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TURN THIS RATE DOWN!!!!


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I have to chime in . . . .

 

I have turned down countless jobs, as have many of you because they were just crazy unrealistic about using a steadicam, we have all heard the stories. If they can't afford the tool for the job don't give it to them for less, let them use a different tool they can afford.

 

 

Michael, sorry for that rate quote my friend, good on ya for saying no . . . . . .sometimes you have to be willing to walk away to get their attention.

 

As for that rate, for the love of all things Holy, all y'all don't say yes to this !!! That rate is below my assistants rate.

 

Michael, just a thought, if your renegotiations does not work out kindly decline and offer up 5 or 6 other guys as recommendations. Let them call us and we will all quote them double of what they are asking and then we will recommend and so on and so on. Then hopefully they will realize they were so freakin far off and you are worth soooo much more.

 

As far as the open discussion about rate on a public forum, NO ! Open discussion in private, on the phone, in person absolutely!

 

Also, Alec hit the nail on the head

 

Ok My Two Cents . . . . . .

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Michael,

This is a public forum.

Someone might sends the link to the producer.

What if the producer or line producer reads this!

Then, you won't be called back to the next season.

 

It is not easy to set the rate in this industry.

Rate has so many variables (experiment, equipment, creativity, etc.)

You can not say "my rate is $100/hr, so yours should be the same"

Or because Mr. B charges $150/hr, so I charge $150/hr.

Mr. B rental rate is $1000/day, so I charge the same.

No way!

 

Low baller is always low baller.

Why should we worry about them.

There is a filter in the production which will filter them out day by day.

Producer who hires the low baller will get what she/he pays for.

They do learn from that if they are still in main stream business.

We don't need to tell them. They do learn.

 

One's rate is different from others, so don't force other to charge your rate.

Remember, rate is based on skill, ability, creativity, personality, equipment, and a lot more.

 

Cheers,

 

 

Ken Nguyen.

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I know rates are different for everyone (especially in the live tv world), but in episodic television the rates are all pretty much hovering around the same ballpark (scale + X amount) -- the gear seems to be pretty much the same no matter what you work on. We all know what the rock bottom rate should be...it's been the same for years. Those that go below it, or god forbid do it for scale need to be god-smacked.

 

Assistants get a tech bump of 20% over scale for just touching a preston...it has become difficult to get 15% for us because of morons working for pennies over scale. I agree that a phone call or at least an email is warranted, then public embarrassment, then lead pipe. What is sad is that I often hear of very experienced ops working well below the norm. Wtf!? Producers talk and networks look for the lowest rates charged for particular skill sets and stick with that.

 

Maybe I will hang up my spurs and assist for Rob...if I can make $160k and not be a pack mule or deal with all the headaches and stress -- I'm in!

 

I thought the guild website would be a good place to discuss this but few went there.

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I'd say let whoever takes the job at the rate take the job at the rate. Let them get what they pay for.

 

I also think that having an agent pretty much solves all these rate issues. An agent = best business decision you will ever make.

 

My 2 cents.........

 

 

P.S. When I was first starting out (1998) doing steadicam, if I had been offered a show for the 1998 version of that rate, I would have jumped on it! They would have got a guy who had a great attitude, worked super hard and wasn't very good at operating or doing steadicam. So if they want a rookie, maybe they should be able to pay $65 an hour.

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Finally result:

 

Studio refuses to budge on that rate. So I again told them, sorry but no.

Hopefully all will stand strong and not low ball.

 

Rates always bring up a lot of discussion and how to handle it.

The nut on how to solve the ever declining steadicam rate and the

low ballers who always seem to accept them and hurt us all, has yet to be cracked.

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