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Just upgraded my whole gear package so I'm looking for work to pay for it


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Hello all,
 
I am an Orlando sound mixer and have been working in Florida since 1995. I have recently upgraded my ENG package to a Zaxcom Nomad 10 package. I have a pretty decent package to accommodate a wide variety of productions. Pretty much trying to network any work so I can pay for all the money I spent on it. I work great with any kind of crew and I have many people in the Orlando market that can vouch for my work experience and work ethic. Would love to work outside of Florida as well, if the stars align right (It's difficult to do jobs outside of Florida when they want to pay as a local. But, how do the other guys do it?). I'm also open to work with another sound mixer as boom operator. It's actually my favorite thing when it comes to major jobs like commercials.

 

Alex Ginzo

 

321-202-0676

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  • 1 month later...

Only you would know whether purchases are necessary or not, but if I may ask, why the upgrades if the work hasn't demanded it? There's a huge

amount of equipment I could buy, but I wouldn't be able to pay for it. Seems risky to me.

 

Actually that's good you asked that. 

 

Actually I have been getting work. The post was not as a plea for not getting work but I'm always looking to network in all areas tat can help. I actually did not own much equipment to begin with. I had a a few pieces of used older gear like a PSC M3 and some older wireless. Some that I've kept and most that I sold.. Got lucky for years just borrowing pieces here and there. However, I did just start getting some regular work that was been very consistent (Like 3 times a month and then it became 1 day a week for like 3-4 hours tops. I cakewalk.) I was getting frustrated having to always search around days before the jobs for gear because either someone didn't have something, someone was using this pice of gear on another gig, or something was in repairs. It was a sign I needed to just invest already so I could have a base ENG package and not have to worry, whether I could do the job, not really confident that i had gear for the job.  Also, I didn't want to get some more used gear that in a few months or so would have little resale value because of being so close to obsolete (This actually already happened). I'm still selling some leftover pieces now.  I'm not in the same financial situation as many on here that can take a large financial risk, however It seemed right and it has been working so far. I bought a Zaxcom 10 because, going the cheep route say a 744T or the like, was making me less competitive in my market. Plus I love Zaxcom products and it just seemed right. No regrets so far. 

 

It wasn't a quick decision mind you. I spent the better part of 2012 waiting for the right time to make a purchase. I wanted to make sure I was getting regular work before I did.

 

I just wanted to make myself more aware to the folks here so if something comes up maybe my name will sit in your memory banks. Believe it or not some to most of my jobs are referrals fem other sound mixers in Orlando and Florida. Sound mixers may not be the ones that hire but they are definitely not a bad bunch of guys and gals to see you on their radar for recommendations so why not be more showcased to other sound mixers, no?

 

The other part of the post was a long shot. I've wanted a possibility of working outside my state at least just once. Honestly I've never worked outside of Florida so it's been a want of mind to work in say New Orleans or NYC on a gig. I know thats not much of a chance since productions would rather hire locals but i hear from some of the other sound dudes in town that they work in places like New Orleans, NC, NYC, DC, and I always wonder how are they getting this cool gigs if they're a bunch of Florida dudes?

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Just be sure to understand that a Nomad 10 can be used as an ENG mixer, but don't give backup recordings to clients for free.  If you record for the sake of recording thats fine, but if the client request backup and ISO tracks be sure to charge accordingly as a recorder, not a mixer.  Audio straight to camera is one rate, Audio to camera with a backup recording is another rate, and Iso tracks is again another rate.  Don't give it away because you have it.

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most of the folks who do most of the hiring of most of us folks are mostly not here...

 

I don't know, Mike.

 

I attended an impromptu lunchtime meetup at the Santa Monica airport a few months back, called by Chris Howland. About an hour into the gathering, with some seven mixers in attendance, a phone call suddenly became four days that three mixers split between them on the spot.

 

BK

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  • 3 weeks later...

Just be sure to understand that a Nomad 10 can be used as an ENG mixer, but don't give backup recordings to clients for free.  If you record for the sake of recording thats fine, but if the client request backup and ISO tracks be sure to charge accordingly as a recorder, not a mixer.  Audio straight to camera is one rate, Audio to camera with a backup recording is another rate, and Iso tracks is again another rate.  Don't give it away because you have it.

Sorry I haven't answered back. Just saw this today.

 

No, I hear you. Most of my jobs are strictly one way. As a recorder. As that most of the jobs I'm doing these days are DSLR. I did do a job recently in November of 2013 that they wanted camera audio as well. That one paid more. It's 99% though one way for me. I generally urge them not to go to camera. I don't like relying on camera audio to be good. My Nomad records flawlessly so I really try just to get them to let me keep the recording close to me. I don't have a proper camera hop anyway. It was a mono to one channel mix to camera. No ISO's since it was all interviews and ambience. I mean I had at most 2 tracks the entire 2 days of the shoot.  I got the Nomad in the advantage of being ready for jobs that require a good solid recorder. I have been offered in the past and had to pass them over to other guys because I didn't have the right gear. Plus I figured a Nomad would have longevity of re-sale value if I needed to sell in the near future. I didn't want to get a lower priced recorder with less features and not get back most of my money.

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  • 1 month later...

Just be sure to understand that a Nomad 10 can be used as an ENG mixer, but don't give backup recordings to clients for free. If you record for the sake of recording thats fine, but if the client request backup and ISO tracks be sure to charge accordingly as a recorder, not a mixer. Audio straight to camera is one rate, Audio to camera with a backup recording is another rate, and Iso tracks is again another rate. Don't give it away because you have it.

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I do not believe that you should be charging based on what you are doing, but based on the hardware you are using.

 

if you hit the record button or not, you are still using the same machine.  That machine goes through the same wear and tear regardless.

 

Providing production a complementary service that only required you to remember to press ONE BUTTON once in a while adds to your value to the production and has to cost impact on you.

 

 

 

I find this idea of charging / track / function asinine.

 

A Tascam DR680 cost much less than a SD788.

 

Are you going to charge the same rate with both machines?  No, probably not.

 

 

Rental rates should be based on the cost of the machine, and the cost to maintain that machine, NOT the amount of buttons you have to push in a day.  That is what your day rate is for.

 

 

If you go rent a device from Trew, do they ask you how many tracks you will be using and what buttons you are going to be pushing on your rental gear?  NO.

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If you go rent a device from Trew, do they ask you how many tracks you will be using and what buttons you are going to be pushing on your rental gear? NO.

But they will charge differently depending on which recorder you rent.

If the production company requests an ENG mixer and you show up with a Nomad, I doubt they'd be happy to pay for the Nomad. Just like Trew is probably unlikely to send you a Nomad when all you asked for was a Zoom.

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With that logic chris, maybe we should all show up with fp33s and call it a day!

Recording for a client is a matter of convenience to a client, and we've spent a lot of money on gear.. So to not be able to ask for compensation for that.. Is asinine.

Giving away a service that everyone else charges for brings down rates.. So should we give away extra wireless or a slate or comteks just because we brought it with us?

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What i got from your post is that you're ok with giving away services in a market that has come to expect us to give them services and gear for free..

You're right, rental costs should be commensurate with the cost of the machine but you said this should be complimentary..

If we're doing ENG/EFP, the client is getting audio to the camera and that's it..I'll always hit the record button..

We're not charging to hit the record button.. We're charging to provide a service that happens to include hitting the record button.. Is it easy to press record? Yep! Probably the easiest part of our job.. Doesn't mean it should be free.. Whether its a zoom or a 788.

My client's understand this because i make sure up front and they are cool with that and they are happy that I'll press the record button regardless because they know i can save their ass if they need it. ;-)

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What i got from your post is that you're ok with giving away services in a market that has come to expect us to give them services and gear for free..

You're right, rental costs should be commensurate with the cost of the machine but you said this should be complimentary..

If we're doing ENG/EFP, the client is getting audio to the camera and that's it..I'll always hit the record button..

We're not charging to hit the record button.. We're charging to provide a service that happens to include hitting the record button.. Is it easy to press record? Yep! Probably the easiest part of our job.. Doesn't mean it should be free.. Whether its a zoom or a 788.

My client's understand this because i make sure up front and they are cool with that and they are happy that I'll press the record button regardless because they know i can save their ass if they need it. ;-)

Then make that part of your day rate, not your rental rate.  It has everything to do with workload, not with gear.

 

I guess I might not have been clear enough that I was talking specifically about rental rates.

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CC: " I do not believe that you should be charging based on what you are doing, but based on the hardware you are using. "

OK, if that works for you...

 

beware, you make take yourself out of the consideration for some jobs if you do not have the right gear available...

Constantin made an excellent point about renting the gear that is required, but what if your gear is more capable, and thus the rental is higher ??

You could rent the smaller gear for the lower rate, or just provide your gear, and use it a reduced capacity for the reduced rental rate

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