johnpaul215 Posted September 26, 2012 Report Share Posted September 26, 2012 I enjoy hearing these tales as well. Not getting a call sheet by 5pm the day before is a huge pet peeve of mine. Any call sheet yet? Being on the East Coast, call sheets coming from California often don't get emailed till midnight (our time). Kind of annoying when you have to wake up at 05:00 to get to where you *think* the location is going to be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taylormadeaudio Posted September 26, 2012 Report Share Posted September 26, 2012 Great story Tom! Your patience is amazing! ~tt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnpaul215 Posted September 26, 2012 Report Share Posted September 26, 2012 I'm not sure at what point I would have declared the whole thing a prank and moved on. yeesh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Lezynski Posted September 26, 2012 Report Share Posted September 26, 2012 Brilliant, Tom. Excellent ChaosManagement. Now, if every shoot could go so smoothly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
studiomprd Posted September 26, 2012 Report Share Posted September 26, 2012 " The expected 4 hour shoot turns into 10 and will be billed accordingly.. " If that had been booked as a half day, then the total time would be portal to portal... and don't forget to bill for the batteries. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
engaudio Posted September 26, 2012 Report Share Posted September 26, 2012 I think instead of saying, "no", I would suggest saying... yes, I can get (x) for ($$$) if you need one. This will imply additional gear rental cost from you that they are adding to the job, or gear you don't own that they'll need to rent at their cost. Either way, you're saying "yes" instead of "no"...... which is better business practice imo. It's their shoot, their problem, keep it as such instead of making it yours That's what I do as I don't have a wireless hop, if requested in the initial call I'll just say "no problem" and send a few txts to organise one. Mind you, when I mention that its an extra cost often it doesn't seem to be so important.. Grant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Miramontes Posted September 26, 2012 Report Share Posted September 26, 2012 and don't forget to bill for the batteries. Really? Isn't that being a bit too much? Just curious. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MatthewFreedAudio Posted September 26, 2012 Report Share Posted September 26, 2012 Really? Isn't that being a bit too much? Just curious. Batteries are always billed. Any expendables such as batteries, moleskin, top stick, etc should be billed to production. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taylormadeaudio Posted September 26, 2012 Report Share Posted September 26, 2012 Batteries are always billed. Any expendables such as batteries, moleskin, top stick, etc should be billed to production. +11 Always bill for batteries -- or let production provide them. It's standard practice... red flags if they balk. ~tt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikefilosa Posted September 27, 2012 Report Share Posted September 27, 2012 Jeesh..... ALWAYS BILL FOR BATTERIES, unless you like throwing two dollar bills on the floor all day. Even those using rechargeables around here do so..... at least that's what they tell me. MF Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blas Kisic Posted September 27, 2012 Report Share Posted September 27, 2012 And I've lost count of the number of times they stop and I have to call out, "is that a cut?" Just lame and stupid beyond belief. I'm tired of asking "have we cut?" on practically every take. And let's not mention that "roll sound is the new 'last looks'" phenomenon, which has already been coined by someone else here... Total chaos. BK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jesse Flaitz Posted September 27, 2012 Report Share Posted September 27, 2012 I'm tired of asking "have we cut?" on practically every take. And let's not mention that "roll sound is the new 'last looks'" phenomenon, which has already been coined by someone else here... Total chaos. BK I've gotten pretty used to both of these... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc Wielage Posted September 27, 2012 Report Share Posted September 27, 2012 I am polite do what I am asked and don' t make any waves or offer ideas. keep my mouth shut and smile. ...Finish the shoot. No real problems. The expected 4 hour shoot turns into 10 and will be billed accordingly. Excellent! There are shoots that I've been on that I chalk up to being like a rough plane landing. Any one of them where you're still alive at the end and you can walk away intact, it's all good. Sounds like you had excellent grace under fire, and that's the important thing. I agree, the lack of organization and the level of chaos can be pretty incredible on some of these shoots. I've seen some legitimate, fairly-reasonable budget productions edge perilously to crash-and-burn time, all due to bad decisions. I can only shake my head and keep my eyes glued to the meters and just do my job. The lack of call sheets, bad logistics, absence of normal set protocol, and lack of knowledge on the part of the camera crew can be dismaying. On the other hand: when you then encounter a shoot where everybody has got their act together, it makes it more of a pleasure. I did one of those a few weeks ago, a current movie EPK interview, and it was a relief compared to some other experiences I've had. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fieldmixer Posted September 27, 2012 Report Share Posted September 27, 2012 Doesn't keeping cool, not making any waves, keeping head down, when this type of BS occurs, passively communicate that this behavior is acceptable? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blas Kisic Posted September 27, 2012 Report Share Posted September 27, 2012 Well, I just finished a doc shoot -which I've already mentioned here a couple weeks ago, shot on 16mm- that was so poorly managed, I've decided to write a story about it. I finished syncing the sound and picture yesterday, and I'm absolutely ecstatic at how well it came out - in spite of the best efforts of the "producers" to F it U. You never know how it's gonna end, I guess... BK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Spaeth Posted September 27, 2012 Report Share Posted September 27, 2012 Good to know all turned out "well", Tom. I suppose letting off steam in this forum prevented you from doing so at the producers/DP. JWS is anger management therapy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Maloney Posted September 27, 2012 Author Report Share Posted September 27, 2012 Well fieldmixer, maybe but if I was to blow up piss every one off, like they would even care , but would not really change their way of their doing business. It would stress me out, it is what it is ,over,water under the bridge, I move on. I just think to my self good thing they are not running an airlines . I will pot no more on this. The therapy was good. Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek H Posted September 27, 2012 Report Share Posted September 27, 2012 Funny story! What a bunch of knuckleheads! Sounds like you handled it brilliantly! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jesse Flaitz Posted September 27, 2012 Report Share Posted September 27, 2012 Not to hijack a thread, but I was working a short in Central Park and a web series was being shot on the other side of the bridge. The web series camera op/dp was shooting with a 5Dmkiii and steadicam rig, while their sound was an NTG2 on a fixed length boompole with no shock mount, directly into an H4N with the boom op wearing iPod earbuds... Should be interesting to see how the sound came out... Just my vent for today. Back to chopping dialogue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VASI Posted September 27, 2012 Report Share Posted September 27, 2012 Not to hijack a thread, but I was working a short in Central Park and a web series was being shot on the other side of the bridge. The web series camera op/dp was shooting with a 5Dmkiii and steadicam rig, while their sound was an NTG2 on a fixed length boompole with no shock mount, directly into an H4N with the boom op wearing iPod earbuds... Should be interesting to see how the sound came out... Just my vent for today. Back to chopping dialogue. Oh.. The "Greek solution".. 5D, Rode NTG2, Zoom H4n. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
studiomprd Posted September 27, 2012 Report Share Posted September 27, 2012 " passively communicate that this behavior is acceptable? " perhaps, but it actively communicates that the one is a pro, and someone who isn't a PITA on their shoots; this could mean more gigs, if desired. " how the sound came out.. " probably as good as they wanted... and adequate for their purposes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Miramontes Posted September 30, 2012 Report Share Posted September 30, 2012 Batteries are always billed. Any expendables such as batteries, moleskin, top stick, etc should be billed to production. Yes, I know this and do so accordingly. My comment was based on Senator's remark to bill for batteries after Tom said he lent the camera department 3 AA's. I thought it was a bit much to bill for the additional 3 AA's but that's just me I guess. I'd hate to be be billed for gaff tape the next time I snag a piece from the grip department. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
commpost Posted October 2, 2012 Report Share Posted October 2, 2012 This is an excellent thread, Tom. I have really enjoyed it. I'm done trying to make friends with the gaffers and grips on the shoot I'm working on now. They all seem to be on speed. .. highly focused, but cold and unfriendly assholes. So now I have already broken Ben Franklin's rule: "i will speak ill of no man and speak all the good i know of everybody..." commpost Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VASI Posted October 2, 2012 Report Share Posted October 2, 2012 This is an excellent thread, Tom. I have really enjoyed it. I'm done trying to make friends with the gaffers and grips on the shoot I'm working on now. They all seem to be on speed. .. highly focused, but cold and unfriendly assholes. So now I have already broken Ben Franklin's rule: "i will speak ill of no man and speak all the good i know of everybody..." commpost I hated when the "atmosphere" or "relations" between crews it's not good. That's my "moto": Yeap man working but relax and enjoy all this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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