Job opportunity in Louisiana

[Chris Haarhoff]

I couldn't think of anyone that I disliked enough to recommend for this job, but then I started thinking....who am I to speak for other operators? The producers are really nice people and I'm sure the coffee will be great so if you are in the market for a job beginning this month give me a call urgently on 310-339-6030. It is medium to large pic, so unless you have the credits you may not fly.

[Michael Stumpf]

Argh, Tony Kaye. Good Luck to the brave man (or woman) who takes it.

What's up Chris, we should talk again soon.

[Grayson Austin]

Hmm,

 

Interesting. They called me for this job. I'm local to New Orleans as well as Los Angeles. My agent submitted a reel which everyone was very happy with and they said they wanted to make a deal and when my agent submitted rates(apropriate for this level of show) a response was sent back that the rates were too high. What the person failed to realize is that she had forgotten to remove a part of the email that was supposed to be sent to someone within the production company but it accidentally went to my agent as well saying that she could get an operator from California to do it for scale(regular operator scale) and $2000 a week for gear. She claimed that she had gotten this rate from other California ops in the past. I recently took over for another op on a low budget movie that I am finishing up right now in New Orleans that has way less money and is paying almost as much as what Black Water Transit(that is the name of the Tony Kaye movie) wants to pay for a top level Steadicam operator. This is not a low budget movie. They have money.

 

So here it is. What everyone has been talking about lately in regards to low rates and just saying no to them. I told my agent to tell them "no thank you" to working for the insulting rates. What about the rest of you? What will you do? Take the job at the crap rates and screw the rest of us or say no and make them pony up the rates we deserve? I'll be checking in with the local crew to see who is on the job and what it went for because I think this is important to us all. I'm going on to something worth my time and effort and being compensated for it. May you all do the same and may we all prosper.

 

Just my two cents.

 

Grayson Grant Austin

[Chris Haarhoff]

Hmm,

 

Interesting. They called me for this job. I'm local to New Orleans as well as Los Angeles. My agent submitted a reel which everyone was very happy with and they said they wanted to make a deal and when my agent submitted rates(apropriate for this level of show) a response was sent back that the rates were too high. What the person failed to realize is that she had forgotten to remove a part of the email that was supposed to be sent to someone within the production company but it accidentally went to my agent as well saying that she could get an operator from California to do it for scale(regular operator scale) and $2000 a week for gear. She claimed that she had gotten this rate from other California ops in the past. I recently took over for another op on a low budget movie that I am finishing up right now in New Orleans that has way less money and is paying almost as much as what Black Water Transit(that is the name of the Tony Kaye movie) wants to pay for a top level Steadicam operator. This is not a low budget movie. They have money.

 

So here it is. What everyone has been talking about lately in regards to low rates and just saying no to them. I told my agent to tell them "no thank you" to working for the insulting rates. What about the rest of you? What will you do? Take the job at the crap rates and screw the rest of us or say no and make them pony up the rates we deserve? I'll be checking in with the local crew to see who is on the job and what it went for because I think this is important to us all. I'm going on to something worth my time and effort and being compensated for it. May you all do the same and may we all prosper.

 

Just my two cents.

 

Grayson Grant Austin

[Chris Haarhoff]

Hi Grayson

 

I never got as far as talking about rates with these guys, just knew I did not want to do it....but you're right , this is one that we can keep an eye on. If they are bringing in someone from LA or NY or whatever, it should be for real money. Anybody still interested??

[Charles Papert]

My 8 weeks with Tony were amongst the strangest ever...great stories though.

[Lukas Franz]

It's also interesting that on imdb there is no DP, but almost all other departments. Probably they are looking for a cinematographer too :blink:

 

Good luck for the lucky one ;)

 

Charles, the shots in American History X are amazing. The final movie is very nice, too. Thanks to Ed Norton.

 

Cheers, Lukas

[Lawrence Karman]

It's also interesting that on imdb there is no DP, but almost all other departments. Probably they are looking for a cinematographer too :blink:

 

 

I'm sure Tony will function as the DP and operator. He is not an easy man to work for, although I am told he has changed for the better, but just wait till he gets in the pressure cooker of a studio feature. Oooh, makes me shudder just thinking about it. Definately not worth it for scale. And fuck these producers for trying to bone some Steadicam operator when they are not even paying a DP! Good for you Grayson.

[Joshua Harrison]

Funny part is, I looked it up and Sam Bayer was supposed to direct this feature. I don't know what happened but they ended up getting Tony Kaye...talk about out of the frying pan into the fire, or maybe out of the fire into the frying pan. Now all they need is to get rid of Kaye and bring in Pytka.

 

 

Josh

[David Allen Grove]

This movie Stars Bruce Willis and Samual L. Jackson!? I assume this is a Union show.

 

If so, don't they have to hire a union DP? Or did we lose that position too?

 

Maybe if they cut back on the number of Executive producers (I counted 8!?!) they could afford to

pay the steadicam operator a little more?

 

Oh, yea, and I'll do it for $150/hour and $3600 /week rental. Not a penny less!

[Chris Haarhoff]

So, does anybody know who got the job??

 

 

Chris Haarhoff

[Steve Fracol SOC]

FYI-

 

Not trying to stir up the pot to much but....Two movies coming from LA shooing in KC (Kansas City) in the next few months and I was hoping to work them and get to sleep in my own bed and see the family for a change. Both paying such low rates I turned them both down. They said they could get an operator from LA with gear for 2000 per week. I said bring them in. One of the movies was only paying 1000 per week with gear. I laughed out loud on the phone...but trying to not be mean about it. They asked if I knew anyone that would do it and I said NO!

 

Now...it would be another thing if the movie was a fantastic script and the DP was someone who we all look up to, etc. You know...something that could actually help out our demo reels. Sometimes every now and then that happens....where a good script is picked up by a great DP because they want to do it, etc. Some great movies had been made that way with crew giving in, etc. But...that is so rare these days.

 

In this case they were offering Keys 200 per day for 12hrs. One of my good friends told them that was what he was paid 16 years ago to work on Mr. and Mrs. Bridge with Paul Newman. Sort of like stepping backward in time.

 

What is our industry coming to? I try to stick to my rates as much as possible!!! Obviously it is getting harder all the time.

 

Steve Fracol

[Michael Stumpf]

So, does anybody know who got the job??

 

 

Chris Haarhoff

 

 

Chris, I heard Michael Johnson took the job, but also heard the producers decided to finally come up on the rate to

a "reasonable" amount. Have no idea what that rate is though.

Michael will need tough skin to put up with Tony and Samuel, but I think he does considering who Michael has worked with in recent past.

Hope it goes well for him, and for ALL of our sakes, I truly hope the rate DID come up to an acceptable level.

[Rob Vuona SOC]

FYI-

 

Not trying to stir up the pot to much but....Two movies coming from LA shooing in KC (Kansas City) in the next few months and I was hoping to work them and get to sleep in my own bed and see the family for a change. Both paying such low rates I turned them both down. They said they could get an operator from LA with gear for 2000 per week. I said bring them in. One of the movies was only paying 1000 per week with gear. I laughed out loud on the phone...but trying to not be mean about it. They asked if I knew anyone that would do it and I said NO!

 

Now...it would be another thing if the movie was a fantastic script and the DP was someone who we all look up to, etc. You know...something that could actually help out our demo reels. Sometimes every now and then that happens....where a good script is picked up by a great DP because they want to do it, etc. Some great movies had been made that way with crew giving in, etc. But...that is so rare these days.

 

In this case they were offering Keys 200 per day for 12hrs. One of my good friends told them that was what he was paid 16 years ago to work on Mr. and Mrs. Bridge with Paul Newman. Sort of like stepping backward in time.

 

What is our industry coming to? I try to stick to my rates as much as possible!!! Obviously it is getting harder all the time.

 

Steve Fracol

------------------------

That away to stick to your Guns Steve . . . .

They know what the steadicam and a good operator is worth and it seems like they are just trying to test the waters being that it's in KC and Not LA or NY. Chances are you'll get the call again and give you your rate. Every time I have called the bluff of a production company saying they can bring someone in for less, I tell them to use them or call these (10 other people) all of which I know will quote them the same rate as I did and inevitably, bingo, they are coughing up the rate.

 

Good luck and good on ya.

 

PS. you should also tell them how much per Diem and travel and housing you are saving them .. . .Dumb Producers !! . . .hahahaha

[Alec Jarnagin SOC]

I just had to pass on a feature here in NYC that I really wanted to do because I like the DP and he asked me to do it. The Producer wanted to pay scale (tons of Steadicam too) and crappy rental too. Luckily, the DP was very understanding and so I passed, as did everybody who is anybody here in NYC. Just when I thought they might actually be coming back to me, a relatively new guy took it. Kills me. So, if you're the guy that is doing this job, please know that you are helping destroy our rate structure. Its a shame.

 

I should add that when I first told them it was not enough money, they said they could bring in a guy from LA to do it! My agent told them, "these days you could bring in a guy from LA for $5, but re-shoots are expensive."

 

What the hell are we doing to each other?????