Several weeks ago I was called for a 2 day MV here in town. They started saying the artist was from Europe and was coming to shoot a MV in Miami. It was being shot on an Alexa and they had a budget of $600 for a steadicam operator and gear. I told the lady on the phone, I was sorry but I could not do it for that rate, the next words out of her mouth were. "I could Double it to $1200 would that work?" I kindly declined and told her the rate that would work, she said she'd get back to me, and I never heard back.
This is not the first time a similar situation happens, in my case, it is always with the Hispanic or Latin clients, it's in their nature to start at the bottom and slowly go up to their limit. Sometimes there are many phone calls, each increasing the rate until either I accept, or the job is passed to another.
I don't know if they even used Steadicam for that project. But the fact that the rate doubled in mere seconds led me to believe they were either playing around or had more than they originally intended.
Having been married to 2 production managers, I can tell you, the budget is not ever set in stone. if production wants something, they will figure out a way to get it. Maybe switching the executives rental from a corvette to a chevy aveo will get the funds needed for the toy they want.
Ozzie