Malcolm Matusky
Forum Replies Created
-
Signing a “non-compete” agreement as a free-lancer is financial suicide. The only scenario I would consider is DURING the terms of employment with a specific producer NOT their client. Once the job is over your are on your own, too bad if the “client” hires you and not the producer, that is the business.
Malcolm
http://www.malcolmproductions.com -
https://ducloslenses.com/Duclos_Lenses/Main.html
Try still lenses, re-housed in new barrels for cine use. May be a savings if the mechanics are good enough for you. If you are using the lenses in a “rental” situation go for the top notch glass that will last, otherwise…look to alternatives
M
Malcolm
http://www.malcolmproductions.com -
I noticed this on a few shots, most of my footage is fine. I’ll have to do some tests to see how to eliminate the strobing during a pan.
Malcolm
http://www.malcolmproductions.com -
Over time every business changes, producing “spots” for cable was never very lucrative for independent producers and now it is less so. So what? If in house production units can do what their clients need and bundle it with broadcast time, great. They can have it, they have the advantage that they do not need to charge for production if the client is willing to pay enough for ad time, I can never compete with that and its not worth trying. I do not do, repetitive work, I hate it and every production I do is different. Talking heads corporate video was once a market segment, now it is mostly done in house as well, with “desktop” video equipment. If that suits their needs fine, I cannot compete with that either, I will not try. If the client is satisfied with a production value that any hobbyist/ enthusiast can crank out, fine. As an independent producer I have to do something else, and cannot compete in segments where I have no competitive advantage.
I started making films with 16mm film. It was easy to get jobs from companies because it was nearly impossible for them to do it themselves; now that has changed. With a few thousand dollars worth of equipment anyone can now buy the equivalent of millions of dollars worth of capital investment in “film age technology” From this post it seems as though peoples business models have not kept pace with the technological change at hand. That is unfortunate and will only drive you out of business as “rates” for producing corporate/industrial work drop through the floor.
As a business owner/producer I have to constantly define what my services are and make sure I am doing what the client cannot do, affordably or at any price. If not, I’m toast!
I do not compete with high school students, college students, no matter how good their “reel” is or ability with after effects. I “sell” business solutions, not ever changing technology. Define your business offerings better and you will be able to “compete” on better terms, your own.
If a “prospect” says they can do a production themselves, great, they are not a potential client, I saved money identifying a waste of time. I am happy with that and may keep them on a contact list for future work if they every want to do a project beyond their internal abilities. That is my market segment, going beyond the abilities of the clients capability, and I charge them for that privileged, if they are not willing to pay, too bad, let them do it themselves because they are not a “client” unless they pay MY bills, otherwise they are a complete waste of time. Be able to identify who is wasting/stealing your time and your business will improve.
Easier said than done, I know, but what are your options? competing in an area where you can never win? that’s stupid. Never run a race when the prize is poverty. Never let the “client” dictate price, if you are not able to make a profit, why are you in business? that’s stupid as well. Know your costs, make a profit, forget the “competition” if they are undercutting you, they are either stupid or have lower costs, if they are being stupid they will go out of business, if they have lower costs they will succeed. Do be sure you are “bidding” on the same thing though. It’s easy to “be competitive” by offering a much cheaper to make production and selling it as an expensive one, that is underhanded and fraudulent, but happens all the time. This is where the business gets tough, how to make a “fair” comparison between two production companies? Better selling skills usually win out in the short term, better ability in the long. How you position yourself is up to you, so is taking care of your own needs, your “client’ really does not care if you can pay your bills/live decently, all they want is the work, cheap!
In my business, there is no “cheap” the word “discount” is never used. Any “prospect” that is looking for a “discount” or something easy and cheap is not a potential client for me, I tell them to “do it themselves” and may or may not keep them on my prospect list if I think there is any potential for the future. If not, they go on the “blacklist” so I do not waste my marketing money on a waste of time.
Good luck!
Malcolm
http://www.malcolmproductions.com -
I bought a “gaming” computer from an outfit in LA, they are “integrators” and I have been very satisfied with the machine they put together for me, bought it specifically to run VP9. ibuypower.com
I specked extra large power supply for upgrading later, and liquid cooling on the chip, it’s being “overclocked” i7 930 Intel. A friend suggested a “render to drive” and this has worked well, OS is on the C drive, D is the render to drive and I have a RAID stand alone on the esata cable. 12 GB ram, runs everything, dual head card for monitors.
Trans-coding all my footage into cineform neoscene, this has helped a great deal with the h.264 coming out of my 7D.
So far so good, have not upgraded to VP 10 yet, but will when this forum reports it’s stable.
Good luck!
Malcolm
http://www.malcolmproductions.com -
Unless I’m missing something “whores” usually get paid! 🙂
Working for “free” is never a good way of doing business, unless you are independently wealthy and can afford to live for free as well.
There are some projects where I have not “charged” but I did not consider it working for “free.” I have done short promotional films for non-profits, but I keep the copyright, I stream the content from my website, My producer credits are at the head and tail, usually, and they may not be omitted from any venue I allow the “client” to display MY work.
I keep ownership, period, and allow the “client” to use it within very specific terms. No broadcast, unless the broadcaster is willing to run my credits, or pay.
I consider this work “advertising” for my business, advertising is an expense and I am willing to commit a certain amount of money and time to this, when people are asking you to do work for “free” and it does not promote your business, that’s when you are getting “screwed.”
M
Malcolm
http://www.malcolmproductions.com -
Send them a drive, let them pay for it, and they can upload the file themselves, or they can pay you per hour of “machine time”
Malcolm
http://www.malcolmproductions.com -
I have heard of that before and it was an expensive repair.
Malcolm
-
Always another question!
Sub-clips are working, but no thumbnail photo? Is this possible or should I just use a list view?
Again, many thanks’
Since purchasing VP9, this forum has been extraordinary helpful to me in learning such a “deep” software package.
Malcolm
-
OK, weird stuff going on.
I imported the file a second time, with out deleting the first, and it did hold the “married” audio! How weird is that? Now I have one large synched! clip that I should now be able to make sub-clips and use the trimmer to organize my clips.
Thank you for the “nested” project tip, but my experience with it was strange.
VP 9.0e 64 bit.
Malcolm