Today I had a long talk with an Indie Film maker who really wanted to hire me to mix his film for $100.00 a day with equipment, Which I explained was so low there was no room to negotiate. He then tried to explain to me that I could defer $1500.00 a day so when his film “Made Millions after it went to Sundance” I would make more than I normally charge. These comments use to anger me but I have realized recently that most of these people have no F**king idea how much sound equipment costs. So I told him for his 21 day shoot he would be better off buying a sound package and getting a eager film student to do it. He then responded, “I should be able to get a 4 channel mixer 3 wireless, boom, shotgun right”. So I explained to him for $1250.00 he could get a Professional (well Prosumer) PSC Dv3 mixer, Rode NTG2 and K-tek pole. So he decided to go that way instead and hopefully we have one less uneducated film maker.
Giving Film makers a reality check
Pro Location Sound LLC 
Personnally, i had a filmmaker try a narration set-up using his mic and technic then i went in and used my mics and technic and rerecorded the same voice, i also recorded with technic but with his mic. He understtod that a lot had to do with experience and knowledge.
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Would wish to have a link exchange with you.Im an Africa tour operator based in Nairobi that specializes in film location hunting and coordination, Wildlife filming and photography, Birding filming
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In LA here, there are so many of these ‘new’ producers that are so clueless.. And you can’t tell them anything.. each one believes they are blazing a new trail that no one has yet been there. I just encourge them to just go buy or rent there own stuff. If they think that thats all there is to it, then more power to them. They will learn the hard way.
-Richard
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