[Mike Cohen]

If we are billing a client for a shoot which involves travel, we price the job accordingly to compensate us for the travel time.

For example, let’s say we have to fly the day before and evening after a one day shoot, we would charge the hypothetical amount of $XYZ.

If a client says “I can get a local crew for $XY a day,” our response is, “You asked for our rate for the project, this is what we charge” without getting too technical about what part of the cost is shooting time and what is travel time. The rate also covers our expertise and any planning that precedes the shoot. Everything is billable, although not always in an overt fashion.

Mike

[Mike Cohen]

you could try importing one project into the other and then running project manager to eliminate unused files – put on a fresh pot of coffee as this can take a while.

[Mike Cohen]

I suggest checking out Izzy Video podcast – he has some great tutorials on lighting.
I would shoot with one diffused light, either a softbox if you have it, or a diffused open light – use a reflector or white foamcore to reflect the light back as fill.
Make sure your camera is not casting shadow on the talent if you are in close quarters.
Also keep your light away from any foam that may be lining the walls.
Mike

[Mike Cohen]

I once made two local (town first selectman) ads. We did one free ad for both candidates. One guy had a script, and was shot sitting on a bench near a bucolic local pond. The other guy had no particular script, so we shot him at his house with his grandkids, and in front of a local high school. The 2nd guy won and stayed in office for 10 years.

Interesting thread indeed.

[Mike Cohen]

crazy example – let’s say you start with your master shot, the actors enter the frame, then you cut the scene with coverage. But at one point a dog runs by in the background – the dog that the characters are looking for – if you were on a closeup, you would not see the dog, and it would seem odd that the actors suddenly start talking about finding their lost dog, without letting the audience see what they are seeing.

Makes sense to me anyway.

[Mike Cohen]

so the component inputs will record HD as well as SD? That’s good to know.

[Mike Cohen]

I’m curious, while we are on the subject of car dealers.
Most local car ads are either the Crazy Eddie screaming monster truck style, or manufacturer beauty shots with a donut, or a combination, usually involving the cute children of the dealership owner.

I do not see too many original beauty shot local car ads – aside from the higher cost of production, do car manufacturers have anything to say about how their products are portrayed in advertising that they do not endorse?

For example, if a local Lexus spot has some sweeping shots of the car, the trim, the dash, the tires, the cupholders, etc – these are images of the car – so the spot is selling the Lexus L923x as opposed to promoting the dealership.

Similarly, a local supermarket may run a spot promoting Milano cookies, 2/$4. But what if they have sweeping beauty shots of the Milano cookie, a closeup of the chocolate filling, a shot of someone luxuriously biting into a cookie – then the spot is selling Milano cookies.

In other words, local spots are being made at the dealer’s expense to sell a product they do not make, but a product they sell. Is there a difference from a business/IP point of view?

See what I’m asking?

Mike

[Mike Cohen]

It seems you should draft a client service agreement, which states what they get and for how much – preferred rates in other words. For example, 30 second spot, 1 week turnaround, costs X dollars. Specify how you will handle billing, such as monthly invoices with net 30 payment terms.
If you have this guy calling you up with last minute requests, you need to be able to bill him in a fair manner for both parties.

Do you or your partner have the ability to buy time on your local channels or cable system? You would have to know the lead time for getting a new ad in a rotation and let your client know the realities of such requests.

Do it all does not mean anything without a signed agreement stating what they get and what you get.

Now, I have a system I’d like to tell you about that is guaranteed to make you money. All I need from you is $500 and I’ll send you whatever….

Good Luck.
Mike

[Mike Cohen]

interesting, because I have the reverse. During capture from a HDV deck (1080i) I get SD component monitoring on my NTSC monitor. but during playback in Premiere CS3, I get no SD downconverted output via component, despite having set this in the control panel.

Mike

[Mike Cohen]

we include a project management fee – 25% of the total. Depending upon the project, this covers work that is not necessarily billable, and can cover some overages, if that is not specified directly.

How detailed the contract needs to be is sometimes dictated by the client. We find larger organizations or committees want a lot of detail, which can be good for you too since you can specify fees for overages, changes, etc.