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student film / freebie rates


matthew pearce

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would also love to hear some more thoughts about this issue, esp. from operators in germany :)

I've seen some short films in vitas from well-established operators and not only at the beginning of their career.

Does it depend if the production has budget or if the director/DOP are friends?? Do you always charge at least the rent for the gear or insurance??

any comments are welcome :)

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I do a Steadicam demo for a cinematography class at my old college every quarter, and I often get asked by students what my rate is. It's all about the situation. I've worked for free on some student sets where there was no money, but the crew was very nice and willing to learn. I've also worked on student sets that were financed by students with wealthy families. Sometimes those are the worst. I've had students treat me like they bought me for the shoot and treat me like a human tripod. You have to put your foot down in those situations.

 

Really it just comes down to what you are trying to get out of the situation. If you are working on student films to get experience, I say work with them to get what you need to keep from going hungry, get at least an equipment rental, and always get insurance (schools often provide insurance). If you are a working professional and want to help students out, get a good feel for the script and over-all work ethic of the students, and try to teach them some things.

 

The biggest thing about student sets is setting boundaries. Let them know how Steadicam works, what they can and can't do, and how many hours you are willing to work in a day.

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