Feature Film - Stedicam Credit

[Kenton Bartlett]

We are making a feature film. Our website for the project is www.KentonBartlett.com.

 

We are looking for a steadicam owner/operator who is looking for experience on a legitimate feature film. All the crew and cast are working without pay for the experience and credit.

 

After looking at the film's website, please contact Kenton@KentonBartlett.com to discuss (I do not check e-mail on this website).

[XiaoSu Han]

good luck :P

[Sydney Seeber]

2 questions...

1. You say everyone's working for free, but you're clearly attempting to secure funding to buy gear for yourself... You're not really working for free then, are you? Why should anyone else?

2. Why did you use so much copyrighted material to promote your own original work? There isn't a single frame of original material in your trailer, from what I saw.

*Edit: You know, I actually read your business plan... Not gonna get into specifics, but it's pretty funny. Consult an entertainment attorney if you're serious about this. What happens to the donated money if you don't get your project off the ground? In essence, the entire pdf file comes across as an attempt to secure funding to purchase a Red camera.

[Fabrizio Sciarra SOC ACO]

Hey, is that the beginning of a non payed gig new season????? :blink:

Could somebody stop that?

Moreover, if you guys can't afford steadicam, what's wrong with handheld???? Or a wheelchair??? Or whatever it takes????

You won't find pros for peanuts or less (I hope), please take a look somewhere else.

Harsh? Maybe, But you started it....

All the very best

F

OOOhhh, by the way, "what does my money buy????" MY EQUIPMENT, NOT YOURS

Shameless

Edited July 7, 2009 by Fabrizio Sciarra

[Henry Gelhart]

Why do you want to buy all the stuff? I mean, not even the A-budget features buy their cameras.

Try to call rental houses like Otto Nemenz... maybe they will offer you a fair price, so you can rent the camera.

 

Don't buy a steadicam. Why should you do that? I mean for 7000$ you'll get a Flyer. No OP or experience. Or you can RENT an operator for a week for 7k.

 

Try to reorganise your feature plans.

 

henry

[Charles Papert]

I come across this "new wisdom" all the time on the DV board I help moderate. It appears that the current generation of emerging filmmakers consider the concept of renting gear to be a baffling mystery when they can just buy it and sell it later. This didn't make sense when the gear would have cost half a million or more, but now that it's under 6 figures, it's a different game.

 

However, there's a lot to be said about renting still. You have a rental house behind you so if things go down, you have a resource (what will you do when you are out in the middle of nowhere and your lone RED body craps out?). You can try different gear to make sure that it is what you want. I'm shooting a project with the 5DMKII this weekend just so that I can get the feel of it and decide if its something I want to buy; sure, I could have bought the camera and would be making a rental on it with this job but I'm going to have a much stronger feeling about whether its the right direction or not after the job, that's worth more than the single rental to me. And as far as resale of a RED body, by the time you are done with this project the Epics and Scarlets may have emerged and then you will find the REDone significantly devalued (trade-in against an EPIC notwithstanding, this is all an unknown quantity right now).

[Sam Morgan Moore]

I'm shooting a project with the 5DMKII this weekend just so that I can get the feel of it and decide if its something I want to buy;

 

Off (this dodgy) topic - but would be very interested to hear your report on the camera

 

S

[Ed Moore]

I'm shooting a project with the 5DMKII this weekend just so that I can get the feel of it and decide if its something I want to buy; sure, I could have bought the camera and would be making a rental on it with this job but I'm going to have a much stronger feeling about whether its the right direction or not after the job, that's worth more than the single rental to me.

 

Charles, I absolutely know where you're coming from with that, but you're describing an approach that seems to be totally alien to folk until they have a certain level of experience.

[Lukas Franz]

Kenton, my advice as a cinematographer: you should save your money for renting good lighting equipment instead of purchasing a RED camera! I just can tell you that you are able to create amazing images on DV/HDV if you have a good and proper lighting concept, some nice lamps and a DP who knows how to handle the parts.

I read that you can't afford renting lighting equipment and you want to shoot with natural lights. I just can tell you that even if you will have purchased a new RED camera and fast clear lenses you won't get good images anyway. Light is everything! And that will tell you every professional cinematographer/DP. Think! And good luck.

 

My 2 cents.

Lukas

[Eric Fletcher S.O.C.]

We are making a feature film. Our website for the project is www.KentonBartlett.com.

 

We are looking for a steadicam owner/operator who is looking for experience on a legitimate feature film. All the crew and cast are working without pay for the experience and credit.

 

 

I'm wondering how this is different from any of the thousands of "Independent" films that never see the light of day and what makes this one legitimate? What qualifies you as a "qualified first-time feature film director". Reading your business plan exposes several deficiencies in your budget. Do you believe that you are experienced enough to budget and then execute the car explosion you talk about.

 

While I appreciate your enthusiasm I'm smelling a mini-Madoff Ponzi scheme here.

[Joshua Harrison]

While I appreciate your enthusiasm I'm smelling a mini-Madoff Ponzi scheme here.

 

While I find that Mr. Bartlett's attempt to make a feature film with all the elements he describes for $80,000 a bit naive, I'm not sure that accusing a former boy scout and a fund raiser for the American Cancer Society with 3.8 gpa, of illegal acts, appropriate.

 

I'm gonna make a call here to all the operators to not jump down everybody's throat for asking for favors. We can be polite and say no without attacking them or belittling their dreams.

 

On topic, the OP would be well advised to listen to folks who are offering advice on renting not buying. A red package for $30,000 is a very incomplete package. You won't have all the lenses you need not to mention the accesories that are necessary.

 

In comparison to your budget many steadicam operators have well over $100,000 worth of steadicam gear that doesn't even include the camera package itself, so you can see why many will not be interested in helping you out.

 

I second a suggestion about seeking a lawyer and making sure if things do not work out your investors will be protected. That will ease their minds and maybe help you get more money.

 

good luck,

Josh

[Jay Ryde]

We are making a feature film. Our website for the project is www.KentonBartlett.com.

 

We are looking for a steadicam owner/operator who is looking for experience on a legitimate feature film. All the crew and cast are working without pay for the experience and credit.

 

After looking at the film's website, please contact Kenton@KentonBartlett.com to discuss (I do not check e-mail on this website).

 

 

I want to own an MK-V V2 AR system .. but could someone give me one for FREE please? I promise to say thank you! ;) I might even buy you a pint!

[Nicholas Davidoff]

I want a Ferrari F-430. It has always been my dream. I can't afford one right now due to the economic crisis and all. So I was hoping the good people of this forum could help me out. Perhaps if each of you could send me a check for $1000 I could have my dream car. Of course I will provide you with a thank you note and photos of myself in my new Ferrari. The Ferrari will be very well taken care of and will be a lot of fun to drive.

 

Thanks to all for your help.

[Nicholas Davidoff]

Look at it this way Kenton (and all you other freebie-seekers)

 

I'll be happy to help you out and come work on your project for free to support your cause. I'm a charitable guy and I'm a pretty good operator so I'll do a decent job for you. Naturally, you'll have to supply me with a steadicam equipment rental package to use on your shoot. Dolly grips don't show up with their own dollies, nor do electricians bring their own 12 K's, nor are set dressers expected to provide furniture. I can suggest a few businesses that rent steadicam systems, or I can give you a pretty good deal on one. It's your call. But I'm sorry to say, I don't know of any businesses that rent free steadicams (I wish there were, I could've saved alot of money). It makes sense though. I can't imagine these businesses would be around very long or would turn some sort of a profit.

 

That's the way the cookie crumbles.

Good luck with your movie!

 

P.S. - And shooting with natural lights is always a smart move. You save so much time and money and the film still looks great. All these big movies using all these big lights. It's just a massive conspiracy by the grip and lighting industry. Nor do you need a good D.P. Any kid out of film school can do it no problem. The Red pretty much does it all for you.

[Fabrizio Sciarra SOC ACO]

I want a Ferrari F-430. It has always been my dream. I can't afford one right now due to the economic crisis and all. So I was hoping the good people of this forum could help me out. Perhaps if each of you could send me a check for $1000 I could have my dream car. Of course I will provide you with a thank you note and photos of myself in my new Ferrari. The Ferrari will be very well taken care of and will be a lot of fun to drive.

 

Thanks to all for your help.

 

Hey Nick, just let us know what's the color you prefer. Won't be RED right?????