We’re seeing a very big down turn in work as DP’s here in the UK across everything from broadcast TV thru corporate. I can’t see an upturn in the near future.
8:43 - you need to buy the Flowtech legs!! SO much quicker and less awkward looking when adjusting legs!! Plus SO MUCH BETTER FOR YOUR BACK!! Just gotta do it.
Hey Dave - I suffered from some lower back issues for awhile rocking a F55 rig. Because of this, I looked into solutions, such as easyrig, etc. They all just didn't work well for what I did. Just way too cumbersome and complicated for how quickly I had to operate. That's when I ran across the gasket monopod system that tiffen made, the steadicam air 25. The thing is an absolute game changer. Holds the rig properly, easy to operate, and you'll save your back man. Seriously, look into it. Sadly, Tiffen doesn't even make it anymore, so you have to go the eBay route - Good news is - The price is so low that it's worth at least giving it a try. I know that pain all too well, and it absolutely makes ruins the motivation for shoot days.
@10:44 oh man, I recognize that shock mount! It's so awful to work with 😞Get yourself a Radius RAD-2 shock mount and you'll have a much nicer experience booming with better audio.
I would like to hear about how you deal with gear storage over night and day by day on the road. I get really anxiety riddled keeping stuff in a vehicle especially with how prevalent the smash and grabs are now in big cities.
Case by case situation. I can't unload all the equipment into the hotel room, too much inventory on board. Often I unload the cameras, however there is the risk of drawing more attention and the gear being stolen from inside the hotel room. We had this happen on a show while we were at dinner, onsite at the hotel property. The thief saw us roll carts into the room then go to dinner. Anonymous cargo van with no windows in the cargo area. Secondary Wolf Elect (UK company) deadbolt system. If a thief breaks into the cab of the van they can not access the cargo area or cargo door locks. A GPS tracking alarm system minimizes risk of a full vehicle theft and hopeful recovery. If the equipment is stolen, it is insured for theft via forced entry into a unattended vehicle (check your ins exclusions). If the gear is stolen from an unlocked vehicle (no forced entry) my policy does not cover. And finally, geography... Texas, many trades people are armed, there is no license required to carry open or concealed in Texas. When the sun is down it is legal to use deadly force to protect tangible property. I'm not endorsing or advocating for or against, but this does work as a deterrent vs my previous state of California. Texas Penal Code Section 9.421 states a person can use deadly force to protect tangible, movable property from another's imminent commission of theft during the nighttime or to prevent another who is fleeing immediately after committing theft during the nighttime and is escaping with property if the person reasonably
@@CrankyCameraman I'm glad you mention Texas, my next excursion is to Houston. While there last year, every car on the block had windows smashed and things taken. Thanks for the insightful and thorough reply. I think it would be a good video topic if you wanted to dive deeper into it.
@@eletorhouston, specific areas is especially bad. You can go down the YT rabbit hole of Houston gas station robberies and car jackings. We worked and stayed in a bad area of town last week, I had cameras with me the entire time.
@@CrankyCameraman A colleague was visiting Houston with family. They stopped at a restaurant and the car was parked outside in the lot. Thieves broke into two cars. My colleague lost a Sony camera with 70-200/2.8. Luckily he had his other Sony body with 24-70 in the restaurant. The other couple had their passports stolen from their car right before applying for extended visas etc. My colleague thinks it was an inside job, though.
had a condo investment remodel in a highrise in austin a block from the capitol but property tax, random building special assessments (elevator surprise) and finally the housing crisis made it not worthwhile. Asbestos removal (poocorn ceiling) soured me on properties especially in other states. Two things you’ve got going that are disconnected from interest rates/expensive money in my opinion : your channel , adding editing to your corporate projects. Not saying the stock market doesn’t offer opportunities but it’s never been on an upward trend for as long as it has now.
Loved this. I've been considering doing some real estate video. I enjoy real estate a lot but am also wanting to eventually invest, so I thought creating content in that space may be a good segue into it.
Go for it. I've learned a lot past 11 years, made several bad decisions. Got too aggressive moving from safe new starter homes to inner city low income. Low income cashflow was fantastic until 2020.
thx for the vlog, sorry to hear about, but good to learn of your financial issues. Speaking of low bookings, do you do any cold calling to businesses/agencies or do you rely on established clients?
I thought you had 50k of kit stolen! Phew, anyway, good the Burano fix was quite cheap. I was wondering i) how much manual focus do you do on the Burano? The b-roll looks like you were focussing manually. Also, I was thinking; it must be time for a son of Cranky vlog, maybe over Christmas.
When I went "freelance" I established a S-Corporation and while I'm the President of the corp I'm also a W2 employee. For an employment perspective I've worked for the same company since 2006 vs "self employed." Each time I go through underwriting with a lender I have to submit multiple years of personal and business tax returns and bank statements, it is an annoying back and forth and takes longer to close vs a conventional owner occupied loan. As well as ledgers and bank statements for existing rental houses.
Why do you think Sony EVF, EVF arms, loupes are always so horrible? It seems counterintuitive that their engineering internally is so good but they can't make a good EVF or loupe to save their life!
Well, not strictly true the DVF-200 is a fantastic EVF, but it can only be used with the Venice or F55, they should make one for the FX9 / FX6 or Burano, why they don't is a mystery
They duel purpose screen & diopter concept sucks! I want an OEM eyepiece and a dedicated OEM monitor. What Sony offers on ENG cameras for the past 10+ years. I was very happy with the Arri version on the Amira, Mini, LF and 35.
@@CrankyCameraman FX9 has a horrible loupe and EVF concept and mounting system. The FX6 essentially doesn't have one and if you try to add the FX9 loupe, it just falls over. It's kind of a joke. My Canons have EVFs at the rear but at least they're actually usable when you need it.
The Industry is changing super fast and seeing you rock the should mount or the big fx9 etc. explains the Backpain! You can do the same with iPhone/DSLR if you adapt to the new styles or at least switch to smaller cameras (my buddy made 3 million with a6400 lol building a reels agency). The Industry just moved into Knowledge over gear... which is good if you can adapt and learn new media but it's ultra-competitive since everyone wants and can do it.. and it gives better results than old-school media.. 80% if content is being consumed on the phone what makes it harder for old school people..
"You can do the same with an iphone/DSLR"? and "Everyone can do it"? - It's true there's lots of ways to do things, and lots of slices to this whole pie, but as far as this kind of work goes, I always tell people: you can deliver packages using roller skates, but there's a good reason why DHL is using vans.
@@ToxicMetropolis well your exsample is good.. why deliver pizza in a Ferrari… when a beater car gets same job done and is cheaper to maintain… and more people doing delivery nowadays… so people get pushed to go even lower to scooters etc. old media is still rocking heavy big equipment… missing more and more opportunities since they don’t adapt fast enough… so it just is.. like I said the industry is fast changing… you compete with people with iPhones who shoot testimonials vertically and get more views than 10k project… on top of that 95% of people can’t see the difference between iPhone and professional camera… so all I’m saying is evolve fast and adapt early and don’t hold to back the learning..
@@Fitzaey Not holding back anything, glad people can make all kinds of content and cameras are easier to operate and cheaper than ever - that's all good. The market has expanded, and that's great, but that should not devalue what people with a lot of skills and experience do. Are you going to tell a chef at a good restaurant to close shop, simply because Uber Eats now covers your suburb?
Back pain is from a recent injury boxing and the root cause is a genetic autoimmune disease. But moving around heavy gear does not help... For B-Roll I shoot significantly more FX3 / gimbal than bigger cameras on the shoulder. However, the Burano with 28-135mm is not heavy . For the golf package I had an FX3 with me, but outside in 85-90F weather, shifting from direct sun to cloud cover and back, shooting documentary in real time, the FX3 would have been too difficult to see vs a shoulder cam with EVF and no internal ND. I could build up a FX3 Rig, but at that point I'm modifying the wrong tool when I have the right one available.
Fitz ,I think you're wrong here , all the young folk shooting with smaller, lighter weight cameras , but held out in front of them ,will all have back problems by the time they are 35. A larger camera on the shoulder is far less damaging than holding a weight out in front of the body, its used as a torture in some countries ! Using my fx3 on a gimbal is far worse on my back than hours with well balanced fx9 on the shoulder .
We’re seeing a very big down turn in work as DP’s here in the UK across everything from broadcast TV thru corporate. I can’t see an upturn in the near future.
Every 3-5 years I think my specialty is obsolete, then the next wave hits. Each round has been different. The slow patches (right now) is difficult.
Wouldn't it be awesome if your son took over the main camera op etc and you stayed on as DoP. Save your back.
Good call. .. Yes, we are moving in this directon.
8:43 - you need to buy the Flowtech legs!! SO much quicker and less awkward looking when adjusting legs!! Plus SO MUCH BETTER FOR YOUR BACK!! Just gotta do it.
Do they work with a ground spreader? Have to run a GS at the golf course.
Hey Dave - I suffered from some lower back issues for awhile rocking a F55 rig. Because of this, I looked into solutions, such as easyrig, etc. They all just didn't work well for what I did. Just way too cumbersome and complicated for how quickly I had to operate.
That's when I ran across the gasket monopod system that tiffen made, the steadicam air 25. The thing is an absolute game changer. Holds the rig properly, easy to operate, and you'll save your back man. Seriously, look into it. Sadly, Tiffen doesn't even make it anymore, so you have to go the eBay route - Good news is - The price is so low that it's worth at least giving it a try. I know that pain all too well, and it absolutely makes ruins the motivation for shoot days.
@10:44 oh man, I recognize that shock mount! It's so awful to work with 😞Get yourself a Radius RAD-2 shock mount and you'll have a much nicer experience booming with better audio.
Haha yes, Amazon junk. I use to have a nice mount, ended up giving it to an aspiring sound mixer.
I would like to hear about how you deal with gear storage over night and day by day on the road. I get really anxiety riddled keeping stuff in a vehicle especially with how prevalent the smash and grabs are now in big cities.
Case by case situation. I can't unload all the equipment into the hotel room, too much inventory on board. Often I unload the cameras, however there is the risk of drawing more attention and the gear being stolen from inside the hotel room. We had this happen on a show while we were at dinner, onsite at the hotel property. The thief saw us roll carts into the room then go to dinner.
Anonymous cargo van with no windows in the cargo area. Secondary Wolf Elect (UK company) deadbolt system. If a thief breaks into the cab of the van they can not access the cargo area or cargo door locks.
A GPS tracking alarm system minimizes risk of a full vehicle theft and hopeful recovery. If the equipment is stolen, it is insured for theft via forced entry into a unattended vehicle (check your ins exclusions). If the gear is stolen from an unlocked vehicle (no forced entry) my policy does not cover.
And finally, geography... Texas, many trades people are armed, there is no license required to carry open or concealed in Texas. When the sun is down it is legal to use deadly force to protect tangible property. I'm not endorsing or advocating for or against, but this does work as a deterrent vs my previous state of California.
Texas Penal Code Section 9.421 states a person can use deadly force to protect tangible, movable property from another's imminent commission of theft during the nighttime or to prevent another who is fleeing immediately after committing theft during the nighttime and is escaping with property if the person reasonably
@@CrankyCameraman I'm glad you mention Texas, my next excursion is to Houston. While there last year, every car on the block had windows smashed and things taken.
Thanks for the insightful and thorough reply. I think it would be a good video topic if you wanted to dive deeper into it.
@@CrankyCameraman God i love texas.
@@eletorhouston, specific areas is especially bad. You can go down the YT rabbit hole of Houston gas station robberies and car jackings. We worked and stayed in a bad area of town last week, I had cameras with me the entire time.
@@CrankyCameraman A colleague was visiting Houston with family. They stopped at a restaurant and the car was parked outside in the lot. Thieves broke into two cars. My colleague lost a Sony camera with 70-200/2.8. Luckily he had his other Sony body with 24-70 in the restaurant. The other couple had their passports stolen from their car right before applying for extended visas etc. My colleague thinks it was an inside job, though.
had a condo investment remodel in a highrise in austin a block from the capitol but property tax, random building special assessments (elevator surprise) and finally the housing crisis made it not worthwhile. Asbestos removal (poocorn ceiling) soured me on properties especially in other states.
Two things you’ve got going that are disconnected from interest rates/expensive money in my opinion : your channel , adding editing to your corporate projects.
Not saying the stock market doesn’t offer opportunities but it’s never been on an upward trend for as long as it has now.
Thanks for the videos good to hear what other people are dealing with on the business side. Booking defiantly have have been slow as of late.
Thanks. I need the phone to start ringing!
What do you use to dispaly two camera outputs on the one monitor? Cyou use any regular monitor?
Flanders BM210 supports 2x internally. Also have a Black Magic quad SDI box on the back of the monitor.
Wow real estate so interesting
Once again good stuff and maybe soon we can have a lunch. Take care brother
Yes. I need to get down to the RGV.
The book "Healing Back Pain" by Dr. John Sarno was a life-changer for me. I recommend it to anyone dealing with back pain.
Loved this. I've been considering doing some real estate video. I enjoy real estate a lot but am also wanting to eventually invest, so I thought creating content in that space may be a good segue into it.
Go for it. I've learned a lot past 11 years, made several bad decisions. Got too aggressive moving from safe new starter homes to inner city low income. Low income cashflow was fantastic until 2020.
thx for the vlog, sorry to hear about, but good to learn of your financial issues. Speaking of low bookings, do you do any cold calling to businesses/agencies or do you rely on established clients?
All established and referrals. I don't do any selling.
I thought you had 50k of kit stolen! Phew, anyway, good the Burano fix was quite cheap. I was wondering i) how much manual focus do you do on the Burano? The b-roll looks like you were focussing manually. Also, I was thinking; it must be time for a son of Cranky vlog, maybe over Christmas.
Over on PetaPixel, there is a story just about this scenario, robbed of 30k kit at gunpoint.
That would have been less painful as there would have been some recovery from insurance.
I saw you shooting some Drone shots in this video. What kind of drone do you have and what type of Drone license does one need?
FAA Part 107. DJI Air 2s. But I want to upgrade to something with telephoto lens options.
@@CrankyCameraman Thanks for the info. Appreciate it.
That new DJI Air 3s looks like it has a telephoto lens on it.
most back pain is stressed or psychological induced
Quick question: How did you qualify for the rental house purchase? The requirements for the self employed are ridiculous.
When I went "freelance" I established a S-Corporation and while I'm the President of the corp I'm also a W2 employee. For an employment perspective I've worked for the same company since 2006 vs "self employed." Each time I go through underwriting with a lender I have to submit multiple years of personal and business tax returns and bank statements, it is an annoying back and forth and takes longer to close vs a conventional owner occupied loan. As well as ledgers and bank statements for existing rental houses.
2:53 Man you are an inspiring kind of dude!
Great 👍🏿 role model!
Thanks.
Why do you think Sony EVF, EVF arms, loupes are always so horrible? It seems counterintuitive that their engineering internally is so good but they can't make a good EVF or loupe to save their life!
Well, not strictly true the DVF-200 is a fantastic EVF, but it can only be used with the Venice or F55, they should make one for the FX9 / FX6 or Burano, why they don't is a mystery
They duel purpose screen & diopter concept sucks! I want an OEM eyepiece and a dedicated OEM monitor. What Sony offers on ENG cameras for the past 10+ years. I was very happy with the Arri version on the Amira, Mini, LF and 35.
@@CrankyCameraman FX9 has a horrible loupe and EVF concept and mounting system. The FX6 essentially doesn't have one and if you try to add the FX9 loupe, it just falls over. It's kind of a joke. My Canons have EVFs at the rear but at least they're actually usable when you need it.
I'm selling my Burano if you're interested in picking up a second body. It has only 13 hours on it.
Thanks. Not quite ready but hopefully in 2025.
I was lucky to buy a capacitor for $2.50 from a supply house.
Nice find! Local was $55, Amazon was $20 but a one day wait.
HVAC technicians are a rip-off. Capacitors are so cheap to fix. I understand that they are running a business, but sheesh. $400-$600 is a crime.
My AC tech is $200 hr, plumber $195 hr, mechanic $195 hr. And DP owner / ops will work for 1/2 to 1/8 the rate, we are in the wrong trade.
For your back: Yoga, buddy... Yoga.
The Industry is changing super fast and seeing you rock the should mount or the big fx9 etc. explains the Backpain! You can do the same with iPhone/DSLR if you adapt to the new styles or at least switch to smaller cameras (my buddy made 3 million with a6400 lol building a reels agency). The Industry just moved into Knowledge over gear... which is good if you can adapt and learn new media but it's ultra-competitive since everyone wants and can do it.. and it gives better results than old-school media.. 80% if content is being consumed on the phone what makes it harder for old school people..
"You can do the same with an iphone/DSLR"? and "Everyone can do it"? - It's true there's lots of ways to do things, and lots of slices to this whole pie, but as far as this kind of work goes, I always tell people: you can deliver packages using roller skates, but there's a good reason why DHL is using vans.
@@ToxicMetropolis well your exsample is good.. why deliver pizza in a Ferrari… when a beater car gets same job done and is cheaper to maintain… and more people doing delivery nowadays… so people get pushed to go even lower to scooters etc. old media is still rocking heavy big equipment… missing more and more opportunities since they don’t adapt fast enough… so it just is.. like I said the industry is fast changing… you compete with people with iPhones who shoot testimonials vertically and get more views than 10k project… on top of that 95% of people can’t see the difference between iPhone and professional camera… so all I’m saying is evolve fast and adapt early and don’t hold to back the learning..
@@Fitzaey Not holding back anything, glad people can make all kinds of content and cameras are easier to operate and cheaper than ever - that's all good. The market has expanded, and that's great, but that should not devalue what people with a lot of skills and experience do. Are you going to tell a chef at a good restaurant to close shop, simply because Uber Eats now covers your suburb?
Back pain is from a recent injury boxing and the root cause is a genetic autoimmune disease. But moving around heavy gear does not help... For B-Roll I shoot significantly more FX3 / gimbal than bigger cameras on the shoulder. However, the Burano with 28-135mm is not heavy . For the golf package I had an FX3 with me, but outside in 85-90F weather, shifting from direct sun to cloud cover and back, shooting documentary in real time, the FX3 would have been too difficult to see vs a shoulder cam with EVF and no internal ND. I could build up a FX3 Rig, but at that point I'm modifying the wrong tool when I have the right one available.
Fitz ,I think you're wrong here , all the young folk shooting with smaller, lighter weight cameras , but held out in front of them ,will all have back problems by the time they are 35. A larger camera on the shoulder is far less damaging than holding a weight out in front of the body, its used as a torture in some countries ! Using my fx3 on a gimbal is far worse on my back than hours with well balanced fx9 on the shoulder .
Love me Some Waffle house!!! LOL