Fee for 5-6 song live set AND dvd?

[astorian]

Hello

Quick question. Our band has gotten a number of quotes for the following services:

1) Record, mix, and master 5-6 song set at a local club
2) Videotape show with three cameras, edit to audio
3) Lighting (in addition to venue's decent lights)

Our goal is to have some attractive material for YouTube, our site, and possibly for our booking agency. The quotes range from the hundreds (5) to the thousands (2). Any tips on what we should be asking these folks about their services? Everyone seems to have a an explanation of why their skills are better, or worth the money.

Thanks in advance

[Roland]

Anybody doing it for hundereds is amateur, quick maths, 3 cameramen, 1 sound guy @ £200 per person per day (this is low price and doesn't reflect the gear) thats £800 labour for the shoot. Day to mix 1 guy, day to edit 1 guy there is another £400. Dub the sound to the video and author to DVD another man day. £1400 labour cost alone. Cameraman with camera kit even with a HDV camera is around £250 a man, + Lights another £200 say. Location recording charge, say using a rack and taking splits off the PA into mac, PC or Alessis HD24 call that £250 for cheap. Cheap mix for 5-6 tracks another £250. Film edit around the same for a day improver with FC pro on a Mac. another day at this price to dub and produce basic final movie. £2,000 is very reasonable. Go the full real pro route and you can double that.

Finally look at those costs and compare with the quotes, it should give you an idea of those being unrealistic. If they are unrealistic about the work and the price do you really want them doing your work?

Hope this is some help.

Regards


Roland

[Jim vanBergen]

Look at their demo reels, and get a VERY SPECIFIC quote that includes 'fixes' or edits when all are not in agreement on an angle, mix, or song order.

Go visit their place of work, and be prepared to have one of your crew allocated as the "producer" to make all decisions on which shot to use, how to blend the mix, etc. It is very painstaking and not a quick process.

Quotes in the "Thousands" represent people trying to do a decent job for a realistic rate.
"hundreds" might be talented college kids trying to get a foot in the door.

Know your goals, and if the reel from the cheap guys is great and you want that kind of product, then go for it. But it can be MUCH cheaper to do it right the first time, spending more money up front then trying to do it cheap and ending up doing it two or three times.

[AudioFields]

this sounds like at least a $5,000 day....easyily. Remember its your name you are trying to promote. So just ask yourself if its worth it at this point in your career.

[astorian]

Thanks so much for the feedback. Roland ... that was a big dose of realism.

[Remoteness]

Originally Posted by astorian

Thanks so much for the feedback. Roland ... that was a big dose of realism.

Word!