Local film crew budget estimate question
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"Scott T. Jensen" s...@charter.net
How much should be budgeted to do the following hypothetical scenario: Living-room television talk show travels from hotel to hotel within an international chain of them. The large living room of a two-bedroom hotel suite would be used as the set ... with one bedroom being a green room and the other the make-up room. Changing hotel location every two weeks, but only filming a week at each (with a week's break in-between) and thus roughly filming half a year (25 production weeks). The twenty-five film-location hotels each year being in all the different regions of the world (with always six being in the US's six regions) and different ones each year. Filming days Monday through Thursday and varying production hours from 6-8 hours each film day.
The show would only use local production companies. Local crew compositions being two camera operators (there will actually be three cameras, but the host-shot camera operator would have a monitor to keep track of the fixed-position pan-shot camera), sound tech, make-up artist, two on-location guest handlers, and a help-out-wherever-needed production ***istant.
Several months (if not a year) before the show p***es through, the line producer arranges over the phone a local production crew. The weekend before filming starts, the line producer flies in and trains the local crew how the show wants the filming done. Since the only local production crews hired would be experienced professionals, the training would be scheduled for just one day.
The on-location guest handlers would be hired not by the line producer but the lead guest booker. The lead guest booker contacting a local agency, interviewing possible candidates over the phone, and then arranging to meet the best of the bunch on the Saturday of the weekend before the production week there. The lead guest booker flying in with the line producer, who flew in to set up equipment and train the production crew. The lead guest booker training the two handlers how to do the job, such as picking up guests at the airport, getting them settled in at the hotel, babysitting them on the set, and so forth ... as well as taking care of the needs of the talk show host.
The only person that stays at the hotel the whole production week being the talk show host.
All recorded tapes shipped back to the central office for editing there.
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Now for some questions: As for costs, no need to include hotel suites, airline transportation, and package delivery in your estimate. Given that, how much should such a show budget to do the above? How much per production week?
Is there a good online source(s) that lists production companies that would be up for doing the above? If so, URL(s) please.
Is anyone missing that should be hired as part of the local film crew? Is anyone above not really needed?
Would it be better for the show to own, ship around, and use its own equipment to insure consistency of product and hire just local talent to operate it?
Where would be the best and a common place to hire someone to be the on-location guest handler? Escort service? Secretary temp agency? Private security firm?
What would be the annual salary range for the above line producer? Saying the person is a seasoned professional and the show is based out of Madison, Wisconsin, USA.
What would be a high-quality professional digital equipment package (to include lighting and such) to do the above and roughly how much would it cost? Included in that should be the special shipping crates/boxes to protect the equipment during transport.
Any suggestions on how to do the above better, smoother, easier, and/or cheaper would be much appreciated.
Thanks in advance!
Scott Jensen
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msu1049 ...@aol.com (MSu1049321)
You want fries wit dat?
mitchgr ...@aol.com (MitchGross)
So what are you going to pay me for putting your entire production together for you?
Mitch
Bill Fright billfri...@austin.rr.com
I think you could do everything listed here for $4.32
non ...@noplace.really (Alan Lloyd)
On Wed, 25 Feb 2004 22:03:16 -0600, "Scott T. Jensen" A lot.
Skip the training day - the experienced pros you mention will know how to do their jobs. And there's really not much need to book more than a month out in many cases. And training days like that will have to be paid, as a matter of dealing with "experienced professionals" who don't show up for free, as that may well mean giving up a paying gig.
Be realistic.
Crews set gear all the time - nothing you describe will be alien to the seasoned pro. Thousands - several of them.
You can find _me_ on mandy.com, as well as a couple other sites. An engineer to shade and paint (match) the three cameras. This position cna also handle show recording duties. You _will_ be using cameras with CCU's, won't you? Or those that can attach a remote (paintbox) for setup?
During the taping, I'd suggest giving the wide shot camera operation gig to the PA. Paid training and real operations will be a plus for both sides.
Perhaps - or hiring locally for the days of the shoot could be useful.
Do you have any particularly exotic gear in the mis I hadn't noticed in the description above? What level of quality hardware are you expecting? Have you thought about backup arrangements for the times when the ramp rats drop or run over something? Or the cost of the truck and driver to preclude all that?
Sounds like quite a range of potential sources. I'd say a good starting point could be in line with or a bit more than this person was making previously, with terms negotiable beyond that.
A good bit. Easily tens of thousands, if not more.
"Bob Boccaccio, SOC" b...@boccaccioproductionsNOSPAM.com
Scott, are you shooting 16 or 35 ? big difference in the price!!
i am ***uming you are shooting FILM, as you mention it about a dozen times in the first 2 paragraphs...as well as your subject line.
or, did you perhaps mean tape? if so, which format? Standard or High Def?
you ask in the bottom section about digital..DVcam, DigiBeta, High Def?
i think the main reason you are not getting any real answers is that you are asking WAY too many questions. if you do some research and can;t find something, then i'm sure people on here will be happy to fill in the gaps.
but, it looks like you want someone to do a lot of work and research for free.
i don't think it's gonna happen...
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Bob Boccaccio, SOC Baton Rouge, LA http://www.boccaccioproductions.com/
"Steve Guidry" steveguidrynos...@earthlink.net
Scott, As a local guy who works this kind of owner/operator gig all the time, my advice is somewhat contrary to my own interests : (This should make it even more credible.) You don't want to hire local gear for this kind of show. It might be fine for your 6 US Shows, but for the international shows, here's the advice : Local crew folks is fine in most parts of the world, but gear-wise, you need a flypack with the cameras, CCU's, decks, and other gear. Also an engineer who is intimately familiar with it. Traveling with your own gear and engineer will give you a consistency of "look" that will be categorically impossible hiring 3 local owner/operators at each stop in the far-flung reaches of the world.
I doubt it if you will find 3 matching sets of gear even in capital cities of many countries. Even if you do find matching gear, the pictures will likely NOT match due to age & setup issues. And what happens if you get a bad shoot in - - let's say Dubai (OK even London) - - going back will be nearly impossible from a budget and scheduling standpoint.
My point is that it's hard enough to do such a show. You don't want the added layer of complexity that a local 3-camera equipment hire will bring you. Save your Maalox for dealing with the host and guests.
--
Steve Guidry Video Works, Inc.
903.509.8838 "Scott T. Jensen" <s...@charter.net> wrote in message ...
"Steve Guidry" steveguidrynos...@earthlink.net
I don't know Bob.
I for one would do a lot of research for the promise of a year-long gig.
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Steve Guidry Video Works, Inc.
903.509.8838
Larry Jandro usen...@DE.LETE.THISljvideo.com
Waiving the right to remain silent, "Scott T. Jensen" <s...@charter.net> said: Way too many questions. You obviously need someone to do all the budgeting for you.
Hire an experienced line producer.
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tra ...@nospampipeline.com
why does the talk show move around?
"Scott T. Jensen" s...@charter.net
That was my original thought, but then I remembered another time I posted about doing a traveling show here in this newsgroup and everyone here told me to hire local crews to save a lot of money and that's what all the big production companies and networks do.
You made a lot of good points. I'll change it to a crew that travels with the host. Depending on the distance, 4-6 days away and then the crew taking off for 8-10 days until the next production run.
Again, thanks for the reply.
Scott Jensen
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Larry Jandro usen...@DE.LETE.THISljvideo.com
Waiving the right to remain silent, "Steve Guidry" <steveguidrynos...@earthlink.net> said: Excellent advice. The acquisition equipment is so small and light now, that it makes sense to pack it all into a few ATA cases and travel with the stuff. (For international travel, remember to get a carnet.) For 25 weeks of doing this, I would design custom packaging.
Engineering/Sound should be a person who travels to all locations, so you can get some consistency.
Hire locally the heavy stuff such as grip and lights. Local camera operators should be fine. Make sure they speak good English.
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Larry Jandro usen...@DE.LETE.THISljvideo.com
Waiving the right to remain silent, "Scott T. Jensen" <s...@charter.net> said: I would try to tighten up the schedule. Week-on, week-off stuff makes it hard for freelancers to fill the gaps.
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"Scott T. Jensen" s...@charter.net
This is a recent possible change and due to my advertising sales manager thinking we can get a deal with a hotel chain. Previously (and it's still the plan until the ad sales manager can pull the rabbit out of the hat), the show was conceived of being filmed in a set location. However, if the hotel deal is as good as the ad sales guy thinks it will be, it will not only add to the bottomline but enable the show to have a more international feel to it and being able to drum up a lot of local publicity for the show in each location it's filmed at.
Scott Jensen
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"Scott T. Jensen" s...@charter.net
I'm planning to employ them full-time. If they want to do side projects, that's fine as long as the projects don't interfere with them doing the show.
Scott Jensen
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mitchgr ...@aol.com (MitchGross)
I'm guessing that any "deal" with hotels will be wiped out by the travel expenses. Hey, if you want to hire me on a year-long gig like this where I get paid the whole time but get half my time off to go home or check out the exotic locales or even take other jobs then I'm all over it! In that case I'd be happy to consult on all the costs and requirements for such a job. ;-) Mitch
msu1049 ...@aol.com (MSu1049321)
So,,let me get this right... you want to shoot in all these locations, but each location is a hotel room... in the same chain of hotels... where they tend to look the same...
I can save you a whole bunch of money... plan A: Shoot everything at one hotel - who's going to know the difference?
B: pay the guests to fly to you, since the setting is always the same.
Being snarky? No, dig it: If the only thing that really changes in the show is the guest...and you haven't really suggested that the show covers anything outside the hotel rooms for the interviews... whty are you complicating things by having many people travel with lots of gear, when you can fly the guests to YOU first cl***, and still come out cheaper?
"Bob Boccaccio, SOC" b...@boccaccioproductionsNOSPAM.com
yeah, so would i...but if he's hiring new crews every week, it doesnt sound like one guy will get all of the work. now, if he was asking for bids, i would jump on it..
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Bob Boccaccio, SOC Baton Rouge, LA http://www.boccaccioproductions.com/
Bill Fright billfri...@austin.rr.com
Okay I'm feeling guilty for replying $4.32...
BUT! This sounds like total bull. Who ever heard of doing a talk show in extremely far away places because you get a break on hotels? That's like saying I'm gonna buy a 500 million dollar mansion because they have single gallon flushing toilets. Truly the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard.
Now I don't feel guilty about $4.32!
Bill
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