Clinic videos: what would/do you pay?

[BoldChance]

I board at a barn that is a training/show barn, primarily reining but also dressage. They have a reining clinic coming up and the trainers have asked if I'd video their rides. This is free, due to a mutual arrangement we have. So I'm not worried about this, per say.

However, they suggested I offer this service to the other participants in the clinic, and suggested I charge for it. I do do some videography, and a lot of photography, and am certainly selling that but it aims more at sales videos, and other such videos spliced together under 10 minutes, etc. I've never done lengthy clinic videos before.

What I am wondering is has anyone had this service offered, and what did you pay? Or, even, what would you pay?

I do a pretty professional video job (although a lack of technology means light beams make interesting artsiness sometimes) and would then pull and burn an unedited copy to DVD.

Any insight would be GREATLY appreciated!

Thanks!

[BoldChance]

bump....anyone??

[twofatponies]

What you can charge really depends on what people will pay! I did this, and taking into account 1) 1 hour per person taping the lesson 2) additional hours transferring, packaging and shipping their tapes/dvds 3) how much they are paying the clinician etc.

I think you can usually charge about 1/4-1/3 of what the clinician is getting (i.e. a really expensive fancy barn with olympic-level instructor - clients will pay more; a local barn with regional guest instructor - clients can't afford as much). If you are new, start on the lower side, and raise prices after a season if business is picking up.

I also would only tape if there was a minimum - i.e. I couldn't stay all day just to tape one person at 9 am and another at 3pm. There had to be more than that. Although if it was a new barn, I might make an exception in order to meet and charm new clientele. Bring business cards to hand out.

Hints: CLEAN YOUR LENSE so you don't have glittery dust spots on your video. Use a tripod, of course - the kind for video with a floating head you can track smoothly with. And READ THE MANUAL and learn how to use the exposure lock, so the video doesn't go dark-light-dark-light every time the horse passes in front of a window or door. It's very simple to do once you practice a few times.

Also make sure you get the audio in a lesson - people want to remember what the instructor said. If they aren't using a loudspeaker system or aren't the kind who shout, or you are outside where it is windy or there is traffic noise, invest (eventually, at least) in a clip-on wireless microphone you can attach to the instructor and feed back to the camera. That's an expense, so see if the business catches on a little first. But meanwhile, make sure you are positioned where you are not in the middle of the chattering parents and railbirds. Ask the BO to make a special station for you away from the audience area, and preferably with any incoming sunlight at your back. I was not afraid to repeatedly and firmly remind people to be quiet ("quiet please, the microphone is on"). They are usually shocked to realize the microphone can "hear" what they are saying (duh!), and I don't want the client to watch their lesson and hear a bunch of barn gossip instead of what the instructor was saying!!