Big editing job... what should I get? What should I charge?

[thworple]

I would expect at least £150 ($280) per day for a job like this. It sounds like you are doing the complete edit to final delivery, which itself represents both an offline and an online edit.

Coupled with the fact that you are doing the logging and capturing as well, this is a massive job, and therefore means you should be getting paid a reasonable rate.

I for one would not except any less than the amount suggested here. Especially for the scope of the project. You have to take into consideration that you are using you own equipment to edit this. If they were to hire an editor, and an edit suite seperately, it would cost them much more than this. The rule of thumb is, if you use your own equipment, you should charge more, because they're paying for both your service and your machine-use.

 

[Kingsly]

Perhaps I could work out a deal, where they get me a Totally Great™ MacPro w/ a 30" CD (instead of machine-use charge! ) plus a little something for my time. If that happened (and its not very likely) I would sell my MBP and get a loaded MB.

Looked at it: the MP w/ 30"CD, 2TB HDD, 2 superdrives, etc. is around $6500...

 

[Kingsly]

Okay heres the deal. I talked to the guy, and am expecting around 85 work hours minimum (18 days including school time). 60 tapes, plus editing (they have the timecodes for the clips they like)

I negotiated two LaCie Big disks (1TB each) and a JVC BR-DV3000U VTR.
I am going to quote them a rate of $40/hr. Is that reasonable for both me and them?

 

[Keebler]

Okay heres the deal. I talked to the guy, and am expecting around 85 work hours minimum (18 days including school time). 60 tapes, plus editing (they have the timecodes for the clips they like)

I negotiated two LaCie Big disks (1TB each) and a JVC BR-DV3000U VTR.
I am going to quote them a rate of $40/hr. Is that reasonable for both me and them?

i think that is reasonable given the included equipment.
quick question - are the tapes they are giving you, already stamped with timecode? if so, you may be able to reduce the time needed by obviously fastforwarding/rewinding to the required spots. i assume you're going to raid the 1 TB HDs? might be a good idea.

good for you!

 

[3dit3r]

Okay heres the deal. I talked to the guy, and am expecting around 85 work hours minimum (18 days including school time). 60 tapes, plus editing (they have the timecodes for the clips they like)

I negotiated two LaCie Big disks (1TB each) and a JVC BR-DV3000U VTR.
I am going to quote them a rate of $40/hr. Is that reasonable for both me and them?

To be honest, I think that if I were the one hiring, I would think your rate is overinflated. There are junior editors with more experience and knowledge that make 350/day which is just a bit more than your rate. Plus, you are also getting for free the equipment you listed, correct?

Either way, even if they are supplying some of the equipment, I don't think I would pay a high school student (I'm assuming, no offense if I'm wrong) what you are asking. Equipment plus 15/hr. would be my starting point; higher hourly rate if they could prove with previous work that they know how to edit...

But, if you can get a professional pay rate, then go for it. Just be aware that their expectations may be in line with that as well.

 

[Kingsly]

To be honest, I think that if I were the one hiring, I would think your rate is overinflated. There are junior editors with more experience and knowledge that make 350/day which is just a bit more than your rate. Plus, you are also getting for free the equipment you listed, correct?

Either way, even if they are supplying some of the equipment, I don't think I would pay a high school student (I'm assuming, no offense if I'm wrong) what you are asking. Equipment plus 15/hr. would be my starting point; higher hourly rate if they could prove with previous work that they know how to edit...

But, if you can get a professional pay rate, then go for it. Just be aware that their expectations may be in line with that as well.

I have charged $40 before for editing jobs, and the people that have hired me keep coming back because I always give them quality product in half the time I originally quoted.
I will challenge a junior editor to an "iron edit" competition any day!
No, Im not a high school student. No offense taken.
I was planning to quote (because of the equipment) $40 OBO (though I would take care to word it more eloquently than that! )
I am expecting to negotiate closer to the $20-30 mark.

Yes Keebler, I plan to RAID the 1TB HDD's in a mirrored scheme.
Does anybody know about the VTR I linked? Any good?

 

[MacFan25863]

Yes Keebler, I plan to RAID the 1TB HDD's in a mirrored scheme.
Does anybody know about the VTR I linked? Any good?

Any non-Sony VTR is gold in my book

 

[Kingsly]

Any non-Sony VTR is gold in my book

How come?

 

[MacFan25863]

How come?

Sony VTRs tend to be VERY picky when it comes to tapes. The one we had in our studio refused to even read anything other than a Sony tape. SCVTV has the same problem.

 

[3dit3r]

No, Im not a high school student. No offense taken.
I was planning to quote (because of the equipment) $40 OBO (though I would take care to word it more eloquently than that! )
I am expecting to negotiate closer to the $20-30 mark.

OK, sorry for the assumption. It's just that you sounded a bit lacking in the experience area in some of your earlier posts.

As for the deck, it will do fine. However, I prefer the Sony DSR-11. Used it on many projects although it's a bit more expensive.

 

[Kingsly]

OK, sorry for the assumption. It's just that you sounded a bit lacking in the experience area in some of your earlier posts.

No problem. I probably sound lacking because I hate being asked how much I charge. Its difficult not to over or undersell one's self.

Sony VTRs tend to be VERY picky when it comes to tapes. The one we had in our studio refused to even read anything other than a Sony tape. SCVTV has the same problem.

I know what you mean. My XL-1 does the same thing, in fact some times it refuses to read its own tapes! (I need to send it in for a tune-up )

 

[3dit3r]

Sony VTRs tend to be VERY picky when it comes to tapes. The one we had in our studio refused to even read anything other than a Sony tape. SCVTV has the same problem.

What decks are we talking about here? If we're talking DV/DVCAM decks, then Sony decks play fine with other tapes. What they don't like (DSR-11) is DV in LP mode. But no pros would be shooting in that anyways...

 

[3dit3r]

No problem. I probably sound lacking because I hate being asked how much I charge. Its difficult not to over or undersell one's self.

That's where experience comes in.
Knowing what the average rate is for different types of projects and clients in one's area and how that translates to experience. I have found that it's beginning editors, myself included at one time, who have the most problem coming up with a rate precisely because they have nothing to base it on or a reference point. Good luck!

 

[MacFan25863]

What decks are we talking about here? If we're talking DV/DVCAM decks, then Sony decks play fine with other tapes. What they don't like (DSR-11) is DV in LP mode. But no pros would be shooting in that anyways...

We would shoot our news stories in LP, since they were just going out to the school anyway, and the quality was neglible. The Sony deck didn't like that.

We also had a lot of problems importing SP on Panasonic tapes (which we use since we get a great discount on them). We would always get artifacts and glitches. Ever since we got a Panasonic deck, the issues have all disappeared.

 

[Kingsly]

w00t! Looks like I got the job.
$40/hr, plus equipment.

This and this.

Plus, they want me to come up with a estimate for some location shooting.

Needless to say, I'm happy. Things seem to be moving very fast for me right now.

*does victory dance, worm*

 

[MovieCutter]

This is more like a $500-1000 job.

If people want to argue, id like them to, because we know its 40hrs of video to cut into something, whether an minute or an hour.

hours and hours of video, should cost something alone. Like say you charge $5/hr of video, just to rip.

Then you charge an hourly rate $20/hr+ for the actual editing.

keep logs and present this kind of info to the client, BEFORE working. And ask for 50% beginning and 50% at the end.

Video editing is straining work when you consider the bulk this client wants worked with.

If you break it down to real world hours and an hourly rate, do you really think video editing is worth $8/hr or $30/hr?

Wow, my rate is $90/hr for editing, $25/hr for logging, $20/hr for capturing...those rates sound like a great deal...for the customer. For reference, the company I work for would estimate this at about $8-12k depending on the final length of the project. 12 hours is a lot of logging time, and widdling that down will take a lot of time as well. Just some reference.

w00t! Looks like I got the job.
$40/hr, plus equipment.

This and this.

Plus, they want me to come up with a estimate for some location shooting.

Needless to say, I'm happy. Things seem to be moving very fast for me right now.

*does victory dance, worm*

You do get to keep the gear after completion correct? Sounds like a good rate since I don't know your background. As far as location shooting, shoot for around $400 for a half day (4 hours), about $600 for a full day of shooting if you are providing the gear. $250/400 if they are providing the gear.

 

[Kingsly]

You do get to keep the gear after completion correct? Sounds like a good rate since I don't know your background. As far as location shooting, shoot for around $400 for a half day (4 hours), about $600 for a full day of shooting if you are providing the gear. $250/400 if they are providing the gear.

Yes, I get to keep the equipment. Thanks for giving me a reference for location shooting.
As for Hard drives, can anyone suggest a good 1TB (total 2TB) RAID 1 system for under $1200?

I want an xserve RAID... but cant afford it...