Quite galling.... at DVinfo.net

Peter Rush · October 8th, 2015, 02:54 PM

... to be undercut massively buy an outfit claiming " we don't do this full time so we can pass this cost on to you"

Chris Harding · October 8th, 2015, 06:40 PM

Hi Pete

I think the image below says it all.

David Barnett · October 8th, 2015, 08:45 PM

They'll burn out. Admittedly I'm a weekend warrior, and hey think what you want of me but I bust my rear 8-10 hours on weekends, then goto work M-F noon-8pm. Often days trying to wake up & squeeze in 3 good hours of editing once or twice a week to keep up, and some nights doing a few hours too. Whats worse is my job is a bit of a phone job so after all this busting my butt I go into work to get yelled at by people.

Trying to go with low rates didn't last long, 2 gigs to get me going, a few for friends of friends & craigslist, then a website & wedding wire account, each time raising rates incrementally to a degree. After that, hey I love doing these, but its hard work and alot of editing and post production that they never see. Then if you need to inform them of it, they forget about the 10 hours of labor in the heat you were running around to keep up.

Between marketing, customer service, inquiries, shooting & editing, its just too time consuming to do cheap on the side. Hey if they can, and can do it really good and wanna do it cheap then good for them. I didn't find it beneficial and the couples don't always grade on a curve. A friend of mine says "Sometimes cheapskates are the pickiest ones".

People who outsource the edit overseas bug me more professionally, and to the disservice they do the couple imho.

Steve Burkett · October 9th, 2015, 12:13 AM

I started out as a weekend warrior; I suppose as many do. It takes time to establish a thriving Wedding Video Business unless you have a lot of capital already. I agree that the those who pay less give you the most grief. I have several packages and its always those couples who book my cheapest package that give me the most trouble. They are also 3 times more likely to want to meet me before the day to run through their Wedding and always expect their video within weeks of their Wedding.

Such companies will always be around but rarely for long. If I wasn't building to go fulltime, I'd have stopped after a couple of years when the novelty wore off. Besides there is a limit to how many Weddings you can do if you have a fulltime job as well. Especially if you want a life as well. I spent two years living the life of a recluse to get 30 Weddings a year working fulltime; working 9 hours during the day on my other job, 6 hours at night editing, filming Saturdays, editing Sunday. Almost crashed and burned on many occasions.

I think its easier for Photographers to be weekend warriors; there's sometimes more money in Photography and the editing is considerably less, especially if like some you just offer the jpegs straight from the camera. Couples rarely want raw video footage.

Kyle Root · October 9th, 2015, 11:54 AM

Yeah that happens and I got one of those last week... and I'm a weekend warrior! lol

I'm at, or above, what the full time people charge who are doing this in my area.

Starting at $1,500 for 3 hours coverage (with no frills, those are extra).

October 8th, 2015, 02:54 PM	#1
Peter Rush Inner Circle Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: UK/Yorkshire Posts: 2,069	Quite galling.... ... to be undercut massively buy an outfit claiming " we don't do this full time so we can pass this cost on to you"

October 8th, 2015, 06:40 PM	#2
Chris Harding Inner Circle Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Perth, Western Australia Posts: 8,441	Re: Quite galling.... Hi Pete I think the image below says it all. Attached Thumbnails

October 8th, 2015, 08:45 PM	#3
David Barnett Major Player Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Philly, PA Posts: 951	Re: Quite galling.... They'll burn out. Admittedly I'm a weekend warrior, and hey think what you want of me but I bust my rear 8-10 hours on weekends, then goto work M-F noon-8pm. Often days trying to wake up & squeeze in 3 good hours of editing once or twice a week to keep up, and some nights doing a few hours too. Whats worse is my job is a bit of a phone job so after all this busting my butt I go into work to get yelled at by people. Trying to go with low rates didn't last long, 2 gigs to get me going, a few for friends of friends & craigslist, then a website & wedding wire account, each time raising rates incrementally to a degree. After that, hey I love doing these, but its hard work and alot of editing and post production that they never see. Then if you need to inform them of it, they forget about the 10 hours of labor in the heat you were running around to keep up. Between marketing, customer service, inquiries, shooting & editing, its just too time consuming to do cheap on the side. Hey if they can, and can do it really good and wanna do it cheap then good for them. I didn't find it beneficial and the couples don't always grade on a curve. A friend of mine says "Sometimes cheapskates are the pickiest ones". People who outsource the edit overseas bug me more professionally, and to the disservice they do the couple imho. Last edited by David Barnett; October 8th, 2015 at 09:37 PM.

October 9th, 2015, 12:13 AM	#4
Steve Burkett Trustee Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Romsey, UK Posts: 1,261	Re: Quite galling.... I started out as a weekend warrior; I suppose as many do. It takes time to establish a thriving Wedding Video Business unless you have a lot of capital already. I agree that the those who pay less give you the most grief. I have several packages and its always those couples who book my cheapest package that give me the most trouble. They are also 3 times more likely to want to meet me before the day to run through their Wedding and always expect their video within weeks of their Wedding. Such companies will always be around but rarely for long. If I wasn't building to go fulltime, I'd have stopped after a couple of years when the novelty wore off. Besides there is a limit to how many Weddings you can do if you have a fulltime job as well. Especially if you want a life as well. I spent two years living the life of a recluse to get 30 Weddings a year working fulltime; working 9 hours during the day on my other job, 6 hours at night editing, filming Saturdays, editing Sunday. Almost crashed and burned on many occasions. I think its easier for Photographers to be weekend warriors; there's sometimes more money in Photography and the editing is considerably less, especially if like some you just offer the jpegs straight from the camera. Couples rarely want raw video footage.

October 9th, 2015, 11:54 AM	#5
Kyle Root Major Player Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Decatur, AL Posts: 881	Re: Quite galling.... Yeah that happens and I got one of those last week... and I'm a weekend warrior! lol I'm at, or above, what the full time people charge who are doing this in my area. Starting at $1,500 for 3 hours coverage (with no frills, those are extra). __________________ Kyle KR Productions; www.kyleroot.com