Alfeo Dixon SOC

Oooohhhh..... A nice powder blue.... Thats a reeeeeal manly color for your steadicam cases there James

It does Robert, the day Brian processed a claim... which brings up the question of... Has anyone dealt with Walter P Dolle on a recovery off a claim? What would they be willing to sell it for? or Would they put it up for bids? Brian, what did WPD tell you about your battery charger when it was recovered? -Alfeo

I've been doing it this way for years... no wonder everyone else felt so whiny about the latches. I also use my heel (of hand) to lock them too.

But did you enjoy it Dave...

Ok... there is one way to handle those also... counter offer them something ridiculous also. If you have desires to direct, produce or even dp... thats the time to ask for it. Tell them you'll make a decision after you read the script, then IF and only if you like it and want to be attached, tell them you want to ____________ and ________ in exchange for you to work the steadicam days. If you do the producer route, get a contract done up and YOUR financial input to the project is FULL RATE (ie 2 days @ $2,500/day for 12) and you are paid when the Financiers are paid and you are also given an EP credit. If your goal is to direct, then ask to direct second unit or a scene in the movie... same with DPing... ask for it! But try to make sure you get what your looking for out of it first. Don't do the steadicam days before they give you your what ever in writing. The best approach is to tell them you hope they are not the type of people to renege on a deal, but you would like to put your involvement into the project right away so that you can best serve the project when steadicam is up.... blah, blah, blah. If they go south with the deal, you have it on paper and the footage you shot still belongs to you due to copyrights and them not completing the terms of the agreement. more than one way to skin a cat! -Alfeo

Doug, you couldn't be more right!!! You just drove that nail all the way with one hit.... If a producer wants a "throw away shot," that may or may not lay on the editors hard drive floor... then they will seek out a less than $1000/day operator. But if they want to maximize their investment and make ever shot count, meaning the reason that shot didn't make the cut was due to the director not wanting to use it to tell his story... then they will spent the cash and they have it... believe me they do. Subpar operator + think it will be a cool shot directors = $100/day + This isn't what I wanted results Every shot counts + skilled op = above $1500/day + director that gets what he wanted In terms of your gear... 100 day payoff is a good starting place. Basically 1% of your total investment per day. Simple math brother

Nick, Wow, I would say that bridge was nuked! Guys, I don't think insulting people that can potentially hire you is going to help, no matter how idiotic the offers are. The best way to beat this new wave of insulting offers is to ignore them and steadfast as a community. It sucks, but one has to have principles and live by them. I received a call not too long ago for a very low rate offer and politely said no as I chuckled. We talked a bit more and when the production was 1099 only, I told them that I would have to have workers comp coverage and was not willing to do so on my own policy for a below rate offer. Needless to say, they understood how physical my job was and how much was at stake for me to work without coverage, I got the rate up to a real rate which gave me the motivation to take the risk and cover myself with WC. -Alfeo

Even Prostitutes don't go for that low a rate... In fact, they are probably more in line with $100/hour Hell, come to think it... $100/day is more like a crack whore rate... and they are going to demand that you supply the crack and room!!! Get a grip guys.... JUST SAY NO!!!

Search to boards for Tri-ax jumpers... that may be your only hope The few times I worked with a fiber line, I dropped a loop off the left side of the camera to which I wrapped about three times around my arm dropped off the back of the vest and through my pointer and middle fingers (across the palm) -Alfeo

I just love the fact that the AD yeld "that's lunch" and all of the grips took off dropping their wedges and telling him "good luck with that..."

So I just flew to São Paulo, Brazil on Delta for a show and I only took my Preston case (flew the Tango and Tiffen flew all the other gear down.) I got hit with a $200 extra bag fee because I didn't have a media credential. Luckily I had extra time due to an iCal entry for my 'got to the airport from set' that I had mistaken for flight time. So I was at the airport four hours early... better than the other way around! Anyway, I went upstairs from curbside checkin and asked for a red coat, two nice ladies came out and told me that there is actually a list of agreed 'media rate' companies... they still took off the $200 and would not allow me to pay the media rate at all. So my case went free and they gave me a hand full of drink vouchers. What I would like to do is gather statistics on how often we travel and which airlines and the pricing of the tickets... I'm sure if the SOA approached these major airlines, then we would be on the list and just provide some sort of SOA travel ID card to save us the hassles in the future when we don't have 4 hours to think creatively. -Alfeo

Kyle, Huge leaps to put yourself out there as such. But you've been around long enough to know how supportive this group can be and now how harsh we can can get when our market and livelyhoods are at stake. Any organization cannot substain if the membership does not adhere to the practices and principles of the collective whole. Although this community is not really an organization, I'm guessing that 80% of us are members of the SOA, 50% are IATSE 600, 40% Steadicam Guild and maybe 20% are SOC. This being said, it is a duty to the members to help (when able) those members in need. 600 has a way for members just shy of qualifying hours to get dayplay work in order to qualify... I'm sure the SOC has some sort of member support also. Maybe this could be a way for you to return the favors that are now coming your way in helping to organize a better support network... What I'm getting at Kyle, is that out of despireation and need, opportunities can rise to help the collective instead of harm the overall. Maybe I shouldn't post minutes from having a double shot Cubano, but my post was how many others feel. If not than I myself felt that and still do. I hope others will learn from your hardship also and do their best to not hurt an industry already under attach by the producers. The cost of rigs and the availablity of different makes and models has brought price points down and offerings of multiple styles for different types of work. But for the long run, WE must adhere to the way of the past IF there is to be a future in Steadicam. Already, it's a market that is flooded with new ops and gear availablity but the industry is still content hungry, there is enough work to support those that are in this industry and threat it as a business and not just a cool job or gig. Work hard, be professional, respect your peers and learn from your mentors... Sound like something your parents would say, guess what... They did know a little something. I'm leanring that now that im now the parent. Best of luck to you Kyle... And if enough people click the inappropriate content button, I think they will have to remove the ad. It's at least worth the try... -Alfeo

Speaking of which... You should also change your socks mid day (lunch) just as you do your shoes. During the warmer months, I tend to wear flip flops to lunch in order for my feet to get fresh air.

lets here it Charles ...that stand was probably about 10 minutes from doing a rig dismount!

Now this is ridiculous... some of you New York guys may need to have a sit down with this guy and have a talking to! This kid has a reel, that would enable him to get work and is still whoring around, lowering rates like a cheap five dollar slut. Yes, I said it ! It's one thing when you need to build a reel or doing a favor for a friend (Yes... a friend, not just someone that calls and needs help, because they SOLD an idea to a label and can not deliver because THEY did not BUDGET properly). -Alfeo "I gotta feed my FAMILY" Dixon

Re* Russian Ark just imagine... "Ok... great take... one more!!!"

did someone list cables... So I got $10.2K in cables and I KNOW I need more!

I too like the idea of a private forum. I suggest that it become a professional forum were we can discus rates and concerns professionally. That being said, if you are not a member of the SOA, you should not be allowed to the forum... Its about and for professionals.

Search! There is a huge thread involving an accident and the concerns of operator responsibility from the anniversary of the Berlin Wall coming down.

any links or photos?

Welcome to Hotlanta, Georgia in July/August I tried to get the GoPro guys to mount up a few on Jerry with the Tango during NAB... don't know what ever happened to that footage or if they ever shot some at all. Anyway... would like to see more of the CP technical moves... ala Ruben Sluijter's footage above from Dancing With The Stars often shown at the Tiffen workshops. Yep

Peter, Will this also fit on 15mm Arri rods? -Alfeo

This is a good one BJ. I wonder what is in the contracts clause for "Forces Majeure," I'm sure THEY are entitled to recoup ALL of your billings due to the hiatus...

I think this will fry Canon 5DM2 if you plug it directly in to AB 14V regulated voltage from the P-Tap my friend (V-Plate) will take care of that issue. But thanks for pointing that out.

Where you "Booked?" If so, then you should already have a contract for your dates of work... it's that simple. I don't understand your rationale, if you where booked then you should be getting paid and your gear is working. If you were laid off for lack of work (i.e. they pushed) then you have no grounds for invoicing them because your not working with your gear. If your sitting around in a hotel at a distant location, sure, you may be able to negotiate idle pay. But again, not if you were laid off... unemployment only. Its called a "Play or Pay" phrase which means they pay no matter what happens to the dates. You are not officially booked until you have a deal memo (contract) in hand. You will not find "Play or Pay" in any of their deal memos or start paper work, simply because they don't wont it there! Your agent will have it in his agreement and will not "Book" you until it is signed, meaning also that he/she is not turning anything else down until one is signed. It's usually 100% of rate and kit.