Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: How much is raw film stock?

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Posted by Michael Schaffer (Member # 1204) on 01-24-2003, 01:57 PM:

How much is a foot/a second of the film stocks typically used to shoot professional movie productions? Just watched a DVD with a lot of outtakes and couldn`t help wondering how much money is burned every time something goes wrong.
I also would like to know how much a Director of Photography usually makes on a big movie production. I think that the DP has one of the biggest responsibilities on the set, so it would be interesting to know how rewarding in terms of income this occupation is...

Posted by Daryl C. W. O'Shea (Member # 1303) on 01-24-2003, 02:10 PM:

'Way back' in 1999, in a thread about 70mm film, John Pytlak said that:

On a per-foot basis, the cost of Kodak 70mm print film is about twice the cost of 35mm print film (about 18 cents and 9 cents per foot respectively). So the cost of the raw print stock for a 70mm feature film is about 2.5 times more than 35mm (since the stock is twice the cost per foot, and runs 5/4 faster through the projector).

edit: Oops... I read the subject and thought you wanted prices for raw print stock.

[ 01-24-2003, 04:36 PM: Message edited by: Daryl C. W. O'Shea ]

Posted by John Pytlak (Member # 331) on 01-24-2003, 02:55 PM:

Here is the May 2002 Kodak price guide for CAMERA films:

http://www.kodak.com/US/plugins/acrobat/en/motion/catalog/quick.pdf

Posted by Mark Ogden (Member # 43) on 01-24-2003, 03:01 PM:

It all depends on the kind of shooting you have in mind. A good price for Kodak Vision 2 35mm neg stock would run between $550 to $600 per 1000 ft. roll, which is about 10 min. of shooting time. Buy a 400ft. core of the same and it's about $225.00. 5245 EXS/Daylight runs much higher from some dealers, about $735 for 1000 ft. This is just the cost of the rawstock, no processing. So, blow a few takes and you're running into money!

Oooops, JP just beat me here with the whole price list!

Posted by Michael Schaffer (Member # 1204) on 01-24-2003, 03:03 PM:

That is much cheaper than I thought. On the other hand, at the speed the stock travels through the camera...
What about my other question? Much more difficult to answer of course, but I am really quite curious. Imagine the responsibility a DP has for the otcome of the project! Yet most people aren`t even aware of what they do.

Posted by Joe Beres (Member # 678) on 01-24-2003, 03:16 PM:

DPs, operators, and their assistants (remember, they are the ones that load the camera mags, and often are in charge of the mechanics of the camera) have an unbelieveable responsibility. I'd say that the camera assistant position has the highest ratio of stress to recognition. In many ways, an entire day's production is riding on their shoulders.

As far as how much money a Cinematographer makes, I don't really know, but I wouldn't be at all surprised if some of the better known shooters in the business have a day rate of well over $5000.

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 01-24-2003, 08:26 PM:

If you want to do some general shooting you can buy short endsand re-cans for about 25 to 50% of the list price per foot.
If you go this route its best to shoot a few testsoff each roll to be sure its ok first!!
Mark @ CLACO
ww.clacoequipment.com

Posted by Michael Schaffer (Member # 1204) on 01-24-2003, 09:58 PM:

Thanks Mark, but I don`t plan to shoot a movie myself! I just happened to watch a lot of making-ofs and docu stuff on DVD, and these questions sprang into my mind. A lot of director`s commentaries on DVDs credit their DPs heavily and so I started wondering what kind of money they take home. I think many people don`t realise how complex that job is, they probably think it`s just the guy who points the camera.

Posted by John Pytlak (Member # 331) on 01-24-2003, 10:08 PM:

The Kodak website has interviews with many prominent cinematographers:

http://www.kodak.com/US/en/motion/forum/onFilm/

Also, check out the Kodak publication "In Camera":

http://www.kodak.com/US/en/motion/newsletters/

To search out an article about a particular cinematographer or movie, use the "Search Motion Picture" tool on the Kodak website:

http://www.kodak.com/go/motion

Posted by John Pytlak (Member # 331) on 01-24-2003, 10:23 PM:

For those who prefer DIGITAL, Kodak manufactures 12-megapixel sensors having the best dynamic range, tone scale, and color reproduction of any on the market. For convenience in handling, they are attached to a durable clear 35mm plastic base, and sold in roll form. Kodak sells these remarkable sensors for less than 4 cents (<$0.04 US) each! They are called FILM. [Cool]

Posted by Michael Schaffer (Member # 1204) on 01-24-2003, 10:52 PM:

I have read most of the cinematographers` interviews on the Kodak website. BTW it has to be said that your website is a fantastic source of information!

Posted by Daryl C. W. O'Shea (Member # 1303) on 01-24-2003, 11:09 PM:

quote:
For those who prefer DIGITAL, Kodak manufactures 12-megapixel sensors ... Kodak sells these remarkable sensors for less than 4 cents (<$0.04 US) each! They are called FILM.

4 cents in quantities of how many thousand?

I'd like to place an order for 3 units please. I'd like to build my own 3 CCD camera in my spare time.

Posted by Michael Coate (Member # 757) on 01-25-2003, 01:36 AM:

quote:
I'd say that the camera assistant position has the highest ratio of stress to recognition.

Having worked on some productions as a 2nd assistant and/or camera loader, I can vouch that the above statement is absolutely correct!

As for salaries, like many professions, this type of info is not always discussed or revealed. However, you might be able to get the basic union rates for camera crew members by contacting the International Cinematographers Guild, which is a part of the IATSE (International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees...one of the logos you often see in film credits next to the MPAA globe logo signifying a film was a union production). Successful DPs - particularly award winners and those who are members of an honors society (ASC, BSC, etc.) - can often "name their price" for a job.

Posted by Ron Lacheur (Member # 1126) on 01-25-2003, 03:45 AM:

DP wage for IATSE 669 ( Vancouver ) has a hourly rate of $75/hr in canadian funds.

Posted by Tim Reed (Member # 137) on 01-25-2003, 11:58 AM:

quote:
Imagine the responsibility a DP has for the otcome of the project!

Precisely! This is something I was thinking about just this morning. I was watching a behind-the-scenes show on some feature that the writer was directing. The thing that got my goat was, this kid wrote a screenplay, what does he know about making a movie: setups, staging, camera movements, composition, the logistical considerations of shooting out of sequence? Probably nothing!

People don't realize just how many movies today are actually being made by the cinematographer. He's the one making sure shots cut together; screen direction and looks are consistent between setups; ensuring that composition, camera, and actor movements harmonize for the best translation of dramatic elements to the screen.

Meantime, the public and press fawn over the latest "whiz-kid" writer/"directors", and the cinematographer's contribution is minimized or overlooked entirely.

There are exceptions, naturally.

Incidentally, in response to the original question, realize that not every take is printed. For flubs, a production is really only out the camera stock and processing cost - and the production time, of course. For putting the flubs on DVD, they only have to transfer from the negative, so they're not out anything in that respect, either.