Comments

Maestro wrote on 6/6/2005, 8:45 PM
Many questions:

How good is your camera?

Have you filmed these before so you've got experience with drastic theatre lighting, audio issues, and tracking dancers?

Who did the video last year, and why are they switching? If you have the task of overcoming a bad videographer the year before, parents won't be too keen on spending money on someone whose work they don't know.

What did they charge last year?

How rich of an area is it?

What are you planning on offering on the DVD? Full color case, full color disc, main menu, scene selections, motion menus...it all adds up.

If possible, get a copy of what they got last year and check yourself against it. If you can do better and keep the price about the same, you're in good shape. If you can do WAY better, then a price increase is justified.

Personally, to get away from VHS I offer both at the same price. For more than half of my clients this year, we don't even offer VHS.

Hope this helps,

-Brent
FrigidNDEditing wrote on 6/6/2005, 10:33 PM
Single Cam? I wouldn't suppose more than $20 a disc.

I've done some multi cam stuff - and did $25 a disc. We are in the upper midwest in an area where the median income is pretty close to the national average.

Don't know if that will help any, but if it does, you're welcome, if not - oh well, you're no worse off :)

Dave
Jay Gladwell wrote on 6/7/2005, 4:16 AM

Charge for the job, not the discs.

Too, I'd suggest you "pre-sell" the discs--take orders, with payment, and distribute them all the same day. This way, no one person buy a disc so the rest can make copies.


FrigidNDEditing wrote on 6/7/2005, 9:39 AM
does DVDA3 have copyright protection? - I would suppose that it should, seeing as how it's a DVD Authoring program bundled with a Professional grade software.

Dave
jetdv wrote on 6/7/2005, 9:42 AM
does DVDA3 have copyright protection?

Yes but doesn't apply to burned discs - only replicated.
rs170a wrote on 6/7/2005, 9:51 AM
does DVDA3 have copyright protection?

Even if it did, it's way too easy to defeat :-(
As Jay said, pre-selling them is your best bet to avoid this problem.

Mike
dand9959 wrote on 6/7/2005, 11:01 AM
Pre-selling is certainly an option, but I'm not convinced that moms and dads pirating their kids' recital DVD would be that much of an issue.
Chienworks wrote on 6/7/2005, 11:01 AM
One thing i've done at a few gigs like this is to take along a portable DVD player and a DVD of another similar show i've recorded before. I'll set this up in the lobby on the table where they're taking orders. It's amazing how many more people are interested when they can see an example of the sort of thing they'll be spending money on. It also helps draw a crowd to that table.
Rukki wrote on 6/7/2005, 1:18 PM
I've done quite a few of these, some things to consider:

1. Will it be in your contract that no other video cameras are allowed in the theater?

2. Selling is fine, do you need a re-sellers licence to do it. Will the theater charge you for doing so?

3. Will you be charged a taping fee, usually I pass this along to who I'm taping for.

4. Bring samples, show on a screen in the lobby DO NOT LEAVE IT UNATTENDED. Have someone there to sell.

5. Could you sell "per-class" I've had good sales just selling DVD's on a per class basis. Like the Ballet, would be on a different disc than the Jazz, ect. I charge around $25.00 per. However I also run four cameras and this cuts my edit time, and increases what I make.


- Have Fun

- Devin