Black Entertainment Television (BET)

[A Step Above Productions]

I was talking to BET this morning about freelancing for them while they are in South Florida for the "Spring Bling".

Has anyone else worked wiht them?

What was it like?

They thought my rates were a little high, and want me to come down to their standard rate for DV

[Baltimore Shooter]

What rate did you quote?

What rate did they 'want' to pay?

Why the hell do they want dv anyway?

Warren

[Run&Gun]

I've heard they are notoriously cheap...

[Baltimore Shooter]

I've heard they are notoriously cheap...


Maybe that's why they run rap videos all day long.

Warren

[A Step Above Productions]

What rate did you quote?

What rate did they 'want' to pay?

Why the hell do they want dv anyway?

Warren

I quoted $800.00 a day for a DVcam and wireless mics they will only pay $500.00.

[Baltimore Shooter]

$800/day?? Damn, even THAT'S low! Standard one-person crew rate is $1,000-$1,200/full day and they wanted to pay $500???

Tell them you want to stay out of the ghetto, not get into it.

Warren

[Flaca Productions]

personally, i'd stay away - beach/spring break shoots can be very labor intensive. if you take it, i wouldn't dip below your usual rates. after all - they haven't been a big repeat customer for you, right?

[Sean-1966]

If I had to guess they're trying the old "lets see how low we can pay this time." $800 is deal and I'm sure they know it.

[Run&Gun]

If you're seriously considering workin for them, I'd raise my rates to cover the PITA factor that you know that you will experience. The few times that I've done minidv shoots, I've billed Beta rates...

[A Step Above Productions]

Yeh $800.00 is low - but remember it is just the DVcam and a wireless mic. I would charge more but...

Anyway I haven't heard back from them yet, I quess they found some one cheaper.

[freedom]

BET had me jumping through hoops a few months ago.
First it was one SDX900 crew. Then it was 2 SDX900 crews. Then it was 2 Digibeta crews. Then I never heard from them again, after giving them prices for each of those scenarios and all based on 2 to 4 days of work.

[f11vid]

Two different shooters here in Chicago warned me about these guys.In both cases,they got the guys way under their rate,worked them to death,and took forever to pay.BET called me about a month later and wanted full beta rig for $500.Politely declined.

[Flaca Productions]

spring bling - on the beach - dvcam and a wireless - you'll be hiking everywhere on the beach.....off the shoulder.

i'd pass at that rate.

[Cameradude]

I have done several shoots for them without any major hassles. With that said, it was a Betacam shoot and for some magazine type show they had. Payment was received in a relatively short amount of time.

I have said this before, when someone mentions DV it is a warning sign. It is a sign of a cheap budget. A cheap budget means inexperienced producers. Inexperienced producers mean problems on location that when discussed long after you are gone will be your fault not theirs.

When they mention DV, instantly jack your rate up 20%-30% so that you can negotiate it back lower to where it is normally!!!

[shade]

800.00 is rock bottom for south florida......don't go any lower or everyone gets screwed.

[SandRat]

BET had a guy on the red carpet at a party here and all they were doing is getting people to say BET in a sentence and then "NEXT!" The camera operator was also the producer and sound. He didn't even bring the camera up to eye level or check the viewfinder for what I saw. Truly minor league.

[Icarus112277]

I've only done 2 gigs for them- bout 5/6 years ago both were rock-bottom pay...but they were shooting on my block and I had the days off so at the time I did it...