[Nick Griffin]

[Shane Ross] “I was distracted by the jump-cutting style of HOMICIDE: LIFE ON THE STREETS at first, but then it grew on me…made me think of it more like a reality show. Because, well, it was pretty realistic. Good show.”

While the jump cuts stayed as part of the show for its 8 (I believe) seasons the camera work evolved from nearly un-watchable shakey-cam to a much smoother, but still handheld look.

From a camera / DP point of view I find Breaking Bad to be one of the most impressive things on TV today. It is 90 to 95% handheld even when longer lenses are used and the “you are there” realism that brings is extremely powerful. The POVs that their DPs utilize are also remarkable.

[Nick Griffin]

Anytime I have to mix 4×3 with 16×9 I put the 4×3 in a box over a looping background or use the looped background as the sidebars. This, IMHO, makes jumping between the two aspect ratios much less jarring. What I simply can’t stand is anytime the 4×3 material is horizontally stretched to cover the 16×9 frame. That looks like garbage, again IMHO.

Digital Juice Jumpbacks have some very nice and many subtle loops which you can get fairly inexpensively. There are others, too.

[Nick Griffin]

The consensus that I’m getting from all of you is that this should be either a time-limited deal, a declining percentage over time or even a one time deal. I would like to suggest that the whole thing would be a lot more straightforward if the guy providing the referral were working on the projects as a “producer” or at the least as some form of account executive whose job was handling most of the client contact and approval. At least that way it wouldn’t feel so much like a kickback or a transaction that the client might see as something under the table. Working on the project would also justify a higher percentage, hence more motivation for him to feed more work into the process.

[Nick Griffin]

[Richard Herd] “In a perfect ad environment where every entity has lots of money, the best arrangement is Client –> Agency –> Producer, and the producer hires the necessary staff to get the job done (writers, cast, DP, editor, and so on).”

In my “perfect world” (at least the way it used to be) it goes Client –> Agency (for concept, primary writing, art direction) –> Producer (who may contribute to the writing process, but at the very least helps mold the final writing), and the producer hires the necessary staff to get the job done (Director, DP, crew, post facility/editor and casting director who proposes cast which is approved by the client and the agency). Then they all show up for the shoot where the client constantly whispers in the ear of the agency’s account person(s), he/she talks to the writer(s) and art director(s) who like to think that the Producer works for them. When it works the spot(s) come out well and everybody takes credit.

[Nick Griffin]

Paul-
I think you need to take cost of living into account. If you are working in the Southern part of Virginia or Nashville there’s a WHOPPING big difference between the cost of living there versus Northern Virginia, ie.- greater Washington, DC. A salary in the $50’s can be a nice life in the South. In DC it’s almost poverty.

You might want to negotiate on the basis of what others get paid, if that’s possible.

[Nick Griffin]

Rich-
You do know that AJA makes a wide variety of inexpensive converter boxes. I’m virtually positive that SDI to HDMI is one of them.

[Nick Griffin]

While I’m certainly nowhere near as sophisticated a shooter as Rick or Todd, and probably Bob Cole, for that matter, I thought I’d chime in on this one.

I use the matte box primarily to hold 1 of 3 things. 1) ND & ND grads as needed. 2) A Polarizer because blown highlights from bad reflections are something which really can’t be changed or fixed too much in post, and 3) when not using either of the above, a skylight filter as protection for the lens because often we are shooting industrial things which can throw off particles, moisture, etc. I’d much rather replace a filter than a front element.

Given the capabilities of programs, especially color grading ones like Apple’s color, it makes little sense to me to warm or cool or diffuse an image in camera when we (or the client) may later decide to go down a different path.

My two one-hundredths of a dollar.

[Nick Griffin]

Probably not want to hear, but…

Spend what it takes to buy a used Sachtler. (It WILL be more than $1,600 for anything but the smallest one — which isn’t the best choice in that price range.) With a decent-sized Sachtler you will then have sticks and a head that are likely to last a career (or two).

[Nick Griffin]

Adam –
You’re probably right about the scopes in Color. Just a few years ago Color was a $20,000 product before Apple bought it, making the FC Studio bundle one of the software world’s biggest bargains. The scopes I was referring to are the ones in several NLE applications which, by reputation, are not held in particularly high regard.

[Nick Griffin]

[Michael Lavis] ”
I looked at the monitor that you suggested but it looks like it isnt supplied here in the UK”

Have you asked them? Click on their ad (usually on the left side of the screen) and make an inquiry via email. I know for a fact that their stuff is available on the continent. But again, what I don’t know is how import duty will impact on your final price.