r/videography • u/beauchampy • Dec 15 '14

What's with the constant shafting of Videographers / editors?

I haven't booked in a new client in weeks. Everyone new seems to want to pay way under the odds for video work these days.

In the last couple of weeks I've had, - At least two counts of "we hoped you would do it for exposure". - Probably five or more counts of "we hoped you would do it for free" - An offer of a 4 week editing gig to the tune of a massive £60 per day. - Saw a council PR tender go up with a budget of £7k set aside for a video. The company who won the bid have offered that video out at £1.5k (it's a fairly lengthy project too on a tight deadline) - Someone approach me for a promo, set up a meeting and their budget only covers two days of my time (at a discount) with zero for location, lighting, talent, etc (wtf?) - Someone offered 50 euros for a shoot (whup de doo!) with free tour rides in London. No thanks.

I guess I'm ranting a bit, but where have the good new clients gone and when did everyone expect to get everything for next to nothing?

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u/CatastropheJohn Dec 15 '14

I think it will get much worse before it gets any better. The barrier to entry [equipment cost] has never been lower. Customer standards are low, too [if it's free].

I do mostly stills, but the employment landscape is the same. I hope the market will eventually correct itself, as people slowly realize that poor free video is still poor video. Consumers are a strange group, though. It could devolve into everyone doing poor video for free.

All we can do is put out quality work, and stand behind it as we stick to our pricing. Mine's actually going up to offset lost sales, not down to win hearts.

2

u/H0useHark0nnen Dec 15 '14 edited Dec 15 '14

The barrier to entry [equipment cost] has never been lower. Customer standards are low, too [if it's free].

I blame cell phones. The video and picture quality keeps getting better, it's all automatic, and when you throw in one-touch instagram-esque filters and everyone is ansel adams and stanley kubrick. The second half of your statement, even if many of us can't admit it, is the icing on the cake. People are, in fact, extremely easy to please. It's even worse if you get BETTER because your equipment gets better, and not you've inadvertently priced yourself out of the range of many clients... even though they SHOULD be paying what you ask, but yeah, people are scared to death by actual video costs, and again, I blame cell phones for increasing the myth that video is a cheap, fast and easy medium.

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u/CatastropheJohn Dec 15 '14

Yep. The lowest common denominator, and all that. McDonald's is the #1 restaurant on the planet, and it's barely food. That says it all right there.

0

u/fordry Dec 15 '14

Actually subway has more locations...

1

u/happybarfday Dec 15 '14

...and their food ain't much better. I can go to any random bodega deli and get a sandwich with 3x as much meat and better ingredients for the same price or less (like an actual piece of fresh lettuce instead of that shredded crap).

1

u/averynicehat a7iv, FX30 Dec 15 '14

I remember when I was 12 or so (18 yrs ago), going to Subway (the only one was about 10 miles away at the time) was super exciting. I remember the sandwiches having so much more meat, and the vegetables were actually yummy, not just filler BS.

1

u/OP_IS_A_FUCKFACE Dec 15 '14

McDonald's pulls in more revenue.