CompuServe Thread

Angelo, I caught your comment re the piece I wrote in the IPAS brochure about rates. As it says in the brochure, those rates are typical for Wavefront animation to BetacamSP tape (or better) using those effects. (Actually, those rates are 25-50% lower than what a LOT of people make in SGI-land.) Since these kinds of effects aren't at all typical from PC-based animation and imaging vendors, it's a whole new ballgame on the "low end". However, it's safe to say that if you undercut your local Wavefront, Alias, or TDI competitor by HALF and produce material that pleases your client, you'll be going in the right direction. NOTE that these kinds of rates ($300-$1500 per second) can only really be charged for BetacamSP quality and better. For Hi8, SVHS, and UmaticSP work, you have to cut that range down to $50-$300 per second). Video quality makes a HUGE difference. Luckily, there are a few things happening "in the wings" that will make it possible for people WITHOUT expensive equipment to render in digital format and send inexpensive media to video post-production houses and get back 1st generation masters in any format you wish (D1, D2, BetacamSP, etc). Stay tuned for more info about this by the beginning of next year. I hope that gives you some more to ruminate on. – G

Angelo, I think everybody's different in the way they price things. I use several ways: 1) Amount per finished second. Assign a level of complexity to the project (say 1 to 10) and multiply it by $100. The result being $100 to $1000 per finished second layed to BetacamSP or Sony LVR. I don't own the video equipment but my sources charge about 25cents to 75cents per frame if I rendered the animation and have .tgas. I always do it this way but some people will render the animation for you at $1 to $1.50 per frame, I think. 2) Figure out your required hourly rate and then estimate how many hours you think it will take, taking into account client's reviews and such. The result would give you a fixed bid which you probably have to honour so get the parameters of what you will produce and how many review/modify cycles you allow the client. 3) Some clients, if they trust you and know your quality, will allow you to work on a time and materials basis. This means you charge an hourly rate for all your work and the client pays the cost of all materials regardless of how long it takes. I use all the above methods. Method 3 is the safest because you can't lose your shirt in any circumstances but at the same time you can't charge "what the market will bear" and have the potential of making a big profit as you could with methods 1 and 2. This is only applies if you bid correctly which I usually don't. Take your pick and good luck! Martin