newzhack Posted April 9, 2016 Report Share Posted April 9, 2016 Over the last two years I have had a steady date with a shooter who does mostly news and some corporate stuff. His health has become so bad that I end up carrying the water for the whole shoot. I am in my mid 60's and carrying heavy sand bags and setting up all the lights while he sits has just become too much. I booked a movie this month because I needed a change and some change for taxes. Needles to say I am getting the brunt of his resentment. Lots of whining to other professionals about how I am costing him work. I love the crew on this movie and hope that I can go this directing as I finish my career. I bought a used 664 last November just to dodge some taxes and it has been the perfect tool for the job. I also upgraded my wireless with 4 used Sennheiser 3041's I picked up from the Bexler auction earlier this year. I realize the best thing for me is to just be silent during this phase but I feel like I was being taken advantage of, and I am ok with that. I just want a break from covering his ass and would welcome some future work from this guy in the future, just no steady diet stuff. Clients, geez! Just venting a bit, I thought some on this list might relate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Blankenship Posted April 9, 2016 Report Share Posted April 9, 2016 Any chance you could catch a beer with him and talk? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProSound Posted April 9, 2016 Report Share Posted April 9, 2016 Like the song breaking up is hard to do. I worked for many years with a camera person when I asked him for a $25.00 a day raise after 5 years of working with him he never hired me again. This is someone I worked hard for and considered a friend. He then bought his audio package and now hires whoever the lowest bidder is to operate it for him. This was about 8 years ago and was the best thing to ever happen to me as I now realize he wasn't a friend and just cared about himself. I would have never started working on movies if I had stayed in the comfort zone with him Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Feeley Posted April 9, 2016 Report Share Posted April 9, 2016 I like John's idea...while keeping Whit's experience in mind. Perhaps the guy is transferring his frustration about his own health condition onto you. Maybe you'll part, but better to do that as sorta friends than disgruntled former colleagues. And maybe time will mellow things out. True story: When I was a magazine editor in chief, I had to fire another editor. He was, understandably, not happy. Security got involved. Years later, he's working PR for a tech company (and apparently doing a good job there)... So he calls and then hires me to produce a corp video piece. I'm surprised, but I bid and get the job. We got along well, he gave reasonable feedback during R&A, the process goes well, and he & his bosses like the piece. Not that we're inviting each over for dinner, but whodathunk? Good luck newzhack, and hope the film goes well! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay Rose Posted April 9, 2016 Report Share Posted April 9, 2016 There are some clients who, no matter how much you like them personally, are just unprofitable to keep working for. Either they take advantage of your 'friendship' and nickel-and-dime you, or they expect too many extras (unbilled hours, unusual services that end up being time- or health-wasters). It's always hard to say no, because you know they're a constant source of bookings. Low budget, painful bookings... but at least they're cash flow. And there's always the promise of better, full-budget jobs just around a mythical corner. At some point, you may begin to realize you're better than this. And that mythical corner has never come. Turning down their bottom-feeding jobs might cost you immediate bookings, but it also frees you up to pursue better gigs. In the long run, losing these clients can be an investment in your own business. I started resigning clients decades ago, when I had a multi-room downtown facility. The full-time employees and I would vote on who was the most hassle, and -- if I could make the business case for losing them -- my job would be to take that client to lunch and explain how 'creative differences' meant they could be happier elsewhere. It cost us some hours short-term, but helped the reputation and in the long run, didn't hurt the bottom line. My most recent resignation was about a year ago. Producer kept calling with cheapo jobs and eventually got the message. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philip Perkins Posted April 9, 2016 Report Share Posted April 9, 2016 I would never have thought it would come to this in my early scrambly years, but I do keep a "no fly list" nowadays--people who working for never seems to turn out well, at least for me. Some combinations of personalities just don't mesh, even with trying and good intentions. And then there are the people who are just outright exploitive... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newzhack Posted April 9, 2016 Author Report Share Posted April 9, 2016 I am really looking forward to my next movie and I am loving the work on this one. I am kind of bummed about how this is turning out. Thanks for the words. By the way, this guy does not drink and the constant Fox News speak and ranting is wearing thin on long trips. Last shoot he shot for about 15 minutes then thru me the camera for the rest of the long death march day of hand held coverage while he sat in the van. Kind of the last straw for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philip Perkins Posted April 9, 2016 Report Share Posted April 9, 2016 Yr bud needs to face some facts, about his body, pain and the biz. We're in a physical business, and I've found that as an oldster there are just some jobs for which my experience and knowledge doesn't compensate enough for the physical strength, vitality and young back I once had but no longer possess. Maybe he needs to try to "go inside" somewhere as a ped camera op in a TV studio, maybe he need to try and run an "agency" for younger shooters based on his contacts, maybe he needs to take a break from that sort of work until some PT and meds or even surgery can help him. But what he's doing isn't working, and his clients will notice soon enough. As a friend you might consider laying this out for him--don't let him spoil the rep with the clients that has brought him this far by pulling the corny tricks you've described. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newzhack Posted April 10, 2016 Author Report Share Posted April 10, 2016 thanks every one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blas Kisic Posted April 24, 2016 Report Share Posted April 24, 2016 On a client like that one (and I've had a couple) once you decide you want to part ways the most efficient and elegant course of action is to bid high. If they end up taking you on, at least it was worth it monetarily. Otherwise, they go elsewhere - regardless whether they got the message or not, the point is they're out of your hair. HTH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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