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Referal cut


seth

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I think it is unethical. Your either working or your not. I'm not here to broker deals for others. Maybe it is ok to put your gear to work, especially if the other guy is day playing or handling one block of many of filming, but even that is a bit questionable in my mind unless there is a disparate seniority level between the person doing the referring, since the other guy may not be as well equipped.

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Your CUT is when they are busy they kick work back to you... It should be a buddy system ..... a fee reeks of a "foul" in my mind, we're supposed to be brothers and sisters here.... If you can't do a job, kick it to someone who can, and hopefully the opposite will occur.. I keep a small group of people in the loop and we work it this way.... no money...

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Afewmoreyears- I couldn't have said it better. Taking a 20% cut is super shady, and I'd hesitate to recommend him or her for anything after that.

Marc

I agree with both.

I have heard of such a thing, but if someone asked me to "give them a cut", I'd turn the job down and never refer that mixer to any jobs. I'd also negatively judge a shooter for doing the same.

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Seth, I hope you're doing business with the RIGHT people! I would never ask for referral fees since it's simply unethical and ruins relationships very quickly. The least I can do is take them out for a good lunch/dinner, make it a group if you're always constantly getting work within your 'circles'.

But a 20%?? Watch out.

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I simply don't see that it's necessary or 'standard' in this business. If someone wants to make money on a project they aren't doing labor on, then they need to enter the rental business or create a production company and begin staffing for projects. After all, that's what production companies do - they up-charge for your services and labor and make money by planning and letting you do the work. Pretty standard once you think about it that way, but not something another mixer or sound professional should be doing to you in my opinion.

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Seth, I hope you're doing business with the RIGHT people!

No hard feelings about he/she. I owe them a lot, just wanted to get a sense of "usual" practices. I honestly don't think this is 'unethical'. Just a way they decide to do business. There are services that do this and charge. But turns out most of you and I don't. There are however some producers I might debate their ethical practices.

Just had a conversation being questioned why sound mixers are always so friendly to each other where camera ops tend to be not so much. I think it's the way we dress and are just usually cooler people :P Doing the, eh hum, World Series, AES, and this court case, has given me the opportunity to work along side other mixers. Defiantly enjoying the comaraderie vibe from the sound mixer community, an often lonely position. I really appreciate it, along with jwsound.

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I don't agree with charging the referral cut, it's not something i'd ever do. I will say that things get a little more complicated where a flat rate has been agreed with production for xx days, and then cover is required in the middle of that. In a few of those cases i've had to invoice the other sound mixer rather than dealing directly with production. I'd never know if they were taking a cut, but I'll always give the benefit of the doubt and won't question it. I can always turn the gig down if I wasn't happy with the rate, cut taken or not.

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I agree! I never charge, ask for, or offer a referal fee.

HOWEVER, if I'm billing for a boom op, or some A2 on my invoice, and then paying them, I will mark up their rate. This is due to the fact that because they are now billing me I become much more liable should an accident occur. Additionally, I am now legally bound to pay them even if I don't get paid. Given these issues, I think a "mark up" is acceptable.

I few years ago I had an assistant working with me on a TV show. He billed me $3000 which I in turn billed to my client with a slight mark up. My client never paid, but I paid my assistant every penny! This is why a "mark up" is okay in my mind.

Tom

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Now that we no longer use ISDN in my place, one of the more marginal local studios offered me a commission if I'd send my Zephyr bookings to them. Left a bad taste in my mouth... I said 'no thanks', and still aren't recommending them.

If they'd put the same money into better mics and preamps, and just told me about it, it would be a different story.

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I usually buy a bottle of something to say thank you for the job referral. But in no way would I ask for a gift to say thank you in return. A lot of it is picking the right person for referring for that job, and in turn that keeps the client happy and more likely to use you or one of your comrades you suggest.

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