Offered: £1000 for 3 weeks Steadicam/B cam plus £150 one-off kit rental (UK)

[Ed Moore]

This job went up on the UK Production Base site the other day; thought I'd share so you could all say what you think!

 

Inevitably someone will take this job, but I find it particularly tedious that "35mm experience is required"... so they want someone with probably upwards of £25k of equipment, who's worked with 35mm, to rent our their kit alone (besides working for three weeks for not a lot) for a flat fee of £150?

 

If the budget is so incredibly, incredibly low - why are they speccing a Steadicam / B camera anyway? And why shoot on 35mm at that budget? Seems absolutely bonkers.

 

E

 

___

 

Oceanstorm Films posted this job on 11/03/09

Job Title Steadicam / 'B' Camera Op

Location London & Essex

Salary/Rate Flat Fee (adheres to NMW+)

Duration 3 weeks

 

Job Description

 

THE PROJECT: HARD SHOULDER is a £300k psych thriller starring Wil Johnson and Jamie

Foreman. An ambitious, cleverly woven, non-linear feature narrative in the vein of "Secret

Window" (but without JD, DK, and that huge budget) and "Dead End", shooting on a 3-4 week

schedule from mid-May 2009, on 2 perf 35mm.

 

WHO WE NEED: An experienced Steadicam Operator more than happy to act as 'B' Camera

Operator under the auspices of our very talented DoP. In order to combine both tasks in our

minimised crew you will have to be a true collaborator, easy-natured team player, fast-thinking,

and clearly able to multi-task. You will need to be hungry for 'the best shots' and to ensure the

entire production is delivered images that are not just usable but dynamic. Working

and collaborating with both the DoP and the director you will be involved in the technical delivery

of the highest calibre of cinematic quality footage.

 

You will without doubt need to be fit, active, and ready for anything as a steadicam operator,

always striving to make the impossible, possible whether on foot or secured to a rig, low-loder or

other unusual platform. You will need to have the ability to think and act 'outside the box' when

necessary and feel comfortable putting your ideas for new and dynamic shots on the table at all

times. There is no guarantee of continuous engagement on set, but you should be ready to roll at a

moment's notice. Experience with large productions whilst NOT strictly necessary, is a distinct

advantage, but experience of working with either S16mm or 35mm stocks is an absolute MUST.

No applications without this experience will be considered.

 

WHAT WE OFFER: The project is, sadly but stated, micro-budget, so ALL crew are on a pre-

determined flat rate as buyout for the entire project. As a consequence rates are unlikely to reach

Pact/Bectu minimums though we do ensure to reach NMW for all.

 

Steadicam / Cam Op rate is £1,000 for a 3 week buyout + £150 bonus for equipment

hire. There are no daily or weekly rates negotiable.

 

PLEASE NOTE: This is a MICRO-BUDGET picture. It is impossible to pay at PACT/BECTU

minimums. Renumeration for all positions, including HoD's (means the Producer too) is at or

slightly above NMW. Fees will endeavour to pay you a living wage and a bonus if you have

equipment you are bringing to the table. - such as a steadicam rig. Please DO NOT apply if you

expect anything like a TV or big feature payday regardless of experience. The project's entire

cash budget is only £120K.

 

WHERE: The project is currently pencilled to be shooting in a major London studio and on

locations likely to be in Epping Forest / Essex.

 

EXPENSES: Per diem travel expenses will be offered where at all possible though car-pooling is

encouraged.

 

SPECIAL NOTE: If you don't get to shoot on 35mm on a pro stage every day, with a tight script

from a writer with three more projects in £1m plus development each (with Exec Prods waiting),

with named actors, and amazing sets, with the sort of industry support usually saved for multi-

million dollar productions, and on a format that makes it the first micro-budget project to shoot on

it in the UK, and only the second project (the first was "Hunger") full stop.............then maybe your

services are best used elsewhere. This in itself is one for your CV. This is a one of a kind deal at

this budget level, of that you can be assured.

 

So, if you feel you want to be considered for this project, when the pay is what it is but the

opportunity for significant recognition is even better, then please forward your CV on PB asap. We

look forward to hearing from you.

 

Best regards,

 

Nick

Edited March 13, 2009 by Ed Moore

[Brandon Zachary]

Sure, I'll take it! I wonder if my Flyer can support the weight? Oh, they want a "real" steadicam...?

[Jess Haas SOC]

Those rates are nuts but at that budget level I don't really blame them for trying. Of course I don't really feel like they should get anyone at that rate. Sounds like they need to schedule steadicam shots for a few days and not expect to get a full time guy. As far as it being 35 goes they said 2 perf so film/processing are really more like 16mm prices. Gear required to do steadicam of course is the same.

 

As far as no/low budget productions trying to do steadicam goes I have no problem with it as long as they are respectful and realize what kind of favor you are doing them and act accordingly. Also what they pay has to be in line with the budget , what other people are getting paid and the fact that you are an extravegence they should be willing to pay a bit extra for. If the director is getting paid then you probably have no reason to be giving them a deal.

 

~Jess

[Jason Torbitt]

The £150 "one off" payment for kit rental is a complete and utter insult... as for the rest of it - somebody will take it, for sure........

 

And it's a fair bet that the actual Steadicam days vs. B Cam days is a good 90% / 10% split too - whoever ends up on this will inevitably be flogged slowly and torturously to death.

[Ed Moore]

The £150 "one off" payment for kit rental is a complete and utter insult... as for the rest of it - somebody will take it, for sure........

 

And it's a fair bet that the actual Steadicam days vs. B Cam days is a good 90% / 10% split too - whoever ends up on this will inevitably be flogged slowly and torturously to death.

 

Thank you Jason, a voice of sanity as always!!

[Mike Marriage]

I certainly hope there is no one with a 35mm capable rig that will take the job.

 

Like Jess suggested, maybe a few of us should write to them and suggest they ask for someone for a few days so that they can offer a rate that at least covers the kit hire.

[geoff shotz]

this would be a lot less offensive if the writer of the ad had even an ounce of humility regarding how asinine his request was! they ask you to be creme of the crop and make them look good because it should be your privilege to work for them!? what? get over yourselves! be humble, ask for good help at a low rate, and sell the project, honestly, as the low budget reality it will be. if he wants all that experience out of you, i'd ask to see his resume! and while you are at it, get a deal memo for his upcoming million pound features up front as payback for making him look good on this one! someone will inevitably take this job and i hope they gain great experience doing it, and i hope it leads to much work, but someone bring that producer back into reality!

 

geoff

[Nikolay Kerezov]

I bet they going to find someone within two days!

[Imran Naqvi]

I just want to know who can afford to pay his rent/mortgage and bills for a month for that rate, since you're effectively not going to be able to make any more for that month if you do this job.

[Ed Moore]

I just want to know who can afford to pay his rent/mortgage and bills for a month for that rate, since you're effectively not going to be able to make any more for that month if you do this job.

 

Someone who's taken in by the snakeoil of this pitch. I don't know what depresses me more, the fact that producers think they can persuade someone to work for this rate, or the fact that they're right.

[Amando Crespo]

┏┫　　｜　｜　　┣┓　　┏┓　

┗┫━━　┃　━━┣┛　　┣┫　

　┃　━━━━━　┃　┏┳┫┣┳┓　

　┗━━┳━┳━━┛　┃　　　　┃　

━━━━┃　┃　　　　┗━┳┳━┛ PA TI

 

FOR THE PRODUCER..... WITH ALL BEST WISHES..... :P :P :P :P :P :P :P

[WillArnot]

That is genius Amando! So funny.... I concur whole-heartedly! :-)

[Amando Crespo]

Someone who's taken in by the snakeoil of this pitch. I don't know what depresses me more, the fact that producers think they can persuade someone to work for this rate, or the fact that they're right.

Hi Ed!. Don´t depress you.

Here at Spain....Well, we can export for all over the world enough "low, monkeys, vallets" to crack the market.

An example: Steadicam/camera operator, full gear (for tv series)....20 days per month, 10 hours a day......TACHAAANNNN:::: 7.600€.... Make division between hours a day.....and the result is.... 38€ hour.... :blink: :blink:

[Juan M.Ramos SOC]

Who is working fo this money here?????

Why don't resend the add to Luis,may be he will accepted it.hahahahhahahahahh.Best regards.

[luis castro]

:lol: