At long last, my new business is off the ground. Originally, the entire thing hinged on the release of the Red Scarlet camera, but alas, it STILL hasn't happened. And, as even Jim Jannard has stipulated, if you have projects starting now and the Red One, the Red One MX, or the on-the-cusp Red Epic are not right for you, your projects, or your budget, then go Canon.
And so, this is essentially what's happened:
Upon my arrival back in the States from just under five years of working abroad (in Southwest Asia, namely the Middle East), I collected my truck in Seattle (long story) and high-tailed it down to Los Angeles, hanging back only to visit my brother and his family in Vancouver, Washington, my sister and her family in Santa Maria, California, and my Mom and Dad in Ventura, California.
Essentially, when I began to re-establish contact with many old film industry friends in LA, I began to hear a lot of what I knew I'd hear. Bear in mind these people are working professionals in the mainstream, not the fringe, "kinda indie" way that most of us DSLR short filmmakers are accustomed to, but the full-blown studio backed film/tv/commercial/music video business. I worked a couple commercials with a friend, a very busy 1st AC working almost non-stop, mostly in commericals at present.
I listened carefully, as I'd been out of the game for nearly five years while focusing mostly on video prodution for the US Military and their coalition partners. These film professionals had much to say, but I noticed a common thread between all of them. While many productions are still following the old standard, still shooting on film, while many others are shooting almost exclusively on the Red cameras, there was a third niche. The Canon 5D Mk II camera that have been built up into a full cinema build. This really piqued my interest, to say the least.
Having followed DSLR groundbreakers such as Vincent LaForet, Philip Bloom, and Chase Jarvis for some time, I wasn't completely in the dark and had already been shooting in Kuwait, India, Nepal, Thailand, and eventually stateside on my own Canon 7D "Frankencamera" package.
But the 5D Mk II thing really had me interested to become more involved. My intention had been to hopefully come home just as the Red S35 Scarlet model was being released. I'd prepared a budget to purchase a full S35 rig, with all the trimmings. However, the schedule push-backs at Red had me scratching my head, coming up with a new gameplan with which to generate income. Truth be told, that's what we all wonder. How do I work in this dreamworld of camera and state-of-the-art tech? Even more importantly, how do I monetize the whole thing?
My original intent had been to make my way east to the Philadelphia suburbs, where my life-long buddy Shawn had relocated a few years back. LA has been so passe (in terms of the industry) to me for quite some time, though I am very much a guy from Los Angeles. However, I'd decided to build up a camera package, drive out to Philly (cold, with NO local contacts) and start to rent out this package (hopefully wet), and start to build a book of contacts and become involved in the local film scene.
All that changed while I was in LA. I was working on a new Volkswagen spot (in Camera Department) and a friend was talking about a 5D Mk II package that a friend of theirs had and that it was renting in the neighborhood of $1,500/day and that it was getting out a LOT. Naturally, this caught my ear. Additionally, they mentioned that a prominent cinematographer had recently removed several 5D Mk II packages from a popular LA rental spot and that the vacuum left in their wake was NOT being filled, though the phones were still ringing off the hook, specifically for this type of package.
Another friend mentioned that if they had access to their own Canon 5D Mk II package, they could get it out all the time. Productions of every size are using Canon 5D Mk II in every way imaginable. B Camera, C Camera, D Camera, sometimes even as the A Camera, along with Second Unit stuff, what have you. What this equated to me is a HEAVY demand for these kits. Not just a kit and a lens, mind you. A full cinema build. Just a few short weeks from business concept to a camera package that would turn other 5D package owners green with envy. What does that mean? I'm glad you asked. It means exactly this:
- Canon 5D Mk II Body
- Canon Zoom Wide Angle-Telephoto EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM Autofocus Lens (Duclos Cinemoded with FF gears)
- Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM Telephoto Zoom Lens (Duclos Cinemoded with FF gears)
- 7 Canon LP-E6 batteries
- 3 Battery Chargers
- 4 FAST 16GB CF Cards
- Pelican CF Memory Card Case
- Filters (Glass): ND3, ND6, ND9, Polarizer
- Zacuto Z-Finder Pro 3x
- Cartoni F101 Head & Tripod w/ Case
- RedRock Micro Shoulder Mount Deluxe Bundle (Includes: 2 15mm 18" rods, Micro Rod Clamp, Screws/Allen set, Micro Shoulder Pad, 2 Micro Hand Grips, and Rigid Mount Assembly).
- Arri MMB-1 4x5 Mattebox (with top-loading conversion kit)
- Arri MFF-1 Follow Focus
- Zacuto DSLR Baseplate
- Zacuto 12" Rods
- Zacuto 7" Rod Extensions
- Monitor hot shoe adaptor
- SmallHD DP-6 Monitor with all accessories
- Switronix Flex DSLR Remote Start/Stop Switch
- Blackmagic Mini Converter (HDMI to SDI)
- P-tap Multi breakout box
- Anton Bauer Powering Package: Anton Bauer Twin Charger, Anton Bauer QRC Battery Mount, and 3 Dionic 90 Anton Bauer batteries
- Israeli Arm
- Manfrotto 595B "Fig Rig" Camera Stabilizer ("Steering Wheel" configuration)
- All necessary HDMI, RCA, Component, and powering cables
- Highhat
Much has occured since we started up. We've added additional bodies, 5DMkII, 7D, and 60D options are now in the mix, along with all the good stuff that takes them form just a body and makes it a KIT. We also now feature the new GoPro Hero 2 Motorsports kits. Stay tuned, we're in the process of swapping out all of our Small HD monitors for the ever in demand TV Logic monitoring solutions.
Thursday, December 1, 2011 at 7:45PM 