First Gig!

Mountain Flyer · Nov 1, 2016

Greetings all -

Wow...so after having my H for only a week, I happened to get into a conversation with someone who provides tanks and armored HUMVEE's for Hollywood movie and tv productions. I took him up for an FPV flight with the Skyview headset, and he absolutely was enthralled! He wants me to make a video of all his toys for his website, but this being my very first gig, I'm not sure how much to charge. Or, should I offer to do it for free, and use it as my demo reel?

Also, any suggestions on online videography courses for H videography? I'm trying to get real good, real fast!

Talk about being at the right place at the right time!

dinglehead · Nov 1, 2016

Just do it for free. Charge people when you can guarantee a professional result.

Mountain Flyer · Nov 1, 2016

Sounds like a good plan to me!

PatR · Nov 1, 2016

If you're 107 licensed, establish a fee, if not it's a freebie. If you worked hard enough to get licensed you should not give your time and effort away, unless the product is horrible. But a professional would not permit bad work to get out the door, he would work at it until it was right.

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Mountain Flyer · Nov 1, 2016

Roger that.

Typhoon Charlie · Nov 1, 2016

PatR said:
If you're 107 licensed, establish a fee, if not it's a freebie. If you worked hard enough to get licensed you should not give your time and effort away, unless the product is horrible. But a professional would not permit bad work to get out the door, he would work at it until it was right.

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Agree!

Markinter · Nov 2, 2016

Typhoon Charlie said:
Agree!

Do a good job and charge him the fee for part 107

David Wilson · Nov 2, 2016

I've found most people's very first video attempt is not very good at all. I would be careful about charging. If you don't need the money I would do it for the experience and possible future gigs. Congrats either way. Make sure you share the video when you are done.

Omar Dairky · Nov 5, 2016

Make thingsz direct, clear, and transparent...how many pics how long videos...any editing time etc? Otherwise youll be out there for hours taking hundreds of pics...

So as an example 25 pics $75
25 pics w\ editing $125

NOTHING IS FREE! If he bitches ask him does he charge to lease out the humvees etc? If he continues walk away.

Mountain Flyer · Nov 6, 2016

Omar Dairky said:
Make thingsz direct, clear, and transparent...how many pics how long videos...any editing time etc? Otherwise youll be out there for hours taking hundreds of pics...

So as an example 25 pics $75
25 pics w\ editing $125

NOTHING IS FREE! If he bitches ask him does he charge to lease out the humvees etc? If he continues walk away.

Thanks for that. What about how much to charge for the video, say, 15 minutes, unedited?

PatR · Nov 6, 2016

Omar Dairky said:
Make thingsz direct, clear, and transparent...how many pics how long videos...any editing time etc? Otherwise youll be out there for hours taking hundreds of pics...

So as an example 25 pics $75
25 pics w\ editing $125

NOTHING IS FREE! If he bitches ask him does he charge to lease out the humvees etc? If he continues walk away.

You work cheap. I won't even make the trip out for $75.00. Loading up the equipment, assuring all is properly prepared before departing for the location, time and expense to arrive at the location, site assessment, insurance, spotter pay if needed, site security, all of that is an expense before the propellers start to turn. Then you have equipment reserves to set aside for when things break and need repair, which cost money and down time. Don't forget self employment taxes unless you really think you can put one over on the government. You won't and will find that out three years down the line. Don't work for "wages" unless the customer is providing all the equipment and ancillary support. You're a contractor now, not cheap labor. Too many sell themselves cheap. You can always lower your price but almost never raise it. If you want to do it cheap call it $200 for the first hour with $200/hour after that. Post processing time for an additional fee based upon duration of the video or number of stills edited.

JohnWighton · Nov 6, 2016

Our standard tariff for Pro work in the UK works out at approximately $200/hr for a single machine, pilot plus one spotter. The output (deliverable) is included in this cost - unless it forms part of a bigger contract (example, 3D rendition of property, Agronomy, etc).

I have ran service companies for 28 years, focussed on engineering R&D, the drone related business is different but already l see the charge rates going the same way - down. The value of the service does not dimminish, client's expectations remain high, so charge competitively but do not undervalue your work.

Omar Dairky · Nov 6, 2016

Jesus! lol I was simply giving an example of how to setup a pricing list those were not actual numbers....

Omar Dairky · Nov 6, 2016

keep in mind if you do charge 100 200 300 etc be sure to be able to meet demands if i were to pay someone that id be very specific

Brian Mackey · Nov 6, 2016

Mountain Flyer said:
Thanks for that. What about how much to charge for the video, say, 15 minutes, unedited?

did you get your 107 yet?

PatR · Nov 6, 2016

Omar Dairky said:
Jesus! lol I was simply giving an example of how to setup a pricing list those were not actual numbers....

I understand Omar, but I'm afraid others might not and presume the fees you described to be an "industry standard". It does not take long for a few to so severely undercut the market that rates drop to the floor and making $20.00 turns into a half day affair. Many also don't understand business at all, or the difference between wages and profit. Even fewer have any concept of budgeting maintenance reserves for equipment wear and tear or growth capital. Then there's the group that has no concept of "overhead" expenses. If the job requires site safety security or a spotter you have to take their compensation out of what you collect for the job. All that and more has to be factored into a fee structure, be it an hourly or daily rate.

I have to include my wife in that group. She uses a mini van I bought her to run a pet sitting business. Since the day she got it she never set one penny aside for repairs or replacement and now it's "miled out" and she does not have the money to buy another one when she should have had ample cash reserves established through her fee structure to buy another one outright. Her fee structure is much too low but she thinks that providing a low price is a good way to obtain and keep customers. It is but for all the wrong reasons, in effect she's letting her customers dictate what her earning capacity will be limited at. I suggested, just once, she sit down and break down the number of hours worked and divide her annual revenue by that number. She didn't like the result, and I didn't like the heat I received for having her do that....

Having the lowest price is the best way I know to go bankrupt so know your value and your costs and never, ever drop your shorts. If you are good at what you do you became good through educating yourself and putting a lot of time and effort into understanding your craft. That's worth something. When people make the decision to become a licensed professional everything changes. It's not fun and games anymore, it's business. Don't join the race to the bottom.