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Some of the things that I have learned from the Cow:
I’ve been mainly a lurker on the Cow but a while ago it occured to me how much I have learned from everyone here. So I decided to make a list.
1. No one can tell you how much you should charge for your services but yourself.
2. The equipment you have doesn’t matter as much as your talent in telling the story.
3. Take the time to develop your skills
4. No one on the Cow is a lawyer….or plays one on tv.
5. Grinders are to be avoided at all costs.
6. No you CAN”T use Queen’s “Another one bites the dust” for your latest horror film without permission from the copyright owners.
7. Fair use and copyright laws….both are confusing as hell.
8. There is such a thing as a Cowdog.
9. Never stop learning.
10. Wanna learn something? Go to the Cow.
11. Clients will try to use you as a bank.
12. Cheap, fast or good….clients only get to pick two.
13. Someone’s nephew can do it cheaper.
14. Always have a contract.
15. Never release the final product until final payment is made.
And finally,
16. Bob Zelin says it with love.
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7 Replies
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Very nicely done. The last one is a real beauty!
Walter Biscardi, Jr.
Biscardi Creative Media
HD and SD Production for Broadcast and Independent Productions.STOP STARING AND START GRADING WITH APPLE COLOR Apple Color Training DVD available now!
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[Doug Collins] “11. Clients will try to use you as a bank.”
My recommendation is that when they do, remind them that you have called in their line of credit and that only if they can prove that they have absolutely no need whatsoever for the money, will you even consider advancing funds to their credit — “…in accordance with bank policy,” you can say with a smile. Oh, and hand them a free pen.
[Doug Collins] “16. Bob Zelin says it with love.”
Yes, but watch out when he smiles longingly at you and his lips begin to pucker — “…er, um, sorry Bob, I have an appointment to go teach my client’s nephew how to do what I do for 1/10th the money. I’ve decided to become a consultant, too.”
[Doug Collins] “8. There is such a thing as a Cowdog.”
Yes, but he too needs to be avoided when that longing look is in his eye and his kissing — especially after he has just eaten a bowl of kibble and beer or he has chewed his rumpular flanks — is to be avoided at all costs.
[Doug Collins] “1. No one can tell you how much you should charge for your services but yourself.”
Yes, but your former client’s nephew can give you a good look at new ways of considering your price point. “Hey dude, whoa! I’m an editor too, man. Check out the awesome transitions that came with my box of Premiere. Cool, huh?” Let them inspire you.
Best regards,
Ron Lindeboom
Creativity is a type of learning process where the teacher and pupil are located in the same individual.
Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.
– Antoine de Saint Exupéry -
[Doug Collins] “12. Cheap, fast or good….clients only get to pick two.”
Doug,
Nice list… However, keep in mind, the golden paradigm is actually “cheaper, faster, better; pick any two.” There is a difference… For example, you would never want a client to think the alternative to cheaper and faster was bad, but that’s exactly what’s implied in the commonly misquoted version you’ve quoted here. And, by the same token, “cheaper” is very different from simply “cheap.”
BTW, I wrote an entire article of the subject for Cow Magazine, take a peek at http://magazine.creativecow.net/article/the-world-of-post-production.
David
David Roth Weiss
Director/Editor
David Weiss Productions, Inc.
Los AngelesPOST-PRODUCTION WITHOUT THE USUAL INSANITY ™
A forum host of Creative COW’s Apple Final Cut Pro, Business & Marketing, and Indie Film & Documentary forums.
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David,
Thanks for the correction. I definitely see your point, now I’m going to go back and re-read the article.
Doug
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[Doug Collins] “2. The equipment you have doesn’t matter as much as your talent in telling the story.”
This is “factually” true, but , sadly, for marketing reasons, the gear often trumps the skill.
A client wants to know that you have the big sexy thing that they read about in Millimeter or DV. They don’t necessarily understand the experience & skill that goes into using it is much more important than the gear. They only know that they keep reading and hearing about used that big sexy thing.
And so they will go to the shop that uses that big sexy thing. It doesn’t occur to them to ask about the operator. And later on they may find out that having an intern use the big sexy thing was less advantageous than having the 20 year veteran use something less sexy (and smaller), but do a great job because he or she had talent, skill experience and guile (guile is very important in post production).
Or they may not really find out, because they will have spent all of their money at the shop with the teenage operator and the big sexy thing, and they don’t have any money left for hiring talent, skill, experience and guile.
Arnie
Post production is not an afterthought!
https://www.arniepix.com/ -
Nice list. Specially Bob line 🙂
This big and sexy stuff, it has to have some point in marketing but finally it just goes to what you can output. Does not really matter what you use. We read every day how some 3 fellows sit in beach house and make block buster.
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Margus
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In the hot rod world, it was “Cheap, Fast and Reliable”.
Steve Wargo
Tempe, Arizona
It’s a dry heat!Sony HDCAM F-900 & HDW-2000/1 deck
5 Final Cut (not quite PRO) systems
Sony HVR-M25 HDV deck
2-Sony EX-1 HD .
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