Timothy J. allen
Forum Replies Created
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But would you hire a so called “creative” business that uses clipart for their company logo? That seems like an oxymoron.
Incorporating clipart into a logo (as a small part, or as an inspirational kick start) might be ok, but if it’s not much different than the original clipart file, I’m not sure it would send the right message.
And after all, that is what a logo should be about, isn’t it?
-TJA
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Mark,
I’m interested to know which parts of Australian copyright law you think would be good for America to emulate. I don’t have much experience in international copyright, but I understand there were significant changes to their laws in 2006.Can you (or perhaps some of the folks who visit this forum from the land down under) give us a thumbnail sketch of some basic differences in copyright law between U.S. and Australia?
Appreciated,
Timothy J. Allen -
If you are mainly doing 1-on-1 interviews, you’ll need a decent lavaliere microphone. A good shotgun mic is ALWAYS a good thing for run and gun shoots. Also make sure that whatever camera you get accepts XLR connections instead of going with the RCA connectors.
After a certain quality level, audio gear choice can be quite personal, but I’d suggest you run a search in the audio professionals forum here at Creative Cow and see what’s hot these days.Having been on both Macs and PCs, I really feel that while there are advantages to both, what’s “best” simply comes down to what’s most comfortable to you.
I used to be faster on a Mac, but these days, I’m faster on a PC. It’s not because of the processor speed, it’s because of my familiarity of the software and hardware. My most significant speed limitation is whether I know keyboard shortcuts and workarounds and how to troubleshoot issues. 😉
If you are a one man band, that becomes even more important. I’d also factor in how much access you have to a repair shop that can step in and help quickly in the event that you get stuck with a computer issue beyond your reach.
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O.k. The consensus is that you most likely deserve to make more, but I wouldn’t jump ship quite yet.
To keep all of your eggs from being in one basket, the first thing you need is more than one egg. Figure out what you really should be making then work on adding some additional clients at your new (=higher) rate.
Eventually, you will have enough business where the new projects step on the old ones and you can go back to this client and give him a heads up on when your new rates will be going into effect. If he balks (and if he’s a grinder he probably will), that frees you up to do even more work at the better rate.
Granted the tough part is serving those new clients well before jettison the grinder, but I’ve heard from most of the professionals here that “clearing out the brush” of old clients that are either slow to pay or expect unrealistic rates can be a very good thing for your business.
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Jody,
What type of work do you plan to focus on?I agree with Mr. Biscardi that its worth the extra expense to invest in at least a decent HDV cam rather than standard def – if nothing else from a marketing standpoint. You’ll want equipment that you can pay off (and learn inside and out) long before it becomes obsolete.
One more note… there’s no shame in starting out with used gear, especially cameras and lights.
Speaking of lights, don’t forget those AND decent audio gear. Quality audio may not be noticed, but poor audio is the first indication of a hobbyist.
-Tim
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[T2] Unfortunately, here a very simple shoot ties up the same space, equipment, and people as a complicated one does, so the rate is the same.
And Todd, that’s a point that should be addressed. Many folks starting out have a tough time figuring out rates for different types of jobs. Once you figure out the equipment, taxes, and labor overhead, establishing rates really isn’t that difficult. I might not like the rates that I have to charge to cover overhead, but they are logical and based on reality rather than emotion… even though I’ll admit that I’ve cut my rates down to not making a profit on a job or two that I really wanted to do. (Sometimes experience is worth more than cash.)
Also, I think the fact that you know your limitations and don’t oversell your capabilities demonstrates business acumen. There’s value to the customer when they know what to expect and can trust that you are honest about the level of service you provide.
So, you may not have a permanent green cyc set, but at least you are prepared to deal with the complications that can come with a chroma shoot instead of merely hoping that it turns out well for the client.
-Tim
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I’ve seen lower prices for this in other areas of the country (from $185 to $300/hr. for green screen shooting), but I’d put money on the fact that Fantastic Plastic is worth every penny.
Quick story…I had a guy quote me $75/hr for a greenscreen shoot once back around 2001… then I found out that he was planning to use a prosumer DV camera and hand off the miniDV tape for me to edit with my Media 100. I found out that he also didn’t have a broadcast quality monitor OR professional scopes. Just a green drop cloth, a basic light kit and very limited experience…
Needless to say, I passed on that “generous” offer. (It’s not cheaper if you have to re-shoot!)
What I would have given to have the built-in keying capability of today’s NLEs. I forget how much we priced Ultimatte back then, but I remember it was out of our range.
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As a person that spends time on both sides of the fence as a client and video production provider, I’d make them copies of the dubs and simply charge them for the time and tape stock.
Did they not pay for the video shoots?
As a client, I would expect to be able to get the raw footage if I paid for the shoot and the tape stock. (As a side note, I don’t prohibit a contracted videographer from using footage they shot on my dime for their demo or advertising purposes either – as long as the footage is not confidential or proprietary, and as long as they don’t make false claims about their role in the production.) If the production company had stock footage on hand that they already paid for and I wasn’t charged for it, I certainly wouldn’t expect to get copies of it in any format than in the finished product.
On the other hand, I don’t expect to get project files, unless that’s spelled out in the contract – and if it is, that “deliverable” is for a different negotiated rate than video production and post.
I also don’t give out project files when I’m the Editor unless that’s negotiated beforehand. But raw footage? As long as they pay for the time and the tape, it’s theirs.
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Don’t sign anything else except the back of the check they owe you – and then only if it’s for the full amount with no strings attached.
Definitely consult a lawyer about this, but on the surface, I see absolutely no reason why you should sign a non-compete. I mean, you want to keep a good reputation and references throughout your career, but this is a case where I wouldn’t worry about that too much. They owe you money and are then trying to coerce you into signing something that probably isn’t unenforceable anyway? I don’t see their leverage here.
I wouldn’t have a problem with signing an NDA, but a non-compete would find it’s way straight into a folder in my lawyer’s office as background for the collection case.
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Aza,
$25/hr? How would you like to subcontract? 😉Seriously, as Mark so succinctly pointed out, your rate is going to be based on your expenses, how many hours you want to work in order to pay those expenses, and the amount of profit you want to make.
Of course, you still have to balance that out with how much the market will bear. Deciding what market you want to serve can be a tough choice. Generally, higher end work means you can bill higher rates, but you need to do that in order to make up for the unbilled time that you spend developing that ability to deliver that quality of work.
Some folks prefer not to have the pressure of high end productions. They don’t get to bill as much, but when they need more profit, they have to sell more hours at that lower rate.
The trouble begins if there is a mismatch between your expectations and the client’s expectations. As long as it’s a fair price for a fair product, you can take either path.
Remember, it’s net, not gross profit that really matters at the end of the day.
-Tim