Patrick Neese

I'm not in the big leagues yet, but getting rate or near rate on some of the micro-budgets in Austin is laughable. I'm finally running a rig that can handle the red, so I'm not stealing any big shows with my lower rates. Nor, can I fly a 35mm or Equivalent on my modified EFP. Isn't this topic though...borderline illegal? Price fixing/Anti-trust could easily be seen as operators calling each other and discussing too low of rates and deciding on acceptable rates. A new operator can't ask for the same rate as a 20+ year operator...I know I can't, that rate is earned. Rental rate should match the markets need sure, but labor? I hope producers and production co. understand that. I'm not having my door knocked down by studios either, so taking a few days on a low/micro budget, getting more experience and some pay is working for me without stepping on any toes(I think). When I get the equipment and experience to get on bigger shows, I'm sure I'll be upping my rate.

they, some of the guys who were already in the feild, were talking about that alien contraption a year ago at the workshop. Its pretty sweet stuff...I imagine its hellish to try and control the servos/steppers especially with 35 pounds out there... I'm looking forward to see his design. Good luck MK-V!

Anyone using an SUV or van ever have the damn trunk fly down on you during acceleration or a bump? Just wondering if you guys are taking precautions for that. and good choice with the helmet.... I dont want to be a dork..but anyone wear a motorcycle full face helmet... 35 mph and your face = 2 dollar a pound ground beef... :-P

When ever COURIER service is mentioned... it means trouble.. no federal mail system...no mail fraud... I hate people like this there are websites that steal other webistes place a new name on it..an pretend to have the items..you send them money via some online service or cashiers check..and then you get nothing. Thanks for informing us! Patrick

I?m just glad I wasn't the only one that saw that and shook my head. Yeah he needs to bring the seat down a good 8 inches...exponentially...that is not a good word to use when stress fracture will placed in the same sentence... hehe lets just hope the welds penetrated well..and the welder didn't under cut to much :-P good luck to whomever buys this... P.S. I "weld" ..so technically i too am a "Welder"...but I wouldn?t rely on my welds to hold more than a coffee cup... just because you can operate an ARC, MIG, or TIG welder doesn't mean you should. I know guys that will weld what they are told because there is money..and would not tell you... "oh... by the way... there is usually 80,000psi for these welds...so the weld is usually stronger than the steel...if i get good penetration. and you might be pushing the safety boundaries...especially if this is scrap metal that could have previous fractures/imperfections that will worsen with stress and end up dragging you 40feet face first when the weld breaks...because 400 lbs of pressure have been placed on a 4 inch weld..and then you hit a bump at speed and then your downward pressure becomes sideways torque and downward force...and since your up high off the weld...you EXPONTIALLY increased the force/torque on that weld... Chances are it will be safe...... i think...Good luck" :-P *insert smile and exchange of money*

what i meant was..no one that calls me back is shots on film we have had ... quiet a few recently. I will keep hitting them up... I need to find the office locations and drop of my resume or call them to make sure they got it/get my name mentioned again... So thats my fault I didnt mean that no one ever does that... What pilot was shot here for the WB? how did I miss that one... is that the BIG MAN ON CAMPUS? the reality show? I know of two directors that like shooting here. Thanks for the support and encouragement Patrick N.

Mike thanks for the...sarcasim... <_< I don't complain while I'm on set about the last shoot i was on I did this or that... When i come on to do a job I do my job no matter what, I'm not trying to act high and mighty. I havn't be disrespectful to anyone in the industry that has worked hard to get where they were. In fact I'm asking for there advice. I just want to be able to start doing more of those "legit" jobs that I need and want. Unfortunatly I choose to spend 4 years of my life throwing away money into a college education that wont even help me get a job. I'm looking for advice from people in the field that have made it because no one here at college has given me a clue about that. I'm not trying to do it to show off I just want to have a job that I will love because its a part of making movies. I have tried to get involved to develop my skills as a filmmaker/cameraman etc so I can be better at my art. I'm not asking for someone to hand me anything on a silver platter..and unless i read your comments wrong it seemed implied. I want to prove myself..thats what i want.. a chance to prove myself. Thanks everyone.

Thanks for all the responses. What really sucks about this is all I've touched so far in 4 years of school...is my own equipment...and my school wont let me take more hours in my deptarment without punishing me by dropping other classes..including those i need to graduate. Since I've gotten to college I've signed up for anything and everything I can get my hands on. I dont rent the steadicam, the production company that is hiring me does...and from my understanding most production companies rent the equipment even from owner/ops so that the movie/production companies insurance pays for damages. Thats what they said at the workshop and my producing class anyway. If I have a fulltime job working in some local TV station operating the stupid VTR or a local production company...no one shoots film here... how do I have time to operate for 10hours on a shoot and money to pay the rent? The only way i know a little about the older panavisions is from a book i picked up and started reading. Even for PA positions for feateurs (sorry its late and I just got done with a shoot I'm dping on...3:15am here) it seems to hard to even get someone to call you back or notice the resume you faxed them. I've tried reaching the more experienced steadicam ops in Texas before but no one responded. And I tried more than once. If I can get in anywhere, LA, Ontario, where ever, I'll go there. I'm just confussed as to how I'm supposed to get into the scene when I have to work a full time job somewhere else to pay rent...and try to figure out the Hollywood system at the sametime...while i'm trying to save to buy a very expensive rig..I'm a little bit of a cheap guy..and I'm not sure that the price is justified...but that is neither here nor there for a while. The last film shot here brought there guys in from LA and hired the local yokals for the "other" stuff. I'm trying to be patient but while I'm paying my dues and trying to figure how i would make rent...Its just pretty frustrating..especially since any prior experience I have with any shoot dv or s16 seems to be laughed at and the resume goes in some trash can...arn't there any big wigs that see the system sucks and want to hire me? :-P Right patients... Patients... Im calling/stopping by my local production houses tommorow and seeing what type of work I can get and dropping my name and contact info off incase they want a steadicam op. maybe just maybe I'll get some luck and get some low end production work.

Hey guys, So I took the workshop last summer and since then have had two small video only gigs, my local rental house has a provid. But now school is almost done for me...and I dont have a rig or much hope of jobs here in Austin Texas. There are three operators here...and none of which responded when I tried emailing them. So do people ever share/rent out there gear to new comers? Also...if I do rent through someone..how am I ever supposed to get my own gear? Just try to save the little thats left after rent car insurance..health insurance etc etc.. I dont have a credit history nor a steady income so a loan is laughable. The paying gigs I have been able to get here are below what the other operators in the area get, manily do to the projects that approach me. I've tried to get on features here with no hope. My resume is packed since 2000 with TV, FILM/Digital doing PA, Grip, Camerawork, Steadiam, Directing and even co producing.... but until i can get my foot in the door for the hollywood meat grinder :-P None of this seems to matter. Is there anyone or anyway you guys know of to get in under someones wing as a AC or something. Its amazing how much I havn't been taught about the hollywood system by my university. I'm dying to get on a feature and if i have to pay my dues still.... do you like your coffee black? Thanks guys. I hope this is in the right area... I'm pretty lost...and pretty poor right now..so any advice is welcome....except that one guy that always says... "GO HOME" :-D Patrick N.

Anyone know much about this new rig? I contacted Glidecam as soon as I read about it in one of my Broadcast magazines, but they said it will be a while before its on the website... If anyone has info/pictures from NAB of this rig could you email me them? or tell me a little about it? I'm still trying to get a rig....I'm a poor college student that has been tring to figure a way to get a rig for 3-4 years now... and my part time jobs barely pay the rent. *SIGH* Thanks guys! Also if anyone is in Texas and is operating I'd like to touch bases. I tried contacting some of you guys..but no one responded... Patrick N. :ph34r: