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Original Post from John David Clay
what are good rates to charge for low budget productions being hired as a operator / DOP?

Just wondering what good rates would be as I'm yet to get any pay working for free or expenses. Work is picking up editorially but that takes more time than normal and wondered if…

3 responses, most recent 11 years, 9 months ago.

Thanks for the opinions, - just want a guide since the rates vary so much. last networking event on Friday. grateful for the insight and I'll see how things go.

John

Original Post from Charlie Bury
Most recent response from Paddy Robinson-Griffin
Insurance! Which company in UK has cheapest quotes for film insurance?

Insurance needed for a short film going into production next year, shoot is only a couple of days and insurance would only need to cover public liability and equipment. Not lookin…

7 responses, most recent 11 years, 9 months ago.

^^^ Tom, any particular reason you say that?

Original Post from afia nkrumah
Most recent response from Bruce M. Foster
Why do filmmakers turn female artists into suedette Pop tarts?

Hi Fellow shooters,

I’m sorry to rant and rave, am I the only filmmaker, fed up with seeing our female pop stars presented as suedette pop tarts? Who are the filmmakers coming up…

19 responses, most recent 11 years, 10 months ago.

So you thought you made it up. Fancy that.Yeah, it has roots.

Original Post from Dan Selakovich
Skip this topic at your peril! Completion bonds.

I've been asked to supervise the completion of a feature. For those of you that have read my posts over the years, this basically what I do for a living, but this one is a bit dif…

14 responses, most recent 11 years, 10 months ago.

Oops. "They're naive" not their.

Original Post from Marian Evans
Ethics when writing or speaking about a real woman, dead or living

From Ella Yelich-O'Connor (Lorde) to Eleanor Catton who just won the Booker Prize, to US poet Muriel Rukeyser (1913-1980), in a stage play and radio play that I'm writing. What is…

11 years, 11 months ago
Original Post from Shahid 'Shez' Hussain
agreement question.

Hello guys

I am shooting a webseries pilot in November. I have sent my actor a contract, I downloaded the agreement from this very site.

The actor has asked clarification on the…

4 responses, most recent 11 years, 11 months ago.

:)
Great answer.

Thanks Yen.

Original Post from Mark Jacobs
Milk it in Chelsea Pilot.

Milk It in Chelsea
The Dairy Council's Milk It For All It's Worth campaign is continuing to engage with its teenage audience in new and creative way. Rehearsals are currently und…

11 years, 11 months ago
Original Post from Margaret Dickinson
Most recent response from John Lubran
Headlining of posts for unpaid work

Previously, posts offering real work and unpaid work were headlined differently as 'jobs' and 'collaboration'. In the current bulletin a request for a freebie is headlined 'produc…

5 responses, most recent 11 years, 11 months ago.

I have to agree with Daniel. This issue is not and should not be a moral crusade. May we spared from 'well meaning' totalitarianism and from those in whose mouths butter will not …

Original Post from Dan Selakovich
Most recent response from christopher Stylianou
Film of the month: BAN IT!

My old man curmudgeon persona has added a new wrinkle this month. I fully expect to be beaten down with cricket bats and meat pies for this. On the other hand, I've never had a fi…

28 responses, most recent 12 years ago.

You're right, Dan. I took some Valium and I'm over it now.

Original Post from Betty Martins
Most recent response from Paddy Robinson-Griffin
Please help me find a template of a contract between director and producer

Hi there! I hope you can help me with this.

I need a contract between a producer and a documentary filmmaker. A fair example contract that doesn't try to take all the rights, sin…

18 responses, most recent 12 years ago.

Franz - optioning agreement? Then find someone to buy the screenplay and let their lawyers deal with the chain of title?

Original Post from Daniel Cormack
Most recent response from Colin Hives
The British Board of Film Censorship

Okay, it's actually the British Board of Film Classification, although it's name used to be the British Board of Film Censors. The name has changed but it's role is still essenti…

7 responses, most recent 12 years ago.

They did not mention what certificate would have come back (Nothing more than a 15 I would think). As for the opinion on the cut - I don't really think they were trying to "devalu…

Original Post from ZAK SHUKOR
Most recent response from Paddy Robinson-Griffin
Copyright service.

Does and can anyone recommend a good copyright registration service, serving UK and global?

So many online services, would be good to know if anyone has used any of those servic…

1 response, most recent 12 years ago.

For a script? Use WGA

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WGA_script_registration_service

Copyright itself is automatic, it's proving who thought of something first that services like…

SP User
I'm offering my composer services FREE for a month - do I need a special contract?

I've heard of people offering credits, copies of DVD's and the possibility of future work, but do I need a special contract that secures all this? Is there a template for effecti…

1 response, most recent 12 years ago.

Creative Commons might suit.

Original Post from Shahid 'Shez' Hussain
Most recent response from Bill Hayes
Location Q

Hello Guys


I contacted various location websites and their daily rates are more than what I make in a month!

So I am thinking of renting three apartments, use it as filming loc…

7 responses, most recent 12 years ago.

Great outcome - well done! But for future refernce, if there was a problem - damage etc and you tried to claim on insurnace, then the first thing they would ask to see is your lo…

Original Post from Shahid 'Shez' Hussain
Most recent response from Paddy Robinson-Griffin
location, do i need a release form?

hello everyone.

I am going to rent an apartment for filming-one of those rent per night ones.

Quick Q
Do I need the owner/agent to sign a release form for the property even thou…

1 response, most recent 12 years, 1 month ago.

Probably not from the side of image rights, but good idea in terms of who insures what, who is responsible for what, who pays leccy, cleaners, etc

Original Post from Dan Selakovich
I'm tired

Multiple skills required. Just saw this today in the "employment" section:

Editor
this role will require some one who has edited film dramas before and will also need you to be …

19 responses, most recent 12 years, 1 month ago.

Everything you mention for a composer is in the same wheelhouse. At least it makes sense. In fact, a composer that also does sound design can be a great benefit to the film as a w…

Original Post from Daniel Cormack
Most recent response from John Lubran
Fees for Employment Tribunals begin today

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-23482520

Some members may remember that an actress was threatening that she and some implausibly large (and probably fictitious) number of othe…

11 responses, most recent 12 years, 1 month ago.

This issue comes around regularly here. Let’s just get one thing quite clear though; Employment tribunals are not Courts of Law, they, together with most County Courts, some highe…

Original Post from Margaret Dickinson
Most recent response from Marlom Tander
Grierson awards

It seems from its website that the Grierson awards are part funded by Shell, which is accused of pollution and collusion with crime in Nigeria. Is this still the case? I ask b…

5 responses, most recent 12 years, 1 month ago.

Our industry uses kit which, weight for weight is some of the most environmentally damaging in terms of eco impact during production. Maybe we shouldn't make films...

If you want…

Original Post from Ashley Briggs
If Anyone Could Help... Legal: Broadcast Contract for an Indie Short, 2 or 3 Terms I Don't Understa…

Hello,

If anyone is legal-minded and contract savvy and has 10-15 minutes free to help out a independent filmmaker I'd be very appreciative. As it's confidential I can't post the…

3 responses, most recent 12 years, 1 month ago.

Marlom, Paddy; Thanks both for your replies. Paddy - I'll be in touch when I have a spare moment. Many thanks for offering. Ash

Original Post from Steve Rainbow
Most recent response from Peter Ward
Can I use in a film still images taken from the internet (that I haven't got permission for) but ha…

I’m making a documentary and want to put still images of famous people in it at the points they are mentioned. For instance I might be talking about Daniel Day Lewis and then show…

6 responses, most recent 12 years, 2 months ago.

There really needs to be a dedicated SP FAQ for intellectual property questions! Anyway,what you need to find out is what rights the copyright holder/s claim. If they haven't exp…

Original Post from Shahid 'Shez' Hussain
Most recent response from Dan Selakovich
Accidental product placement?

Hello

I have a problem. I recently filmed a short.

I stupidly made a terrible mistake and shot an actor in a t-shirt with a popular brand logo printed on his sleeve. Now the log…

7 responses, most recent 12 years, 2 months ago.

Shahid, I really wouldn't bother. If the corporation is not ok with it, they won't sue you right away. They'll send you a letter telling you to take it out. Odds are, they won't c…

Original Post from Helen Jack
Most recent response from Paddy Robinson-Griffin
Missing Facts: Should Documentaries be Allowed to Have Style over Substance?

I've just read an interesting article by Tom Roston over on the PBS blog - http://www.pbs.org/pov/blog/docsoup/2013/07/beware-the-new-doc-vague/#.Ud2r0j5ERP0. In this piece, Rosto…

2 responses, most recent 12 years, 2 months ago.

Our industry is built on lies, TV is pathologically unable to tell the truth in fact. Sweeping, but think about it...

'Guy gets out of bed and leaves the house' if told 'honestl…

Original Post from Andy Sweet
Whats the best way to get your short film feedback and comments

Hello Guys

Wanted to ask if anyone knows the best way to get votes and comments on SP competition, I've made a short comedy film link below.

"The last hit"
https://shootingpeopl…

12 years, 2 months ago
Original Post from Radar Music Videos
Where do you want your music videos to feature? Which trade press that is?

Not consumer press like ClashMusic etc - but which trade/industry press?

Have trade/industry features made a difference for you, eg being featured in Creative Review got you a lo…

2 responses, most recent 12 years, 2 months ago.

Hi - Black Book - do you mean here? http://www.blackbook.com/cid_home.php

Original Post from Jinan C
Most recent response from John Baker
Can I use a CC "non-commercial" licensed music track in a video to help crowd-source finance for a …

Hi shooters,

I'm about to create a project page on a crowd-sourcing website, to raise money for the completion (post-production) of a film I made, and I have to upload a video pr…

3 responses, most recent 12 years, 3 months ago.

Crowd funding is a commercial promo but with written permission you can do anything. Usually people who mark their stuff CC make it easy to contact them as with that license, it i…

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