[Rich Rubasch]

If it’s any consolation…and I agree with everyone else here….if he has to rebuild everything from scratch, at least he has done it before and it shouldn’t take nearly as long as it did to create the original designs. the client was willing to pay for the revisions because it was their change that prompted the job. So determine what you would have paid the designer if you had the original project files, add in 20-30% and see if your client will bite on that estimate.

Then propose that amount to the designer, give him/her a good slap on the hands and get on with your life.

I think there are ways to deal with this fairly reasonably. I have many projects backed up on Hard drives and DVDs. It is certainly possible that we could lose elements. I would not assume to charge any client all over again for the job.

Hope it works out.

Rich Rubasch
Tilt Media

[Rich Rubasch]

I think BitVice used to offer a free multiplexing software on their site. Could try that.

Rich Rubasch
Tilt Media

[Rich Rubasch]

Well at least my post was able to get far enough under Zelin’s skin to elicit some constructive advice. Go back and read the original post….then read the very first post…Walter’s. There is no advice there. It is smug.

I’m standing by my comments, but I’m glad Walter chimed back in to clarify….just thought that should have been his first instinct.

Rich Rubasch
Tilt Media

[Rich Rubasch]

I agree that smaller is more nimble and can be an advantage to some clients. Then again this might not be the right time to jump ship and try a new, smaller production company/freelancer. But it is a great time to brush up on skills, get some marketing materials out there and get the word out.

We are busy with most of our most solid clients, who have their own solid clients and we are all in this together. So far so good, but we are definitely nurturing our closest clients and giving it our all.

I grow weary of Walter’s constant posts about how busy he is. It’s not constructive to the poster in any way. Hey Walter, how about a few thoughts on WHY you are so busy, instead of the smug same’ ol?

Rich Rubasch
Tilt Media

[Rich Rubasch]

Look for a folder called Helium.framework in the System-Library-Private Frameworks folder. Somehow we had this folder missing and when we got it back in there, all was well. I would recommend bringing it over from a similar Mac with an equal version number install and OS.

Rich Rubasch
Tilt Media

[Rich Rubasch]

If you cut in DVCPro50 you can get the DVCPro50 codecs for PC from Raylight. I would export chunks of about 10 minutes each then reassemble in the PC. If you are DV, just have QT on the PC and again bring over like 10-15 minute chunks. We do need more info.

And get MacDrive for the PC. Just get it. It will be useful throughout the life of the PC. It is awesome.

Rich Rubasch
Tilt Media

[Rich Rubasch]

Yes, it is different for each case, but clearly the net profit (forget anything about Gross sales…doesn’t matter) along with the value of the equipment and their standing in the community based on competitors etc all play a factor.

There are also different kinds of sales. There is such a thing as a property buyout only, where you purchase only the gear. But if the plan is to continue the business as it is now, and as an added bonus, with most if not all of the current employees, then that looks good to a banker as well.

In any case, you have to make your case to the bank why the company is valued at whatever you come up with and they will have to agree that based on the net profits, the loan can be paid off in that much time.

Jut like selling a home, there are several parties involved and the seller wants the best price, the buyer wants the lowest price. At the same time, the buyer is hoping for continued revenue based on current numbers (net profit) and the seller hopes that what they have is actually worth something, and usually more than just the cost of equipment.

Rich Rubasch
Tilt Media

[Rich Rubasch]

You look at the depreciation value of equipment if you are doing an asset purchase. If you are buying the rolodex, then you take the average net profit over the past 5 years and add the average annual distributions to officers etc, multiply that by 5, then add the value of the equipment.

Say $50,000 of net profit average over the past 5 years.

$50,000 average paid to officers as distributions after salaries

Equipment valued at $60,000

$50,000 times 5 = $250,000 (average net profit)
$50,000 times 5 = $250,000 (average distributions to officers)
$60,000 equipment value

Total company worth (on paper) $560,000

Now the things the business banker will look at is whether the key people at the current company will stay on and if they do not how that might affect the numbers stated above. In a hot shot agency, if the hot shot is not staying on, it might be valued less. This is a projection after all of what the future might hold for profit etc. The banker will also look at what the plan is going forward, industry trends, and other solid predictions that can be made about the business.

Rich Rubasch
Tilt Media

http://www.tiltmedia.com

[Rich Rubasch]

We do actually use a per-finished-minute formula with three tiers.

Basic Editing (some graphics, long shots, not much broll cutting)
$150-300 per finished minute

Medium Effort Editing (interviews, broll graphics and some animation or effects with CCOR)
$400-700 per finished minute

Full Tilt editing spectacular (lots of broll cutting lots of compositing ccor etc)
$1000-1500 per finished minute

Full-Tilt animation spectacular (some broll – everything composited, green screen etc)
$1500-2500 per finished minute

This formula is not how we create estimates, but it has held pretty solid on these kinds of projects.

Midwest market, average $175-$200 an hour for a standard def NLE suite, and up to $275 per hour for HD editing.

Rich Rubasch
Tilt Media

http://www.tiltmedia.com

[Rich Rubasch]

I will stand by the statement that you will NEVER get the results you seek without encoding on a PC. For the best encodes with excellent deinterlacing at lower bit rates and so that they play smoothly on a PC we only encode on a PC. Excellent results.

For quick preview client review WMVs right out of FCP we do use flip4Mac and it is invaluable for that.

But for any final encodes it goes straight to the PC.

Rich Rubasch
Tilt Media