Industry Questions

[Biscuithead]

Does anyone know if there has been a fundamental shift in companies buying vs. renting cameras in the past couple years? In motion picture industry? television industry?

And why the camera companies have been more competitive in pricing in the last couple of years (since I heard Arri has been pricing pretty low lately)? .....is Arri starting to penetrate into the film schools more so pricing their cameras lower to become more entrenched in how many people use their cameras? or is it Panavision is still dominating for the most part and pricing lower to ensure Arri or any others gain traction? or both? and would that apply to both the motion picture industry and tv industry?

It would be nice for most of us unseasoned people to have a couple of these answers for the motion picture, television, etc. industries so we can have a better idea on our future budgeting (ok, maybe WAY future budgeting) and what industry we would rather lean toward.

Any help would greatly be appreciated.

 

[Kim Welch]

Part of this may be the digital revolution

Part of this may be the digital revolution

Could it have to do with HD and digital production cutting into the sweethart deal the film cameras and the film companies have had for so long? Possibly now they have to compete to bring in as much revenue as before. I really don't know but there must be something going on with the market share of the films being made that are being done with HD aquisition equipment instead of the Film Cameras.

Just a thought



Kim

 

[Biscuithead]

digital revolution

digital revolution

I'm sure in every area of business has "sweetheart" deals. Do you mind expanding on this one......were you meaning the camera companies and the filmmakers or the camera companies and the cinemas are in bed with each other?
And I've heard digital is starting to gain a little traction on the tv side, but heard it's still pretty nonexistent on the motion picture side since Panavision has a good relationship with the schools so it's a recurring cycle to use the same style camera when you get out of the schools since you are used to them. Do you know much about if both the tv side and motion picture side are starting to use more and more or not? And if we are in the learning process should we just concentrate on digital or film is still here to stay for a while so learn film first and wait to learn digital later?

 

[DerekEastham]

As for digital in the industry and wether or not to learn digital or film now...

Digital is in the industry, and coming up faster and faster.

and

Learn BOTH now! Learning only one will limit your choices & decisions as an artist. The more you learn about making images can only improve your artistic talent and ability... so learn them all and see what you can do to use all that information to your advantage.

 

[David Mullen ASC]

I don't see any fundamental shifts in the motion picture & television industry in regards to renting versus buying. Most productions are set-up legally as one-shot deals so if anyone is going to purchase the camera, it's the cinematographer, who would rent it to the production company. And the issues regarding private ownership of fully-loaded 35mm sync-sound or pro HD packages haven't really changed.

If anything, the fast changes in the digital world has made ownership of pro HD gear even less desirable, lest one be stuck with outdated gear in a few years. 35mm gear holds its value much, much longer, but the costs of buying the latest sync-sound cameras (Arricam) are still very high. Panavision does not sell their cameras.

 

[Kim Welch]

why not

why not

Why don't they sell their cameras?


Kim

 

[laurent.a]

It's much more worth for them to rent. They are so famous they know they can keep on renting at good price, instead of having to be in concurrence with different owners. It's a commercial policy.

 

[Kim Welch]

Locked uP

Locked uP

I assume that this business model keeps a capital investor from owning his own camera and giving discounts that would decrease profits by creating competitive pricing. Additionaly, a byproduct of this business model is that it keeps low budget filmmakers from being able to afford the camera.

Kim

 

[laurent.a]

Yes, on the other hand, Panavision is much appreciated because of their technical teams and the renting prices are not so expensive. See David Mullen's post at this purpose in another section