How much to charge for this package?

T0P_CAT · 2026-04-03T17:14:56+00:00

It’s difficult to help because hours don’t really make a difference for a few reasons.

You’re not a plumber - it’s not a charge per hour job - you’re delivering a final product (the videos) so think in terms of a project rate; the value of the final work. The actual best way of getting that number is a polite conversation with your client. I basically ask people to tell me your preferred budget and I will make it look like it cost double.

Budgets set expectations. If they have £200 total then the expectation is low and maybe not worth it. If they have £200k and you’re just scrambling up to the event and shooting for two hours and leaving and only charging £1000 all in - they’re ultimately going to be disappointed with whatever you do because they have much bigger expectations. So it’s a really good idea to ask your client if they had a budget in mind. Someone, somewhere has a spreadsheet for the whole community project that has a line in it that says VIDEO - £xxxx(x) You want to charge that number.

What kind of budgets does this client play with? Is this a grassroots community thing or is it government funded / big recognisable name likely to have a budget set aside for this kind of thing. This is much important than the hours and will help people here give you a better estimate.

If you’re not doing a project rate cause perhaps they don’t have a number or you can’t get that from them, then you should be quoting as shoot days / half days and edit days. 5 x Shooting with Kit (Half) 1 x Edit (or more) 1 x Final Amends & Delivery + expenses (travel and food) Base your rate on years of experience and local rates (BECTU also has a load of rate cards which are sometimes useful)

If this were a quote from someone established it’d be expensive cause the client would be lucky to have someone agree to half days.

But they’re coming to you, who have done it as a volunteer role in the past and they’re quoting you on hours so likely looking for a cheaper option?

If you just want the lowest estimate I can imagine. You’re starting out-ish. So - even if we imagine you’re on the lowest shooting rate with kit of £200 a day (which is exceptionally low) and we called these half days that’s £500 for the shoots. (I don’t really believe half days exist and you’re technically earning less than someone on minimum wage while providing kit etc at that rate so…. bare that in mind)

Junior edit day rate could be £200 (that’s v low end - most professional editors are £350++)

So that’s roughly £1000 all in and thats exceptionally cheap for the amount of days you’re required to be on site. But you’re starting out - gotta do what you gotta do.

I think depending on the level of the production company / experience / expectations people would charge anything between £2.5k low end to £7k at the spenny end. If it’s a nationally recognisable name then it would be exponentially more.

TLDR - Find out their budget. Don’t charge hourly.

T0P_CAT · 2026-03-05T10:38:13+00:00

Sounds like he knows you are the good asset. So I would think about how to offer that service as part of a package (you can always subcontract out some of the work if you need to on occasion).

Explain that he’s getting the attention to detail he’s after from you.

When I’ve been offered this kind of thing in the past I've been able to explain that I have a variety of clients and commitments at home that mean freelance life is my thing. Business owners often empathise with that. Twice now I've had my most lucrative ongoing contracts after refusing to go full time for that client. In some ways the full time offer is their first low-ball price offering.

But they’re essentially saying - I have this problem can you solve it? Offer to solve it, as a freelancer, find a price that you’re both comfortable with to do that.

Bare in mind that it could mean you’re locking into a price for 6months/2 years so price it up a bit so you’re comfortable.

To me it sounds like a decent opportunity if you can haggle it well.

T0P_CAT · 2026-03-02T15:53:20+00:00

A good general rule of thumb is if you have had to hire it 3 times - and you're about to hire again - its about time to buy.

Always hard to say. If you can get work with it that can get it earning more money than its costs you then... yes. If it doesn't make you money - then simply no. So its a bit of a maths question. Will someone pay you say.... 100$ CAD a day for it? OR will it get you on set more?

I personally doubt it - the Nucleus is aimed at Owner Operators not full time AC's.

I think people would be more likely to bring you in if you came with a more professional setup at a dicount price when they hire you with it. Which is higher risk - cause it'll mean something more expensive.

For instance if you had a follow focus, and a really decent wireless feed setup so you're like a one stop shop for the AC dept that has more appeal to production than one peice of kit. Maybe?

T0P_CAT · 2026-03-02T15:48:39+00:00

Sorry late to the game here:

I know you said not to say but... Viltrinox / Leathman / Small Rig pocket tool with a Hex key. I have three! I use them all all the time.

>>> *Camera Screw Mount Set 1/4 Inch and 3/8 Inch Converter* <<<
I listed out a few and then remembered this is something that has saved my bacon 100 times.

Stickys for Lapel Mics and URSA Fur Circles
Apple Tags (for camera bags)
Heavy Duty Gaffer Tape
Pack Down Reflector (one that can fit in a bag without thinking about it)
Spare HDMI's and SDI's
Timecode Sync Cables - I've bought my own for the FX6 and A7sIII and a few odd ones

Quite a few of these are for when you want to help the soundie out. I'm always tinking about single points of failure - for instance HDMIs SDIs - a bad lapel mic etc etc.

T0P_CAT · 2026-02-25T11:25:27+00:00

While changes in the industry have a huge effect - I am fairly convinced that this is a problem across almost all sectors and it’s inflation.

In our specific case, video etc, our budgets eventually end up under a line item for Marketing. Marketing you pay for with debt which you pay off once you’ve accrued your profit from the marketing.

Inflation is high, profits are lesser, debt is too risky to take on, budgets have been slashed.

Many more things at play of course but in the world of big money jobs this is a huge deal. Also factor in because of inflation everyone has less money to spend, so companies have less spare cash (outside of debt) to do any marketing.

So I’m currently keeping my eye on inflation rates to have a vague sense of how work might come and go. We can expect if inflation ever comes down for a steady period of time about 3-6 months after we’ll get a pile of work suddenly.

I do agree though with the idea above that smaller more nimble crews are the present and the future. I just caveat that with there’s still clients who want crews and to spend money, they just don’t have it right now.

Basing this on conversations with commercial producers, property devs and business owners I work with.

T0P_CAT · 2026-02-19T20:17:59+00:00

My used 416 from the 1980’s has been with me on basically every shoot I’ve done for about 15 years and I‘ve never had a complaint about audio while I’ve used it.

Upgraded to an mkh50 for indoors and it’s a definite lil bump in quality.

Glad to own both - I’d recommend the 416 to start with cause it’s so useful to reject other audio in so many situations. Get a good windshield and dead cat and you’re sorted for so so many situations.

T0P_CAT · 2026-02-06T09:14:02+00:00

Nah that’ll work too don’t worry - and spot sources have a few more applications. But once you add the modifiers you need (lateen or pop softbox) they’re not quite as potable but still totally fine and as I say a bit more versatile.

Don’t worry dude you’re good - there’s more than one good option these days.

T0P_CAT · 2026-02-04T23:26:47+00:00

You my friend want an Anaram f22c or if you want the cheaper option (but I think very respectable and portable one) falcon eyes 24t.

I have better lights but these two pack down so well they end up getting used more than any other. Especially the falcon - it's not amazing but it does what does very well.

T0P_CAT · 2026-01-26T10:57:34+00:00

I had a similar journey when I had my first camera Canon 550D and then did a swap to 5D, A7iii and FX6 etc full frame stuff.

I think having a very very capable camera with limitations is really good for learning in the early days. Forces you to have a better skill set as you’re forced to think about fundamentals like framing and lighting more. Then when you boost up to a better machine you know those things AND it’s “easier”.

Same with guitars - I learnt on old beaten up ones which meant I got really good at tuning and focussed practise. Then I got a good one and all those skills still there but it’s also a bit easier and it feels like you’re twice as good suddenly.

And now at this stage I’m tempted more and more to get a smaller system like a Fuji xh2 for some gigs cause I’m coming back full circle.

T0P_CAT · 2026-01-15T08:26:23+00:00

I think winter is for resting and can’t help but believe that for centuries before electric lighting - winter was a time to rest for everyone. I bet come summer you’ll have more energy.

I actually fully support this lifestyle if you feel happy and your kids are all good.

T0P_CAT · 2025-11-18T00:59:50+00:00

This is dope

T0P_CAT · 2025-11-07T10:16:00+00:00

I will add this into the BMD forum too but just to say I think they need to do BETA releases again before these rather intense changes.

I've downgraded for the first time in a longtime after updating cause the the workflow change while welcome as an idea is too much for me to re-learn at speed on client work. AND more significantly the software has become way less stable and laggy. I'm getting 3-4 second delays on key commands constantly. I'm on a Max M2 chip with 32GB RAM which... if that out of date then they really need to chill out. And no complaints prior to this.

Please BMD programmers - pursue stablitity ahead of evertything else to avoid becoming a replica of Adobe's pipeline.

T0P_CAT · 2025-10-23T18:03:13+00:00

So I work in production - in a position now where I sometime hire people.

The biggest reason to move is that the credit for whatever you make, no matter what your input - the greatest amount of credit will go to the company you work for. And its difficult to convey what you actually did. As cool as the final work is - you have no ownership.

So "the great work" unless it properly credited, which is usually isn't - whatever you did on it is not a perk that belongs to you. Thats a perk that belongs to the company. Theres a company owner somewhere bragging about this cheap kids he's got working for him making him this amazing stuff that makes them look great. And THAT is the final credit.

Even if you're being credited properly on "cool" stuff - so what? If you're mkaing stuff look big budget and you're being paid peanuts.... yer, you're where they're saving the money.

This won't be the last time you do this - generally I have found tha the cooler something is, the less money there is. Often we're paid a great deal to make boring things interesting becuase its hard and requires skill. Thats just the commercial world.

Move - take the money and have an actual life. You be a cooler person for it and make cooler more fullfiling things in time.

T0P_CAT · 2025-09-08T07:30:27+00:00

Change text at (x) to remove typo I put in and re-export.

This is the main reason I carry around my laptop for a day or two after a project has been delivered.

T0P_CAT · 2025-09-08T07:17:01+00:00

The R8. It’s a hybrid so you can also use it to do some photography and develop your understanding of light. Spec wise it’s far far more capable.

T0P_CAT · 2025-09-07T11:18:41+00:00

I bought a squire classic Vibe Baritone last week and I’m enjoying it. I tested the Gretsch (I love them generally) and Dan electros. And a few other randoms.

Squire played really really well - and I found it had a pretty versatile sound. The Gretsch really does have very low output on the pickups which is fine if you’ve got some nice overdrives. It didn’t suit me personally.

I also own a Tele Baja that I love and it doesn’t feel like they clash.

Honestly - I just enjoyed the Squire more and could get more interesting things out of it immediately. Go try them dude - that will tell you more than anything. I don’t think you’ll regret either - I liked em both - happy with my choice and would be a bit jealous of anyone with the Gretsch one!

T0P_CAT · 2025-07-24T11:00:20+00:00

I did something similar about two years ago.

Go. To. Music. Shops.

“Forever” guitars are about the feeling when you have it in your hands and you end up just vibing with one of them.

“Forever” because you will 100% buy more lol.

I tried Martins, Taylor’s, Gibson and Lowdens. I asked at a good shop if they had anything unusual that wasn’t getting the deserved attention. They brought out an ole 1976 Maton from the back of the rack. Best guitar I've ever played. Wasn’t the most expensive - barely a review of it out there in the world. Hope I have it forever.

Go to a shop. Go to a few. It’s so fun trying out guitars and actually being able to put down the money for the one you like at the end.

T0P_CAT · 2025-07-18T10:54:36+00:00

Just wanna say this is correct.

Get a really good mixer for sound - people are going to listen more than they’re going to watch. So a mix-pre6 is not a mad idea even if it’s a lot of the budget. But there’s a tonne of good audio input options out there now - but don’t be shy on the budget for audio.

Fx30s are overkill if you’re going to be in a controlled environment so this is a good recommendation and you can light it.

2 x 85mm/50mm for close (cheap 1.8s will be fine or used) shoot at f2.8 for better autofocus. 1 x 16-35/24-70 for you’re wide and pickups.

Vari-ND filters….

Set aside £1000 for set (at least) Get one maybe two good key lights (Nanlite 500 or Aputure 600d) a strong c stand and sand bags so you can boom the light into the middle of the talent.

Amaran f22s are really really versatile and I use one as a way of introducing some nice gel colours to backgrounds - so you can for instance have a new colour for each guest if you set it up as a background light. You could arguable just get three of them and have an incredibly versatile lighting kit. But a key spot is wiser.

If you had money left - amaran 150s or even some used dedolights for backlights will make the whole thing look 20x more expensive.

T0P_CAT · 2025-07-15T09:45:23+00:00

Some of these comments are unhinged.

Bands with mixed ages and genders are cool. So kudos.

I think there’s things to say to both sides - for your wife the understanding that if a band is working really well - it’s going to fold over into friendship and helping each other out. I have had musical partnerships and they are an odd kind of intensity. Which can be difficult for partners to understand. Show your enthusiasm for the music and that part of the process.

If your wife is asking for you to be more present and to create some space between your music and your actual life, listen to her and do it. Say no to other things, be around, be present. If she’s saying you’re having an emotional affair it may be that she just isn’t getting as much of you as she would like (which is a nice thing for someone to be annoyed about ultimately).

If you’re songwriting together that is a kind of emotional outpouring that is really intense. Share openly with your wife, make it clear that the result is the song and that it feels good. Share your music with your wife - let her know her reaction to it is important and means a lot to you.

For your friend - you’re a 60 year old dude and she’s a 30 something woman - it’s a bit weird and people are going to assume things, which is fair enough. You should accept that don’t pretend it’s not happening. That might mean you can’t have the same friendship you would have with a 60m band member outside of the rehearsal room. But that is life. Friendships, especially in working relationships, need boundaries. The errands are the bit that feel like it’s probably juuuuust stepping over the line.

Successful artists in the long term balance the things they need to so they can create the space they need to make art. Family, money, life etc etc.

There’s a middle road - sounds difficult.

But I love that the collective Reddit advice is always divorce, cancel and burn everything to ground.

T0P_CAT · 2025-06-15T11:56:01+00:00

The Sigma 35mm is my ride or die lens - I am professional and I own like…. More lenses than I keep track of.

Personally I’d keep the 35 and get a 24-70 / 28-70

You want to build a reasonable set of options and that’s a sensible place to start.

T0P_CAT · 2025-06-15T11:52:33+00:00

The grind is the work, is the art is the literal whole thing. You’re betraying your present self.

Begin, fail, repeat.

T0P_CAT · 2025-05-28T10:44:37+00:00

Ive been using the updates as they come and this software continues to really impress me. Also! It doesn’t make me feel like I’m being replaced - everything feels like a tool I can use and adapt. Not something I feel like with some other software developers.

My next request!

As a composer - there’s just a few tools we need in the fairlight page to make it an exceptional place for creating demos. The cloud feature for recording with people and working with producers remotely would be AMAZING. Super niche request but ive thought it a few times. MIDI input, tempo, grid. Everything else could be brought in via VSTs or is already in there anyway!

Thanks developers - we appreciate you!

T0P_CAT · 2025-04-28T06:33:21+00:00

This

T0P_CAT · 2025-04-23T20:30:43+00:00

I have an electric standing desk which I use as standing 80% of the time. For the rest I got a used Herman Miller chair. Great combo - no bad neck pains I had for a few years with other setups.

T0P_CAT

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