[Nick Griffin]

[Tim Wilson] “that’s… my point about “becoming a realtor.” Once you’re “in and of” that world, a whooooole lot of things get a lot easier.”

This should be obvious without saying it, but it’s not just real estate. Your chances for getting gigs in any industry or segment goes WAY up when you’re rubbing shoulders on the inside rather than knocking on doors from the outside.

That’s why my partner and I belong to select trade organizations, attend their meetings, volunteer to sit on their committees and schmooze at their cocktail parties. Not everyone needs or wants what we do, but for those that do we’re an easy choice — because they already know us.

[Nick Griffin]

We did our last SD project four and a half years ago and only finished it in SD because it was begun in SD a year and a half before that. So the trusty old Beta deck has sat around un-touched since early 2008… until a couple of weeks ago.

A very long-term client decided that after 11 years a project we’d done needed to be updated, not the whole thing, just a very few scenes and they were only close-ups too boot. The master, needless to say, exists only on Beta. 11 years ago saving the finished digital file was a much bigger deal than it is now. Anybody remember when the biggest removable was the DVD-ROM disk? When hard disks cost $15 to $20 a gigabyte?

So in firing up the Beta deck I (very fortunately) thought to insert a tape I knew had nothing of value on it. At first it played for a few minutes and all seemed OK. Then after a brief pause and re-start WHAM, Error Code XYZ and the deck was frozen. After a cool down and re-boot the deck worked again for a few more minutes before WHAM, Error Code ABC. This time no luck getting it to re-start and it had the tape. Googled the error code, popped the lid, jiggled tension arms and the capstan assy, before realizing that the guts of this complex a machine were WAY over my head.

I flirted with the idea of buying one of the many used Beta decks for sale — did you know that a BVW series deck can be had for around $2k? But decided that then I’d just be buying somebody else’s service problems so, after some searching, found a company still willing to work on our deck.

A $190 worth of parts, labor and, I suspect, mostly lubrication later viola a working deck and I was able to capture the show.

For me the lesson is to not let the deck sit un-used for years at a time, but I’m left to wonder if something like the need to access ancient footage will occur again. My partner asked why we don’t just digitize the existing Beta masters, but I have to question if that could ever be worth the time as this was the first time anyone has ever asked for anything that old to be re-edited.

[Nick Griffin]

I’d be very careful with this. Even though it is “insurance,” claims could be denied if it were established that you were extending some kind of insurance by proxy. You would be MUCH better off to take the job through your company and hire your friend to do the work. Want to be a nice guy? Nobody says that you can’t pay him all that the job earns and keep nothing for yourself. You just need the company taking the risk (ie.-you) to be the entity insured. (My two cents. Be interested in what others have to say.)

[Nick Griffin]

Now I understand why you’ve listed your 35mm film camera for sale. Had to pay for that display case, right?

[Nick Griffin]

While I’m not as blunt about who’s in charge as Malcolm says he is, I leave little doubt as to how the process works. Nowhere is this more true than in interviewing talking heads. The client can provide questions either to begin the process or supplement our first draft of them, but the interview portion is mine and mine alone.

I also ask to be the only person in the room during the actual interview but if they insist I limit it to one person who must stand or sit directly behind me. The reason for this, and just about everyone understands it when I explain it, is to prevent what I describe as the “Tricky Dick Nixon look” of eyes darting back and forth because the interviewee is checking the reactions of multiple people in the room. The only thing that creates is lots of unusable footage.

It’s also important for me to build a relationship with the interviewee so that their focus is on just me and my questions. And I also rarely stick to just the pre-written questions. Often the best responses come from a discussion and the re-asking of the same question approached in a different way.

This must be a simpler process for me because while a grip can help set lights, I don’t want or expect him to be in the room during the interview. I also have the boom mic on a stand or a lav mic on the talent that, once set for volume, doesn’t require much adjustment. And one final thought, as the one who will be doing the edit it’s much easier to know when you have what you need versus when to re-ask or re-approach a question.

[Nick Griffin]

I agree with both of the above comments, first that it’s very nicely shot and edited. I especially like, and appreciate the manufacturing sequence. (Well, most of the scenes anyway.)

Second, I agree with Bill that it could be shorter and, as a web video, that’s important. Viewers can see the length when the player opens and at that point they’re making the decision whether they will or won’t devote that much time to watching your video. Shorter is better and having multiple shorter videos each covering one aspect of your message is often the best answer.

As to what Bill was saying about the opening, and assuming that this was a requirement to satisfy the client, I’d find somewhere else, probably near the end, to get that in. For maximum draw I’d start with the slo-mo motorcycle accident footage and from there go into what makes these helmets so superior and so much safer. Tie that directly into the part about the racing organizations who use the helmets, then get into the manufacturing and you’ve got a message that grabs at the top and provides a powerful argument.

But, please don’t let any of these ideas let you think that what you already have isn’t good. It is quite good and should be well received by your client.

[Nick Griffin]

[Mark Suszko] “I’m not as hard-sell as say Zelin is.”

I think I can count on one hand the sales people I’ve run into over the years who are as hard charging as Bob Zelin describes himself as being. I suspect that much of what we hear from Bob is more a reflection of how hard he pushes himself, not the prospects.

But then again I could be wrong and, if I am, it’s a near certainty that Mr. Zelin will point it out.

Mark’s suggestions are, as always, spot on. I will add that they key to staying in touch is to be non-intrusive and persistent in a friendly way

[Nick Griffin]

Your rate should be based primarily on how much of your time the project will take. I think Shane’s post addressed the variables quite well. And, as he points out, location is a primary factor, too. Big markets command higher rates than small towns.

If at all possible offer a price for the first one that can be re-negotiated for the others based on what your learn from what is supplied, how organized it is, etc.

[Nick Griffin]

Short answer: (which you’re not going to like) As much as I can and still have them want to come back for more. And that’s the hard part: determining where that line is.

Better answer: You’re not giving us much to work with here. What KIND of editing? Cutting run and gun news where repetition is OK, length is everything and aesthetics just good enough? Or a complex storyline where you have to dig through hours of footage and multiple takes to weave a well constructed narrative? Or a stylized music video kind of edit where you’re working to blend multiple cameras, styles, backstories (for example the lost girlfriend the song is about) with logical hits against the music? Or… you get the idea. Hard for anyone to answer such an open ended question, Serge.

[Nick Griffin]

Hey you 50 year old kids, GET OFF MY LAWN!

Seriously, thanks Ned for providing some focus to a serious issue. I’d like to add some thoughts to this discussion, but that will have to wait for a time with fewer deadlines than today and this week.