Digital Video - September 2007 - (Page 60)

PRODUCTION DIARY BY STEFAN SARGENT DISPATCHES FROM THE FRONT M aking videos is fun. Now to get paid. War has been declared. First Blood Sydney, Australia, 1968. “Here’s the deal Stefan. I’ve got this weekly report from the markets which you’ll shoot and edit. It should be $750 a week but I can make it a grand. Send me a credit note for the last job. I’ll make sure you get the market reports.” I give him credit. Surprise! The market job is delayed a month. Another month. Six months pass. The weekly market reports never happen. Do I get paid for the original job? Of course not. Adrian R. on Wardour St., about five minutes’ walk away. Fifteen minutes later Alan returns, £12,500 check in hand. “Alan, what did you do?” “Nothing—I just said that I couldn’t pay my men because he hadn’t paid Molinare’s bills. My lads were wandering around the office straightening the paintings. He pulled out his checkbook there and then.” A few weeks later, Adrian R. is in my office. He’s promising prompt payment in future and hoping he’s welcome back as a client. Ambush London, 1982. I’m running Molinare, the biggest video facility in Soho. Alan Stewart, our wonderful builder, needs to be paid. Unlike 30-day trade accounts, builders want their money fast. Alan’s accounts are simple. He pays for his building materials cash on pick up. He pays above: Made on video, but my client won’t pay his workers cash each because the laboratory release form is missing. Friday. I pay him every week. What’s left over is profit. Who needs accountants? London, 1992. I am making a But our cash flow is low. 90-minute “sell-through” video, We’ve been chasing our debtors The Trials of Claus von Bülow, for a like crazy, but it’s not coming in major Hollywood company. I finfast enough. ish the job. Everyone happy. I I show Alan our accounts invoice for $50,000. receivable. But no. “You’ll have to bill our “I’ll sort out your bad payers,” New York office.” I send them he says. “Pay me as I bring it in.” the invoice and wait. After a “Let me see—look, this guy month, I phone. “Where’s the Adrian R. is on Wardour St. He E&O certificate?” they say. I get owes us £12,500, most of it over one. It costs $16,000 even after 90 days. Go get him.” getting a signed release from von Alan and five builders, all carBülow himself. rying tools of trade, head for I chase again. “We are waiting for the laboratory negative release form.” I explain that there is no laboratory, no film negative. It’s a VIDEO. “The contract specifically states we must have a laboratory negative release.” “But there is no negative!” “That doesn’t matter—are you going to sign the form or not?” I FedEx a laboratory release form. But then, they relocate from NYC to L.A. Can’t find their files. Next, “We can’t pay you unless the film has U.S. copyright with the Library of Congress.” Seven months after master tape handover, we get their rotten $50,000. Attack of the Clones San Francisco, June, 2007. I’m chasing a job that I shot last year and edited over Christmas. That’s six months ago. The final payment hasn’t happened. “No worries, Stefan. We’re working on it.” Working on it? Huh? It’s a piece of paper: the date, my name, the amount, a signature. “But I’m glad you called. I’ve got a TV commercial I want you to do.” Here we go again: the old “Big Job Coming Real Soon” routine. Time to send in the builders. ■ Stefan Sargent began his career at the dawn of television, working as a cameraman, soundman and film editor for the BBC, feature films and corporate clients. Sargent also is the founder of London post facility Molinare. Reach him at www.stefan sargent.com. Battlefield Hollywood 58 DV SEPTEMBER 2007 WWW.DV.COM http://www.stefansargent.com http://www.stefansargent.com http://www.dv.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Digital Video - September 2007

Contents News AG-HPX500 HD Camcorder First Look: Color V8000HD 8" LCD Monitor Shoulder Mount System Instant Expert Close-Ups Fest Cercuit Q&A Flight Plan Cutter's Way Imagination in Action Motion Graphics Production Diary

Digital Video - September 2007

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