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A First Assistant Camera Explains What It Really Takes To Run A Camera Department · Studio B Sessions

• 0:04
  Vipul Bindra: Welcome to another episode of Studio B Sessions with me, Bindra, owner of Bindra Productions here in Orlando.
• 0:11
  Vipul Bindra: And like always, we have Mario on the producer desk helping us make this amazing episode.
• 0:16
  Mario Rangel: Hey guys, nice to see you again.
• 0:18
  Mario Rangel: Hope you are having a great day.
• 0:22
  Vipul Bindra: And our guest today is Josh Reimer.
• 0:24
  Vipul Bindra: You're a first AC.
• 0:26
  Vipul Bindra: And uh we had an incredible conversation, I would believe I think a week or so ago.
• 0:30
  Vipul Bindra: So I was like, we have to record this.
• 0:33
  Vipul Bindra: And so thank you for taking the time out and coming out and talking to me.
• 0:36
  Josh Reimer: Of course, it's my honor.
• 0:37
  Josh Reimer: Yeah, this is great.
• 0:38
  Vipul Bindra: So, how's the week been for you?
• 0:40
  Josh Reimer: It's been a tough one.
• 0:42
  Vipul Bindra: I know you mentioned you were on a feature or something, right?
• 0:44
  Josh Reimer: Yeah, yeah.
• 0:44
  Josh Reimer: So there's a movie shooting in Orlando right now.
• 0:47
  Josh Reimer: Um, really, like, really dedicated casting crew.
• 0:51
  Josh Reimer: And it started out as a short film.
• 0:53
  Josh Reimer: It's one of those movies that, like, they made a short film, it blew up, it went to all these film festivals, and like it was really just one of those projects that inspired people.
• 1:02
  Josh Reimer: And they got a grant from PanaVision, and PanaVision gave them a budget.
• 1:07
  Josh Reimer: They give them, they gave them all this equipment, and they're now making it into a feature film, shooting it here in Orlando because that's the director's hometown.
• 1:15
  Josh Reimer: Um, and uh it's it's going well.
• 1:18
  Josh Reimer: It's um it's a really interesting story that I can't talk about, but it's uh it's a really interesting story, and we're getting to work with people of all different, you know, like races and and religions, and um like people with disabilities, which is interesting because um I've never really worked with with people with disabilities.
• 1:39
  Josh Reimer: So wheelchair users and um people with cognitive disabilities and working around those people is is kind of different.
• 1:46
  Josh Reimer: And um, it's been a learning experience, but it's been great.
• 1:50
  Josh Reimer: Um, it's been hard work.
• 1:51
  Josh Reimer: We've been filming in Lakeland, beautiful, beautiful place actually for the past few days.
• 1:56
  Josh Reimer: Uh Bonnet Bonnet Creek, no, Bonnet Springs, Bonnet Springs Park in Lakeland, which is beautiful.
• 2:03
  Josh Reimer: And um we've just been filming there and uh getting a lot of stuff the past few days, and now I'm on my very valued uh few days off.
• 2:14
  Josh Reimer: I'm just taking it easy and doing creative stuff like this, which is great.
• 2:18
  Josh Reimer: I love doing stuff like this.
• 2:19
  Vipul Bindra: That's awesome, though.
• 2:20
  Vipul Bindra: It sounds like an amazing project.
• 2:22
  Vipul Bindra: Uh and uh and and funny enough, this reflects back to that podcast episode I had had with somebody asked me, you know, we're talking about short films, and I was like, you know, typically they don't lead to anything.
• 2:33
  Vipul Bindra: So this is a great opposite example where, like, hey, if you do make something amazing, uh it can get you noticed, and then you can get a budget to make something um like a feature or whatever, right?
• 2:44
  Vipul Bindra: Because that I think that's the incredible story here from what you're telling me about this project.
• 2:48
  Josh Reimer: Yes, absolutely.
• 2:49
  Josh Reimer: Like I truly believe in the power of short films, like there's a lot of power in short films, and um, it is a fantastic way to display your talent as a director, director, DP, um, and you know, work with your friends, and really that's how it starts.
• 3:06
  Josh Reimer: Like, it really is that innocent sometimes.
• 3:09
  Josh Reimer: If you uh make a short film and you work with your friends, and it doesn't matter the budget, but you make it about something that is like undeniable, like it is a story that people can relate to and just like level with at such a you know a different frequency, like that is something that can go a long way.
• 3:27
  Josh Reimer: It really all comes down to the story.
• 3:30
  Josh Reimer: And um, so this feature, which has uh, you know, a pay it has a scale um of uh like 1.5 million and it's non-union, but it's we're using you know um sag actors and and we're uh it's just like it's a it's a bigger project for the narrative world here in Orlando.
• 3:49
  Josh Reimer: Uh grand scheme, not huge, bigger for Orlando.
• 3:53
  Josh Reimer: And it's you know that came from a short film.
• 3:56
  Vipul Bindra: Yeah.
• 3:56
  Josh Reimer: Just a short film that they really marketed and got around and they they caught people's eye, and uh, you know, people saw for what it was, which was a really beautiful story, and it is a really beautiful story, and I can't wait to see how it comes out when it's adapted to this feature-length film.
• 4:12
  Vipul Bindra: And that's awesome, and that's the whole power of why I wanted to do this podcast is so people can hear from you know just different perspectives, because my perspective hasn't been that, right?
• 4:21
  Vipul Bindra: I know a lot of people made short films and gotten over.
• 4:23
  Vipul Bindra: Yeah.
• 4:24
  Vipul Bindra: Uh, but I do want people to not know hear just my experience, I want people to hear the the other side of it, and you are one that you're actually working on, getting paid to work on this amazing project where it started off as a short film.
• 4:37
  Vipul Bindra: So there is, I guess, uh a great perspective that hey, a lot sometimes it does work.
• 4:45
  Vipul Bindra: Yeah, so it's just important to go out there and create and then market it, and then you know, as long as it's awesome, it can lead to something.
• 4:53
  Vipul Bindra: Absolutely.
• 4:53
  Vipul Bindra: Yeah, and I'm guessing you're a first AC on this project.
• 4:56
  Josh Reimer: Yeah, so I'm I'm B Cam first on this.
• 4:59
  Josh Reimer: Um, so we have two units, and most of the time we're working together.
• 5:03
  Josh Reimer: Sometimes we split off.
• 5:05
  Josh Reimer: Um, and so uh I'm working with the B cam op and um I also work, you know, closely.
• 5:10
  Josh Reimer: Camera department is very tight-knit, yeah.
• 5:12
  Josh Reimer: Um, which I I think is something that uh you know is really special.
• 5:16
  Josh Reimer: And so I work with you know, just as much as I work with the B Cam op, I'm also working with A Cam unit, and and um and I'm just as close with the DP.
• 5:25
  Josh Reimer: And it's wonderful.
• 5:26
  Vipul Bindra: That's incredible.
• 5:27
  Vipul Bindra: So you're you're also oping the second unit, um, and then like you said, you're helping the first unit, so that's pr expensive role.
• 5:35
  Vipul Bindra: But I guess on a sh in a lower budget movie that's even though it's big for Orlando, still lower budget.
• 5:40
  Vipul Bindra: It's kind of you know, you have to have multiple hats, right?
• 5:43
  Josh Reimer: Uh so not so much.
• 5:45
  Josh Reimer: So I I I'm working very closely with them.
• 5:48
  Josh Reimer: I'm not oping.
• 5:49
  Josh Reimer: I'm still very much first AC pulling focus.
• 5:52
  Josh Reimer: Um, but it's it's great because on some movies, when they have a B cam, you just never really see the other unit.
• 5:59
  Josh Reimer: And so it's wonderful because sometimes, sometimes it's like that.
• 6:02
  Josh Reimer: And then some days we're just like really all together.
• 6:04
  Josh Reimer: And it's one I love shooting, just like two cameras, getting two cameras on a scene, and like I'm just feeding off of the A Cam first AC's energy, and we're you know talking about the scene and like what B cam is doing different than A cam.
• 6:17
  Josh Reimer: And I like that different perspective.
• 6:19
  Josh Reimer: Most of the time, I'm A Cam first AC, and so I'm on the main camera, and this time I'm on B Cam, which is it's actually my second time being a B cam first.
• 6:30
  Josh Reimer: Uh, usually I'm only A Cam.
• 6:31
  Josh Reimer: And so this is I like the different perspective of shooting from a secondary camera.
• 6:35
  Vipul Bindra: But that's a pretty cool perspective too.
• 6:36
  Vipul Bindra: So they have two units.
• 6:38
  Vipul Bindra: Sometimes you know you're doing multicam, so the both units are working, and then sometimes you're separating and doing your own thing.
• 6:43
  Vipul Bindra: Yeah.
• 6:43
  Vipul Bindra: So that's pretty cool.
• 6:44
  Vipul Bindra: Yeah, I mean, it's it must be a unique perspective because you know, like you said, you work you have a counterpart on A Cam who's doing their thing, so you know, a good collaborative thing.
• 6:54
  Josh Reimer: Yeah, absolutely.
• 6:54
  Josh Reimer: And like if you've worked on a film set before, I mean, you just know how much like it starts to feel like a family, and it's just like so much more of that on this movie because we this movie has a lot of people and there's so much passion in it.
• 7:08
  Josh Reimer: I mean, when I first got contacted about the role, and the DP Farad talked to me about the role, he sent me the lookbook and he sent me like the pitch deck and uh and the link to the original short film.
• 7:21
  Josh Reimer: That is amazing.
• 7:22
  Josh Reimer: Like, I don't I hop on these projects, I never know anything about it.
• 7:26
  Josh Reimer: I'm just doing it like you're I'm being hired as a focus puller, like I'm a first AC, they need a first AC, they need someone to hop in there.
• 7:32
  Josh Reimer: The pitch for me on this movie was kind of like we need somebody in this role.
• 7:37
  Josh Reimer: Look at what we're doing, look at the passion we have.
• 7:41
  Josh Reimer: Do you want to be part of this not just for the money, but also because you're gonna be a part of something very special?
• 7:48
  Josh Reimer: And that's a difference that, like, wow, uh that's something I haven't really seen before.
• 7:53
  Vipul Bindra: Exactly.
• 7:53
  Vipul Bindra: No, that's awesome.
• 7:54
  Vipul Bindra: So, why first AC?
• 7:56
  Vipul Bindra: Uh, let's start with that.
• 7:57
  Vipul Bindra: Um, sure.
• 7:58
  Vipul Bindra: I uh I don't know.
• 7:59
  Vipul Bindra: I guess you tell me why first AC.
• 8:01
  Vipul Bindra: Oh my god.
• 8:03
  Vipul Bindra: Um, did you get thrown into it or you actually chose it?
• 8:06
  Josh Reimer: No, I chose it.
• 8:06
  Josh Reimer: I did, I I I love cameras.
• 8:09
  Josh Reimer: I have like been, I have always been a fanatic about cameras, and I'm like a gear head.
• 8:14
  Josh Reimer: I I love creativity, I love obviously, like I wouldn't have gotten into the film industry if I didn't love movies, but I I I'm a technical person.
• 8:24
  Josh Reimer: I love cameras, I love different gear and the differences between gear and like what geared, what lenses look, you know, like this and what lenses look like that, and the discrepancy between them.
• 8:34
  Josh Reimer: And so I, you know, I I got into it.
• 8:38
  Josh Reimer: I feel like a lot how a lot of people get into it, you know, just a pure love of cinema.
• 8:42
  Josh Reimer: I went to Valencia, uh, which is shout out Valencia, amazing film program.
• 8:47
  Josh Reimer: I mean, I they really just gave me such an amazing.
• 8:50
  Vipul Bindra: Valencia versus full sale.
• 8:52
  Vipul Bindra: Controversial thing.
• 8:54
  Vipul Bindra: Yeah, these are two schools here.
• 8:55
  Vipul Bindra: Oh, yeah.
• 8:57
  Josh Reimer: Um, you know, you have to think about you have to really think about Mario may have a different perspective, huh?
• 9:02
  Vipul Bindra: Full sale versus Valencia.
• 9:04
  Vipul Bindra: Film program.
• 9:07
  Vipul Bindra: I mean, I don't know.
• 9:10
  Vipul Bindra: You're gonna pick the rivals?
• 9:12
  Vipul Bindra: Because he went to full sales, so yeah, I know they're rivals, but how dare you?
• 9:15
  Vipul Bindra: I don't like to be a rival.
• 9:18
  Vipul Bindra: Yeah.
• 9:19
  Vipul Bindra: Okay, so I know.
• 9:20
  Vipul Bindra: I mean, I know people from Valencia under good programs.
• 9:25
  Josh Reimer: The truth is nobody's rivals.
• 9:27
  Josh Reimer: It's like I've worked with so many amazing people from full sale.
• 9:30
  Josh Reimer: I've worked with some amazing people from UCF.
• 9:33
  Josh Reimer: Yeah, there are differences between these film programs.
• 9:36
  Josh Reimer: You have to look at those differences when you begin.
• 9:39
  Josh Reimer: But you know, honestly, for me, it full sale.
• 9:42
  Josh Reimer: I did look at full sale.
• 9:44
  Josh Reimer: I went on a tour of full sale.
• 9:45
  Josh Reimer: It was amazing.
• 9:46
  Josh Reimer: Like, I couldn't believe the facilities that they had.
• 9:49
  Josh Reimer: It was a budget thing for me.
• 9:50
  Josh Reimer: And I think that's how it starts for a lot of people.
• 9:52
  Josh Reimer: It's a budget thing.
• 9:53
  Josh Reimer: The truth is, full sale is expensive, it's a private school.
• 9:56
  Josh Reimer: Valencia is a community college, and a lot of people look at Valencia, they're like, it's a community college.
• 10:01
  Josh Reimer: What kind of film program could they have?
• 10:04
  Josh Reimer: A really amazing one.
• 10:05
  Josh Reimer: I couldn't believe it.
• 10:06
  Vipul Bindra: It really actually blew my mind.
• 10:08
  Vipul Bindra: Yeah, for community.
• 10:08
  Vipul Bindra: I mean, the the program is great.
• 10:10
  Vipul Bindra: I've I've seen it, and uh I I mean, and that's the power of Orlando in general.
• 10:14
  Vipul Bindra: Yeah, you know, how many cities, I don't know, other ones, where you have three incredible programs, uh, because you have UCF, yeah, you have uh a full sale and obviously Valencia to choose from.
• 10:24
  Vipul Bindra: So that's a lot of options for somebody wanting to get into film.
• 10:26
  Vipul Bindra: It's amazing to pick it without leaving, you know, your your hometown.
• 10:29
  Vipul Bindra: Or if you like Disney or whatever, come here and study and you know have fun on the weekends.
• 10:34
  Vipul Bindra: Absolutely.
• 10:35
  Josh Reimer: Yeah, no, there's so much opportunity here for film.
• 10:39
  Josh Reimer: Um, and and it's crazy because it's kind of a you know, it's a little ironic because there's not much of a film industry in Orlando, but there's a lot of opportunity to learn how to be in the film industry.
• 10:49
  Josh Reimer: Um, and uh you could make it work, you can make it work if you want to make it work.
• 10:54
  Josh Reimer: Um, but I went to Valencia, I really, really loved it.
• 10:57
  Josh Reimer: I'd recommend it to anybody.
• 10:58
  Josh Reimer: It's such a hidden gem, and they just gave me such an amazing just foundation of like what I know.
• 11:04
  Josh Reimer: I mean, it was just hands-on constantly.
• 11:06
  Josh Reimer: They teach you all the roles of being on a film set so you get to choose what you want to move into.
• 11:13
  Josh Reimer: And I learned sound, I learned lighting.
• 11:15
  Josh Reimer: I mean, lighting is amazing, like there's such an incredible like being a gaffe for lighting, there's so much inspiration there and so much like opportunity.
• 11:25
  Josh Reimer: And but really what I fell into was working on cameras.
• 11:29
  Josh Reimer: I love it.
• 11:30
  Josh Reimer: You're like on the front lines, you are you are so important to the project, like you're essential.
• 11:38
  Josh Reimer: And um, first day seeing, first assistant camera, that is really that's the role that I fell into.
• 11:45
  Josh Reimer: Um, I like leading, I like um, I like you know, leading and and being the head of something and kind of being a key.
• 11:53
  Josh Reimer: Uh, I like feeling uh important and it's very satisfying to me on set when I'm able to direct the when I'm able to direct something on set.
• 12:05
  Josh Reimer: Um, because then I still feel like I'm in a creative role while I'm I'm being technical.
• 12:11
  Josh Reimer: And as a first AC, you are the focus puller.
• 12:14
  Josh Reimer: It's one of the main parts of the job, and you are responsible for keeping the image sharp.
• 12:19
  Josh Reimer: There is a instinctual like creativity in that, in which you you have to have like this instinct and you have to you have to make decisions sometimes on the fly.
• 12:31
  Josh Reimer: The focus is where the viewer looks.
• 12:34
  Josh Reimer: It's not something that could be changed in post, it has to be done live.
• 12:37
  Josh Reimer: It's really interesting because a lot of things could be changed in post, but not focus.
• 12:41
  Josh Reimer: Yeah, no, you're guiding, yeah.
• 12:43
  Vipul Bindra: Uh which it's random thought.
• 12:45
  Vipul Bindra: It reminds me years and years ago.
• 12:47
  Vipul Bindra: Do you remember this camera came out?
• 12:49
  Vipul Bindra: It was like you could change focus.
• 12:51
  Vipul Bindra: Oh my god, it was like a box essentially, lens in it.
• 12:54
  Vipul Bindra: I don't anyway.
• 12:55
  Josh Reimer: I know exactly what you're talking about.
• 12:56
  Josh Reimer: Yeah, right.
• 12:57
  Vipul Bindra: It was a long, long time ago, and I still remember they were like, you can change focus in posts, but you're right.
• 13:02
  Vipul Bindra: Yeah, most spherical or anamorphic lenses, you cannot change focus.
• 13:05
  Vipul Bindra: It is, you know, locked in.
• 13:07
  Vipul Bindra: Yeah, and this random project that I all of a sudden remembered is long gone.
• 13:11
  Vipul Bindra: I don't think it worked out.
• 13:12
  Josh Reimer: No, it didn't work out.
• 13:13
  Josh Reimer: It it, you know, it was just um it just didn't take off.
• 13:16
  Josh Reimer: Uh, and I don't know why, but it was a brilliant idea, and uh I do remember that.
• 13:21
  Josh Reimer: Yeah, um, but no, focus is is so interesting to me because you're directing the viewer's eye.
• 13:27
  Josh Reimer: Um, and it sometimes like I I work with the DP, I work hand in hand with the DP because sometimes there are shots where there's a scene happening and there's multiple characters, it's you know, an emotional scene, a dramatic scene, whatever.
• 13:41
  Josh Reimer: The focus is is important.
• 13:43
  Josh Reimer: It's not, you know, you don't want to just bounce back between people.
• 13:46
  Josh Reimer: You want it to be, you want it to be um just purposeful.
• 13:51
  Josh Reimer: Yeah, you want it to be purposeful, you want to direct the film.
• 13:53
  Vipul Bindra: And I think it's very important, like it on my side, and obviously we're not doing movies over here, but we're doing corporate and commercial work.
• 13:59
  Vipul Bindra: It drives me crazy.
• 14:00
  Vipul Bindra: And and you know, because it's not that I don't think it's an issue in film, but like in corporate uh environments, these people are demanding us to make you know, like give us give them more depth of field.
• 14:11
  Vipul Bindra: Like they want if they could have a T.5 lens, they would.
• 14:14
  Vipul Bindra: So I'm saying, so a lot of times we're shooting T1.4, and you know how shallow your depth of field is there and your roll off.
• 14:22
  Vipul Bindra: So you know, uh, so uh it drives me crazy sometimes, you know, when we have to shoot T14 and then the eyes are not in focus.
• 14:28
  Vipul Bindra: I'm like, I I'm tired of like having to then ask the editors because then we have to go and post and we have to track that.
• 14:34
  Vipul Bindra: Thank goodness for modern tracking tools, we can do that.
• 14:37
  Vipul Bindra: Track the eyes, add post sharpness.
• 14:39
  Vipul Bindra: So you can, you know, somewhat fix it.
• 14:41
  Vipul Bindra: Somewhat.
• 14:42
  Vipul Bindra: But somewhat, yeah, it's not perfect.
• 14:44
  Vipul Bindra: But you're right.
• 14:45
  Vipul Bindra: Like at that time, I'm like, oh my goodness, like these eyes need to be in focus.
• 14:48
  Vipul Bindra: That's the focal point for me of any person, especially what we're doing.
• 14:52
  Vipul Bindra: Um, you know, um, to me, that's where we show intent of whoever's on camera.
• 14:57
  Vipul Bindra: Uh, but it it it's pretty common, at least in my world, where we're forced to film, you know, such wide open, and then the eyes are not in focus.
• 15:06
  Vipul Bindra: Whether it's autofocus or human, it's just hard to keep up.
• 15:09
  Josh Reimer: It is, and it's like little intricacies like that that makes me really enjoy the job.
• 15:14
  Josh Reimer: Like focus is storytelling, it's a it's one of the ways that you direct the viewer's eye, and I'm responsible for that.
• 15:22
  Josh Reimer: It's an amazing feeling.
• 15:24
  Josh Reimer: I love it.
• 15:24
  Josh Reimer: And if I do my job right, nobody will ever know that I did it at all.
• 15:28
  Josh Reimer: And that's fine.
• 15:29
  Vipul Bindra: Yeah, that's uh that's a part of it, right?
• 15:31
  Vipul Bindra: Because if they're noticing it, no, something went wrong.
• 15:34
  Vipul Bindra: Exactly.
• 15:35
  Vipul Bindra: So that's pretty cool.
• 15:36
  Vipul Bindra: Uh, you know, and and just for some, I mean, most of our audience that I assume is filmmakers, so they should know.
• 15:42
  Vipul Bindra: But for somebody, let's say who's beginner, outside of pulling focus, what does a first AC do?
• 15:47
  Vipul Bindra: Oh my god, uh, just a million things.
• 15:49
  Vipul Bindra: I could talk about it.
• 15:50
  Vipul Bindra: We could fill up this whole two hours with it.
• 15:51
  Vipul Bindra: But I'll let's make it brief.
• 15:52
  Vipul Bindra: We're gonna make it brief.
• 15:53
  Vipul Bindra: Let's say somebody's beginning is like, so do I just pull focus?
• 15:56
  Vipul Bindra: And I know you obviously you have to do a lot more.
• 15:59
  Vipul Bindra: So kind of brief overview of what what all that extra stuff is beyond pulling focus.
• 16:03
  Josh Reimer: So when you learn about the roles on set, or at least this was like my process, and I feel like it's a lot of people's process, you start like, okay, so there's the director, and then you realize wait, there's a lot of positions under them.
• 16:14
  Josh Reimer: And then you learn about the positions, but you learn like the key points of each position, kind of like the headline.
• 16:20
  Josh Reimer: So for focus for first AC, it's a focus puller.
• 16:24
  Josh Reimer: Focus that's you know, you're a first AC, you're a focus poller.
• 16:27
  Josh Reimer: Yeah, and it's true, it's a big part of the job, it's an essential part of the job, but it's not the biggest part of the job.
• 16:34
  Josh Reimer: The biggest part of being a first AC is being a camera technician.
• 16:38
  Josh Reimer: And this is how I sum up the job to mostly everybody.
• 16:41
  Josh Reimer: I'm a camera technician, so the DP is big picture.
• 16:45
  Josh Reimer: He is, I mean, he's a creative, he, she, you know, their creative role.
• 16:49
  Josh Reimer: The DP is a very, very creative role.
• 16:52
  Josh Reimer: And they are literally shaping the look of the production with the director.
• 16:58
  Josh Reimer: They work hand in hand, and they don't have time for when the wireless goes out, or when the batteries run low, or when I don't know, the lens has some aberration that shouldn't be there.
• 17:12
  Josh Reimer: Um, they don't have time for that.
• 17:14
  Josh Reimer: That falls on me.
• 17:15
  Josh Reimer: So um, as the first AC, I'm a key, I'm the leader of the camera department.
• 17:19
  Josh Reimer: Uh, so under me would be like the second AC, followed by like uh a second uh an additional second or a camera utility um and the DIT.
• 17:28
  Josh Reimer: And uh there's you know, there's multiple rows uh roles that could be added into the camera department, but the main ones are first AC, second AC.
• 17:35
  Josh Reimer: And so I'm responsible for everything relating to the camera.
• 17:38
  Josh Reimer: It's really troubleshooting, it's maintaining the integrity of the image, which is you know key.
• 17:45
  Josh Reimer: Um making sure that the settings are correct, uh, you know, setting settings for the DP, moving the camera where it needs to be.
• 17:54
  Josh Reimer: If he wants to do a dolly shot, we're getting the camera up on the dolly.
• 17:57
  Josh Reimer: We work with G and E to do that.
• 17:58
  Josh Reimer: Uh sticks, hi-hat, handheld.
• 18:01
  Josh Reimer: We configure it for whatever.
• 18:03
  Josh Reimer: We switch lenses, we clean lenses, filters.
• 18:06
  Josh Reimer: It's a gazillion things.
• 18:08
  Josh Reimer: But uh, you know, the I'm a camera technician, and that's really how I would say.
• 18:12
  Vipul Bindra: How many bottles of pancreas do you have at home?
• 18:15
  Josh Reimer: Many.
• 18:15
  Josh Reimer: A lot.
• 18:17
  Josh Reimer: Yeah, use a lot of that stuff, exactly.
• 18:20
  Vipul Bindra: So so this is uh, you know, and and and and that's why I'm like, you know, it's a very expansive role.
• 18:26
  Vipul Bindra: Like you said, most people just go, oh, focus buller.
• 18:28
  Vipul Bindra: But no, when you have a first AC, and like I said, to me in corporate and commercial work, and like I said, sets are getting smaller, having a first AC, we were talking about this is like a privilege.
• 18:36
  Vipul Bindra: But if whenever I do, it's such a help because uh it takes away so much.
• 18:41
  Vipul Bindra: Because usually I'm the guy, I have to DP, but now on top of that, I have to be the technician, and I'm like, you know, that's dividing your attention.
• 18:48
  Vipul Bindra: And if I could, I'd rather not, and then that makes it which is why I've devised my formula now, at least for my work.
• 18:54
  Vipul Bindra: I make sure before we even show up, I've dialed all the settings and the lenses and everything.
• 18:59
  Vipul Bindra: Yeah, it's great, which is good, but that's extra work.
• 19:01
  Vipul Bindra: You know, it's not like the work is just eliminated, you know.
• 19:04
  Vipul Bindra: A lot of people think I've had that.
• 19:06
  Vipul Bindra: So uh where I'll show up with a friend and you know, we'll shoot a big production, and then they're like, Oh, it went smooth.
• 19:12
  Vipul Bindra: Yeah, it didn't go smooth because you know, it went smooth because a day or two of pre-production or uh, you know, or the technician work that happened in the in the back, and so that we could accomplish um all that, and and that could have been avoided had we had a first AC or a second AC or whatever, like a team helping us configure that on right, and which is what you're doing.
• 19:33
  Vipul Bindra: You're you're taking that because most productions don't have two days before to be setting up settings and lenses and all that, exactly.
• 19:40
  Josh Reimer: So that you know that uh we do that, but you know, it falls on me instead of the DP.
• 19:44
  Josh Reimer: So um it's a prep.
• 19:46
  Josh Reimer: And and so you know, ACs do have uh pre-production.
• 19:49
  Josh Reimer: We have a prep, some days two days of prep if it's a big show, and uh that's when all the gear comes in and we're gonna build it, we're gonna set the settings, we're gonna fix every single problem, whether it be, you know, the wireless is busted, it's not connecting, or something as stupid as I don't know, the focus motors interfering with the the handle going on the rosette, something like that.
• 20:12
  Josh Reimer: Just little ergonomic problems that need to be fixed before you step on set so you don't encounter it on set.
• 20:18
  Josh Reimer: Um, camera always has to be up first.
• 20:21
  Josh Reimer: Cameras just, you know, it's essential.
• 20:23
  Josh Reimer: Like people want to look at the image.
• 20:24
  Josh Reimer: We are the department that is we everybody, all the focus falls on us.
• 20:28
  Josh Reimer: Like we gotta be up and ready.
• 20:30
  Josh Reimer: The DP says, I want this on a 35, I want a handheld on my shoulder.
• 20:33
  Josh Reimer: He's gonna want it now.
• 20:34
  Josh Reimer: Yeah, and so we gotta be ready for that.
• 20:36
  Vipul Bindra: Exactly.
• 20:37
  Vipul Bindra: You gotta kinda already be envisioning what the DP wants, right?
• 20:40
  Vipul Bindra: And be ready for it.
• 20:41
  Vipul Bindra: Anticipation.
• 20:42
  Vipul Bindra: It's pretty cool.
• 20:42
  Vipul Bindra: So, what what what kind of projects are you normally on?
• 20:45
  Vipul Bindra: So, talk about the scale.
• 20:46
  Vipul Bindra: Obviously, like you said, Orlando isn't huge in film.
• 20:49
  Vipul Bindra: I mean, we have random projects happen, but so you probably have to either travel or what do you do?
• 20:53
  Vipul Bindra: More commercial work locally.
• 20:55
  Vipul Bindra: Talk to me about that.
• 20:56
  Josh Reimer: Like, what's I I do a healthy blend and um I really enjoy that uh because it you know, sometimes I will hop on a movie and I'll know when I'm ready to hop on a movie because movies are hard.
• 21:09
  Josh Reimer: Movies don't pay as much as commercials.
• 21:11
  Josh Reimer: It is a mindset that I have to be in, I have to be ready for it.
• 21:15
  Josh Reimer: So, you know, when people ask me to do a movie, you know, if I'm feeling like I want to go, I want to go to Atlanta, I want to go to Kentucky, I want to go to LA and do a movie, then you know, I'll go.
• 21:24
  Josh Reimer: Um, and then that's multiple weeks that I'm that you know, my schedule is filled.
• 21:29
  Josh Reimer: Um, and uh I love movies.
• 21:31
  Josh Reimer: I mean, that's why I got into this business in the first place.
• 21:34
  Josh Reimer: Um, so yeah, I travel a lot for movies.
• 21:36
  Josh Reimer: Um, and then here in Orlando, since it's not much of a narrative market because tax incentives aren't that good, uh, commercials, huge commercials are king here.
• 21:46
  Josh Reimer: So big commercials will shoot here.
• 21:48
  Josh Reimer: I mean, we have these massive theme parks, Disney, Universal, SeaWorld, and they spend a ton of money on marketing, as one would assume.
• 21:55
  Josh Reimer: I mean, they pour money into it.
• 21:57
  Josh Reimer: So um, you know, they do a lot of commercials.
• 21:59
  Josh Reimer: And a lot of companies come to Orlando to do commercials.
• 22:03
  Josh Reimer: And uh so I do a lot of commercials here, and that's really where you know you make your profit.
• 22:08
  Josh Reimer: And we also have a big virtual production studio here.
• 22:10
  Vipul Bindra: So there's there's enough commercial, which is crazy for not having a narrative market.
• 22:14
  Vipul Bindra: We do have a big commercial market.
• 22:16
  Vipul Bindra: Absolutely.
• 22:17
  Vipul Bindra: Uh it may not be as big as Miami, but it's pretty decent sized over here.
• 22:20
  Vipul Bindra: And um, so that's pretty great because you know, we're losing movies.
• 22:24
  Vipul Bindra: Uh we lost what, Marvel in Atlanta because of incentives, they're all going to UK.
• 22:28
  Vipul Bindra: So movie industry in general is struggling.
• 22:31
  Vipul Bindra: So it's good to have, you know, this other side where you're like, oh, I can I can do this commercial, and you can still have, you know, you can be working, otherwise, uh, you know, you may be out of work.
• 22:41
  Vipul Bindra: And also the other thing is commercials, like you said, pay way better.
• 22:44
  Vipul Bindra: It's a longer time commitment on a narrative, and also the pay is generally lower versus you know, commercials a shorter time frame, you can hop on much faster.
• 22:52
  Vipul Bindra: It's also pay pay is higher.
• 22:54
  Vipul Bindra: I'm guessing it's more easier work to somewhat because you know, I don't know.
• 23:00
  Josh Reimer: Yeah, no, it um sorry, uh yeah, it's it's yeah, it's definitely easier.
• 23:05
  Josh Reimer: I mean, generally it's easier, uh, definitely depends on the commercial.
• 23:10
  Josh Reimer: I've had some days where I'm like on set for six hours and I pull focus on just a few shots, and then you know, I build up the camera, take it down, and I'm out, and I get paid close to a grand.
• 23:22
  Josh Reimer: And then there are some days where we're there for 14, 15 hours, and commercials like this is no movie, like these are commercials 14, 15 hours shooting so much stuff, and the rate is just like it's all right, it's not that good.
• 23:37
  Josh Reimer: Um, but it's work, it's work.
• 23:39
  Vipul Bindra: So it it is those type of clients I was talking about where it's like they put in T14 and now you're like focus and you're like, uh, I'm sure that must be hard.
• 23:48
  Vipul Bindra: Do you have some kind of tools?
• 23:49
  Vipul Bindra: Like, how would you do it differently than you know?
• 23:52
  Vipul Bindra: I don't know, is just a challenge for you too, or oh my god, yeah.
• 23:56
  Vipul Bindra: Yeah, if I was put you in that situation, it's like, here you go, here's here's a VistaVision camera, a T14 lens, you know, now focus on the eye, talking challenge, yeah.
• 24:06
  Josh Reimer: I mean, it's I'm not gonna lie, the job is hard.
• 24:08
  Josh Reimer: Um, and uh, you never really you never feel totally confident.
• 24:13
  Josh Reimer: You you feel great, and then this shot comes along like that, and you're like, God willing, I could get this.
• 24:21
  Josh Reimer: Yeah, exactly.
• 24:21
  Josh Reimer: And uh, you know, focus is also one of those things like oh, they don't want to do another shot, they don't want to redo a shot for focus, the focus puller couldn't get it.
• 24:30
  Josh Reimer: Are you kidding me?
• 24:32
  Vipul Bindra: Yeah, they don't want to hear hold for focus, that would be bad, right?
• 24:35
  Vipul Bindra: No, like hold for sound, hold for focus.
• 24:38
  Vipul Bindra: Any of these things you don't want to be called out on set because even though, like I tell people, half the movie or half the commercial is sound, yeah.
• 24:46
  Vipul Bindra: The moment you say hold for sound, you're looking bad.
• 24:49
  Vipul Bindra: Yeah, and same thing for focus.
• 24:51
  Vipul Bindra: It's like, yeah, you you you know, these are unsung, I guess, heroes, you know, you're running them on set, where you're like, you you're doing so much work, but the best way you can do work is just to not get noticed.
• 25:03
  Vipul Bindra: Because if you're slowing everyone down, is when you get noticed more and you don't want to do that.
• 25:08
  Josh Reimer: And everybody's watching, you know, we got monitors everywhere, the director's got a monitor, the gaffer's got a monitor, producers got a monitor, two 27-inch monitors.
• 25:16
  Josh Reimer: It's crazy.
• 25:17
  Vipul Bindra: Yeah, they're they're they're they're like they can see you what you're doing.
• 25:20
  Vipul Bindra: So I mean it's a lot of pressure, but like I said, it's also fun.
• 25:23
  Vipul Bindra: You know, if you enjoy it, I think everything in the in the in the uh video industry is hard.
• 25:28
  Vipul Bindra: I think it just comes down to is if you like it, then it's not hard.
• 25:32
  Vipul Bindra: Exactly.
• 25:32
  Vipul Bindra: You know, kind of like you know what we do.
• 25:34
  Vipul Bindra: I'm like, yeah, it's very hard, but technically it's not hard because if I if you do it, if you love it, then it's like, oh, it's just something I enjoy.
• 25:41
  Vipul Bindra: And I do love it.
• 25:42
  Josh Reimer: I do love it.
• 25:43
  Josh Reimer: I really, really love it.
• 25:44
  Josh Reimer: Um, and it's also, you know, it's very dependent on the people you work with.
• 25:47
  Josh Reimer: Yeah, people make the project.
• 25:49
  Josh Reimer: I mean, you you probably know this just as well as I do.
• 25:51
  Josh Reimer: Like, people are just so important, and and the people you work with, I mean, that is just that that makes the project.
• 25:57
  Josh Reimer: So sometimes I'll be working on a commercial with a DP.
• 26:01
  Josh Reimer: They didn't come up in camera, they came up in lighting or something, they've never been in AC.
• 26:07
  Josh Reimer: They can't maybe they, you know, got a break where they they they took the fast lane to being a DP, and that's great, nothing against them, but they they don't exactly understand the struggle of pulling focus.
• 26:18
  Josh Reimer: So they're gonna open up to one four, they're gonna do a shot, so you know, running after somebody, and you know, I may miss it, which happens.
• 26:25
  Josh Reimer: Yeah, and uh they're not gonna like that.
• 26:28
  Vipul Bindra: Yeah, they're gonna be like, well, is this guy?
• 26:29
  Vipul Bindra: No, absolutely, and that is the part of uh you know learning.
• 26:32
  Vipul Bindra: I've had uh obviously, like you said, I do smaller gigs, mine are like 50 people or less, typically five to ten people is the common thing I do.
• 26:41
  Vipul Bindra: And you know, we have this happen a lot on the other side where it's like uh I'll hire DPs or I'll work with other DPs and they have zero knowledge of lighting.
• 26:49
  Vipul Bindra: And it's like I get it, you don't need to know of obviously every fixture and what it does and where it goes, but at the end of the day, you are the the head of the department, yeah, you know, not the gaffer.
• 27:00
  Vipul Bindra: You gotta be able to communicate with the gaffer and maybe they just leave it like, oh yeah, you do your thing, and it's like no, and then be like, ah, this gaffer wasn't great.
• 27:07
  Vipul Bindra: And it's like, come on, no, you didn't even talk to the guy or give him your vision or anything, you know.
• 27:13
  Vipul Bindra: You don't have to know specific, like you can say, I want some light there or something, I don't know.
• 27:17
  Vipul Bindra: But I have noticed this, and it's usually like you said, it's people who skip that that whole, I don't know, they went from you know, scholars, let's say, yeah, or or or whatever, or starting out and then just quickly do a bigger set, which is good.
• 27:30
  Vipul Bindra: I mean, career progress is awesome, absolutely, but then like you said, that they they skip the steps to be a grade DP, and that's why they can end up struggling, you know, because they're like, I don't they don't know how to work with their first AC or a gaffer or grip or whatever, you know, their team that's under them, right?
• 27:47
  Josh Reimer: Yeah, and it happens frequently, you know, they um they just haven't walked a day in my shoes, and that's fine, they don't have to be an AC, but you have to understand how to treat your people and how to talk to them because it's not gonna make if you come over and you scold me for not getting that really difficult shot on the first try, it's not gonna make me get it on the second try.
• 28:08
  Vipul Bindra: Yeah, it's it's only putting more pressure on you.
• 28:11
  Josh Reimer: Yeah, yeah, yeah.
• 28:12
  Josh Reimer: So um, but luckily I've gotten I've gotten very lucky with this.
• 28:15
  Josh Reimer: I work with a lot of DPs who have come from camera or they understand exactly what I do, exactly the struggle.
• 28:22
  Josh Reimer: And if I miss a shot like that, I just go up to them and I say, I need one more, and they give me one more.
• 28:26
  Josh Reimer: And luckily, you know, that's that's the workflow that I really appreciate.
• 28:30
  Vipul Bindra: Exactly.
• 28:31
  Vipul Bindra: Yeah, you want to work as a team, especially on a on a difficult shot.
• 28:34
  Vipul Bindra: Yeah, like they gotta fully understand that you're not a miracle worker, you're really good at what you do, but you know, that's that's kind of the the limit.
• 28:41
  Vipul Bindra: Like I said, because I've been in the situation where I'm like, uh yeah, like I have to kind of you know not be mad at the people pulling focus for me because at the end of the task that we're giving them is very difficult.
• 28:53
  Vipul Bindra: Uh which do you have any particular uh so in your in your experience?
• 28:57
  Vipul Bindra: What are the more common cameras that you're seeing in productions?
• 29:01
  Vipul Bindra: Um nowadays, let's not go because you know things change so fast in our industry.
• 29:06
  Vipul Bindra: Let's talk this year, 2025.
• 29:08
  Vipul Bindra: What's the most cam common cameras you're seeing on set?
• 29:11
  Vipul Bindra: I'll give you the top three.
• 29:13
  Vipul Bindra: Yeah.
• 29:14
  Josh Reimer: So it's the red Komodo.
• 29:16
  Josh Reimer: Okay.
• 29:16
  Josh Reimer: That is a camera used on a lot of sets because it's so versatile, it's so small, it's a great B cam.
• 29:22
  Josh Reimer: Uh, the Red Raptor, which is I love the Red Raptor.
• 29:27
  Josh Reimer: I have some problems with the Red Raptor, but I really love that camera.
• 29:31
  Josh Reimer: And that camera's used on a lot of sets because they've they red has is getting really close to the color science of Ari, in my opinion.
• 29:39
  Josh Reimer: Yeah.
• 29:39
  Josh Reimer: And I just I think the Red Raptor looks great.
• 29:41
  Josh Reimer: I think a lot of other people are.
• 29:43
  Vipul Bindra: You're talking about the original variants, not the new X variants.
• 29:45
  Vipul Bindra: I've seen that one on set two.
• 29:47
  Vipul Bindra: I am talking about the original.
• 29:48
  Vipul Bindra: Those are more common.
• 29:50
  Josh Reimer: Yeah, yeah.
• 29:50
  Josh Reimer: The Red Raptor, and then of course, any Ari camera.
• 29:54
  Josh Reimer: Uh, so I guess the third one is kind of as you know, a few.
• 29:58
  Vipul Bindra: What would you say would be the ratio between red and ari?
• 30:00
  Vipul Bindra: What do you see more?
• 30:01
  Vipul Bindra: Like you could say 70% Ari, 30% red, or 70% red, 30% Ari.
• 30:06
  Vipul Bindra: What what are you seeing?
• 30:07
  Vipul Bindra: I'd say 70, 30 Ari.
• 30:09
  Vipul Bindra: Yeah.
• 30:09
  Vipul Bindra: So 70 Ari is still more than 30 is red?
• 30:11
  Vipul Bindra: Absolutely.
• 30:12
  Vipul Bindra: Yeah.
• 30:12
  Vipul Bindra: That's and that's great uh to know perspective.
• 30:15
  Vipul Bindra: Because I mine, and like I said again, I don't do narrative, so I know it's a different market.
• 30:19
  Vipul Bindra: But like again, I say I don't do narratives.
• 30:21
  Vipul Bindra: I'll end up DPing a few randomly here and there.
• 30:24
  Vipul Bindra: But normally I don't.
• 30:25
  Vipul Bindra: And and so in my world, I've done one commercial this whole year that uses uh a V-Raptor.
• 30:31
  Vipul Bindra: Yeah.
• 30:31
  Vipul Bindra: Uh, and we had a comoda as a B cam.
• 30:33
  Vipul Bindra: But that that was only because it was virtual production, and you know, uh sync is easy on those global shutters.
• 30:38
  Vipul Bindra: Yeah.
• 30:39
  Vipul Bindra: Uh, but outside of that, it's been all RE, so it's not red's been less common.
• 30:42
  Vipul Bindra: So it's good to know that at least in the narrative world, they're still using red cameras.
• 30:47
  Josh Reimer: They they are.
• 30:47
  Josh Reimer: Um, red is used.
• 30:49
  Josh Reimer: I mean, I've been on so many movies with red cameras.
• 30:51
  Josh Reimer: No, Venice.
• 30:52
  Josh Reimer: I know Venice is kind of popular.
• 30:53
  Josh Reimer: Yeah, Venice, I love the Venice.
• 30:55
  Josh Reimer: Uh, I've just worked with it less.
• 30:56
  Josh Reimer: Really, yeah.
• 30:58
  Vipul Bindra: Not around what jobs they use.
• 30:59
  Josh Reimer: The jobs that I've done, I've just worked with you would say red and already would be.
• 31:03
  Josh Reimer: Red and R.
• 31:04
  Vipul Bindra: Yeah, that's and and that's good to know for people.
• 31:06
  Vipul Bindra: Because I think the other thing is just go familiarize.
• 31:09
  Vipul Bindra: Because, right, wouldn't you say it if somebody's like, oh, I just want to be a first AC, and it's like, how do I go?
• 31:14
  Vipul Bindra: And I'm like, just go handle these cameras.
• 31:16
  Vipul Bindra: Absolutely.
• 31:17
  Josh Reimer: Yeah.
• 31:17
  Josh Reimer: So so being a first AC is a lot of knowledge.
• 31:20
  Josh Reimer: Um, it really truly is.
• 31:22
  Josh Reimer: I'm not gonna sugarcoat it.
• 31:23
  Josh Reimer: It's like you need to, you're looked upon to know everything, all these settings of every single camera.
• 31:30
  Josh Reimer: I don't know every setting of every single camera.
• 31:34
  Josh Reimer: Um, so as a first AC, you're always learning, you're always a student.
• 31:39
  Josh Reimer: I'm always a student.
• 31:40
  Josh Reimer: If I get on a job and they're like, and this happened recently, I was on a movie uh back in April, May, and uh the A cam was the Ari A35.
• 31:49
  Josh Reimer: Love that camera.
• 31:49
  Josh Reimer: I was like, yes, one of my favorite cameras.
• 31:52
  Josh Reimer: The B cam was the Ronin 4D.
• 31:55
  Josh Reimer: I've never worked on a job with the Ronin 4D, and I always wanted to, so I was excited, but I was also like, I've never worked with this camera, and as a first AC, I'm not gonna show up to the prep.
• 32:05
  Josh Reimer: Never in this camera.
• 32:08
  Vipul Bindra: Okay, yeah, it's an amazing camera.
• 32:10
  Vipul Bindra: Yeah, it's everywhere.
• 32:11
  Vipul Bindra: I saw it was on the F1 movie and everything on the paddock.
• 32:14
  Vipul Bindra: I know they were all the advertising was about the Sony cameras that they built for the car, but all the shots that I saw in behind the scenes, they were like, especially the paddock stuff, it was all grown in 4D.
• 32:23
  Vipul Bindra: And it's it's fantastic.
• 32:25
  Vipul Bindra: Yeah, but it does not match the RE that easy.
• 32:27
  Vipul Bindra: I mean, you can the D-log or whatever, but yeah, no, it's not the same thing yet.
• 32:31
  Josh Reimer: D-Log is beautiful, definitely not the same thing, but it is um wow, it's an amazing B cam, especially if you want something that is just up and running and always there.
• 32:40
  Josh Reimer: I mean, the camera's like it's everything.
• 32:41
  Josh Reimer: The camera's like everything.
• 32:42
  Josh Reimer: It blows my mind how just put together the camera is.
• 32:45
  Josh Reimer: You take it out of the case, it's ready.
• 32:47
  Josh Reimer: You put the you put the uh battery on, you put the media in, it's ready.
• 32:51
  Josh Reimer: Um, and it it is a cinema level quality camera, and it has just so much capability.
• 32:57
  Josh Reimer: There are a few bugs that they definitely have to work out.
• 33:00
  Josh Reimer: There are a few quirks that me as an AC like it makes my job more difficult, but for the most part, love that camera.
• 33:05
  Josh Reimer: But getting back to what I was saying, like, so you know, I'm not gonna show up to the prep never never having used this camera.
• 33:11
  Josh Reimer: Like, I don't know how to do anything on this camera.
• 33:13
  Josh Reimer: So I was at first AC, always a student, camera technology always evolving.
• 33:17
  Josh Reimer: I wanted to go get my hands on this camera.
• 33:20
  Josh Reimer: So I immediately started looking for people in the area who owned the camera.
• 33:24
  Josh Reimer: And um, I could not find any rental houses that had one.
• 33:28
  Josh Reimer: Um, and I I think Flowcam actually recently got one.
• 33:31
  Josh Reimer: But at the time, I I a friend recommended me to their friend who had who had a Ronin 40.
• 33:38
  Josh Reimer: And so I hit him up.
• 33:39
  Josh Reimer: I'm like, can I take you out to lunch?
• 33:41
  Josh Reimer: Can I use this camera?
• 33:43
  Josh Reimer: Can I like learn it?
• 33:44
  Josh Reimer: And for two hours, I sat there with the camera and I just kind of explored every button, every menu function, and I just committed it to memory.
• 33:51
  Vipul Bindra: And that's what it's the thing I don't like about Ronin 40.
• 33:53
  Vipul Bindra: You can't change most of the buttons, it's so annoying.
• 33:55
  Vipul Bindra: Yeah, it is what it is.
• 33:57
  Vipul Bindra: Like, why?
• 33:58
  Vipul Bindra: I don't know.
• 33:59
  Vipul Bindra: But yeah, I mean they'll learn, I guess.
• 34:00
  Vipul Bindra: That was their first cinema camera.
• 34:02
  Vipul Bindra: But uh, so yeah, you're the good thing though is once you learn it, it is there because, like I say, you can't change half the buttons to anything else.
• 34:09
  Vipul Bindra: So yeah.
• 34:09
  Vipul Bindra: Um, yeah, what do you think about that camera?
• 34:12
  Josh Reimer: No, I I really love that camera.
• 34:14
  Josh Reimer: I think it is so capable.
• 34:16
  Josh Reimer: I think the Z-axis, like part of the gimbal, game changer.
• 34:20
  Josh Reimer: Yeah, um, and the battery life, really, really good.
• 34:24
  Josh Reimer: The quality of the footage, beautiful.
• 34:26
  Josh Reimer: I really like D Log.
• 34:28
  Vipul Bindra: Did you not find it heavier?
• 34:29
  Vipul Bindra: So here's my thing.
• 34:30
  Vipul Bindra: And and then maybe just I think an inherent issue with the just learning a new camera.
• 34:36
  Vipul Bindra: So I can lift a heavier camera and it's handheld or shoulder, and it's like fine because I'm used to it.
• 34:41
  Vipul Bindra: But for some reason, every time on the Ronin 4D, I go with the four it's fine when you're locked in, you know, three axis, whatever.
• 34:47
  Vipul Bindra: It works, I think, like any other camera.
• 34:49
  Vipul Bindra: But as soon as you go Z-axis, I feel like the camera's fighting you.
• 34:52
  Vipul Bindra: I don't know.
• 34:53
  Vipul Bindra: Every time I feel like it feels heavier than even bigger cameras than that.
• 34:57
  Vipul Bindra: So that's been like my biggest issue with the Ronin 4D.
• 35:00
  Vipul Bindra: Is like, sure, sure, it's great.
• 35:01
  Vipul Bindra: And like, oh, we need the fourth axis, we're gonna do a walk-in-talk or whatever.
• 35:05
  Vipul Bindra: And every time I feel like the camera's just fighting against you.
• 35:07
  Vipul Bindra: I don't know, maybe you didn't feel that, but yeah, I I don't know.
• 35:11
  Vipul Bindra: I I feel like it feels heavier than it actually is.
• 35:13
  Vipul Bindra: And as soon as I lock it, right?
• 35:15
  Vipul Bindra: It feels oh, this is easy.
• 35:17
  Vipul Bindra: But as soon as I'm turning four, and it's like fourth axis, and it's like, whoa, like, I don't know.
• 35:21
  Vipul Bindra: And I think it's because of the movement or whatever, but it feels so heavy.
• 35:24
  Vipul Bindra: Like five minutes later, I still remember Mario was in a shoot.
• 35:27
  Vipul Bindra: Yeah, and I could see him, like, so I'm like, you know, deep non-operating DP because I've the uh I think it was B-roll sections.
• 35:33
  Vipul Bindra: We had interview going and B-roll going, and so he was on the run in 4D, and like I could see in his eye, like he because you know it's like documentary is shoot, right?
• 35:42
  Vipul Bindra: So there's there's no cut that you're just capturing, and I could see in his eye, I'm like, he he's struggling to pick this.
• 35:48
  Vipul Bindra: Do you remember that, Mario?
• 35:50
  Vipul Bindra: Yeah, yeah, yeah.
• 35:51
  Vipul Bindra: I do remember how hard was it on your arms?
• 35:54
  Vipul Bindra: It was it was hard.
• 35:55
  Vipul Bindra: I mean, uh, and it also was maybe because it was the first time for me using it in like a real shoot.
• 36:02
  Vipul Bindra: Um, so yeah, uh, it was it was hard, but I do think that it's uh a cool camera, it's very flexible, very dynamic.
• 36:10
  Josh Reimer: It's definitely, you know, it's not a camera for everything, yeah, it's a specialty camera, and I would not say use that camera as your A camera unless you're trying to achieve something like adolescence.
• 36:20
  Josh Reimer: Adolescence was shot completely on the Ron 4D, which makes sense because it's so versatile, the transmission is so good, it goes so far.
• 36:28
  Josh Reimer: Like you can do so many things with that camera with movement, but on a move, on a movie, if you're like in a studio setting, you're getting this precise push and shot, like that's not the camera for you, you know.
• 36:40
  Josh Reimer: So it's definitely like it's like everything, it's case-dependent.
• 36:43
  Josh Reimer: Yeah, um, but for what it is, I love it.
• 36:46
  Josh Reimer: And yes, when you turn on the Z axis, it gets really heavy.
• 36:50
  Vipul Bindra: You need an Easy Rig.
• 36:50
  Vipul Bindra: That was like my final thing to him.
• 36:52
  Vipul Bindra: I was like, okay, so Ronin 4G means we have to put our Easy Rig into the bundle or whatever, reusing it.
• 36:58
  Vipul Bindra: And I I feel like that that would be my only feedback to DJI, not that they're listening to this, but it'd be like, you know, in if they can put make the same camera, I know people would want a thousand other things, and just make the weight half.
• 37:11
  Vipul Bindra: I think that would come in so much handy because, like I said, it feels double the weight.
• 37:14
  Vipul Bindra: So if it was half the weight, maybe it'll be the right amount of weight that I need.
• 37:19
  Vipul Bindra: I don't know.
• 37:19
  Vipul Bindra: That'd be the the thing I would like, or somehow reduce that that drag.
• 37:23
  Vipul Bindra: I don't know the word for it, but you you know what I mean.
• 37:25
  Vipul Bindra: Like it feels heavier than it needs to.
• 37:27
  Josh Reimer: Well, the reason why the weight increases when you turn on the z-axis, and I get a little technical here, is because when you turn on the z-axis, the camera it's not, it feels like it's fighting you, it's counteracting your motions on a vertical scale.
• 37:39
  Josh Reimer: So the camera is literally push like it.
• 37:42
  Josh Reimer: That motor is pushing your camera down sometimes, and then sometimes it's pushing it up.
• 37:50
  Josh Reimer: Um, so that vertical motion is is changing the center of of gravity on that camera.
• 37:58
  Josh Reimer: Um, and so it's very unique.
• 38:00
  Josh Reimer: I, you know, I've never seen anything like it before, and it's a kind of a weird feeling when you're using it, but also uh you need to make sure not to cover the sensor on the bottom because then it won't know where it's.
• 38:08
  Josh Reimer: Yeah, exactly.
• 38:09
  Vipul Bindra: So you can't do that either.
• 38:09
  Vipul Bindra: Then it's really funny, you yeah.
• 38:11
  Vipul Bindra: Uh so uh, you know, like I said, uh a good camera, but it's also four years old.
• 38:16
  Vipul Bindra: So hopefully DJ has something up their sleeves.
• 38:18
  Vipul Bindra: For sure.
• 38:18
  Vipul Bindra: And uh yeah, that would be my only main gripe with it.
• 38:22
  Vipul Bindra: Because I I do really like the image and and the you know, the like you said, the transmission and all of that.
• 38:28
  Vipul Bindra: Um, like you said, uh the that was my biggest thing, operating it.
• 38:31
  Vipul Bindra: I was like, this this does not need to feel this heavy.
• 38:34
  Vipul Bindra: I get it.
• 38:34
  Vipul Bindra: Like you said, there's a technicality behind it, so maybe they can just make the overall camera lighter so the big the how much it's fighting against you is less in general.
• 38:43
  Vipul Bindra: Uh, but that's pretty cool to know that you guys were able to use an Ari and uh you know Ronin 4G.
• 38:48
  Vipul Bindra: Which one was it?
• 38:48
  Vipul Bindra: Was it the 12k or the 6K?
• 38:50
  Vipul Bindra: It was the 12k.
• 38:51
  Vipul Bindra: Yeah, so at least that sensor uh is is so much dynamic range, too.
• 38:54
  Vipul Bindra: Yeah, it's beautiful.
• 38:55
  Vipul Bindra: So that's pretty cool.
• 38:56
  Vipul Bindra: So yeah, uh, I mean, look, you're that coming back to that perspective, yeah.
• 39:00
  Vipul Bindra: You can just go out, find people in your network, hit them up, buy them lunch, or just rent it for a day, and uh, you know, even if somebody's not in your network, because at the end of the day, all you need to do is just familiarize with your camera.
• 39:13
  Vipul Bindra: You don't have to go buy it.
• 39:14
  Vipul Bindra: You know, a lot of people just go, Oh, I can't own an R.
• 39:16
  Vipul Bindra: You don't have to.
• 39:17
  Vipul Bindra: I don't own an Ari.
• 39:18
  Vipul Bindra: You know, and then buying, I once bought it like in the beginning of my company.
• 39:22
  Vipul Bindra: I was like, Oh, we have to own the Ari.
• 39:23
  Vipul Bindra: You know, it's the silly thing you do.
• 39:25
  Vipul Bindra: At that time, you had the minis were the the big thing, right?
• 39:27
  Vipul Bindra: So I bought one and then I quickly realized, what am I doing?
• 39:30
  Vipul Bindra: I'm using this a few times a year.
• 39:31
  Vipul Bindra: This is a terrible investment.
• 39:33
  Vipul Bindra: And unless you're in a big rental market, you can, you know, uh put it with a like a rental house or whatever, uh, consign it.
• 39:39
  Vipul Bindra: It makes no sense, is what I'm saying.
• 39:40
  Vipul Bindra: For most people, unless you have the ability to make money from it and you're not using it, I think cameras are a rental thing.
• 39:49
  Vipul Bindra: Um, but uh tell me if you know most people inherently at least go like I have to buy it.
• 39:54
  Vipul Bindra: No, and and you don't, especially with these higher end cameras, yeah.
• 39:57
  Josh Reimer: No, absolutely.
• 39:58
  Josh Reimer: Like if you want to be a first AC, if you want to work in the camera department and you want to learn all these things, and this goes for lighting too.
• 40:04
  Josh Reimer: If you want to work in lighting, you don't have to buy it.
• 40:07
  Josh Reimer: I mean, I don't I can't speak for other places, but in Orlando, we have rental houses, we have multiple rent camera rental houses, multiple GE rental houses.
• 40:17
  Josh Reimer: I mean first unit MBS on the GE side, camera, a camera, flow cam.
• 40:22
  Josh Reimer: Um, like these are places that you know, these the people that work there, they are very understanding of you know, people starting out and they want to help people, they do.
• 40:33
  Josh Reimer: And I know this because I I mean I worked at A Camera for over a year, and uh the owners are so nice, and everyone I worked with there is, you know, so nice and just like it's a great environment.
• 40:45
  Josh Reimer: They all want to help people.
• 40:46
  Josh Reimer: And if someone would call in, if we'd get a phone call, which would happen quite frequently, they'd be like, I just graduated, I'm you know, looking to get some experience with the gear.
• 40:55
  Josh Reimer: I'd love to get my hands on it.
• 40:57
  Josh Reimer: We would say, Absolutely, yeah, come in.
• 40:59
  Vipul Bindra: Come on by, yeah.
• 40:59
  Josh Reimer: Come on by.
• 41:00
  Josh Reimer: We'll we'll help you set up the camera and we'll show you around and give you a tour of the place.
• 41:05
  Josh Reimer: And it was, you know, that's great.
• 41:07
  Josh Reimer: Like, that is a thing that you can do.
• 41:08
  Josh Reimer: That is a great way to get started.
• 41:10
  Vipul Bindra: Yeah, especially on bigger projects.
• 41:12
  Vipul Bindra: I've done that where if you're obviously it has to be a decent sized, you know, care uh rental house, but you can go and be like, hey, I'm testing some lenses, yeah.
• 41:19
  Vipul Bindra: So I'm gonna rent you know this camera with you, but I want to test lenses, they'll let you, and most places have like focus charts or whatever.
• 41:26
  Vipul Bindra: So uh right, it's you can show up, and especially if you're planning to already rent from them, they don't mind, and that can be easy because as a DP or as a producer director, whatever, I'm not gonna rent very expensive lens sets just to just for a test first, right?
• 41:41
  Vipul Bindra: Yeah, because I don't know, so it's like very easy to show up, put lenses in, take some test shots, right there.
• 41:46
  Vipul Bindra: You don't have to leave, you know, their testing area.
• 41:48
  Vipul Bindra: Yeah, and then you could quickly be like, oh, this set aligns better, you rent it, good for them, because you know they're making their rental money, and good for me, because I didn't have to rent the other sets that we didn't end up renting.
• 41:58
  Vipul Bindra: So that is actually it's good to build a relationship with your you know, common I guess rental houses where you are.
• 42:04
  Vipul Bindra: Now, I do hear rental houses are struggling because again, market is just down in general, and less and less productions are uh and tell me if you've noticed this.
• 42:15
  Vipul Bindra: I saw a huge shift two years ago, even though I know these FX3s and sixes have been out for like four or five years.
• 42:20
  Vipul Bindra: Yeah, the shift I think kind of happened around that I would say two-year-ish mark, where everything just became FX six and FX3, especially not again the narrative market, but most of the industry um, you know, like that I was dealing with, at least, you know, I'm talking decent-sized commercials to lower.
• 42:37
  Vipul Bindra: Um, and it was just like, you know, it just reduced the rental where we would normally even go for a rental camera because we there was nothing, you know, good enough that we could just buy where we were it was like, yeah, I can have two, three, four sitting in my my van or whatever, uh, where it didn't make sense to rent them, is what I'm saying.
• 42:57
  Vipul Bindra: Uh so I don't know if that's when you work there or not.
• 43:00
  Vipul Bindra: But what's your experience been?
• 43:01
  Vipul Bindra: Do you feel like it's hurting them because the cheaper cameras are so much better?
• 43:05
  Josh Reimer: I I think that there's definitely still a very large need for cinema quality rentals.
• 43:15
  Josh Reimer: Um, like the rental houses, A Cam, Flow Cam, those are the Orlando cinema rental houses.
• 43:21
  Josh Reimer: They rent high-end cinema quality gear.
• 43:24
  Josh Reimer: So Ari stuff, red stuff.
• 43:26
  Josh Reimer: They do have Sony stuff, they have the Venice and they have FX6s and FX3s.
• 43:31
  Josh Reimer: And um, I think there's still a very large need for those bigger cameras, those pricier rentals, but I do see what you're saying, and I have seen a significant slowdown in the rental of those, you know, more expensive higher end cameras.
• 43:48
  Josh Reimer: FX3s, FX6s are incredibly capable.
• 43:51
  Josh Reimer: I mean, I I own an FX3 myself, and I'd love it.
• 43:55
  Josh Reimer: I I love the way it looks, I love the way it feels, the functionality.
• 43:59
  Josh Reimer: Is amazing.
• 44:01
  Josh Reimer: It has shutter angle.
• 44:03
  Josh Reimer: I mean, it can shoot a movie.
• 44:04
  Vipul Bindra: Oh, it has the big six menu.
• 44:06
  Vipul Bindra: I don't know if you've tried that upgrade yet, right?
• 44:08
  Vipul Bindra: Yeah.
• 44:08
  Vipul Bindra: And and it's not even to me, like I said, there's even cheaper cameras that may look better than FX3, even.
• 44:13
  Vipul Bindra: So it's not even about, and yes, that they look nice.
• 44:17
  Vipul Bindra: I agree with you totally.
• 44:18
  Vipul Bindra: But I'm saying there's even cheaper cameras that look better.
• 44:20
  Vipul Bindra: It's just the you know how the industry works, right?
• 44:22
  Vipul Bindra: Once something becomes the standard, they don't care.
• 44:25
  Vipul Bindra: Oh, this black magic or uh this Panasonic or whatever is better, image quality is just like we want FX6, we want six, or we want three FX3s.
• 44:34
  Vipul Bindra: You know, that's the type of at least requests I get, and I get a narrative is different.
• 44:37
  Vipul Bindra: It's always been RE, even for me higher end, it's still RE.
• 44:40
  Vipul Bindra: So I'm not saying RE cameras are going anywhere, but I'm saying these businesses have to be struggling because um, you know, it's not as high of a demand, I'm saying, than it was, right?
• 44:50
  Vipul Bindra: No, the demand has decreased.
• 44:52
  Josh Reimer: Yeah, there are just there are commercials that are being made for cheaper with less people with cheaper cameras and cheaper lenses.
• 45:01
  Josh Reimer: Yeah, and they still look great.
• 45:03
  Josh Reimer: Yeah, um, and that is just it that's just the the path that technology usually takes.
• 45:10
  Josh Reimer: It gets more accessible, it gets cheaper, and most of all, it gets better.
• 45:15
  Josh Reimer: And uh cameras are are no exception to this.
• 45:18
  Josh Reimer: Yeah, yeah.
• 45:19
  Josh Reimer: So cameras every year get cheaper, get better, get more accessible.
• 45:23
  Vipul Bindra: Exactly.
• 45:23
  Vipul Bindra: And and you know, I showed you my lenses too.
• 45:25
  Vipul Bindra: I uh if you remember the aisles that I showed you.
• 45:28
  Vipul Bindra: Same thing.
• 45:28
  Vipul Bindra: I mean, my opinion changed, and I can say I'm not even as hands-on as you are because I I don't work in a rental house.
• 45:34
  Vipul Bindra: I mean, this kind of feels like a tiny one, but you know what I mean.
• 45:37
  Vipul Bindra: But but uh, like for me, it was always like I get the the native glass, whatever brand, because you know, I'm again I change cameras, whatever the demand is.
• 45:44
  Vipul Bindra: The only reason I'm a Sony, I've said this before, is because people are asking me for Sony.
• 45:48
  Vipul Bindra: So, but but I'm thinking outside of native, I would never buy glass.
• 45:52
  Vipul Bindra: And so I've had people ask, like, hey, what do you think about all these Chinese?
• 45:55
  Vipul Bindra: And I used to always like be like, sure, if I need to rent one for a look, I would, but they're not there, you know.
• 46:00
  Vipul Bindra: Yeah, but this year, yeah, they weren't.
• 46:03
  Vipul Bindra: And now, when I bought these R's, I was just like, Holy crap, it's insane.
• 46:07
  Vipul Bindra: They are actually good.
• 46:09
  Vipul Bindra: Yeah, it is amazing, and and how cheap they were.
• 46:11
  Vipul Bindra: Like I said, you couldn't buy, you know, one good cook lens for what I bought the whole set for.
• 46:16
  Vipul Bindra: Yeah, right?
• 46:17
  Vipul Bindra: I mean, even cheaper.
• 46:18
  Vipul Bindra: So, so it's it's obviously again, they're not replacing.
• 46:21
  Vipul Bindra: I don't think they're I showed you, I was like, they're not replacing signature primes or cooks or Zeiss or whatever anytime soon.
• 46:26
  Vipul Bindra: But for what they are, you know, you can actually own it, and now again, you don't have to go rent something.
• 46:32
  Vipul Bindra: And it's yeah, and and it's becoming accessible to like regular people.
• 46:36
  Vipul Bindra: Exactly.
• 46:37
  Vipul Bindra: Anyone can buy this set, and like I said, again, I get it.
• 46:41
  Vipul Bindra: 10,000 for once, because you know that it comes in two sets, so 10 for each, so 20 for the whole 10 lens set.
• 46:48
  Vipul Bindra: I get it, it's still a lot of money, but compared to a real legit industry standard lens set, that's nothing.
• 46:55
  Vipul Bindra: That's cheaper than one lens, usually in those sets.
• 46:57
  Vipul Bindra: So uh, like uh Ari announced those Enzos, and I was like so uh intrigued by them.
• 47:03
  Vipul Bindra: Uh so I was like, oh, maybe this is the first Ari set I can acquire, and I'll look at the price, I was like, uh no.
• 47:08
  Vipul Bindra: It was like 27 or 28, I think uh I mean or something like that, grand a lens, and I'm like, no, I can't justify you know using that enough.
• 47:16
  Vipul Bindra: And like a second, I don't think our rental market is huge, it's it's decent, but it's not huge enough.
• 47:21
  Vipul Bindra: Or like I'd be renting these ends out all the time.
• 47:23
  Vipul Bindra: So I had to like calm myself down.
• 47:25
  Vipul Bindra: No, yeah, let's just not not think about that.
• 47:28
  Vipul Bindra: Let's let's let's lead a camera to maybe invest in a set and I can rent it if I ever needed it.
• 47:33
  Vipul Bindra: But what do you think about them?
• 47:35
  Vipul Bindra: I know we didn't mount it on a camera or anything.
• 47:36
  Vipul Bindra: No, they're not.
• 47:37
  Vipul Bindra: But have you had a chance to like uh I mean you did have a chance to at least feel it or whatever, yeah.
• 47:41
  Vipul Bindra: Uh what's your opinion?
• 47:43
  Josh Reimer: You know, it feels really high quality, and it's just the way it looks.
• 47:47
  Josh Reimer: I mean, clearly they've looked at like Supreme Primes, the signature primes, and they're like, this is the model.
• 47:54
  Josh Reimer: We gotta go off of this.
• 47:55
  Josh Reimer: This is what like people use, this is what people shoot the movies with.
• 47:59
  Josh Reimer: This is what we should make our lenses look like.
• 48:02
  Josh Reimer: And they look a lot like them.
• 48:04
  Josh Reimer: I mean, the mo the markings, you know, like just the focus markings, the iris markings, like it just opening too, right?
• 48:11
  Josh Reimer: Like dampening.
• 48:12
  Josh Reimer: It's so stupid.
• 48:13
  Vipul Bindra: I still remember four years ago, the first time I ever heard of DZ, but I was like, I would never buy this because it was a kata, no, not kata, it was like Pictor or something.
• 48:22
  Vipul Bindra: And I I genuinely, I was like, it felt like crunchy.
• 48:25
  Vipul Bindra: I don't know the right way I can say I was like moving the you know, the the iris, and I was like, this doesn't feel good.
• 48:31
  Vipul Bindra: Like, and then I looked at the image, I was like, this is like a vintage glass.
• 48:34
  Vipul Bindra: I don't know, I I didn't get the hype, and then here I am, like literally going, Wow, yes, I I I one of the best investments I made this year, that's why we've talked about it so much in this podcast.
• 48:43
  Vipul Bindra: It's like like the industry is changing, and then if these companies in four years or five years have come here from what they were making, yeah, and not saying again the pictures weren't good, I'm just saying that was their first go at it or whatever, right?
• 48:58
  Vipul Bindra: Uh but it was no nowhere remotely close to where I would use it on a project.
• 49:02
  Vipul Bindra: And like I said, I'm not even making a movie here.
• 49:05
  Vipul Bindra: So for me to hear be like, oh wow, there's multiple times now where I am not going out, where I would have in the past rented a set of lenses for a decent sized project.
• 49:15
  Vipul Bindra: That was just a given where I'm like, okay, I have a set.
• 49:19
  Vipul Bindra: So we we bring these on.
• 49:20
  Vipul Bindra: Uh so it's like reducing costs for me, I guess, in a way, right?
• 49:24
  Vipul Bindra: So it is technically making me money.
• 49:26
  Vipul Bindra: Yeah.
• 49:27
  Vipul Bindra: Uh, and and I can also go charge my clients like, hey, we need a cinema set of lenses, whatever, whether it's built-in or additional, uh, you know, it's it's it's actually making me money.
• 49:38
  Vipul Bindra: In the past, it was an expense.
• 49:39
  Vipul Bindra: So, you know, industry is kind of, you know, I'm saying it's changing in big ways.
• 49:44
  Josh Reimer: Yeah, DZO's doing great stuff, Lau is doing great stuff.
• 49:47
  Josh Reimer: Anisi too.
• 49:48
  Josh Reimer: I know.
• 49:51
  Vipul Bindra: Yeah, so so it's it's crazy, and then this makes you wonder, you know, where we will be in 10 years, 20 years.
• 49:56
  Vipul Bindra: Like, for example, for me, one of my favorite things is the alev, you know, the Alexa, the sensor.
• 50:00
  Vipul Bindra: Yes.
• 50:01
  Vipul Bindra: That that's in the mini and the mini alive.
• 50:02
  Vipul Bindra: And I know uh I don't use the the 35 as much, but that that sensor is really nice too.
• 50:07
  Vipul Bindra: Yeah, but but the thing is, sure, these cameras are inaccessible right now.
• 50:11
  Vipul Bindra: They're even the used ones are like 30, 50, 60 grand, right?
• 50:14
  Vipul Bindra: Um, but like give it five years, give it seven years.
• 50:18
  Vipul Bindra: Not only use these cameras, but if an FX3, four years ago, five years ago when it launched, it's still used today.
• 50:25
  Vipul Bindra: Yeah, what would a hypothetical, I don't know, FX4, FX5, whatever the the let's say two generations ahead of that is.
• 50:33
  Vipul Bindra: I don't know, I don't know where the industry is going, but if it's gonna be better than that, the I know Ari will have obviously their their their version because uh of whatever they make.
• 50:43
  Vipul Bindra: Yeah, um, but it's I I can't imagine these big brands surviving unless they do something crazy.
• 50:50
  Vipul Bindra: Because I don't like I said, people will continue making movies because that's not going anywhere.
• 50:54
  Vipul Bindra: Absolutely, but it's just things are becoming more accessible and it can only go, at least that's my opinion, it can go two ways.
• 51:01
  Vipul Bindra: Either all the content becomes trash because everyone has these, you know, like everything just looks good, so it's like you don't have any appreciation for high quality art, or it's the other way around, you know, that it's so much trash out there that you know this is so much more now in demand because it's the you know, it's a skill that makes it good, not the the equipment, right?
• 51:21
  Josh Reimer: Yeah, yeah, yeah.
• 51:22
  Josh Reimer: Um, yeah, I mean content.
• 51:24
  Josh Reimer: Oof, that's that's a buzzword.
• 51:27
  Josh Reimer: Uh, but yeah, no, content is just like to me, content is like the saturation of the video market, like it's becoming so saturated because from all angles people are making videos in all different forms on and you know, all over social media.
• 51:45
  Josh Reimer: Social media is huge, and so like good content is is just really being diluted, yeah.
• 51:53
  Josh Reimer: And it's just only gonna get further diluted um because cameras are only gonna get better, it's only gonna get more accessible, lenses too, and so people are gonna keep making videos.
• 52:04
  Josh Reimer: There will be a lot of trash out there, and I think at the end of the day, it's gonna come down to creativity and just like what it starts as the story, yeah, and uh to make something undeniable, something special is really what it comes down to at the end of the day.
• 52:19
  Vipul Bindra: Yeah, exactly.
• 52:20
  Vipul Bindra: I think that's what separates it because I have this happen a lot.
• 52:23
  Vipul Bindra: So, you know, obviously I was really young in the 90s, so I didn't see some of the movies obviously because I was a kid.
• 52:28
  Vipul Bindra: Yeah, but now sometimes we'll go back and see, oh, this was a big movie you gotta see, and I'll I'll I'll watch a movie.
• 52:34
  Vipul Bindra: And I'll genuinely obviously be watching the movie, like you said, for the story, yeah, and it's an incredible movie.
• 52:39
  Vipul Bindra: But then, you know, habit, force of habit, DP producer, you know, director.
• 52:44
  Vipul Bindra: I'm just like, holy crap, that's like fully blown out.
• 52:47
  Vipul Bindra: You know, this isn't lit.
• 52:48
  Vipul Bindra: Well, you know, and I see movies and I'm like, holy crap, I could take my phone and shoot something better than that.
• 52:54
  Vipul Bindra: So uh, but like you said, those movies are still watchable.
• 52:56
  Vipul Bindra: I'm watching it, not because cinematography-wise or whatever, right?
• 53:01
  Vipul Bindra: They're incredible, whatever.
• 53:02
  Vipul Bindra: Uh, clearly, you know, we've come a long way, but the story makes it still watchable.
• 53:07
  Vipul Bindra: Like you still go, I'm saying, consume art, not because it was shot on this camera or that.
• 53:13
  Vipul Bindra: You consume it because the story still stands 20, 30, 40 years later, right?
• 53:18
  Vipul Bindra: Absolutely.
• 53:18
  Josh Reimer: You're not interested in going to see a movie because of what camera it's shot with.
• 53:22
  Josh Reimer: Exactly.
• 53:23
  Vipul Bindra: Because but well, that happened with the creator, you know.
• 53:25
  Vipul Bindra: That's the only reason I watched that movie.
• 53:27
  Vipul Bindra: Everyone's like, you have to say, yeah, you know, you because you're it's the cameras you have at your home.
• 53:32
  Vipul Bindra: And and I I was so hyped, and uh I was like, uh, okay.
• 53:35
  Vipul Bindra: I mean, I don't want to sh the movie was good, but you know what I mean.
• 53:38
  Vipul Bindra: Like, it wasn't the movie was okay.
• 53:39
  Vipul Bindra: Yeah, it wasn't like uh it wasn't like you know, you know what I mean.
• 53:43
  Josh Reimer: Yeah, absolutely.
• 53:44
  Josh Reimer: Um, yeah, it's it's such a you know, I don't know.
• 53:47
  Josh Reimer: I'm kind of I guess I'm kind of pivoting, but it's a unique perspective as a first AC because my I I live in a world surrounded by gear.
• 53:56
  Josh Reimer: My my job is to know the gear and the intricacies of it.
• 54:00
  Josh Reimer: So I am a gearhead and uh I focus very heavily on the equipment that I'm using.
• 54:05
  Josh Reimer: But uh like I said, I got into the film industry because I love movies.
• 54:09
  Josh Reimer: And so in the back of my mind, on every job, always I'm always just always thinking about the story.
• 54:15
  Josh Reimer: I'm thinking about the movie and I'm trying to understand it and understand what I'm shooting.
• 54:20
  Josh Reimer: I don't want to just be working on something that I don't get, like I don't want to be blindly pulling focus on this scene that I just don't understand.
• 54:28
  Vipul Bindra: Yeah, you don't know what the focal point is.
• 54:29
  Vipul Bindra: Obviously, they could tell you, but then you're I don't know.
• 54:32
  Vipul Bindra: I feel like it'll be more natural if you know what the feeling is and everything.
• 54:35
  Vipul Bindra: Yeah, absolutely.
• 54:36
  Vipul Bindra: No, I totally agree with you.
• 54:37
  Vipul Bindra: So talking all this, bringing full circle, would you suggest new people to get into the industry, like become first ACs?
• 54:44
  Josh Reimer: It's such a cool job, honestly.
• 54:47
  Josh Reimer: And when, you know, when you're having a good day and the crew is the crew is you know working well together and all things are falling into place and the gear is behaving, it's a really wonderful feeling.
• 54:59
  Josh Reimer: So, yes, I would absolutely recommend it.
• 55:01
  Josh Reimer: Um, I I really like my job, and um, you know, I I think that uh working uh with the camera, you're like you're on the front lines, and it's really cool too.
• 55:10
  Josh Reimer: Like you this is the cool factor, yeah, exactly.
• 55:12
  Vipul Bindra: You are making the movies, you know.
• 55:14
  Vipul Bindra: And then the other part, and like you said, it is not one of those roles where you are 10 layers behind the process, you are in the process, you're with the with the pro with the device that's telling the story, and uh I think it's incredible, and especially um what I also like is for somebody wanting to get into it's in my opinion, a low investment career because yes, you need to know about all the cameras, it's not easy, like you already said, but you don't have to buy these cameras, you can go to rental houses or your school or your network or whatever.
• 55:46
  Vipul Bindra: You just have to learn these cameras, you don't have to own the cameras.
• 55:50
  Vipul Bindra: So, relatively um, you know, low investment.
• 55:53
  Vipul Bindra: If anything, you're buying your own uh, you know, some accessories, obviously.
• 55:57
  Vipul Bindra: Yeah, maybe a toolkit, maybe a focus polling device or whatever.
• 56:00
  Vipul Bindra: But generally you can rent those two, right?
• 56:02
  Vipul Bindra: What do you buy a Nucleus M or what what would you say uh investment-wise people need to buy?
• 56:09
  Josh Reimer: Yeah, not not high.
• 56:10
  Josh Reimer: You're right.
• 56:10
  Josh Reimer: Um, and and especially like uh starting out, you really um uh you know, film industry and uh what you do, like running a production company, network.
• 56:21
  Josh Reimer: Network is everything.
• 56:22
  Josh Reimer: Yeah, um, and so if you build your network, uh, I feel like everything else comes.
• 56:27
  Josh Reimer: So if you build your network and you want to be a first AC, you are building your network with people who are better than you, people who do this, you want to you know, know other first ACs and especially people who own gear, because then starting out, you are not buying that gear.
• 56:46
  Josh Reimer: You can either borrow or rent from them.
• 56:48
  Josh Reimer: And that's really great.
• 56:49
  Josh Reimer: That's honestly, it helped me a ton when I started.
• 56:52
  Josh Reimer: Being able, I knew people who like had focus monitors, and I said, like, I'm doing this job, like um, can I rent this from you for this price, like this monitor?
• 57:02
  Josh Reimer: And I didn't own a monitor at first or like a rolling stand or um a fizz system.
• 57:07
  Josh Reimer: And so uh favors is really what it came from from the network.
• 57:11
  Josh Reimer: Um, and so building your network is so important.
• 57:14
  Josh Reimer: And then when you are starting, you know, when you're getting into the groove and you're starting to get jobs and people are starting to know your name, that's when you start moving up.
• 57:22
  Josh Reimer: And so um, what I bought, I mean, my the my main tools that I use all the time are yes, you want a kit with with um with like screwdrivers and and Allen keys, and you want like a technician's kit, just like if you were an electrician or you know, a you know, someone in construction, you want tools, these are the tools to do your job.
• 57:41
  Josh Reimer: But you have enough limo cable, absolutely extra cables, big thing, yeah, because they never have enough in the kit.
• 57:47
  Josh Reimer: So yeah, rods, you want extra rods, you want extra cables, so limo case, so power cables, uh different SDI cables, different configurations, you know, right angle, whatever.
• 57:57
  Josh Reimer: You know, just random.
• 57:58
  Vipul Bindra: But I think this comes, uh, tell me from I don't think you can copy anyone because it comes from time, right?
• 58:04
  Vipul Bindra: You learn you need something in your life.
• 58:05
  Vipul Bindra: You learn what you need.
• 58:06
  Vipul Bindra: So I gotta have this, and then you know, I think you slowly build this, right?
• 58:09
  Vipul Bindra: Um, uh, like as you go, right?
• 58:11
  Vipul Bindra: Because you figure out what you need and you add to it.
• 58:14
  Josh Reimer: Absolutely.
• 58:14
  Josh Reimer: And then you get to a point where like you just always have something for the job, which is a great feeling.
• 58:19
  Josh Reimer: They're like, we need this specific cable, didn't come in the package.
• 58:23
  Josh Reimer: I have it in my kit.
• 58:24
  Josh Reimer: You know, I and organization is key.
• 58:26
  Josh Reimer: I organize all my cables, I organize all I had like extra screws, um, extra, you know, support arms for the monitors, uh, cleaning materials, like it's all organized.
• 58:36
  Vipul Bindra: And chim tech wipes, chem tech wipes, of course.
• 58:39
  Josh Reimer: Uh, and then the more expensive, the larger investments is going to be like a focus monitor, um, a fizz system.
• 58:45
  Josh Reimer: I use a nucleus.
• 58:47
  Josh Reimer: I use a nucleus because I think it is an incredible, incredible tool for the price, and also because if I have the M2, uh, have you seen that?
• 58:54
  Vipul Bindra: That looks so great.
• 58:54
  Vipul Bindra: Unbelievable.
• 58:56
  Vipul Bindra: I was like, wow.
• 58:56
  Vipul Bindra: I mean, I'm not even a First AC.
• 58:58
  Vipul Bindra: And I was like, this is and I mean, again, we we don't buy as expensive, obviously, Fizz systems, but I have the um the nano two, and that's so incredible.
• 59:06
  Vipul Bindra: I'm like, wow, I mean, that was only like 250 bucks.
• 59:10
  Vipul Bindra: Yeah, it's just like crazy.
• 59:12
  Vipul Bindra: Crazy what you can buy.
• 59:13
  Josh Reimer: It's amazing.
• 59:14
  Josh Reimer: Another Chinese company that's just like knocking out of the park with these.
• 59:21
  Vipul Bindra: So I don't know if it's come out by now, but I saw something from Tilta, same company that makes the M and the Nano.
• 59:27
  Vipul Bindra: They're coming out with like an autofocus system.
• 59:29
  Vipul Bindra: I saw that.
• 59:30
  Vipul Bindra: And and and it's not what I thought it was.
• 59:32
  Vipul Bindra: I thought, oh, is they're competing with DJI its LIDAR.
• 59:35
  Vipul Bindra: But no, they're saying, and again, this is not out yet.
• 59:37
  Vipul Bindra: So when we're recording this, but it's supposed to be those adapters you go from your PL to E, your PL to L, whatever.
• 59:44
  Vipul Bindra: And it's supposed to be uh, you know, the the regular, what do you call it?
• 59:49
  Vipul Bindra: Like um, the regular autofocus system, uh, you know, that the camera uses, and it somehow will use the nucleus M motor to then autofocus and uh it literally taps into the camera's data.
• 1:00:00
  Josh Reimer: Yeah, exactly.
• 1:00:01
  Josh Reimer: It's amazing.
• 1:00:02
  Vipul Bindra: And I'm like, I have no idea how obviously this is again not out yet, so we haven't tested it.
• 1:00:07
  Vipul Bindra: But I was just like thinking about it.
• 1:00:08
  Vipul Bindra: It's like, huh.
• 1:00:09
  Vipul Bindra: And this is not LiDAR, so it won't have those issues that the DJI LIDAR has, because you know it has it can only go so far out, it can only go so far, you know, it has very uh it's not the thousand point, whatever, it's only like two points, so it's very limiting, I'm saying.
• 1:00:21
  Vipul Bindra: So this may be a really cool product, and again, another Chinese company just killing it out.
• 1:00:26
  Vipul Bindra: Yeah, and like I said, I resisted for a while buying, like I said, a focus tank because I had the original Nucleus M and you know, not M, the nano, and we didn't use it that much.
• 1:00:35
  Vipul Bindra: Uh, but the nano to as soon as I opened it, I was like, holy this feels like a high-quality product, it does not feel like a $250 product, you know.
• 1:00:43
  Josh Reimer: Yeah, I I love my Nucleus.
• 1:00:45
  Josh Reimer: You know, I it's honestly like one of the pieces of gear, and I I work with so you know, so many different pieces of gear, but it's one of those pieces of gear that just I never have problems with.
• 1:00:55
  Josh Reimer: It's amazing how seamless it is.
• 1:00:58
  Josh Reimer: Um, and so it's great.
• 1:00:59
  Josh Reimer: And then when I get on, you know, larger budget shows at that point, I don't really need to.
• 1:01:03
  Vipul Bindra: You'd expect to have an Ari, right?
• 1:01:05
  Vipul Bindra: Because that's the standard, I think, on larger productions.
• 1:01:07
  Vipul Bindra: Yeah, that's what I've seen.
• 1:01:08
  Vipul Bindra: Yeah, yeah.
• 1:01:09
  Vipul Bindra: Again, I like I said, I'm not in your side yet, but I see what my focus bullet is using.
• 1:01:15
  Vipul Bindra: So it's usually what?
• 1:01:16
  Vipul Bindra: Like um, I've seen Ari, is what I'm saying.
• 1:01:18
  Josh Reimer: The comic store or the high five, yeah.
• 1:01:20
  Josh Reimer: The high five is definitely like the highest.
• 1:01:22
  Vipul Bindra: So those I'm guessing are rental things, right?
• 1:01:24
  Josh Reimer: Because you're not probably gonna own that expensive system, yeah.
• 1:01:27
  Josh Reimer: Or the Preston.
• 1:01:28
  Josh Reimer: Uh the Preston is what I'm using on my show right now, which is uh the Preston is amazing.
• 1:01:31
  Josh Reimer: Uh, I love Preston.
• 1:01:33
  Josh Reimer: Uh, but yeah, so like when you get on these bigger shows, they'll rent you the better phys systems.
• 1:01:38
  Vipul Bindra: Um, because you use the one, sorry, uh the one where you know it it's from Teradeck or Vitech, whatever, the company that owns all these companies, but where it integrates with the small HD monitor so you can see your marks.
• 1:01:49
  Josh Reimer: That's actually Teradec system.
• 1:01:50
  Josh Reimer: Okay, yeah.
• 1:01:50
  Josh Reimer: Teradeck has a phys system.
• 1:01:52
  Josh Reimer: Uh Teradeck has an amazing system.
• 1:01:54
  Josh Reimer: Uh, I love their system.
• 1:01:55
  Josh Reimer: I've used it a few times.
• 1:01:56
  Josh Reimer: It does integrate with the small HD and you can see your focus marks on the side.
• 1:02:00
  Josh Reimer: It's like semi-transparent, it's really cool, it's a great tool.
• 1:02:03
  Josh Reimer: Um, yeah, so that's another like there's a lot of great players out there for sure.
• 1:02:08
  Josh Reimer: Um, but yeah, you know, so the nucleus is limiting, but it's not something that I would like, like you were saying, you don't need to buy this gear.
• 1:02:15
  Josh Reimer: Like if you get on a show, they'll rent it for you.
• 1:02:18
  Josh Reimer: And then like the nucleus is a is an $1,100 investment.
• 1:02:21
  Josh Reimer: Yeah, that's that's a small investment in the grand.
• 1:02:24
  Vipul Bindra: Compared to yeah, if you get into this, I don't, and again, if you're starting out, these numbers may seem high, but when you're a professional, it's not.
• 1:02:32
  Vipul Bindra: I mean, you go try to be a I don't know, uh go into lumber.
• 1:02:36
  Vipul Bindra: I'm saying making house, I don't know, cutting wood or whatever, you know, like just uh a Milwaukee saw is like uh hundreds and hundreds of dollars.
• 1:02:43
  Vipul Bindra: So I'm saying when you buy professional tools, they're expensive.
• 1:02:46
  Vipul Bindra: So in our industry, eleven hundred dollars is actually very low.
• 1:02:49
  Vipul Bindra: Yes, and how high quality the product is high quality.
• 1:02:53
  Vipul Bindra: Uh and like you said, uh, I think that's the incredible perspective here that hey, this is a good tool, it'll handle all the jobs where you can be the the kit, you know, your kit fee.
• 1:03:01
  Vipul Bindra: Yeah, but if it's bigger than that, then the production will just rent it for you.
• 1:03:05
  Vipul Bindra: Exactly.
• 1:03:06
  Josh Reimer: And then, you know, on bigger productions like that, you could, you know, then you also you could rent like a range finder or something like that, which makes your job easier.
• 1:03:13
  Josh Reimer: So um, you know, you you it's a low investment, it really is.
• 1:03:17
  Josh Reimer: And so you buy like a phys system, you buy a monitor.
• 1:03:20
  Josh Reimer: I started out with a small HD Indy7, uh, which again, if you're starting out, it seems expensive.
• 1:03:25
  Josh Reimer: It was $1,100.
• 1:03:26
  Josh Reimer: Um, but to me, that was a small investment, and it just made my life easier.
• 1:03:30
  Josh Reimer: I knew I was using something that would not go down.
• 1:03:34
  Josh Reimer: I mean, small sometimes they do, but small HD has really represented.
• 1:03:38
  Vipul Bindra: I have a bunch of C7s and they're incredible.
• 1:03:40
  Vipul Bindra: Other than them getting really hot, they have never once turned off.
• 1:03:44
  Vipul Bindra: That's what I am amazed by.
• 1:03:45
  Vipul Bindra: See, this is the opposite of buying high-quality gear.
• 1:03:48
  Vipul Bindra: Sometimes they're so hot, I'm like, like I think they would explode.
• 1:03:52
  Vipul Bindra: But we're out in Florida heating it's hot.
• 1:03:54
  Vipul Bindra: And I'm saying things that don't have how many times I've had gimbals or other things literally say overheating, like turning off.
• 1:04:01
  Vipul Bindra: Never had a small HD morning, no matter how hot it is, they're never turn off.
• 1:04:04
  Vipul Bindra: Yeah, they may have cranked up, you know, on the highest you know, brightness on outside or whatever.
• 1:04:09
  Vipul Bindra: Yeah.
• 1:04:09
  Vipul Bindra: So and and that's the uh the other thing I tell people like buy what's the industry standard.
• 1:04:14
  Vipul Bindra: If you buy a Nucleus M or M2 now or whatever the the current gen is, and then you buy a small HD, you you belong.
• 1:04:22
  Vipul Bindra: You know, you know, it's also not like not nothing stops you from buying something different, but then the issue also is that you show up on set, then it's like you know, you you don't fit, nobody understands the gear, you have somebody else working with you, or like you said, in another cam department.
• 1:04:37
  Vipul Bindra: I don't know, it's just you don't fit.
• 1:04:38
  Vipul Bindra: So buying right ones, especially cheaper compared to again, most departments to get into.
• 1:04:45
  Vipul Bindra: Um, I think uh it's it's good to buy the right one time because then you have to keep buying it, yeah.
• 1:04:50
  Josh Reimer: But especially as an AC, because the job is very fast-paced, and like I said, cameras always expected to be ready first.
• 1:05:01
  Josh Reimer: You really don't want your gear to hold you up.
• 1:05:04
  Josh Reimer: Yeah, so think about it like this you know, how much money is it gonna cost you to bring a lower quality monitor on set?
• 1:05:12
  Josh Reimer: Say that monitor fails, and then you can't see the image.
• 1:05:16
  Josh Reimer: And if you're not a pro with decades of experience, you can't pull by eye.
• 1:05:20
  Josh Reimer: And so that monitor fails, and then you lose that job, or at least they don't call you back again.
• 1:05:27
  Josh Reimer: You lost that avenue of revenue and all the network that you built there.
• 1:05:31
  Vipul Bindra: Exactly, which is way bigger loss than the the one job, right?
• 1:05:34
  Vipul Bindra: Exactly.
• 1:05:35
  Vipul Bindra: So uh let's let's take this next level.
• 1:05:38
  Vipul Bindra: Obviously, uh if somebody is interested, seems like you know, they want to do this, they love the the camera, they they the investment is low, so perfect thing to get into.
• 1:05:47
  Vipul Bindra: Um obviously we'll we'll get to networking, which I think is the most important thing, but like what can they expect to make?
• 1:05:52
  Vipul Bindra: What is and I get it different size of projects, obviously union, non union, but just so people have an idea.
• 1:05:59
  Josh Reimer: Sure.
• 1:05:59
  Josh Reimer: Um You know, it it's uh it's very wide range, it's a spectrum, but it's uh you can make a lot of money as a first AC.
• 1:06:06
  Josh Reimer: And there are career ACs in Orlando who work all the time and they make a really good living.
• 1:06:11
  Josh Reimer: Um, and so it it it definitely depends on the project.
• 1:06:14
  Josh Reimer: But let's see.
• 1:06:15
  Josh Reimer: So, you know, if you're working on an indie film, um it, you know, indie and it it has a distribution plan, even if it doesn't have a distribution plan, say it's like going to Hallmark, Lifetime, even Netflix, movies like that you can expect to make anywhere from two as low as 250 base rate to as high as I'd say 500.
• 1:06:36
  Josh Reimer: Okay.
• 1:06:36
  Josh Reimer: Um, and then you'd add a kit fee on top of that, right?
• 1:06:39
  Josh Reimer: Then you add a kit fee for your equipment, which helps.
• 1:06:41
  Vipul Bindra: Which would be what?
• 1:06:42
  Vipul Bindra: Like for some obviously you would have a much lower kit on that rate.
• 1:06:45
  Vipul Bindra: So, what would you say a kit fee would be a couple hundred bucks?
• 1:06:48
  Vipul Bindra: Or sure, yeah.
• 1:06:49
  Josh Reimer: Start out, you know.
• 1:06:50
  Josh Reimer: Um, I always gauge it uh based on the client.
• 1:06:52
  Josh Reimer: And if I know, I I always like if I know that this is a larger production, then I will tend to charge on the higher side because that is what my gear is worth.
• 1:07:04
  Josh Reimer: I'm not overcharging them, I'm trying to charge closer to the rate.
• 1:07:07
  Josh Reimer: Yeah, so um you know it depends on what gear you have.
• 1:07:11
  Josh Reimer: I personally run with a small HD 703 Ultra Bright.
• 1:07:15
  Josh Reimer: Uh, I run with a seven-inch monitor instead of a 13-inch because I love to be portable and I'm fine pulling on seven inches.
• 1:07:21
  Josh Reimer: Um, and so for that, I would charge usually 100 to 150 uh for that monitor, um, which is uh actually less than you would rent at a rental house here in Orlando.
• 1:07:33
  Josh Reimer: Um, and then you know, my phys system is a nucleus.
• 1:07:36
  Josh Reimer: It's a you know, it's cheaper, it's a cheaper product.
• 1:07:38
  Josh Reimer: It's on the lower end of Fizz systems for something like that, $75 a day.
• 1:07:43
  Josh Reimer: And so, but that extra money really helps.
• 1:07:45
  Josh Reimer: It's really nice.
• 1:07:46
  Vipul Bindra: Especially on a lower job where you're paying being paid $250 a day, you know, that that $200 extra can you know bring you closer to that uh, you know, $400, $450 a day, which is good.
• 1:07:57
  Vipul Bindra: And then on the higher side, that can get get you to that $750, $800 days, right?
• 1:08:01
  Vipul Bindra: Absolutely, which is pretty good.
• 1:08:03
  Vipul Bindra: And then let's go to the higher side.
• 1:08:05
  Vipul Bindra: Uh, what would be that range?
• 1:08:07
  Josh Reimer: So, yeah, on commercials, commercials are always gonna pay more than these indie movies.
• 1:08:11
  Josh Reimer: And again, I say indie movies, we're not talking about studio movies.
• 1:08:14
  Josh Reimer: That's not something I've dipped my toes into.
• 1:08:15
  Josh Reimer: Yeah, and we're not.
• 1:08:16
  Vipul Bindra: Yeah, this is too high in if you're watching.
• 1:08:19
  Josh Reimer: But yes, um, commercials.
• 1:08:21
  Josh Reimer: So commercials as an AC, typical rate, what I charge would be $7.50 a day.
• 1:08:25
  Josh Reimer: So $750 is pretty standard for first ACs uh in Orlando, at least.
• 1:08:30
  Josh Reimer: Um, and so then on top of that, you would add your kit fee.
• 1:08:33
  Josh Reimer: Uh, some commercials will pay more.
• 1:08:36
  Josh Reimer: A lot of times it's a given rate.
• 1:08:38
  Josh Reimer: This is what they give you.
• 1:08:40
  Josh Reimer: Uh, it can be negotiated, um, but this is what they're offering.
• 1:08:43
  Josh Reimer: Sometimes they'll ask me to name my rate, and like I said, $750 is my normal rate.
• 1:08:47
  Josh Reimer: But sometimes it's a given rate and it could be more than $750.
• 1:08:50
  Josh Reimer: Sometimes it's $800.
• 1:08:51
  Josh Reimer: Yeah.
• 1:08:52
  Josh Reimer: Sometimes it's $900.
• 1:08:54
  Josh Reimer: So it it really could pay very well, and it's for one day.
• 1:08:57
  Josh Reimer: And then, you know, on top of that, you add your kit fee.
• 1:09:00
  Josh Reimer: And as a first AC, you could be walking out of a single day with over a grand.
• 1:09:04
  Josh Reimer: And some of these career ACs here in Orlando, they bring their uh, you know, their Ari High 5, they bring their 13-inch, they bring their carts, multiple carts, van, they bring a lot of gear to the job.
• 1:09:16
  Josh Reimer: They're walking out of here with more than 1,500.
• 1:09:18
  Josh Reimer: Yeah.
• 1:09:19
  Vipul Bindra: And um and that's what the the value of the gear is, right?
• 1:09:22
  Josh Reimer: Because you know you can keep bumping up the rate.
• 1:09:25
  Josh Reimer: Yeah.
• 1:09:26
  Josh Reimer: Absolutely.
• 1:09:26
  Josh Reimer: But a base rate as a first AC on a commercial that is $750, $800.
• 1:09:31
  Josh Reimer: Usually commercials are eight to ten hours.
• 1:09:34
  Josh Reimer: You can make a great living and you're not killing yourself.
• 1:09:38
  Vipul Bindra: Yeah, exactly.
• 1:09:38
  Vipul Bindra: And and that's pretty good living, you know, uh, especially uh, you know, in this field where a starving artist is a real thing.
• 1:09:46
  Vipul Bindra: Um, and like I said, you're actually on cool sets doing cool things.
• 1:09:50
  Vipul Bindra: So I think that's that's pretty good.
• 1:09:51
  Vipul Bindra: Like I said, I like the career.
• 1:09:53
  Vipul Bindra: I think what you're doing is incredibly important on set.
• 1:09:55
  Vipul Bindra: I'm thinking for first AC and you know, you in general, but then also the investment is low comparatively.
• 1:10:01
  Vipul Bindra: Uh I always have to say that because I I get it.
• 1:10:04
  Vipul Bindra: Still high, but you know, comparatively low.
• 1:10:06
  Vipul Bindra: And uh I think what comes down to is just networking, right?
• 1:10:10
  Vipul Bindra: You have they have to know you to bring you on set.
• 1:10:14
  Vipul Bindra: Because this is the biggest thing.
• 1:10:15
  Vipul Bindra: Let's say you're at Jamara, you're like, okay, parents, I'm not going to school.
• 1:10:19
  Vipul Bindra: I'm gonna save the money, right?
• 1:10:20
  Vipul Bindra: I'll learn the skills.
• 1:10:21
  Vipul Bindra: You buy the nucleus and you buy your monitor, you buy all the the accessories or whatever, right?
• 1:10:27
  Vipul Bindra: You're all set.
• 1:10:27
  Vipul Bindra: The thing is, the jobs aren't coming because if they don't know you're out there, right?
• 1:10:33
  Vipul Bindra: Yeah, and what you can do and all that, then it doesn't matter.
• 1:10:36
  Vipul Bindra: The the gear is just completely off the thing.
• 1:10:39
  Vipul Bindra: So I think to me, and that's similar in I think any any field in in video production, they have to first even consider you.
• 1:10:47
  Vipul Bindra: Forget getting the job, and they cannot consider you if they don't know you.
• 1:10:51
  Vipul Bindra: So, what would you suggest to someone like how do you go out and build that network, which is the the critical thing, right?
• 1:10:56
  Vipul Bindra: You would you would agree?
• 1:10:57
  Josh Reimer: Network is everything, yeah.
• 1:10:58
  Josh Reimer: Yeah, I mean your network is is your whole world, and so how I did it, because I really started, I I started as a first AC, and I didn't take that typical ladder moving up as a PA, maybe a utility, second AC up to first AC.
• 1:11:13
  Josh Reimer: Of course, I've second AC'd I've second AC'd a lot, but mostly, most of my credits are first AC.
• 1:11:18
  Josh Reimer: I jumped into it, I told people I was a first AC, and I kind of found myself along the way.
• 1:11:22
  Josh Reimer: And not to say there is a fine line.
• 1:11:24
  Josh Reimer: There's a fine line between going on set completely inexperienced.
• 1:11:27
  Josh Reimer: You don't want to do that, you could damage something.
• 1:11:29
  Josh Reimer: Um, but also going on set kind like you're like, I don't feel totally confident, and I'm gonna, you know, I but I feel confident enough to take this on.
• 1:11:38
  Josh Reimer: There's a fine line there.
• 1:11:39
  Josh Reimer: But um, how I started, so join Facebook groups.
• 1:11:43
  Josh Reimer: Facebook groups are big.
• 1:11:44
  Josh Reimer: There's a lot of film Facebook groups here, and these companies, they they do post job ads in these Facebook groups looking for an AC on this date at this location.
• 1:11:54
  Josh Reimer: They're not usually the highest paying jobs, sometimes they are, but they're work, and that's a great way to get started and build your network.
• 1:12:01
  Josh Reimer: And um, if you go to film school, if you have the money to go to film school and you go to a school like Valencia, Valencia puts you on set.
• 1:12:09
  Josh Reimer: Valencia will talk to, you know, there will be a production shooting in the area.
• 1:12:13
  Josh Reimer: This is what they say.
• 1:12:13
  Josh Reimer: They're like, we're gonna give you our gear to use.
• 1:12:16
  Josh Reimer: And the deal is we give you our gear and you take on some of our students in these roles, these specific roles.
• 1:12:22
  Josh Reimer: And then you actually get to work on real sets with real professionals at Valencia.
• 1:12:27
  Josh Reimer: That's another, that's an amazing way to build your network.
• 1:12:30
  Josh Reimer: That is, if you have money to go to film school.
• 1:12:32
  Josh Reimer: But if not, joining Facebook groups, going to local filmmaker like meetups, um, just going to local rental houses, traversing rental houses, going there, buying them coffee, using the gear, establishing a connection with the people there, rental houses, and I again I know this from experience, they keep lists of people in different roles.
• 1:12:51
  Josh Reimer: If you go in and you you build a relationship with that rental house, you build a relationship with the owners, they're gonna put you on that list.
• 1:12:58
  Josh Reimer: You're now somebody that they could recommend.
• 1:13:00
  Josh Reimer: You may not be at the top of the list, but you're on the list.
• 1:13:03
  Vipul Bindra: Yeah, exactly.
• 1:13:04
  Vipul Bindra: Yeah, and you never know.
• 1:13:05
  Vipul Bindra: The thing is, when you're head home, nobody's calling you, nobody's putting you in a list, nobody finds out about you.
• 1:13:13
  Vipul Bindra: So my suggestion is, and and that's so crazy because I'm so like forward thinking about technology and everything, but in this way, I'm like, go back old school, you need to be on your feet.
• 1:13:23
  Vipul Bindra: You know, this is in my opinion, and not that you couldn't do networking online, I'm saying you should, like you said, Facebook groups and stuff, but in an ideal world, you know, use your feet.
• 1:13:33
  Vipul Bindra: Like if you're not walking or you know, driving there, then you're not, I don't think you're starting, especially if you're new.
• 1:13:38
  Vipul Bindra: I'm saying you have no jobs.
• 1:13:39
  Vipul Bindra: I like you said, go to your rental house, show them your face, make take them to actual coffee, let the because it's not the same thing, you know.
• 1:13:46
  Vipul Bindra: When when I get emails and I'm not uh you know, saying that that's not the right voodoo, but I get decent emails where it's like, hey, I would love to meet you or whatever.
• 1:13:54
  Vipul Bindra: It's like thank you, you know, maybe, but like I don't know your personality, or can you hire me or whatever?
• 1:14:00
  Vipul Bindra: It's like I have no idea who you are.
• 1:14:01
  Vipul Bindra: You know what I mean?
• 1:14:02
  Vipul Bindra: That resume does not help me.
• 1:14:04
  Vipul Bindra: I don't care about resume, I want your personality, and that only I can gauge if I meet them in real life.
• 1:14:09
  Vipul Bindra: And so you have to get yourself out there.
• 1:14:11
  Vipul Bindra: You have to say hi, you have to buy them coffee, or or just you know, uh, like you said, go to the rental house, test out the gear, build that relationship.
• 1:14:20
  Vipul Bindra: And those are so easy things.
• 1:14:22
  Vipul Bindra: Um, low investment, more time, but but I think it's right.
• 1:14:26
  Vipul Bindra: I I don't know.
• 1:14:27
  Vipul Bindra: I think it's critical to get your feet, get yourself moving, go out there, uh just start something.
• 1:14:34
  Vipul Bindra: You know, you never 100% agree.
• 1:14:36
  Josh Reimer: Um, absolutely.
• 1:14:37
  Josh Reimer: And and you know, like you really can start in this role uh from nothing.
• 1:14:42
  Josh Reimer: You don't need to go to film school.
• 1:14:43
  Josh Reimer: I think film school really helps them a big advocate because it gives you a great base of knowledge and you get to know people, like even your classmates.
• 1:14:49
  Josh Reimer: Your classmates are your next one.
• 1:14:50
  Vipul Bindra: Yeah, they'll call you so they know especially if you're in school and you're telling from day one I am a first AC.
• 1:14:56
  Vipul Bindra: You know, that that's a thing.
• 1:14:58
  Vipul Bindra: It it can also get you pigeonholed.
• 1:14:59
  Vipul Bindra: Somebody like me, like I run a production company, right?
• 1:15:02
  Vipul Bindra: I'm a director, producer, DP first.
• 1:15:04
  Vipul Bindra: Yes, I I'm decent at gaffing and sound and stuff.
• 1:15:07
  Vipul Bindra: So what happens is I've noticed that, you know, and and it I do the same thing.
• 1:15:11
  Vipul Bindra: If you hire someone and you know, let's say they hire you as uh the gaffer, yeah, then in their eyes you're always a gaffer.
• 1:15:17
  Vipul Bindra: So you can get pigeonholed.
• 1:15:18
  Vipul Bindra: But in in in specializing, that's an advantage.
• 1:15:21
  Vipul Bindra: So for like I said, for me, it'd be it would be hurtful because I'm like, no, I'm normally a director, right?
• 1:15:26
  Vipul Bindra: I don't want to get pigeonholed into that small role.
• 1:15:29
  Vipul Bindra: But for somebody who's like you, who's like, no, I'm a first AC, getting pigeonholed is the perfect thing because now they associate the word first AC with you.
• 1:15:39
  Vipul Bindra: And if anyone, whether they need it or let's say they're out on another production, they go out, they want to be a gaffer or DP or whatever, yeah, and the production now needs a first AC, guess who they're thinking of?
• 1:15:49
  Vipul Bindra: Immediately they're like, Josh, right?
• 1:15:51
  Vipul Bindra: Because you are from day one, we're like, no, I'm the first AC, I'm the first AC.
• 1:15:55
  Vipul Bindra: So I think that's actually can be very beneficial if you start to like from day one, just tell everyone who you are, and and and then they will never forget you, right?
• 1:16:05
  Josh Reimer: I completely agree.
• 1:16:06
  Josh Reimer: And actually, I'm really glad you brought that up.
• 1:16:07
  Josh Reimer: Being pigeonholed is is is a big problem.
• 1:16:10
  Josh Reimer: And and us, you know, this is advice that I would give anybody starting out set your intentions, learn about the roles on set, learn about what each role is responsible for, what they do, and what interests you, and choose one.
• 1:16:23
  Vipul Bindra: Yeah.
• 1:16:25
  Josh Reimer: And choose a department.
• 1:16:26
  Josh Reimer: Because if you choose multiple, if you're a jack of all trades, you're not gonna get hired, or at least you're not gonna get hired where you want to because they don't know what you do.
• 1:16:35
  Josh Reimer: Exactly.
• 1:16:35
  Josh Reimer: And then if you want to be someone like a first AC and you take the tradition the traditional route, which is fine, start as a PA, move up, that's totally fine.
• 1:16:44
  Josh Reimer: Don't stay as a PA.
• 1:16:46
  Josh Reimer: Be a good PA, but you you need to walk this line because if you're a really good PA and you keep PA ing over and over again and you PA for years, there's nothing wrong with PA.
• 1:16:57
  Josh Reimer: They're the lifeblood of the production.
• 1:16:59
  Josh Reimer: But if you don't want to be a PA and you keep PA and you're a really good PA and you're like getting known in the network as a PA, you're now a production assistant.
• 1:17:08
  Vipul Bindra: That is their role, yeah.
• 1:17:09
  Josh Reimer: Yeah, and why would they call some why would they call you as anything else, right?
• 1:17:15
  Vipul Bindra: Yeah, because you're a great PA.
• 1:17:16
  Vipul Bindra: Initiative is is a big thing, and I think I found my experience working with people who are green is that there's two types of people.
• 1:17:23
  Vipul Bindra: One who are who take initiative, they'll tell you, but like, yeah, I I love doing this, that, or whatever.
• 1:17:28
  Vipul Bindra: So you hear it, you connect, you know.
• 1:17:31
  Vipul Bindra: You know, like it's very important to take initiative.
• 1:17:34
  Vipul Bindra: But but then there's people who will come, they will do the role great, so they get a PA, they'd be a swing or whatever, and they'll not once tell me, like, yeah, I did this because I want to connect with you, but I'm actually a camera operator or I'm whatever.
• 1:17:48
  Vipul Bindra: I have no idea.
• 1:17:49
  Vipul Bindra: I've had this happen where I hired a sound guy, and he was just like, you know, I a year later I find out, you know, he's not a sound guy because he's like, Yeah, I'm good at it, so I did it, but I'm actually this.
• 1:18:00
  Vipul Bindra: And I was like, really?
• 1:18:01
  Vipul Bindra: And so it took me, and then he it took me an effort too, like, oh, I gotta now start thinking about this guy for camera jobs because that my brain isn't clicking, right?
• 1:18:10
  Vipul Bindra: My brain's now stuck for a year.
• 1:18:11
  Vipul Bindra: I've known this guy as the sound guy.
• 1:18:13
  Vipul Bindra: So, like from day one, I was to take initiative, even if you're not in the role, ideal role that you want to be in, you want the people to know.
• 1:18:21
  Vipul Bindra: Obviously, I wouldn't say like annoy them, but it's one thing to like you know, politely be like, Oh yeah, absolutely.
• 1:18:26
  Vipul Bindra: Especially I do this.
• 1:18:28
  Vipul Bindra: So if you ever need this specific role, that's my expertise.
• 1:18:31
  Vipul Bindra: I would love to also help you.
• 1:18:32
  Vipul Bindra: And that immediately you connect.
• 1:18:34
  Vipul Bindra: Oh, awesome.
• 1:18:35
  Vipul Bindra: And then, you know, once they bring you back on, let's say probably second time, another PA role, and now you tell them again, you know, it starts to slowly connect.
• 1:18:42
  Vipul Bindra: So there is a way to to not pigeonhole yourself, but that I think is entirely on initiative.
• 1:18:49
  Vipul Bindra: And if you are the type of personality that you are not gonna take initiative, I'm saying that yeah, that that's gonna hurt you, I think, right?
• 1:18:56
  Josh Reimer: I agree, yeah.
• 1:18:56
  Josh Reimer: No, absolutely.
• 1:18:58
  Josh Reimer: Um, and so it's just like about knowing what you want, what you want to do.
• 1:19:03
  Josh Reimer: And um, that is something that could be learned in film school.
• 1:19:06
  Josh Reimer: That could just be something that could that you could learn that from YouTube Academy.
• 1:19:10
  Josh Reimer: I mean, YouTube is such an amazing resource these days, but learn about what you want to do and work towards that.
• 1:19:16
  Josh Reimer: And it's okay PA ing, it's totally fine.
• 1:19:18
  Josh Reimer: Just every time you PA, let them know, let them know what you actually do.
• 1:19:22
  Josh Reimer: If you want to be in camera, spend time near the camera department.
• 1:19:26
  Josh Reimer: Get to know the people in camera department.
• 1:19:28
  Josh Reimer: Yeah, that's what you want to move towards.
• 1:19:30
  Josh Reimer: Tell them that IAC a lot as well.
• 1:19:33
  Josh Reimer: And even if they don't believe you, even if they don't trust you as a first AC, because it takes a lot of trust to be a first AC.
• 1:19:40
  Josh Reimer: That's a big thing.
• 1:19:40
  Josh Reimer: But even if they don't trust you as a first AC, the next production, they'll probably put you on as a camera PA, not just a set PA, a camera PA.
• 1:19:48
  Josh Reimer: And then you work your way up from there.
• 1:19:49
  Vipul Bindra: Yeah.
• 1:19:50
  Josh Reimer: Um, and so as a first AC, um, you know, like I started out telling everybody I'm a first AC.
• 1:19:57
  Josh Reimer: Like this is this is what I do, like I'm a focus puller.
• 1:20:00
  Josh Reimer: And then when I would tell people that, uh sometimes they would hire me as a first AC.
• 1:20:04
  Josh Reimer: And then sometimes they would say, Okay, uh, well, we have this gig coming up.
• 1:20:09
  Josh Reimer: Could you second for us?
• 1:20:11
  Josh Reimer: And I love second AC.
• 1:20:12
  Josh Reimer: So absolutely, that's one step below first ACing.
• 1:20:15
  Josh Reimer: And then on the next shoot, and this has happened, I'm speaking from experience.
• 1:20:18
  Josh Reimer: On the next shoot after that, they would hire me as a first AC.
• 1:20:21
  Vipul Bindra: Exactly.
• 1:20:22
  Vipul Bindra: It's great because they knew what you are, you're just changing your role.
• 1:20:25
  Vipul Bindra: That's okay.
• 1:20:26
  Vipul Bindra: Uh, and I think that's the right way, the how you approached it.
• 1:20:29
  Vipul Bindra: Like, hey, this is what I do, but I'm happy to jump into second, especially if you're a first AC, it should be easy to do.
• 1:20:35
  Vipul Bindra: Second, because you know, you're technically working together, right?
• 1:20:38
  Vipul Bindra: So tell people like what's the difference between a first AC and a second AC.
• 1:20:42
  Josh Reimer: Okay, so yeah, um, you know, they work very closely together and and uh hopefully completely hand in hand, and you should have good relationship with your second.
• 1:20:50
  Josh Reimer: A lot of first ACs have a second that they use all the time.
• 1:20:53
  Josh Reimer: I have a second that I use all the time.
• 1:20:55
  Josh Reimer: And so um the first AC is the key.
• 1:20:59
  Josh Reimer: They lead the camera department.
• 1:21:00
  Josh Reimer: They are pull the focus, they pull the focus, they're responsible for the organization, the workflow.
• 1:21:05
  Josh Reimer: They're like, this is where batteries go, this is where lenses go.
• 1:21:07
  Josh Reimer: Uh, this cart's gonna be for batteries, this cart's gonna be for lenses.
• 1:21:10
  Josh Reimer: They create the workflow in the camera department, and um they are you know responsible for working hand in hand with the DP.
• 1:21:18
  Josh Reimer: So is the second, but not as much as the first.
• 1:21:20
  Josh Reimer: The DP is gonna call on the first.
• 1:21:22
  Josh Reimer: We want to switch from the 35 to the 50.
• 1:21:24
  Josh Reimer: They're gonna call on the first for that, not for the second.
• 1:21:26
  Josh Reimer: And the second AC is an assistant to the first AC.
• 1:21:29
  Josh Reimer: They work in the camera department, they work under the first to help with all of that.
• 1:21:33
  Josh Reimer: So if the first AC is building the camera, he's like, uh, actually, can you go ahead and and take care of the wireless?
• 1:21:39
  Josh Reimer: Can you sync this up to this, this, and this monitor?
• 1:21:41
  Josh Reimer: Like that's you know, that's something that they would do.
• 1:21:44
  Josh Reimer: Like they work under the direction of the first.
• 1:21:46
  Josh Reimer: Not that it's a complete, you know, dictatorship.
• 1:21:48
  Josh Reimer: It's definitely a partnership, but it's a hierarchy.
• 1:21:51
  Josh Reimer: And so the second AC is the assistant that works under the first.
• 1:21:54
  Josh Reimer: They work hand in hand.
• 1:21:56
  Josh Reimer: And of course, big role of the second AC is slating.
• 1:21:59
  Josh Reimer: So slating on bigger sets is uh very important on smaller sets, sometimes not so much, but slating is uh essential, is you're communicating information to the editor, you're syncing up the sound in the video.
• 1:22:12
  Josh Reimer: Slating is essential.
• 1:22:14
  Josh Reimer: And so the second AC is responsible for working with the script supervisor to determine what scene are we shooting, uh, and how are we gonna letter this, how are we gonna name this?
• 1:22:24
  Josh Reimer: They keep track of the shot, they're gonna keep detailed logs, sometimes even more detailed log if it's a VFX shot, the height of the camera, the angle of the camera.
• 1:22:32
  Josh Reimer: So they're responsible for keeping notes, they're responsible for slating the shot.
• 1:22:36
  Josh Reimer: And uh most of all, they are a camera technician, just like the first AC.
• 1:22:40
  Vipul Bindra: You're just working hand in hand, you know.
• 1:22:41
  Vipul Bindra: Yeah, working hand in hand.
• 1:22:42
  Vipul Bindra: It's a part like you say, you pick up the lens, you hand the lens.
• 1:22:45
  Vipul Bindra: How many people does it take to put on a lens, right?
• 1:22:48
  Vipul Bindra: Um, I'm just joking.
• 1:22:49
  Vipul Bindra: No, uh, second ACs are very important.
• 1:22:51
  Vipul Bindra: And yeah, um, what's what's crazy always been to me same thing, less investment than even first AC because you're not usually pulling focus.
• 1:22:58
  Vipul Bindra: Uh, I mean, you can be, but normally not.
• 1:23:01
  Vipul Bindra: And then also, um, you know, the your tools are even provided.
• 1:23:05
  Vipul Bindra: Technically, the slate is provided by the sound department, even though the camera department is running it.
• 1:23:10
  Vipul Bindra: Yeah, so again, very less investment.
• 1:23:12
  Vipul Bindra: Build a relationship with the first AC.
• 1:23:14
  Vipul Bindra: I think it's a really good role.
• 1:23:16
  Josh Reimer: And I I love second AC.
• 1:23:18
  Josh Reimer: Um, and and you know, there's other aspects to it also.
• 1:23:21
  Josh Reimer: Like as a second AC, you're you are um the liaison uh between camera department and post-production as well, which is very important.
• 1:23:29
  Josh Reimer: Um, and sometimes on bigger sets, you know, you're gonna have a loader, you're gonna have VTR, you're gonna have a digital utility.
• 1:23:34
  Josh Reimer: Um, but like on on smaller sets, it's like the second AC is working hand in hand with the DIT and making sure that the media gets from the camera to the DIT.
• 1:23:44
  Josh Reimer: That is their job, that is their responsibility.
• 1:23:48
  Josh Reimer: Um, and so the second AC is also in charge of media, which is huge because that's that's the movie.
• 1:23:53
  Vipul Bindra: Exactly.
• 1:23:53
  Vipul Bindra: Especially I'm always amazed by like my biggest thing is I've seen enough on other people's sets.
• 1:23:59
  Vipul Bindra: This hasn't happened on my side, never lost footage, but I've seen um, you know, footage get lost.
• 1:24:05
  Vipul Bindra: So I've always been like, uh, you know, I record simultaneously and and you know, on two cards and make sure only one card leaves to go to DIT.
• 1:24:13
  Vipul Bindra: But what's crazy is a lot of these when it annoys me, is the highest the project, the more we're renting, like uh Venice or whatever, or R.
• 1:24:21
  Vipul Bindra: Why do these expensive cameras only have one slot?
• 1:24:25
  Vipul Bindra: So you only have one card, yeah, and it better not get lost or damaged.
• 1:24:31
  Vipul Bindra: So I always get scared, either I'm DP or even as a director, and maybe that's just because I'm I'm more technical-minded, so I'm thinking about the gear.
• 1:24:38
  Vipul Bindra: Like, you know, if that card gets lost, if something happens, we have no backup, and that that's where all the money went.
• 1:24:45
  Vipul Bindra: So it's a very critical role, yeah.
• 1:24:46
  Vipul Bindra: It's crazy.
• 1:24:48
  Josh Reimer: Yeah, the second AC, I mean, they they they are responsible for the media.
• 1:24:51
  Josh Reimer: So when my second AC hands me a card to put in the camera, that card better be ready to format, you know.
• 1:24:57
  Vipul Bindra: And I have been on sets where that wasn't the case.
• 1:24:59
  Vipul Bindra: So footage was lost again, not my set.
• 1:25:02
  Vipul Bindra: I was doing whatever role, but I've seen that happen, and trust me, when a production loses, like I said, I I I don't allow that on my production, but yeah, I'm very careful.
• 1:25:12
  Vipul Bindra: But even then, like I can't be hundred percent, never has happened yet.
• 1:25:15
  Vipul Bindra: But I've seen that on have other productions, yeah, which is why I'm like so extra careful because I'm like, we cannot, this costs a lot of money.
• 1:25:22
  Vipul Bindra: Oh, yeah, we cannot lose that footage, so it's a very critical role.
• 1:25:24
  Vipul Bindra: It's an important role, and yeah, you better make sure that that card makes it safely.
• 1:25:28
  Vipul Bindra: It may only be 10 feet, but you it better you know make it, you know.
• 1:25:32
  Josh Reimer: Yeah, yeah.
• 1:25:33
  Josh Reimer: And uh, you know, just like I always just truly believe that the second AC is just as as important as the first AC.
• 1:25:39
  Josh Reimer: You just have different responsibilities.
• 1:25:40
  Josh Reimer: Um, and uh you tech you're not the key, you know.
• 1:25:43
  Josh Reimer: You work in the camera department instead of leading the camera department, but you're you're just as important.
• 1:25:47
  Josh Reimer: I would want my second to be able to step in and do my job at any time, which he could.
• 1:25:52
  Josh Reimer: Yeah, you can the second get paid about the same, or is it that they get late paid low less just because the second?
• 1:25:58
  Josh Reimer: So it's a less it's a yeah, so you get paid slightly less as a second AC.
• 1:26:01
  Josh Reimer: It's not a huge discrepancy, but it yeah, yeah, it is definitely uh a lower rate um because you're lower down on that ladder.
• 1:26:08
  Josh Reimer: Uh you're not a key, but it is uh you can still make a lot of money as uh being a career second.
• 1:26:13
  Josh Reimer: There are a lot of career second ACs in Orlando who make a great live.
• 1:26:17
  Vipul Bindra: Yeah, especially if you move it to um you know bigger productions.
• 1:26:21
  Vipul Bindra: Um I I don't know, it's generally both these roles are below the line, right?
• 1:26:25
  Vipul Bindra: So they must have union rates if you were to do a union project, right?
• 1:26:29
  Vipul Bindra: Yeah.
• 1:26:29
  Vipul Bindra: I'm not knowledgeable in that, but so I'm saying, you know, if you end up on decent sized production, especially union productions, you don't have to now have that issue where they're you know uh lowering or you know, making you work at less money, you can get union rates, which are pretty decent.
• 1:26:44
  Vipul Bindra: Yes, yeah, yeah.
• 1:26:45
  Vipul Bindra: It's just making that network and get it rising up.
• 1:26:48
  Vipul Bindra: So there's nothing wrong with being a second, you know, career second or career first or whatever.
• 1:26:52
  Josh Reimer: And and you could join local 600 as a second AC, which is cheaper than joining as a first AC, and you could still work first AC roles.
• 1:27:00
  Josh Reimer: Exactly.
• 1:27:00
  Josh Reimer: Um, and uh it's you know good tip, by the way.
• 1:27:03
  Josh Reimer: Yeah, absolutely.
• 1:27:04
  Josh Reimer: Um, yeah, local 600 is definitely the goal if you want to make a career out of being uh an AC out of being in camera department.
• 1:27:11
  Josh Reimer: Local 600 is expensive, that's how they weed people out, and you need a lot of hours for it, but it's uh it's a great title to have, like it's you know, Josh Reimer, local 600.
• 1:27:22
  Josh Reimer: I'm not local 600, but you know, it's a great thing to add.
• 1:27:25
  Josh Reimer: Is that something you'd like to?
• 1:27:27
  Vipul Bindra: Absolutely, because you that is your goal, right?
• 1:27:28
  Vipul Bindra: You're moving up in the field, or at least that's the for you.
• 1:27:31
  Josh Reimer: God knows I have the hours, but yeah, I have the money.
• 1:27:34
  Josh Reimer: Yeah, yeah.
• 1:27:34
  Vipul Bindra: But no, they charge, I mean, that's all union stuff.
• 1:27:37
  Vipul Bindra: Like, I stay away from it.
• 1:27:38
  Vipul Bindra: I have done union stuff, but typically I try like to do my own thing, right?
• 1:27:42
  Vipul Bindra: So I'm non union and I enjoy that, but that's because I'm above the line.
• 1:27:46
  Vipul Bindra: So I I have my reasons, you know.
• 1:27:48
  Vipul Bindra: But like I'm saying, as a if I was in a specific role, I would definitely be looking forward to joining a union because you know, the hardest thing uh in this industry, and tell me your perspective on it, is A networking.
• 1:28:01
  Vipul Bindra: But when you do, so many people are out there to take advantage of you.
• 1:28:04
  Vipul Bindra: So the advantage of union productions is uh to me, indie films is a wild, wild west of filmmaking.
• 1:28:12
  Vipul Bindra: And I've heard horror stories after horror stories I've experienced at horror stories.
• 1:28:16
  Vipul Bindra: And we can talk about some after, but uh but exactly.
• 1:28:19
  Vipul Bindra: So I'm like the advantage of going on a bigger production on a union set, you have defined rates, you have defined hours, defined breaks, nobody's taking advantage of you.
• 1:28:28
  Vipul Bindra: You know what I mean?
• 1:28:28
  Vipul Bindra: Like I mean, I still could, but generally speaking, um, I feel like it's a safer, better work environment, and and and plus you're in cool projects, you know, they have to be big productions.
• 1:28:39
  Vipul Bindra: So uh yes, it's expensive, but that should be a long-term goal for him saying if somebody wants to be specific role, you know, in the industry and make a career out of it.
• 1:28:50
  Josh Reimer: Absolutely.
• 1:28:50
  Josh Reimer: Um, the union is there to protect you.
• 1:28:53
  Josh Reimer: Uh, freelance could be dangerous, freelance is uh, you know, is dangerous.
• 1:28:58
  Josh Reimer: And so you need that defined set of rules and regulations to uh protect the livelihood and the health of your workers.
• 1:29:05
  Josh Reimer: Unions are there to protect you.
• 1:29:07
  Josh Reimer: And so um working on non-union projects, it's a wild card.
• 1:29:12
  Josh Reimer: Sometimes sometimes it can be dangerous, and sometimes they are out there to take advantage of you.
• 1:29:20
  Josh Reimer: I've been taken advantage of.
• 1:29:22
  Josh Reimer: Um, you know, uh, but also a lot of times, uh, you know, if you are work, especially if you're working on larger non-union sets, they will be sticklers and they will stick to union rules because they don't want to get flipped.
• 1:29:35
  Josh Reimer: Yeah.
• 1:29:35
  Josh Reimer: Um, yeah, so the union is out there to protect uh their members, but they're also out there to protect non-members.
• 1:29:43
  Josh Reimer: And I want to make this clear to anybody working in film if you're working on a non-union set and there are violations and they're not treating you like they should be, you can report that to the union anonymously.
• 1:29:54
  Josh Reimer: You can report those conditions, and the union is out there to protect you, even if you're not a member.
• 1:30:00
  Josh Reimer: And so, um, you know, I'm working on a larger narrative right here in Orlando, and the union is aware of us.
• 1:30:07
  Josh Reimer: Yeah, we're on the map with them.
• 1:30:08
  Josh Reimer: It's a non-union project, they're aware of us, and that production follows the rules to a T.
• 1:30:14
  Josh Reimer: And I believe.
• 1:30:15
  Josh Reimer: Yeah, because they don't want to be slipped.
• 1:30:17
  Josh Reimer: Exactly.
• 1:30:17
  Josh Reimer: Yes.
• 1:30:19
  Vipul Bindra: But here's the other side, and I don't want to say it's always um, you know, there's there's obviously um what I'm saying, there's a thing where they're doing it intentionally, and there's an unintentional.
• 1:30:29
  Vipul Bindra: So in my world, it happens unintentionally.
• 1:30:31
  Vipul Bindra: So a lot of times I'll be doing a bigger shoot or whatever with a client and their company.
• 1:30:37
  Vipul Bindra: Because I I a lot of times, obviously, yes, we do work with agencies, easy to they they understand how this works, but you work directly with companies, they have no idea they're supposed to feed us, they're giving give it lunch, and then you know, as a director, producer, whatever, I know this.
• 1:30:50
  Vipul Bindra: So when you do this long enough, I already count for food.
• 1:30:53
  Vipul Bindra: As in, like, yes, they're supposed to buy us lunch, but there's a high likelihood they have no idea and they won't.
• 1:30:58
  Vipul Bindra: So I have enough money in the budget that I will be buying people food, but it's hilarious.
• 1:31:03
  Vipul Bindra: Yeah, we'll be going and we have a 12-hour day or a 10-hour day, and you know, in the midpoint, the clients just keep going.
• 1:31:08
  Vipul Bindra: It's like, no, hold on, we need to order food.
• 1:31:11
  Vipul Bindra: Yeah, and I've done that.
• 1:31:12
  Vipul Bindra: It's like, okay, I'm for ordering food now.
• 1:31:13
  Vipul Bindra: What do you want?
• 1:31:14
  Vipul Bindra: So it's like, but we have to, and that's not, I don't think, intentional, right?
• 1:31:18
  Vipul Bindra: They have no idea.
• 1:31:18
  Vipul Bindra: They just don't they don't understand because you know, we're not in their employees, we're just a contractor, whatever, or vendor that they hired.
• 1:31:24
  Vipul Bindra: So they have no idea they're supposed to feed us, give us breaks, all of that.
• 1:31:28
  Vipul Bindra: So, as at least on my side, when I am it's my production, I make sure, and and it may not be in a rude way, I may not just like that way.
• 1:31:35
  Vipul Bindra: Hey, I'm by the way, I'm ordering food.
• 1:31:37
  Vipul Bindra: Do you would you like something?
• 1:31:38
  Vipul Bindra: And I'm okay if obviously I'm I'm happy to buy them food.
• 1:31:40
  Vipul Bindra: They're paying me to be there.
• 1:31:42
  Vipul Bindra: Yeah, but you know what I mean?
• 1:31:43
  Vipul Bindra: And sometimes you have to do that.
• 1:31:45
  Vipul Bindra: But I have been where I am now helping somebody else's productions where they just don't give a crap, where they're like, hey, stand there.
• 1:31:51
  Vipul Bindra: All right, uh, you know, and then now we continue 10 hours later.
• 1:31:54
  Vipul Bindra: I'm like, hey, uh, you know, I mean, I'm not like you know, crazy, but I would like some break or whatever.
• 1:32:00
  Vipul Bindra: So, you know, you have to, and that's where you go.
• 1:32:02
  Vipul Bindra: Yeah.
• 1:32:03
  Vipul Bindra: Um, you know, you have to nudge, uh, you know, it may not be like it's intentional where somebody just goes, goes, goes.
• 1:32:08
  Vipul Bindra: And, you know, it's okay, I'm just saying, to uh, you know, tell them to because sometimes, like I say, it may not be intentional, is what I'm saying.
• 1:32:15
  Vipul Bindra: Yeah, because they're not used to working with video people.
• 1:32:17
  Vipul Bindra: Yeah, absolutely.
• 1:32:18
  Josh Reimer: Yeah, it's uh what we do is is is very niche, and it's um there are a defined set of rules that a lot of people don't understand if they're not in it, and and that's fine.
• 1:32:26
  Josh Reimer: There is, I I totally believe that like before you report a set to the union, you should definitely like talk to your higher-ups, talk to the producers, talk to production.
• 1:32:35
  Josh Reimer: At that point, if they're not willing to budge, it's intentional.
• 1:32:38
  Vipul Bindra: Yeah, exactly.
• 1:32:39
  Vipul Bindra: Because you know, if you just say, hey, uh, when are we taking lunch or when you're taking a break, it may just remind them, uh, or it may remind literally, like I said, the client who has no idea that's a thing, even though you know it should be common sense, but it's not common.
• 1:32:51
  Vipul Bindra: But what I'm saying is, yes, you're right.
• 1:32:53
  Vipul Bindra: Like initially, an a little nudge or a question can steer it usually in the right direction.
• 1:32:58
  Vipul Bindra: And I've had that happen.
• 1:32:59
  Vipul Bindra: So I worked with a local agency just to give you a real-world example.
• 1:33:03
  Vipul Bindra: Yeah, and you know, I don't complain, especially I don't like to eat anyway nowadays on set just because you know, uh unhealthy donuts and I can only eat so much unhealthy food.
• 1:33:12
  Vipul Bindra: But the point is, we went all day, and to be real, I didn't notice, but then I was like, you know what?
• 1:33:17
  Vipul Bindra: If I come back again, they're gonna do the same thing.
• 1:33:19
  Vipul Bindra: So at the end I was like, oh, thank you for the product.
• 1:33:21
  Vipul Bindra: By the way, we didn't take a lunch, and you know, he was like, Oh, you know, you're right.
• 1:33:26
  Vipul Bindra: Here's an extra 50 bucks or whatever, which I didn't do it for money, right?
• 1:33:30
  Vipul Bindra: Because again, I I'm generally charging more than 50 bucks, so I was fine.
• 1:33:35
  Vipul Bindra: But at the end, which I said no, thank you, by the way, I didn't take this 50 bucks, but that ever since then I worked with them at least five, ten more times, always at lunch.
• 1:33:44
  Vipul Bindra: It's sometimes it's just that.
• 1:33:46
  Vipul Bindra: Like, even if you forget, and I was okay with that, smaller set, you know, smaller thing, but I had to kind of like educate them like, hey, a break would have been nice.
• 1:33:54
  Vipul Bindra: Yeah, so you know, and and then like I said, it's been normal ever since I've never had to bring it up or whatever.
• 1:33:59
  Vipul Bindra: Whether I eat or not, there should be some kind of break, you know, especially on a long 10-hour day or whatever.
• 1:34:04
  Vipul Bindra: Absolutely.
• 1:34:04
  Vipul Bindra: So and and so coming back, I think yes, you need to sometimes nudge them, but obviously, if that's not working, then follow, follow, yeah, follow the other.
• 1:34:14
  Vipul Bindra: Yeah, exactly.
• 1:34:16
  Vipul Bindra: That's what you go.
• 1:34:18
  Vipul Bindra: Uh but talk about I know we're running out of time, so talk about some of the fun stories from set, I guess.
• 1:34:23
  Vipul Bindra: Horrible would be nice, but good ones would be nice.
• 1:34:25
  Vipul Bindra: I don't know.
• 1:34:25
  Vipul Bindra: Oh my god.
• 1:34:26
  Vipul Bindra: What's the most memorable stuff?
• 1:34:28
  Josh Reimer: Oh my god.
• 1:34:29
  Josh Reimer: Uh, you know, honestly, the most memorable stuff is is when uh it's working as it should be.
• 1:34:35
  Josh Reimer: When everything, when everything falls into place, when the like the actors are killing, you know, the just the the the shots look amazing and the gears behaving on my end.
• 1:34:46
  Josh Reimer: Um, but you know, making movies is a grind, and sometimes it's really terrible and everything goes wrong.
• 1:34:55
  Josh Reimer: Um, and then some days it's really wonderful.
• 1:34:58
  Josh Reimer: Uh, you know, I've never I've never felt so dead than I have in in the in this job, and I've never felt so alive.
• 1:35:05
  Josh Reimer: Like it's you know, it's crazy.
• 1:35:06
  Josh Reimer: Um, but uh yeah, honestly, my best memories are just from like the projects that have been the most memorable.
• 1:35:13
  Josh Reimer: Like I did this movie um with a frequent collaborator of mine, um, a director that I usually work with.
• 1:35:19
  Josh Reimer: Uh, and uh we did this movie um that was premiered on Lifetime.
• 1:35:24
  Josh Reimer: It's a smaller indie movie for lifetime under a million dollar budget.
• 1:35:29
  Josh Reimer: Uh and uh it was, I just like the story was really riveting, and the actors like the it was so well casted, and so the actors were just like they were so in the zone.
• 1:35:42
  Josh Reimer: Oh my god.
• 1:35:43
  Josh Reimer: And uh, I mean, it just looked beautiful.
• 1:35:45
  Josh Reimer: We had a great location, and the DP was so talented, and it's just like all of those factors, and I was pulling focus behind the monitor, I was like tearing up at the performances.
• 1:35:56
  Josh Reimer: That's an amazing moment for me.
• 1:35:58
  Vipul Bindra: That's a great part of my job because you're zoned in and you're enjoying what you're doing.
• 1:36:03
  Vipul Bindra: I'm literally just working, yeah.
• 1:36:05
  Josh Reimer: That's perfect.
• 1:36:05
  Josh Reimer: At that point, you realize that you're making movies and it's a great feeling, and you're making good movies like that.
• 1:36:12
  Josh Reimer: Turn out really good.
• 1:36:14
  Josh Reimer: Um, and uh yeah, I can't believe that it went to lifetime, but you know, it's uh it was actually a really good project.
• 1:36:21
  Vipul Bindra: It's called um, it's called uh I'm your biggest fan.
• 1:36:24
  Vipul Bindra: If work means it goes to a lifetime or Hallmark or whatever, it is life.
• 1:36:29
  Vipul Bindra: I mean, I'd rather make a project that goes there than nowhere, you know what I mean.
• 1:36:32
  Vipul Bindra: So uh, but talk about uh the worst stuff, you know.
• 1:36:36
  Vipul Bindra: Do you have any crazy experiences?
• 1:36:37
  Vipul Bindra: You don't have to obviously name somebody, but sure, yeah.
• 1:36:40
  Josh Reimer: Um, you know, I've just been on a lot of sets where they do a lot of sketchy things and they want to get this done and they're gonna do it by any means necessary.
• 1:36:49
  Josh Reimer: Um let's see.
• 1:36:51
  Josh Reimer: Yeah, I gotta kind of be careful about what I talk about here.
• 1:36:54
  Josh Reimer: Uh, I did this commercial once where they hired me on as a second AC and media manager, which isn't super uncommon.
• 1:37:02
  Josh Reimer: Um, sometimes I'll be hired as both because they work hand in hand.
• 1:37:06
  Josh Reimer: Uh, I am versed in media managing, not a DIT.
• 1:37:09
  Josh Reimer: There is a difference, guys.
• 1:37:11
  Josh Reimer: Um, but I I can media manage.
• 1:37:13
  Josh Reimer: And um, so I was hired on as a second AC and media manager.
• 1:37:17
  Josh Reimer: We had three main cameras in ABC.
• 1:37:21
  Josh Reimer: We had two GoPros and two Insta360s.
• 1:37:24
  Josh Reimer: We had a colossal amount of cameras.
• 1:37:27
  Josh Reimer: Yeah, this was an insanely fast-paced show.
• 1:37:31
  Josh Reimer: We were shooting so much every day.
• 1:37:33
  Josh Reimer: The days were 14 to 15 hours.
• 1:37:36
  Josh Reimer: That was before I was dumping media.
• 1:37:38
  Josh Reimer: I was so backed up.
• 1:37:40
  Josh Reimer: I was splitting my time between second EC, running to the computer, and media managing.
• 1:37:44
  Josh Reimer: They were getting upset that I was leaving set to go media manage.
• 1:37:48
  Josh Reimer: Yeah.
• 1:37:49
  Josh Reimer: And they were upset that they that someone else had to take over the slate.
• 1:37:53
  Josh Reimer: Every time I had to fix something with the camera, the producers were standing over us, breathing down our necks every time I had to work on anything with the cameras.
• 1:38:03
  Josh Reimer: It was uh one of the most stressful jobs I've ever been on.
• 1:38:07
  Josh Reimer: It caused multiple panic attacks for me.
• 1:38:09
  Vipul Bindra: Yeah, because that one easily, like based on just you telling me, I'm like, they should have had a separate person managing me, yeah, not you.
• 1:38:15
  Vipul Bindra: We had that's a lot of cameras to be, you know, already just managing, but then also, like you said, I mean we had seven cameras.
• 1:38:22
  Josh Reimer: So that's a lot obscene.
• 1:38:24
  Josh Reimer: Um, and uh that come that you know, along with the just insane schedule, it was an insane schedule.
• 1:38:31
  Josh Reimer: Um, and so such a fast-paced schedule, seven cameras, expectations for me to do two jobs at the same time.
• 1:38:39
  Josh Reimer: I'm only one person at the end of the day, I'm only one person.
• 1:38:42
  Josh Reimer: And they were getting upset when I was leaving to do the other job.
• 1:38:46
  Josh Reimer: This this uh company ended up hiring me back, and I I I do enjoy working with them.
• 1:38:52
  Josh Reimer: And I honestly I think it was the nature of that client, I think it was the nature of that specific project and the constraints, but it was still an extremely hostile work environment for me.
• 1:39:04
  Josh Reimer: And you still worked with them again?
• 1:39:06
  Josh Reimer: I did, yeah.
• 1:39:07
  Josh Reimer: I did.
• 1:39:07
  Josh Reimer: I um no, I did.
• 1:39:09
  Josh Reimer: I I asked, I when I worked with them again, I said, How many cameras are there?
• 1:39:13
  Josh Reimer: And they're like, there's there's one, you're fine.
• 1:39:16
  Josh Reimer: Um I'm like, okay, I could do that for one camera.
• 1:39:20
  Josh Reimer: Um, but yeah, uh it was it was a it was one of the worst experiences of my entire career.
• 1:39:24
  Vipul Bindra: Um yeah, I can imagine.
• 1:39:26
  Vipul Bindra: That's a lot of cameras to just manage by yourself.
• 1:39:28
  Vipul Bindra: I'm saying, just as a media manager, talk about you know, like doing a second AC job on top of that.
• 1:39:35
  Vipul Bindra: So that's crazy, but that happens.
• 1:39:37
  Vipul Bindra: Uh and and you know, I'll talk about opposites, and it's so funny.
• 1:39:40
  Vipul Bindra: I have friends, you know, obviously we do corporate commercial work, they send me a photo, they're on a laptop with like a hard drive and a SD card reader, and they're like, DIT today.
• 1:39:49
  Vipul Bindra: I'm like, that's not DIT, you're just copying some.
• 1:39:52
  Vipul Bindra: You know, but that's the funny thing with small sense, they have no idea what any of the roles are what it means.
• 1:39:59
  Josh Reimer: Once you see what a DIT does, you'll be like, oh my god, that is that is so specialized.
• 1:40:03
  Josh Reimer: That's insane.
• 1:40:04
  Josh Reimer: How do they do that?
• 1:40:05
  Josh Reimer: Um, yeah, DIT is a very specialized role, and the best DITs, they are invaluable, invaluable.
• 1:40:11
  Vipul Bindra: Yeah, but around here, again, not that many productions happening where people experience that, so I get it.
• 1:40:15
  Vipul Bindra: So to them, D ID is just yeah, you know, just copying some footage.
• 1:40:20
  Josh Reimer: Exactly.
• 1:40:20
  Josh Reimer: And yeah, it's so not, you know, like we have uh the set I'm working on right now.
• 1:40:24
  Josh Reimer: We have a wonderful DIT.
• 1:40:25
  Josh Reimer: Kyle's great.
• 1:40:27
  Josh Reimer: Um, and uh, you know, like we had one day the the DP he he noticed that one can were using two Alexa minis and one camera had a slight discrepancy, like the green tint is it's like it's slightly greener than the other camera.
• 1:40:41
  Josh Reimer: And uh there's no known reason for it, honestly.
• 1:40:44
  Josh Reimer: It just came down to the age of the camera, the specific, like the discrepancies between the sensors when it was assembled in the factory.
• 1:40:51
  Josh Reimer: Like that's what it came down to.
• 1:40:52
  Josh Reimer: All the settings were the same, it's the same exact camera.
• 1:40:55
  Josh Reimer: And so he goes to the DIT, and the DIT literally, like we shoot a color chart and he puts the images next to each other and he creates a custom LUT to match the cameras up.
• 1:41:03
  Josh Reimer: And so, like, that's the kind of thing that you want a DIT for.
• 1:41:07
  Vipul Bindra: So you know that you're there to build your dailies and all that other stuff.
• 1:41:10
  Vipul Bindra: You know, they're not just copying media.
• 1:41:11
  Vipul Bindra: Obviously, that's part of it, but it's not all they do, yeah.
• 1:41:14
  Vipul Bindra: And but again, um, and that's good.
• 1:41:16
  Vipul Bindra: That's what I'm saying.
• 1:41:17
  Vipul Bindra: Part of this is just, you know, maybe somebody learns because uh because I get it, man.
• 1:41:21
  Vipul Bindra: Like I said, there's more and more smaller sets.
• 1:41:23
  Vipul Bindra: I I happen to spend most of my time in most small space.
• 1:41:26
  Vipul Bindra: So it's funny, like I said, in my world, I work with so many people who just think that just a laptop and a hard drive is all in the DIT.
• 1:41:33
  Vipul Bindra: I'm like, hey, whatever floats your boat, you know, as long as uh your your you know, your your clients are happy, right?
• 1:41:40
  Vipul Bindra: At the end of the day, you know, we're not we're not making movies here or whatever.
• 1:41:43
  Vipul Bindra: So but that's pretty good, man.
• 1:41:44
  Vipul Bindra: Like I said, this conversation's been incredibly uh informative for me and just in general, because like I said, I uh I'm usually on the other side, on the hiring side.
• 1:41:54
  Vipul Bindra: I'm I appreciate you having a lot of people.
• 1:41:56
  Josh Reimer: Because we come from different worlds, exactly.
• 1:41:58
  Vipul Bindra: You know, you know, my side, and just so you know, producer side, I'm if I ever need a farce AC, I just send five messages to people.
• 1:42:04
  Vipul Bindra: It's like, what's your rate?
• 1:42:05
  Vipul Bindra: What's your rate, right?
• 1:42:05
  Vipul Bindra: I have a budget, but people don't reveal that, you know.
• 1:42:08
  Vipul Bindra: Usually then you go, oh, I really want this person.
• 1:42:11
  Vipul Bindra: And then you go, can I afford them?
• 1:42:12
  Vipul Bindra: Then you know, you go, okay, hey, I only have whatever.
• 1:42:15
  Vipul Bindra: Can you do it?
• 1:42:16
  Vipul Bindra: You know, that's that's the my side of dealing with far C's, and you know, I'm like, okay, you're good, but yeah, you know, um, but like I said, more sets for me at least are getting smaller.
• 1:42:25
  Vipul Bindra: Yeah, it's like you need to do more and more, like we talk about having to buy a nucleus nano two or whatever, because it's like, no, you need to do more, you need to do more, and you know, with less money, you know, it's just where I see the industry is do is going.
• 1:42:40
  Vipul Bindra: So I've at least positioned myself to be that company where it's like, hey, we can take you know that little money and make as high level commercial as we can, you know, in that budget, because that's where I see the industry going.
• 1:42:54
  Vipul Bindra: But that's not the right thing, to be honest.
• 1:42:56
  Vipul Bindra: Uh, you know, I still prefer those bigger budgets with working with more people doing that those bigger things.
• 1:43:02
  Vipul Bindra: It's just I don't know.
• 1:43:04
  Vipul Bindra: That's where I see the industry going.
• 1:43:05
  Vipul Bindra: So it's good to connect with people like you, you know, who are in the narrative world, you know, who are still getting to be part of something, you know, where at least it doesn't feel like it's collapsing, like at least I feel like commercial and corporate is where it's like lesser and lesser roles as the days go by, I feel.
• 1:43:21
  Josh Reimer: Yeah, you know, I and and I don't think there's ever like a such thing as the right way to do things.
• 1:43:27
  Josh Reimer: I think that it's totally dependent on what you're shooting, exactly what the project is, the parameters of the project.
• 1:43:33
  Josh Reimer: If you're doing, you know, if you're doing corporate footage uh at some conference and you're bringing along a few FX3s and a few people use Sony lenses, use autofocus, like you know, that's yeah, you don't need a first AC.
• 1:43:46
  Josh Reimer: You don't need a first AC.
• 1:43:48
  Josh Reimer: I understand that my role is not always necessary.
• 1:43:50
  Josh Reimer: Like that's that is something that you have to understand if you're gonna work it.
• 1:43:54
  Josh Reimer: But if you're on something like a movie where focus is now a part of the storytelling, it's how to move the story forward.
• 1:44:02
  Josh Reimer: Then, you know, the right thing is.
• 1:44:07
  Vipul Bindra: Like you said, you're trying to sell a story where you need to rack focus.
• 1:44:10
  Vipul Bindra: I don't care how good autofocus is, it just never feels natural.
• 1:44:14
  Vipul Bindra: You need a person to do it, and again, that's another task you're handing off to your camera operator who's already dealing with everything, you know, so managing battery, media, like we said, and that's how things go wrong, media gets deleted, or you know, things get broken.
• 1:44:30
  Vipul Bindra: They're also trying to change lenses.
• 1:44:31
  Vipul Bindra: It's just I get it, you know, like you said, coming from that smaller world where yes, far stay is not it's gonna be hard to sell, you know, to a production, but uh but I think on a decent sized productions, which still happen, even with collapsing market, you know, if we do decent commercials.
• 1:44:47
  Vipul Bindra: So I'm saying it's important role, there's good money in it.
• 1:44:50
  Vipul Bindra: Yeah, and you know, if this conversation hasn't helped, then I don't know what will be uh, you know, it's it's good, it's work, you know, as long as you enjoy it, as long as you love it, especially if you're a nerd like us, you know, who loves cameras and just nerding out right with things, yeah.
• 1:45:07
  Vipul Bindra: I think it'd be a perfect role.
• 1:45:08
  Vipul Bindra: Like I said, if I wasn't doing what I'm doing, I would I wouldn't mind because that's what I love to do, is just play and tinker with uh, you know, it's like our Legos, right?
• 1:45:15
  Vipul Bindra: Oh absolutely it is.
• 1:45:17
  Vipul Bindra: So why wouldn't you?
• 1:45:18
  Josh Reimer: No, I mean if you love making movies and you want to get into the film industry and you want to serve an important purpose, like First A Sing is is a really great role.
• 1:45:26
  Josh Reimer: You work with the DP and it's it is a great, it's also a great path if you want to be a DP.
• 1:45:31
  Josh Reimer: Working through the camera department's a great path for that.
• 1:45:33
  Vipul Bindra: Yeah, exactly.
• 1:45:34
  Vipul Bindra: That's actually a very good perspective, too.
• 1:45:36
  Vipul Bindra: If you're just wanting to be a DP, and obviously they're net they're not just letting people be on DP, a good especially good movies, so that can be a path to you know move up to to to kind of you know show your range and uh and uh scale, you know, of what how you can work through.
• 1:45:50
  Vipul Bindra: Um so before we go, if we have some time left.
• 1:45:53
  Vipul Bindra: Anything else you want to touch on or talk about?
• 1:45:55
  Josh Reimer: Um, you know, I I just uh I really appreciate you having me here and I appreciate that I've uh you know I love always getting a chance to speak on my job because it is one of the lesser-known positions on set.
• 1:46:08
  Josh Reimer: A lot of people don't understand what a first assistant camera does.
• 1:46:11
  Josh Reimer: So I I love any chance uh where I get to speak about it.
• 1:46:15
  Josh Reimer: I actually went back to my high school where I took a uh TV production program there and I got to speak to the kids there about first I seeing, which was really special.
• 1:46:23
  Josh Reimer: Um, but yeah, I I I guess the only thing I want to say is like if you want to get into it, if you want to do it, like it is a really good role.
• 1:46:29
  Josh Reimer: It just comes with its trials and tribulations as any freelance career does.
• 1:46:33
  Josh Reimer: But as long as you work on building your network and work on understanding the gear, because the gear is ever evolving, if you are able to retain that knowledge and understand how different cameras work and the difference between sensors, the difference between lenses and the difference between the UI of red and the UI of Sony and the UI of R.
• 1:46:51
  Josh Reimer: If you're able to understand that, it is definitely something that anybody could get into.
• 1:46:55
  Josh Reimer: And then focus pulling comes along the way.
• 1:46:57
  Vipul Bindra: Yeah.
• 1:46:57
  Vipul Bindra: And that again, like you said, as long as you're following the story, you're feeling the story, you're understanding the arcs.
• 1:47:02
  Vipul Bindra: It's not the hard, hard part, it's like that.
• 1:47:04
  Vipul Bindra: You have to be um, you know, understanding that this is gonna change.
• 1:47:08
  Vipul Bindra: It's not like the same cameras we use today, it will be the cameras we use in five years or 10 years or 15 years.
• 1:47:14
  Vipul Bindra: And if you want to do this, you better love the cameras, right?
• 1:47:17
  Vipul Bindra: And so you may you want to learn each new camera as it comes out or whatever, right?
• 1:47:22
  Vipul Bindra: And then uh be part of that process and be that guy.
• 1:47:25
  Vipul Bindra: Because, like you said, DP's gonna ask you to change a certain setting, and you better know where that setting is, even though the camera's only been out for a you know a week or whatever, right?
• 1:47:34
  Vipul Bindra: And that's where the initiative part comes in, I think.
• 1:47:37
  Vipul Bindra: Uh, where if you love it, you'd already want to figure it out.
• 1:47:40
  Vipul Bindra: And most of these companies, and I've said this before, go to their websites, they have menu navigators.
• 1:47:45
  Vipul Bindra: You can learn.
• 1:47:45
  Vipul Bindra: I'll do that all the time.
• 1:47:46
  Vipul Bindra: Where like I hadn't used Red in a while.
• 1:47:48
  Vipul Bindra: So when I did Reddit, I was like, oh, I gotta go find one of these virtual menus and re-remember where the things are.
• 1:47:54
  Vipul Bindra: And it took me five, ten minutes.
• 1:47:55
  Vipul Bindra: I was like, oh, good.
• 1:47:57
  Vipul Bindra: And so when I grabbed the camera, I was like, okay, I know where the things are because it was a rental camera.
• 1:48:01
  Vipul Bindra: I don't just have it sitting here to remember.
• 1:48:03
  Vipul Bindra: So it's okay.
• 1:48:05
  Vipul Bindra: I'm just saying, but there's so many resources and tools out there, man.
• 1:48:08
  Vipul Bindra: Like, if somebody just wants to learn, there's enough out there to learn.
• 1:48:12
  Vipul Bindra: Absolutely.
• 1:48:13
  Josh Reimer: There's more than there's ever been before.
• 1:48:14
  Josh Reimer: I mean, there are menu simulators, and like that's amazing.
• 1:48:17
  Josh Reimer: And like YouTube is such a resource.
• 1:48:19
  Josh Reimer: I there there will be so many times where there's a piece of gear that I'm using on a job the next day, and I I don't know how to use it.
• 1:48:25
  Josh Reimer: And I'll look up just a walkthrough of every single part of that piece of gear on YouTube, or I'll literally read the man.
• 1:48:31
  Josh Reimer: My friend's joke that I read camera manuals in bed before I go to sleep.
• 1:48:34
  Josh Reimer: It's actually true sometimes.
• 1:48:36
  Josh Reimer: I the I am in bed reading camera manuals sometimes.
• 1:48:39
  Josh Reimer: Okay, I don't go that far.
• 1:48:40
  Josh Reimer: You know, I'm very nerdy, but I'm not reading a manual.
• 1:48:43
  Josh Reimer: Well, you know, if I really need to know it, I'll I'll I'll know it now, I'll make sure that I know it.
• 1:48:47
  Josh Reimer: So it's just about being thorough, it's about being careful.
• 1:48:49
  Josh Reimer: You want to be safe with the gear as well.
• 1:48:51
  Vipul Bindra: Exactly, especially because most times it's not your gear, it's rented.
• 1:48:54
  Vipul Bindra: And and that again, one other way to get blacklisted would be to break something, especially if it's not an accident, you know, if like if negligence happens or whatever, and and the biggest thing you can do is not get yourself blacklisted.
• 1:49:08
  Vipul Bindra: Uh, because again, network is everything, so you want to do the best you can.
• 1:49:11
  Vipul Bindra: If you don't know something, Google or YouTube is your friend, or just ask.
• 1:49:16
  Vipul Bindra: Ask questions, exactly.
• 1:49:17
  Vipul Bindra: Most people will answer questions.
• 1:49:19
  Josh Reimer: Yeah, just uh if you don't know something, just always ask questions instead of trying to do it with you know like that's negligence at that point.
• 1:49:27
  Josh Reimer: If you are, if you don't know how to do something, you don't you're and you're you don't stay curious and you just try to do it because you want to look good, it's probably gonna blow up in your face.
• 1:49:36
  Vipul Bindra: Yeah, and and you know more often than not.
• 1:49:38
  Vipul Bindra: There's so much jargon in our industry, even me.
• 1:49:40
  Vipul Bindra: Like sometimes somebody will say some random word that I'm like, what?
• 1:49:44
  Vipul Bindra: Yeah, and and then they'll clap.
• 1:49:45
  Vipul Bindra: I was like, oh that, yeah, I get it.
• 1:49:47
  Vipul Bindra: You know, but you wouldn't know if you don't ask, if you just went, okay, and then you're not figuring out what do you need, what did they ask you to do?
• 1:49:54
  Vipul Bindra: This is not how it works.
• 1:49:56
  Vipul Bindra: Uh uh, and I I find most people are very friendly in the in the industry.
• 1:49:59
  Vipul Bindra: And like if you ask a question, like genuinely, they will answer it, they'll tell you they're happy to because you know, again, most people love what they do, otherwise they wouldn't be in film.
• 1:50:08
  Vipul Bindra: Uh, and and if they are, they're generally happy to talk about it.
• 1:50:11
  Vipul Bindra: It's only when you bug them about the same thing ten times.
• 1:50:13
  Vipul Bindra: So they're probably not gonna want to deal with you ever again.
• 1:50:16
  Vipul Bindra: Yeah, you know, for that.
• 1:50:17
  Vipul Bindra: But but this has been incredible, man.
• 1:50:21
  Vipul Bindra: Thanks for coming.
• 1:50:22
  Vipul Bindra: Uh I've really had so much fun talking to you off camera and now obviously on camera.
• 1:50:26
  Vipul Bindra: And it's just good to a learn what buds you do, but in general, just connect with you.
• 1:50:32
  Vipul Bindra: I think hopefully we'll get to collaborate soon on a project and it'll be fun.
• 1:50:35
  Vipul Bindra: I would love to.
• 1:50:36
  Vipul Bindra: Um and I want to thank Mario again.
• 1:50:38
  Vipul Bindra: Uh thank you again for helping us make this episode.
• 1:50:41
  Vipul Bindra: Thank you, Josh.
• 1:50:42
  Vipul Bindra: Thank you.
• 1:50:43
  Vipul Bindra: And before we go, thank you.
• 1:50:45
  Vipul Bindra: And before we go, tell people where they can find you or bug you or follow you.
• 1:50:48
  Josh Reimer: Yeah, absolutely.
• 1:50:49
  Josh Reimer: I mean, my Instagram is just my name, so it's uh Josh Reimer.
• 1:50:52
  Josh Reimer: And so my last name is R-I-E-M-E-R.
• 1:50:55
  Josh Reimer: Everybody gets that wrong on every single call sheet ever.
• 1:50:58
  Josh Reimer: Uh, but yeah, that's my Instagram and uh my website is jrcinematics.com.
• 1:51:05
  Josh Reimer: Um, and yeah, I mean, all my contact info is on there.
• 1:51:08
  Josh Reimer: I put my phone number, my email, and if anybody has any questions at all ever, or if you want to give me work, uh, feel free to contact me.
• 1:51:16
  Vipul Bindra: Or if you have questions, take him to coffee.
• 1:51:18
  Vipul Bindra: You know, learn from him, you know, more in detail.
• 1:51:20
  Vipul Bindra: And uh, you know, talk about before we get names getting wrong, you know, Josh with a name like Vipal Bindra, I imagine one my name looks like on most call sheets.
• 1:51:29
  Vipul Bindra: I I gotta show you a text I got earlier from a client on some equipment to bring, but my name is spelled in most creative way that I've never seen before.
• 1:51:37
  Vipul Bindra: I don't know if it's autocorrect or they meant to do it.
• 1:51:39
  Vipul Bindra: Anyway, yeah, this has been an awesome episode.
• 1:51:41
  Vipul Bindra: Thank you again for coming.
• 1:51:43
  Vipul Bindra: Appreciate it.
• 1:51:44
  Vipul Bindra: Until next time, on another episode of Studio B sessions.
• 1:51:46
  Vipul Bindra: Thank you for watching or listening.