Anton Delfino

Rig your key light on a jib! hehe. Sorry...just worked with the Fisher 23 jib for the first time last Friday. Fun stuff.

Was wondering if anyone knew off-hand what kind of output overhead projectors would have. I know they have fancy new ones, but I'm talking about those old school, noisy ones from elementary school. Would it be similar to an inky or tweenie, maybe? Thanks for any input.

Seems to be so. The girlfriend will be finishing up grad school in July and I don't think she's up for enduring many more NYC summers. So she wants to go to Cali - back home to SF, specifically. Kind of sucks because I was just starting to get the hang of things here and meeting lots of good folks. But LA isn't a bad option for me - a great one if I can convince her to come with. SF to LA is a lot closer than SF to NY. Plus, I'll also have more contacts in LA than I did when I moved out here. And I've got some experience now too.

Yeah, me too - but only for the month of June. I'll be in the area for a couple of weddings and was hoping to jump on a few shows to stay in the flow. I'm mostly a grip and dolly grip, but also do some simple electric. If anyone needs a hand on projects, send me shout. I'd love to come out and work in the Bay.

This isn't regarding a particular production, just some information for the future. In the case of relocating (which is likely to happen by the end of the year), I would still like to have the opportunity to work with the great folks I've met here in NY. Now if a Key or DP wants to hire me but the production won't shell out for airfare, then chances are the job will be given to someone else. Knowing I can write off the money spent on airfare definitely sweetens the deal. Of course this would probably be a one-off scenario, but in case the situation should pop up, it'd be a pretty cool option.

Hey all - As an independent contractor, would I be able to write off the cost of airfare if the production company won't front cover it? Thanks for your input. - anton

The interweb is a strange phenomenon indeed!

Sweet! Thanks, Robert.

Hey everyone - I'm thinking about ordering some soft compound wheels for an upcoming shoot. We will be in locations that have very smooth surfaces - a hospital and a kitchen with hardwood floors. I've seen them in action when dancefloor has been laid down and the DP seemed to like it better than the standard wheels. However, I have a few questions: 1) The DP still wants to use track for some shots to ensure the move is precise and consistent with focus marks. Since the dolly would be placed on the u-channels, will the weight cause an indentation in the tires from the walls of the sled, thus affecting the smoothness of the wheels once we get back to the floor? 2) The non-track moves will be pretty small - say no more than 4-6 ft. Is the difference between the standard wheels and soft compound wheels noticeable? Note: these locations both have interiors and exteriors meaning wheel changes will need to happen. I remember the last time we swapped wheels, it took 2 people a decent amount of time. That's two less hands to light the next scene, you know? Any thoughts would be appreciated.

That's the awesomest thing I've heard in a long time.

I have a contract stating the production company will provide room and board and transportation throughout the 4 days of shooting. They did state a low rate for when the feature starts shooting, but they said that may still be negotiable depending on the budget - blah, blah. The other glaring issue I failed to mention earlier (that you reminded me of) is insurance. There was yet another waiver that declared I would be responsible for any injury or harm that may occur during the shoot. I'll admit I've taken insurance for granted in the past. I always just assume that it's a given. I guess not. And after their description of one of the shots - a dolly shot that requires track being laid on scaffolding while the subjects are on top of a parked bus. To be honest, that sounds pretty damn cool...BUT not insuring the utmost safety for the people working for FREE is not only irresponsible and unprofessional, but disrespectful. It was explained to me that the reason they did not pay for insurance was because it would eat up a quarter of the budget. Andrew, you're absolutely right. If I feel like I'm not being taken care of now, what makes me think they'll do it later?

I guess the lesson here (and perhaps in life in general) is to trust your instincts. I appreciate everyone's replies.

- snowboarding - Netflix - writing (kind of) - watching/playing hoops, football, futbol - Food Network

Yeah, right? I mean, I'm sure I'll see the Red eventually. Another thing that kind of worried me was that the director and producer both work full-time gigs. Nothing against passion projects that have to get done on your own time, but I have to wonder what else these guys have produced. I imagine a full-time 9-5 makes it pretty tough to work on a lot of sets, no? I should probably remember to ask that next time.

I am considering jumping on a 4-day freebie but felt some apprehension after meeting with the director and producer. I am full aware this is a decision I will have to make myself, but I'd like to get your thoughts about the situation. The production company is shooting some opening scenes for a feature to raise money. The deal is I work for free on the 4-day shoot and in exchange, I would be reserved a spot on the crew (with a very low day rate) when the feature goes into production later in the fall. My first question is: is this arrangement a common occurrence in our line of work? And if so, how realistic are the chances of 1) the film actually getting funding and 2) getting called back? Secondly, I was also given a document to sign which states that should i flake (for any reason INCLUDING medical), I would be responsible for paying a certain fee. It was presented to me as a way to "cover" themselves since someone who had signed on previously had bailed for a commercial gig. I guess what irks me here is that they're already asking for a HUGE favor and still expect you to drop everything. As most of you are experiencing, things are really starting to pick up here in NY. 4 days over a weekend in April can mean a good chunk of change, maybe a couple of months rent if you're really lucky. Don't get me wrong...it's not always about money. But after a slow winter, you kind of want to get as many days as possible. They told me they were shooting with the Red. I haven't seen one in action yet, so that might be cool to experience. I'll be meeting some new folks which is always a benefit in this business. And I get to be on location in CT (yaaaay! :P ) I haven't read the script yet, which may ultimately be the deal-maker (or breaker). What other factors weigh into your decision to work pro bono? ps - Any chance that someone on the forums is working this job too? I'm pretty sure it will put my mind at ease.

No, neither of the department heads were union. In fact, this was a Columbia non-thesis film, but actually had a budget to hire a fairly experienced crew.

Thanks Chris. I figured as much but thought I'd ask in case one department had priority over another.

Loved the shots in the kitchen. Did all three HMIs play on the roof?

Key Grip or Gaffer?

so i worked on a commercial yesterday that was shot in this location. coincidentally, we used a booklight as the key for the interviews. 4K HMI into an 8x8 lame (we used both white and the silver side at various times throughout the day) and then through a 12x12 light grid. the ceiling wasn't very high so we just had to t-bone the light grid. we built an entire village of floppys, meat axes, and solids to control the spill. there were also a couple of HMIs set up on the fire escape coming through the windows. looked pretty good...you know, for standard definition. :P

Is this just limited to camera folk? If you're planning it for May and will allow G&E peeps, I'd be down for it. - anton

Anyone else? Bueller...?

Hey Darryl - Thanks for the reply. Good to know there's a lot of non-union gigs going on - just like here in NY. Also, thanks for the travel time tip. Good to know there's a time of the day where there isn't traffic - rather, not as much. Oh, and I'm often on your blog. Good stuff, keep it up. Real helpful for guys like me who want to get better at their craft. - anton

Hey guys - I am hoping that some of the LA peeps can chime in with some advice and insight about the industry. It appears my short stint in NY may be coming to an end by the end of summer. While it would be great to continue to live and work here, the significant other is finishing up her PhD and wants to move closer to home (SF). As such, I am considering moving to LA because it is closer and seems like a logical step for me in this career path. While I do expect to have to jump on a few freebies just to meet some folks, how hard would it be for someone like me - who has decent gripping experience - to find sets to jump on? Are there any other production resources other than clist and mandy that I should be looking at? Is it an absolute nightmare making it to set on time with all the traffic? If anyone can share their experiences working in LA, or if anyone has made a similar move, I would certainly appreciate it. Thanks in advance. - anton

So maybe the helicopter shot isn't such a good idea after all. :P In all seriousness, I appreciate everyone's comments. I completely agree that you can create a quality product by keeping things simple. I would much rather execute a simple idea well, instead of falling short on a much more ambitious one. Thank you again.