers comp?
This list can go on and on and on, so
could you, for the benifit of all explain in detail
exactly how you keep your overhead low? -
When you’re done answering that last question Walter, could you box it up so I can present it to my bank and say “we are going to do this”?
Thanks
Gav
The Brit in Brisbane
The Pomme in Production – Brisbane Australia. -
[Neil Hurwitz] “3. Do you use unpaid interns?”
Walter has gotten around all that by staffing with dogs.
https://www.biscardicreative.com/Biscardi_Creative_Media_-_Bringing_Art_to_Digital_Media/Molly.htmlWhen he can’t book rooms to edit, he opens them as a diner. I hear he’s got a good trick to use the DVD burners to make laser cooked burgers.
https://www.biscardicreative.com/Biscardi_Creative_Media_-_Bringing_Art_to_Digital_Media/Rebeccas_Atomic.html -
Absolutely brilliant! AndI believe any training expenses are a deduction. Including milk bones.
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PatrickOrtman, Inc.
Los Angeles Digital Agency and Video Production Company -
[Neil Hurwitz] “1. Do you pay a living wage to your employees?”
They seem to be quite happy and yes, I think the wages are quite fair. Our yearly raises are much higher than the industry norm. For example at CNN the yearly raises average 2%.
[Neil Hurwitz] “2. Do you provide health insurance? sick days? vacation pay?”
No health insurance unfortunately. We really want to, but it’s too expensive but that is the next goal for the company. As soon as a plan comes along that fits our budget, we will add it.
Each employee gets 15 Paid Personal Days. They can use that in any combination of sick days, vacation days, whatever. It’s the model used by a lot of businesses these days. Of course the number of days will increase as a person’s tenure grows with the company.
And of course all national holidays are paid as well so in reality I think everyone gets something like 22 paid days off.
[Neil Hurwitz] “4. Do you carry liability insurance? original negative insurance?”
We have more insurance that I know what to do with quite honestly. And we keep clones of all original materials off-site in case of a catastrophic issue. I also speak with my insurance agent at least twice a year to ensure that our plans are staying up to date and keeping up with what’s in the shop and employees.
[Neil Hurwitz] “5. Do you pay all your payroll taxes?”
Are you kidding? Of course. We have a great CPA who handles all the payroll for us and all taxes are paid on a regular basis. We don’t mess around with “creative accounting.”
Why wouldn’t you pay your taxes?
[Neil Hurwitz] “6. Do you use the abusive and Quasi-legal practice of Permalancers?”
I’ve never heard it phrased quite that way. I don’t hire people full-time unless I’m confident I have enough work to keep them employed for at least two years and preferrably long beyond that. For individual projects, yes, we’ll hire folks under contract for the length of the project. That’s how I worked for years before being able to open my own company.
So you would rather I hire folks full time and then fire them in 2 weeks or 2 months when a project ends? That’s not abusive to people? That’s silly.
I hire freelancers on an as need basis to round out the workflow. When the workflow reaches a certain point, then we go with a full time hire. I’m nearing the point right now actually of a full time hire as we’re about to bring one more edit suite on-line.
That’s one of the reasons why this building was designed with 9 edit suites. When we have the need to bring in a freelancer, I don’t have to throw them into a closet with an iMac. I have a professional room ready so the freelancer feels like they are part of our team and not just someone we threw in the corner to do a project. I can’t believe some of the situations I walk into when I visit other facilities. Beautiful rooms for the “main editors” and closets for the extra folks…
[Neil Hurwitz] “7. Do you pay overtime?”
Yep, but because we manage the workload, it’s rare for overtime to happen. All the folks work hourly so if they go beyond 40 hours in a given week, overtime kicks in.
Another option folks will do is to simply take some extra days off instead of getting paid the overtime. Work 8 extra hours, take Friday off instead.
Why wouldn’t I pay overtime? That would be quite rude, don’t you think? Ask people to get a project done on time for a client and then “oh by the way you’re not getting overtime.” I’d quit in a heartbeat if I heard that.
[Neil Hurwitz] “8. do you pay workers comp?”
I’d have to double check on that but I’m pretty certain we do.
You know you’re talking to someone who started out as an Editor. Worked my way to a position where I can offer other editors a nice job working with some really great producers in this field. Why would I NOT treat them well? I treat everyone exactly as I would like to be treated.
You know what folks tell me when they come here? I want to work with you! Why? Every edit suite has a high quality Mac Pro. A Flanders Scientific 17 or 24″ reference monitor. Dual 24″ computer monitors. An Anthro Edit Console. KRK Rokit 5 monitors. 40″ Panasonic HD Plasma Screen. 20″ iMac for the editor and Producer to use. And each edit suite is 11’x 14′ (i.e. roomy) In other words, I set up all my editors in suites that I like to work in. This place was designed BY an editor FOR an editor.
How do I keep the overhead low? By buying smart. That goes for the equipment that is purchased as I need it, rather than just to have it here in case someone wants to see it. That goes for the land / building and working inside this building every day for over 4 months to get it done and doing a lot of the work ourselves. That goes for adding all the small touches that make this place fun and not just a building that holds a bunch of equipment and personnel.
And I take care of my employees because the operation is nothing without them.
Walter Biscardi, Jr.
Editor, Colorist, Director, Writer, Consultant, Author, Chef.
HD Post and Production
Biscardi Creative Media -
We are so going to try those Laser Burgers! Molly’s already wagging her tail…..
Walter Biscardi, Jr.
Editor, Colorist, Director, Writer, Consultant, Author, Chef.
HD Post and Production
Biscardi Creative Media
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