[Michael Pruitt-bruun]

given the events around the world these days, David Jones may be giving you a good number. there is no “standard,” it’s what the market will bear. but i wouldn’t start with a number that low. certainly not with gear.

[Michael Pruitt-bruun]

are you asking about a standard rate for equipment? i’d look at prices rental houses are charging, but you also have to factor in more than just the camera for equipment charges. most folks have a rate for their whole package. it’s usually a day rate, but even rental houses will offer a deal on a number of days.

as a hired gun, i’ve never seen rights affect rate. if you want to license footage, that’s a whole ‘nuther ball of wax.

[Michael Pruitt-bruun]

thanks again, for your very thorough answer.

[Michael Pruitt-bruun]

excellent, Don. thanks for your reply. will fcp treat the clips as generic MOV files regardless of camera settings?

[Michael Pruitt-bruun]

i agree with Rick’s point. i have been in a situation where i had tapes and there was a dispute over payment. basically the client was disputing a contractual obligation to me for shooting. my argument was, if you have not contracted my services, these 20 hours of footage must belong to me. the only basis for them claiming ownership of material i produced would have to be contractual.

however, the shooting had not been completed, and in a gesture of trust and good faith i handed over the tapes and continued to shoot in anticipation of a resolution. while i could have held the tapes, i had no releases and probably could not have even used the footage for my reel.

but handing over the tapes was a mistake. i got stiffed.

you may not be able to use the material, but once you give it up, you’re done.

[Michael Pruitt-bruun]

Chris, you make perfectly good points. there has to be some flexibility, not just as a matter of good will, but also as a practical consideration. having said that, if someone books me, uses the word “booking,” and i turn down other work and am subsequently unable to find another job for that day, i expect a kill fee. when they book me i take on the responsibility for their shoot, that i will be there to do the job or find a capable replacement. if they can’t take that same level of responsibility, i can’t accept their bookings.

[Michael Pruitt-bruun]

thanks for the replies, all.

i just thought there might be some sort of s.o.p. that i was unaware of, since i’ve never really dealt with rain dates with any other client. but it is what it is, and i guess i have to apply the usual book-or-release for each individual day.

i try to maintain a certain amount of flexibility with regular clients, as opposed to whipping out the rule book at every turn. but i can’t subsidize their shoots with my own unpaid days. whether or not they see it that way.

[Michael Pruitt-bruun]

now, if k-tek would just make a replacement card-slot cover…. 😉

[Michael Pruitt-bruun]

the ex1 card-slot cover is better than the one on the ex3. i still wouldn’t want to be shooting on a beach on a windy day without taping it up. but it looks like it might last a little longer.

regarding shotguns in your frame, i never did get along well with the stock mic mounts on the smaller cameras. i tend to used a (k-tek?) shock mount to get it higher. it’s more stable, and isolates handling noise better.