[Bob Cole]

[Neil Hurwitz] “Is it better to have 100 clients each representing 1%
of your billing Or 5 clients each representing 20%?”

There is such a thing as too many clients, at least for a sole proprietor. I’ve seen some talented craftsmen, who are getting more business than they can handle, expand from being successful freelancers to mediocre managers. They think they are good at hiring talented people and motivating them, but they learn how difficult that can be. And on top of that, they now have a “nut” to meet every month. The talents of a great cameraman/producer/editor are not even distantly related to the skillset of a manager.

Small can be good. My clients know that I’m focused on their interests, and I think they appreciate it. Do I want a few more? Of course. But not many more.

This can be carried to an extreme; corporate outsourcing has led to people who are called freelancers being hired full-time, for years on end — in effect, employees in all but name and certain benefits. But even being an official employee is no guarantee of job security. That bird is a vanishing species.

[Bob Cole]

[Chuck Pullen] “I can’t just run out to a “Radio Shack” or “Wal-mart” to find what I need the way I can in America.”

Of that’s true, it is sort of ironic, considering that most of the actual contents of a Radio Shack or Wal-mart are made in China….

[Bob Cole]

Good points and thanks.

Craig, re billing at a rate that assumes another hour or so of unbilled time: I agree, of course; but some clients’ projects need tons of post-prod. “garbage time” and others take almost none. The ratio of billed to unbilled hours varies tremendously from project to project, and that doesn’t seem fair to the clients who pay the freight for others.

Billing for pre-production, as Todd points out, is accepted practice. Would that projects could be planned so well that pre-production leads to shooting leads to editing. But some projects (& clients) require as much “pre-production type” time after the shoot as before. I find myself researching additional footage sources, dealing with discussions about revisions, rewriting the script — sometimes chewing up most of a day — on unbilled time, for an edit that will take a couple hours. It’s a flaw in my system. I think if I just had a good name for the time, I could bill it.

[Bob Cole]

[Patrick Ortman] “It gets really easy, the more you feel invested with someone, to give them huge amounts of back and forth, unnecessary conversations for free.”

Hear, hear. I was just thinking about this the other day.

My business model is to charge by the day for shooting and either by day or hour for editing. Pre-production sometimes as well. But what about those many minutes that are spent on other, necessary activities associated with shooting and editing? I spend untold hours on email and phone conversations with clients, planning, reacting, requesting materials, searching the Internet, making suggestions. I can’t even begin to estimate the number of unbilled hours.

I’d be curious how others handle the unbilled-time problem. I know that lawyers bill in tiny (six minute?) increments, using dedicated software for tracking phone calls, photocopying, etc.

But the rules of the game have to be set up front.

[Bob Cole]

Yes, a great find. Thanks John. The wide shot on the Brown interview was also interesting as far as hinting at the lighting sketch.

Do you find you have to keep the “Fantasy” fabric rolled up to avoid folds, or do minor folds pull out enough not to be noticeable?

[Bob Cole]

We’ve been rehashing the “hire a pro with a boom pole” thread endlessly, so yes, do that. But the boom op has to be really talented and dedicated – aiming correctly, keeping the mic out of your shot, handling the pole quietly, etc.

Failing access to a GOOD boom op, just buy a relatively cheap wireless/lav combo. I’ve been pleased by the Sennheiser EW2 and EW3.

If you insist on a camera mic, the advice about the shock mount is very well-taken.

[Bob Cole]

[Mark Barroso] “Finally, if you’re serious about audio, it would behoove you to talk to people at a pro shop for advice and not the B&H website. It’s the difference of going to a paint store for advice versus talking to a clerk at Wal Mart.”

Thanks for the feedback about the VTech.

I’m very serious about audio, can’t you tell? But I take your point, and that is why I reported that feedback here. And I’ll talk it over with our local pro shop.

The item from B&H was not B&H’s opinion; it was customer feedback which seemed rather on-point, because it was from someone who was using the Countryman to deal with windy conditions. The user found that the Countryman windsock/capsule arrangement was awkward and too fragile in the field – and that the company was slow to respond to his repair needs.

Now where is that paint store with someone who actually knows something?

[Bob Cole]

[Mark Barroso] “You can use a mic like Countryman B6 or VTech that have capsules you can add that peak the high end to compensate for the muffling.”

Are you referring to the VT506? I’m a little leery, probably without justification, of the Countryman, based solely on a very negative review on the B&H website.

The VT506 has a 6dB high frequency boost.

I am starting to believe that a lav that can be absolutely hidden from view/wind is an important accessory to have in the kit.

Thanks to all for the very clever suggestions, and I will indeed keep trying to get money in the budget for a professional audio recordist.

Bob C

[Bob Cole]

[Bella Reeves] “no Red for b-roll (large ships, technology, machines, submarines, inpromtu interviews) which would be shot on in-house Sony Z7Us w/ LetusUltimate adapters.”

Or without the Letus, you could go with the Sony Z7u’s deep focus so that everything looks sharp – as Mark says, it would be a nice contrast with the RED interviews. If you try to emulate the shallow DOF of the RED with the Letus on a Z7U, it will look like you’re trying to match – and you really can’t.

[Bob Cole]

[Bill Davis] “While you’re there be sure to ask them if they’re currently carrying the ultra cheap, non-lubricated, non-powdered, non rippled condoms -“

Last year I had a “fuzzy cat” on my on-camera mic, while filming kids at a summer school. They all wanted to touch the fuzzy cat, so the next day I left it off.

Now, I am trying to imagine showing up with a condom over my mic….