Christopher Wright
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Yawn….
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“But the cream always rises to the top”
If that were only true in the real world.
In the writing world, music world, and especially “Hollyworld”
I’m afraid it is the rare exception rather than the “rule.”Dual 2.5 G5, IO, Kona LH, IO, Medea Raid, UL4D, NVidia 6800, 4Gig RAM
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And while you are throwing out titles about economic theory and trends,
don’t forget to include the books that will really tell you
what is happening and why in our current economic “downturn;”
“No Logo,” and “The Shock Doctrine” by Naomi Klein,
as well as just about any book on economics written by Naom Chomsky.Dual 2.5 G5, IO, Kona LH, IO, Medea Raid, UL4D, NVidia 6800, 4Gig RAM
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“It ISN’T a recession and it ISN’T going to go away.”
Boy did you hit the nail on the head with that one.
Kind of wraps it up in a nice package, doesn’t it?Dual 2.5 G5, IO, Kona LH, IO, Medea Raid, UL4D, NVidia 6800, 4Gig RAM
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I hope it didn’t come across that I think Walter isn’t a very talented person, has great drive, and deserves his success in spades. He is a role model for all of us. I will say that I have seen many people right at where he is now “go for the gold” too soon, and be sorry later. I don’t think he needs a “defense.” He has done very well for himself and helped many here on the Cow. I respect him and his growth. I do think that in all fairness, humility isn’t one of his strong suites though! ;>)
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Boy that truly was awful!
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Like Nick has stated, almost all of my clients are also my friends, and they have in turn referred other clients, both good and “difficult” at times. I have also taken potential grinders and difficult clients others in my market wouldn’t touch, and have actually been able to gain their appreciation and “educate” them about the post process, thereby changing the dynamic from “self-flagellation” to profit, and again making lasting friends in the process. My current “dream client” is a case in point. Three local production houses refused to deal with him. I feel that they just didn’t take the time and patience to LISTEN to him. There are the clients that allow you “creative freedom” and “respect you and your work” but who take several months to pay and take several emails and phone calls to finally acknowledge the invoice EVERY TIME (usually ad agencies). They always end up paying, but I would call them “difficult” clients. There are those that pay before they leave the studio, but want to micro-manage every cut and text placement etc., who end up doing exactly what I had already edited together for them eight hours earlier. I would call that a “difficult client.” There are also those that are inveterate grinders that I won’t touch with a ten foot pole. (The “do this one for free and we’ll catch you next time, this one will be good practice for you or good for your reel” etc.) You can usually spot those from a single phone call or face to face meeting. Having been in sales for so many years, it is fairly easy to whittle out the hopeless cases. I am very happy that Walter is doing so well that he needs a new building and more employees, but Atlanta is a major broadcast center for the whole country and he is in a larger market with more broadcast business potential than many here on the Cow. His business model seems to be growing a small corporation. I have had the building and employees before, been there done that, and you can have that business model, thank you. I don’t want the hassle, paperwork and overhead of a new building and employees, nor do I call that “success” in the area of (as one poster put it), creating art and achieving self-actualization; the real reason I chose this profession in the first place. All I can say is I have seen several businesses that are at the level Walter is at now who went the major expansion route and now are hurting or out of business. As they say, pride comes before the fall, and Walter has that in spades. You can almost see his chest and head expanding with every post. Being a small shop like Grinner’s is my preferred and comfortable modus, and by keeping it small, I have kept busy and happy. “But each to his own, different strokes” as Ron says. There are always opportunities and new clients to pursue, and I doubt that many of us don’t at least have a few projects we are working on ourselves without “waiting for a client to bring the business in.” The fact is that we are in challenging economic times and I think it is just over simplistic and a disservice to say that grazers should only accept “dream clients” in their business plan. The power of positive thinking is great, until you have to pay the bills.
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My most recent client is a “dream client” as well. For over a year now, they consistently are getting grants to continue a very worthwhile (2) year project, know what they want, never haggle about rates, are very easy to talk with and relate to, pay promptly for every shoot and edit session, and the project keeps growing in scope and deliverables every month. That being said, I think it is both naive and foolish to think that just because you decide that you won’t suffer “bad or difficult clients” that other clients will magically appear at your doorstep (studio). In this economy, with all the competition out there, few post houses can afford to turn away clients that aren’t “dream clients.” You can always have a “warm dream on a cold night”, but that is reality.
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I am so glad I went with the “Matrox solution” on my new Nehalem 2.93.
No problems whatsoever with 10.6.2 and latest FCS apps.
G-Speed Snow leopard drivers also rock solid, even enabling FCP and PrPRo CS4 to co-exist and work in tandem!Dual 2.5 G5, IO, Kona LH, IO, Medea Raid, UL4D, NVidia 6800, 4Gig RAM
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What happened to the “-elStein!” ;>)
I was wondering if you were still working on “labor of love” productions after all these years!Dual 2.5 G5, IO, Kona LH, IO, Medea Raid, UL4D, NVidia 6800, 4Gig RAM
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