Wait a minute...... A $500.00 Tool box!!!

[JamieSilverstein]

Guys;

This is not to condemn anyone person in here or to criticize their personal choices, but, when I went to the web site and saw the price of the 0450, I had to laugh...... Otherwise I would have choked!

Let me put it this way; almost $500.00......... for a tool box......Shipping not included......... for a tool box.........

Now here comes the socially important message......... In this economy, in the state of the industry as it is, and given the general trend towards a more frugal and modest way of living, an anti Bernie Madoff, and my ego is not invested in this way of looking at things, isn't a $500.00 tool box sorta out of step?

Don't get me wrong, I buy stuff, and I spend money, and I have so far had an ok year, but I could just see my father, long dead so don't diss him, smacking me on the back of the head, calling me a schmuck, and, well......... being right. $500.00 for a tool box.

Maybe we need to re-assess things a little. Maybe we, and I include myself in the equation, need to forgo the $500.00 tool box, take one less day of work, and give that day to a guy who is going to be in need of those extra hours for qualification on the health plan. For those of you who aren't in Local 600, giving your pal the day to pay off his huge medical bills.

Like I said; this isn't meant to criticize any individual, or tell anyone what or what not to buy. I am only looking at us, and me in particular and wondering if we are helping people, or just spending money cause we can, which is your right in this country.

Go ahead and bash away if you vehemently disagree, I honestly welcome your thoughts, and my ego isn't invested in this discussion. Let's have a dialogue about social responsibility, and how it relates to our community. It's really not about the cost of any particular item, it's about looking at ourselves and asking questions.

Respectfully;

Jamie Silverstein

[Michael Suchar]

Jamie, what website and tool box are you referring to?

[Jess Haas SOC]

http://www.steadicamforum.com/index.php?sh...ic=9486&hl=

[Eric Fletcher S.O.C.]

Guys;

This is not to condemn anyone person in here or to criticize their personal choices, but, when I went to the web site and saw the price of the 0450, I had to laugh...... Otherwise I would have choked!

Let me put it this way; almost $500.00......... for a tool box......Shipping not included......... for a tool box.........

Now here comes the socially important message......... In this economy, in the state of the industry as it is, and given the general trend towards a more frugal and modest way of living, an anti Bernie Madoff, and my ego is not invested in this way of looking at things, isn't a $500.00 tool box sorta out of step?

Don't get me wrong, I buy stuff, and I spend money, and I have so far had an ok year, but I could just see my father, long dead so don't diss him, smacking me on the back of the head, calling me a schmuck, and, well......... being right. $500.00 for a tool box.

Maybe we need to re-assess things a little. Maybe we, and I include myself in the equation, need to forgo the $500.00 tool box, take one less day of work, and give that day to a guy who is going to be in need of those extra hours for qualification on the health plan. For those of you who aren't in Local 600, giving your pal the day to pay off his huge medical bills.

Like I said; this isn't meant to criticize any individual, or tell anyone what or what not to buy. I am only looking at us, and me in particular and wondering if we are helping people, or just spending money cause we can, which is your right in this country.

Go ahead and bash away if you vehemently disagree, I honestly welcome your thoughts, and my ego isn't invested in this discussion. Let's have a dialogue about social responsibility, and how it relates to our community. It's really not about the cost of any particular item, it's about looking at ourselves and asking questions.

Respectfully;

Jamie Silverstein

 

 

I guess a picture of my $500 tool box with $35K of follow focus in it, in the trunk of my $100K E55 would really upset you....

[Joshua Harrison]

I guess a picture of my $500 tool box with $35K of follow focus in it, in the trunk of my $100K E55 would really upset you....

 

 

Well I have a $19k follow focus in the back of my old Jeep...ahh crap, you win, yours is bigger.....the tool box I mean. :o

 

 

Josh

[Chris Flurry]

Hey thats great, dont know how i missed that. A shippable tool box, I am going to have to get one of those. Does it lock? Keep people from stealing my precious wihas. ;)

Chris

[Eric Fletcher S.O.C.]

Hey thats great, dont know how i missed that. A shippable tool box, I am going to have to get one of those. Does it lock? Keep people from stealing my precious wihas. ;)

Chris

 

 

Yup typical Pelican locking. Put a padlock through the locking holes. :)

[Chris Flurry]

Yup typical Pelican locking. Put a padlock through the locking holes. :)

 

Thats great, considering I just paid $650 for a custom AKS case, I think this is a bargin at $500.

[JamieSilverstein]

Eric;

You paid 100k for that car. Man you really got ripped off. Just kidding. But it's still just a tool box.

[Ed Moore]

It's really not about the cost of any particular item, it's about looking at ourselves and asking questions.

Respectfully;

Jamie Silverstein

 

Couldn't agree with you more. I think it's crazy that we "have to have" the Preston (or the $500 toolbox, or whatever the Latest Thing happens to be) at however many times the cost of a BFD or any number of cheaper solutions that, let's face it, turn a cog in response to another dial being turned. And yet we justify it in terms of "if I look bad in front of production, I won't get any more work". "Bad" in this case being an unspecified, largely psychological equation comprised of perceived nasty looks.

 

I'm convinced that if we all had to answer to some sort of board of directors rather than buying whatever our self-confessed high levels of OCD desire, none of us would be using the sort of absolute 0.001% market share high end equipment that we've taken money out of profits to pay for.

 

Because surely one of the main psychological reasons you even get into Steadicam is a desire to "have the coolest kit"?

 

Nothing personal chaps, I'm as guilty myself. YMMD.

[Ed Moore]

Because surely one of the main psychological reasons you even get into Steadicam is a desire to "have the coolest kit"?

 

Just a quick addendum to my post - I realise a lot of you guys have made significant personal sacrifices to be the absolute best you can be at what we do, and I have a tremendous amount of respect for that. I'm not knocking that drive in any way whatsoever.

 

Times are a' changing, though, and both we and production need to acknowledge that.

 

Maybe that things that worked for the past ten years aren't going to work for the next ten.

[Alfeo Dixon SOC]

Seriously I was looking to by a large shipping case that will hold 3 other cases (Preston kit, CamWave and Lite Panel)

 

Using this 0450, I could consolidate and customize for one great shipping case and eliminate the extra cases. I guess by the time I get everything custom cut it will be a $700 case, but damn worth every penny... as long as I can keep it around 60lbs ~ 70lbs.

 

Three cases total is not so bad, heck that will pay for itself within the first flight or two with todays airline rates on additional baggage.

[Eric Fletcher S.O.C.]

Seriously I was looking to by a large shipping case that will hold 3 other cases (Preston kit, CamWave and Lite Panel)

 

Using this 0450, I could consolidate and customize for one great shipping case and eliminate the extra cases. I guess by the time I get everything custom cut it will be a $700 case, but damn worth every penny... as long as I can keep it around 60lbs ~ 70lbs.

 

Three cases total is not so bad, heck that will pay for itself within the first flight or two with todays airline rates on additional baggage.

 

 

Yup. In the long run it's not that expensive

[Erwin Landau]

You had to start a new thread... didn't you... anyways.

 

Hi Jamie,

 

I posted the info and the link because I actually thought of it as not that expensive alternative to all the $1000.- of Chest of drawers that I had to look at. I'm always looking at improving and streamlining my set up to maximize efficiency on set and make my employers happy by spending more time on set then roaming throw my cases in the last second to find a bracket. Is it going to improve my shot? Hell no, but it will make my AC happy not having to go through 5 cases and 10 cardboard boxes to find a cable I think that I'm pretty sure I have somewhere in the camera truck... honest. He might remember me as the guy that made his/her life easier on set and I might even slide into the top ten on his speed dial.

 

Talking about the price... it's $449.- LISTPRICE. When was it the last time that you actually paid for anything, list price in this industry and if you have... you have to evaluate your bargaining abilities. Actually the price starts at $380.-, I have cables that cost way more than that. The Preston to Cinetape interface cable comes to mind with $650.- as a price tag. So having in excess of $14'000.- in cables alone or the $30'000.- follow focus that would live in that tool box, the price of $450.- pales in comparison, don't you think?

 

Talking about social responsibility I would have expected you to object do to the fact that it's a petroleum product, aren't the US in at least one war right now, do to the struggle of dominance for petroleum resources? (Yes I know we are there to free the country of an oppressive Dictator, Oh wait he was executed 3 years ago...) At a cost of how many Millions a day... I'm sure there could be a nice saving achieved if halted.

Allowing the government to bail out DOA companies for billions even though they are rotten to the core... but paint will make it pretty again... Did you know that 35 million American citizen are on food stamps or have to go to food banks to feed there families? That 60% of products used in the US are either manufactured, designed, assembled or produced in the Peoples Republic Of China? That two out of three service calls placed in the US are answered somewhere in Asia?

 

My wife which is a very green person and haunts me to turn off lights and complains when I take a bath instead of a shower, she likes the Pelican Tool box actually a lot (she even exchanged her trusty travel case to a 1510 because it holds up so much better). And she pointed out the fact that yes it will cost more but it's designed and manufacturer right here in Torrance, California. It comes with a lifetime replacement warranty (of course exempt for the famous disclaimer of Shark, Bear and 5 year old attacks). Not to bad at all for "only" $450.- bucks.... Can you return your bucket made in China for a replacement or will they say... oh sorry sir, you have to buy a new one. How long will it last until you need to replace it with a new one and there we go, you will have spend twice the money on the cheap heep while I still have mine... unless I'm growing tired of it and then I can still make my money back when I sell it.

 

I have spend several hundred thousand of my hard earned cash and made sacrifices (My last holidays where back in 2001 when we visited my father in law for his 60th birthday) to put it back into my equipment because it's my lively hood, that's what I make my living with.

 

It's the price we have to pay to work and make a living and to belong to "the country club"... It's the price we have to pay to look professional and if you can't afford it you might want to look for a different occupation...

 

Do I like to pay that much for gear? Again hell no, but for sure it protects me from a guy with a Glidecam, taking my job...

 

 

What was my point?

Sorry just my 2 minute rant...

[Alfeo Dixon SOC]

DAMN Erwin... Did your old case drop on your toes? LOL

 

Your right. I remember when I dropped $8K on my stills camera kit I'm still trying to sale. I was debating between a $80 bag, $100 bag or a $200 Pelican... WHAT THE HECK WAS I THINKING! I got the pelican, that's the last thing I want to think about is having a shattered lens because of inadequate protection.

 

Just like when I got my quote from today for Liability Ins., again a no brainer and looking at what the finance company charged me on my rig loan, I just paid double last year, but now it covers me and not just them.