[Thomas W. Bethe]

Originally Posted by pieter k

That's a pretty specious argument.

Moreover, if it represents Bethe's POV, then I'd argue that more than anything else it betrays fear of competition. Protectionism. How is that good?

I don't understand this line of thinking at all. How someone with a newly acquired starter rig and ZERO experience and probably not much more knowledge is somehow an immediate threat to the livelihood of an established pro with an extensive body of work, sterling reputation, and first rate gear (you guys have all that right?) is beyond me.

If I carried that kind of attitude around with me, I'd have a panic attack every time someone bought a new copy of Final Cut from Apple.

On the contrary, I give young people and/or newcomers eager to learn every opportunity to learn from me; I bring them around the studio, introduce them to people, give them technical and personal advice, etc. And I live and work in Los Angeles, with arguably the most competitive and deepest pool of highly experienced professionals in the TV/film/post/audio industry anywhere in the world. There is a veritable sea of people hungry to move up the food chain here, but a good professional won't go hungry either. I don't feel threatened, nor do most of my peers.

If you live in a small college town and have a monopoly on regional location recording, that's admirable. But to decry those nationwide wishing to get a foot in and compete in the industry at large is a fairly regressive attitude in my opinion.

At the end of the day, it's just my opinion.

To the OP--if we haven't lost you by now--you'll obviously make up your own mind based on the totality of arguments you've read and heard. Chance and situation will no doubt play a role in determining what happens for you. Good luck!

Some real world examples:

We use to record a local singing group made up of people in town. We charged the group a very reasonable rate for doing the recordings. One day I get a letter from the group's leader saying that "we no longer need your services as one of our members is willing to do the recordings for free as audio is his hobby and he wants to do the recordings from now on" This was never a money maker for us so it was no big deal.

Recently a client that we have had for 43 years decided that they were having "financial problems" and dropped us. Come to find out that one of the Grandfathers of one of the participants has agreed to do the recordings for free as he use to be a TV director back in the "good olde days" and wants to help out. So now we are out a good deal of money and the person who is doing the recordings is having "fun" doing this as his hobby in his retirement.

I will say it again. Trying to compete with free in today's USA economy is a no win situation.

In the case of the Grandfather he is using very cheap equipment and will not turn out anything like what we provided for the group but he is free.

I could go on but I think you and I live in very different cultures and have very different ways looking at how to make a living.

I wish you lots of success and hope that all your businesses continue to make you a lot of money.