Advice - Broadcast Video Production

[gpz900r]

Hi,

I run a production company and have done for over 15 years that started out on rather boring business videos, being a bit to creative, hard to work with perfectionist my rates went so high the only people that could afford me directing and filming the actors and presenters was the music industry. Then came fast computers and where we had to spend 60 grand on kit, anyone can get setup to shoot broadcast quality material for around 10k. I am interested to know how much you girls pay cameramen and editors? I'm getting rather bored of the current content were making and via a model I know making a joke saying, why not shoot some glamour stuff I thought, well, actually that sounds like a lot of fun..

Looking forward to your replies,

Kind regards,

[Holly D]

you can shoot TV quality stuff on a Sony Z1 or Z5, a set of Redhead lights, a decent Mac or Macbook Pro and Final Cut Pro. If you shop around, you could probably get it all for your ?10k budget.

[gpz900r]

Hi,

Sorry I think I have mislead you. I run a production company and were all kitted out with CineAlta HD, Arri Lighting, jibs, tracks and Dollys etc. I was more interested to know the rates that production companies are paid in this industry and if its an open market or one wrapped up by a handfull of known production houses, or, all done in house..

[Holly D]

my partner has his own production company, he charges ?400 per scene shot and edited plus a set of stills shot and edited and charges ?600 if it needs to be shot and edited in hard and soft and retains shared rights to the hard. Some producers will charge more and some less depending on the quality and style of their work and thier experience but from what I gather, that ?400-600 is the average.

[gpz900r]

Thank you Holly,

Very interesting. Would that be single Eng or a multicam shoot?

[Holly D]

its really upto you. When we shoot hard, its just on the one camera. When we shot soft, we use 2 cameras. Some producers will shoot hard and soft on just the one camera, so its really just personal preference.

[gpz900r]

I have spent some time this evening looking at the clipsale websites and note that most of the stores update once a week. To me this means the content has a good following across the board. At first look I thought maybe a company that does this sort of work would maybe make a few hundred pounds.. Please do excuse my total lack of knowledge about your industry but I am intrigued. What I dont understand is the obviously total saturation of the market yet clips are being made day in day out so it must be a viable market....? With the kit that my business can bring to a shoot I am starting to think that we would be of extreme use to the girls / boys running the websites. However, our experience is in the production of docu's. features and sales videos.. Not quite the same genre. But, again, if you have a minute I would love to hear all about how your guys work and the market you serve. What would you say is an average income from something like a clip sale site that has ready to buy customers? Reading the other threads I get the idea that girls/boys wanting to go solo are in for a very hard time getting traffic, that of course applys to any business these days.

[paul jones]

Bear in mind that a lot of people shooting porn do so as a hobby, and they use clip sales as a way of subsidising their hobby. Volume does not imply profit.

[one eyed jack]

Its kind of weird that no one has posted on here that you will not make a decent enough living to justify all that expensive kit because the big companies that could have alreadygot that side covered....Unless you get hooked up with one specific company that I think if you do your reserach within these forums you will find the answer to easily

As for how much the girlies pay the cameraman/ editor....Nowhere the amount that Holly D quoted thats for sure. The girls are in the business to earn it not lose it.

Part of the reason for market saturation is content sharing. No one pays and everyone gains is the logical train of thought but even that doesnt end up being so.

The long and short of it is and I mean this with no disrespect, you have missed the train buy about 10 years.

BUT judging by your questions and the kit you have you strike me as a smart man, ask the right questions , get the right answers there is no reason why you still cant make a go of it as I do believe there are gaps in the market that could be filled with good reward.

Study the various successful companies still around and dont do it like them, get new girls in for the most part, understand search engine optimisation, the market you are trying to penetrate and you should be in with a good chance.

Contrary to thinking, dvd sales are not thta good unless you own a chain of shops to sell it in.

There are other individiusals like yourself who came in with big cash and left with their tails betwen their legs.

Me? I was jammy enough to be in there at a time when it was good. The games changed thats for sure.

[Peter]

The majority of stuff you see will be shot on a sub ?500 camcorder, edited with whatever software came free with it, and end up as a website clip. Which is fine as thats what most people want.

Its doubtful you'll find much custom out there, most who need high end stuff will already have it sorted in-house.

As for the rest, most don't want to pay for anything. As OEJ says, come back 10 years ago!