I need Base Jumping video for History Channel

[CBauer]

Hello, I'm producing a story on parachutes for the new History Channel Show, "Tactical to Practical." I'm looking for video (DV or Beta format) of basejumpers. If you have any shots of yourself or friends jumping off bridges, cliffs, buildings, etc. that you can share (and have the rights to) we'd love to see it and use it on our show! We are on a tight deadline. We need any/all footage in house by May 23rd, 2003.

Please drop me an email ASAP and let me know what we can have.
cbauer@edelmanproductions.com

[Tree]

Share? Have?

How about, buy, purchase, license.

What is it with these guys that they think we will just give footage away for the glory of being on TV. They have budgets. This is for a national TV network, and they are begging for free footage. Open your check book pal.

Tree x( x( x( x(

[base311]

I have some awesome one-of-a-kind near-death/carnage BASE video in JVC D9 format (HDTV ready) that you'd probably like to see. $5000.00 per minute.

Sincerely,
Gardner Sapp
boone97@yahoo.com

[BASE_689]

Good reply, Tree, very good reply indeed!!!!! }(

Stay safe out there
Blue Skies and Soft Walls
BASE #689 :D
e-mail: base_689@yahoo.com

[sean]

ok...if you decide to SELL your footage to this guy...make sure you give him a time coded VHS until you see a contract..then...make sure you licence the footage for one use (ie the programme in question)...anything over that they pay again and again...(one payment for every repeat or re-sale)...you also need to hit them with a minimum buy quantity of say two minutes...whether they use it or not..that way you get a good fee..make sure you hit him with a licencing agreement...and charge the right money...its about time they started paying what the footage is worth...($450 a minute minimum) last but not leats make sure that any secondary sales after the fact get paid for again...


if you want a licencing agreement let me know..i have a generic you can use and alter that is fairly watertight...

happy hunting

[Tree]

my e-mail to Baure:

What are you willing to pay for BASE footage?

Mr. Baure's e-mail to me:

Thank you for getting back to me.

Unfortunately, we have a very limited budget for acquiring current or
contemporary footage. (Basically designed to reimburse tape stock) Believe me, this has been my biggest obstacle in producing this story.

Please let me know if there is any way you still might be able to help us or if you know of anyone who might be able to give us base jumping footage. One thing I can assure you is that the exposure will be great... The show will be aired in prime time. Not only that, but TTP tested higher than any show ever on The History Channel.

Thanks again! Hope to hear from you soon!
--Bauer


My reply:

If the exposure is so high, then why can you not pay for the footage like any other TV show? Hi quality BASE footage is not cheap. Expect to pay at least $1000 per 30 seconds for anything professional.

What exactly is great about the exposure a jumper or the sport is supposed to recieve from giving you free footage? BASE has too much exposure as it is, and more often than not, shows like yours don't paint base in the best light. I truly hope no one gives you any footage. You should pay for it as you would expect to pay for anything else.


}( }( }(

[Nick_D]

>Unfortunately, we have a very limited budget for acquiring current or
>contemporary footage.

I've never met a producer (and no one ever will) where the above wasn't the first thing out of their mouths.

However, there is another side to this that I'd like to offer up.

I’ve had a few bad experiences early on and also watched a few good friends get shafted by what we started calling media rape. In one case a jumper was led to believe a piece would be all about the beauty and magic of BASE jumping and instead it is all about how taxpayers foot the bill when, “fools,” need to be rescued. The BASE jumper unknowingly played his part to the hilt, complete with witty black death exit comments that are taken out of context and edited with a Park Ranger saying, “Yes, like those people.”

This producer asking for footage could be doing this for the History Channel, or he could just be hoping they buy it when he has something to show them. He posts here because he knows there’s a pretty good chance somebody will indeed send him something. It’s human nature.

I had a few good experiences going it alone with the media, one was taking the TV show, “The New, That’s Incredible,” to Bridge Day and it came out positive. (Except for the jumper who managed to go in wearing three parachutes, when he couldn’t get any of them to work. He was trailing so much crap he lived when he hit the river).

Anyway after that anything of this nature I did went through someone like Tom Sanders. Guys like Tommy have the clout so if this guy doesn’t pay or uses the footage in a non-agreed on manner, he’d never get footage from Aerial Focus again and maybe not from some other stock houses either.

I did a thing on the History Channel many years ago, and a few other things, with Tommy and bless his heart, he still sends me a check out of the blue now and again. And I always run into BASE jumpers who say it was the first BASE footage they ever saw and it inspired them to take up the sport. (However, I do wonder about this every time I add another name to the BASE Fatality List).

My point is this. A hundred years from now there must be archived footage of people soaring across valleys in wing suits, of skimming down the faces of glass skyscrapers, of aerobatics and big splash water landings, there must be a record of all this and a record is all it will be when the politics fall by the wayside. In a hundred years only the beauty and magic, and yes, the witty black death exit comments, will remain and it must because it’s our legacy.

Just be careful, these (some) producers can be sharks and you can be lunch . . .

Nick
BASE 194

[base311]

Can you imagine what he'd have to pay for a film crew, base crew, permits, expenses, etc., to go somewhere and get these shots himself? My price is cheap 'cause he'd have to shoot thousands of feet (maybe hundreds of thousands) of tape to get the one shot I'm trying to sell him for a measly 5 grand/minute. Hell the juicy bit is only about 30 seconds long, but it's the kinda shot you could spend a lifetime trying to get - and forever come up empty handed.

Funny isn't it? My response from him was nearly identical to the response you got. Tight budget my butt. If you wanna play you gotta pay.

Anyway... take care.

Gardner

[base428]

Right on Tree, Nik, and Gardner.

If I had a nickel for every "limited budget" line I've heard. What a joke. We spend thousands of dollars learning how to skydive and then BASE jump, then we spend thousands on gear, then we risk our lives just to GIVE away footage. No way, no how, never.

BTW, it really depends on who the buyer is, but I always tell jumpers that good quality DV footage can get you $1000-$2000 per minute. And there should be a minimum, usually at least one minute if not two. Otherwise, they'll grab your best 10 second jump and only show that, which only gets you maybe $100.

Don't forget about the reporters also. If you agree to do interviews, be prepared for the typical death questions that they like to ask. If you don't like the questions, then get up and walk out. When I did GMA a few years ago, the reporter was getting very pissed at me because I wasn't giving him the line he wanted. You can also charge for interviews!!!

Get everything in writing. Only send low quality demos out, or at least watermark them with your logo. Watch out for contracts that permit use of your video on the web, in addition to TV.

It's cool to have your video air on TV. Just make sure you get paid for it in the process. No freebies.


------------
Jason Bell (BASE428)
Email: jbell@vertical-visions.com
Web: www.vertical-visions.com or www.bridgeday.info

[JOEY_BIG_TIME]

You guys are a bunch of cry babies. Who cares what Mr Bauer wants, if I was someone looking for footage or to hire jumpers WITH A BUDGET, after reading your demands about what you expect to be paid, Think I would hire you?

Do you believe the value of your DV handycam home video footage is worth $1000, $2000, or even $5000 per minute?
If you were shooting with a 16mm, MAYBE, 35mm MOST LIKELY, DV - maybe the highest end quality footage you have would be fetching $1000 minute. Even then, very few shows with ever show one solid minute of footage, more like seconds here and seconds there.

What does the public think of jumping?
their whole perspective comes from us jumpers with the I-am-producer-now-that-I-have-my-footage-on-REALTV attitude. SHowing NEAR DEATH and close calls, rendering their view upon us as CRAZY. or insane people with a death wish.
Keep sending your footage to REALTV and get that hundred bucks.

TRY SELLING THAT IDEA TO TV SHOWS AND REQUESTING THE OUTRAGEOUS RATES YOU THINK YOU ARE OWED BECAUSE YOU ARE A BASE JUMPER

I realize that most of you do good things for our sport, but the media is very fickle when it comes to our 'content'. Almost always showing the BAD and not the GOOD things about our sport.

If you are not actively out there trying to change this perspective, THEN WHY DO YOU CARE?

BRING IT ON GUYS.....

[base428]

OK, I'll play along since the work day is almost over.....

*How much do you think they'll pay for my video showing your "chuteless jump"?
*Is anybody dumb enough to rely on BASE footage sales as a primary source of income?
*I've sold old 8mm BASE video for $2000 per minute. And it aired on GMA.
*If nobody gives footage away, then those "limited budget" beggars are forced to pay for footage.

You obviously aren't a vidiot like us...
BRING IT ON, whuffo.:7


------------
Jason Bell (BASE428)
Email: jbell@vertical-visions.com
Web: www.vertical-visions.com or www.bridgeday.info

[sean]

OK i will bite just for the hell of it....

I just picked up another check from the BBC today..$3k for four minutes...they are licenced for one showing plus one repeat...(UK only) after that they pay...again and again every time its shown or sold..read it and weep media boy...your days of fat assed business lunches on the back of the real artistes are numbered..come stick your toes over the edge and see if we are worth the money..way to go Jason..its good to hear of people getting paid for what they do...you for one have invested a lot of blood sweat time and money into what you do...the tide is turning...eventually we (the collective BASE population) will get wise and charge these sharks for what is pretty fookin unique...if you get approached to sell your stuff..ask one of the industry specialists like Jason or Tom and they will show you the path..DONT DO ANYTHING WITOUT A CONTRACT....anyway...hope my bite was entertaining...im off for more red wine......
:7

[space]

Yo Bro's
That is a very common pitch, the budget.. But ya ain't gonna sell much cryin about it. Think of it as selling a product, like a car, don't start naming the price with no deals, give them test drive first, see what they want, get what they want,and once you get them hooked, set the price, and work it from there. Trust me, you will get much further, ( I am sittin here in Hollywood with Felix preparing for a big project and that is because we didn't start the dealings with the costs, and they have a short budget also ;-)
Take care,
space283
Felix502

[base428]

Good point Space.

Not to change the tune of this most excellent thread, but check out this video of some vandals at my new house that I captured with my IR nightime camera. After 6 vandalisms, I set up a special system that recorded all night in total darkness and I finally nabbed the "toilet trashers". Then I later videoed their interrogations and arrests......heh...heh.

Realmedia:
http://vertical-visions.com/_temp/vandals/porta_john_vandals.rm

Windows Media:
http://vertical-visions.com/_temp/vandals/Porta-Jon_vandals_v4.wmv

Funny thing is the unsuspecting vandals were on MY property when I caught them on tape. Now that they've finally paid me restitution for the damage, I'm gonna make them all FAMOUS by hopefully putting them on one of those "Caught in the Act" programs.

The main vandal in the video was 17 years old and his rich daddy got him off.......more reason to make him a star.

Any suggestions?

------------
Jason Bell (BASE428)
Email: jbell@vertical-visions.com
Web: www.vertical-visions.com or www.bridgeday.info

[Joy]

If this guy wants the history of BASE, he needs to to talk to Jean Boenish who has all the early dates of us Americans jumping off of stuff, but she also can put you in touch with Arnt Olsen in Andelsnes Norway, where the early Troll jumps in 1980 and 81 were just as spectaculor, even if they were a bit more deadly at firtst off of Bruskariat. I know both Jean and ARnt to know they treasure the true history of BASE and wouldn't give it out to a whuffo for nothing. We could use good pubilicity, but we usuallly get what they want, crazy people thowing themselves off of things. Lets just keep our wits out there. Some folks are genuine and love what we do and want to treat us right. The others, mostly, the bigger programs, want the footage to show us as crazy rebels... We are not.. .If the world had this mentality in 1842, they would have brandoned Columnbus as a maniac tying to sail west with no charts when the world thought the world was flat.. Too bad, society in the 1800's had forgotten about the good works of the Greeks, like Capericas and Pythagotus who had already proven the world was 25,000 miles round. Oh what a set back the dark ages were. Imagine having a Flix to jump the Leaning Tower where Galileo did some of his experiments. Base has a great history, of great people, world wide. I'd love to help set it sratight, but this boy is going about it the wrong way. There are only a few with accurate info about the start of BASE, and I hope he gets it right. The Norge's and Fins had a lot to do with the eariliest great cliff jumps.
Rick Harrison
Director, US BASE Associaton
BASE 38
Night BASE 13

[zennie]

Hey Rick! Hope the shoulder is healing up.

About a year & a half ago, the Learning Channel had a show called "Understanding Risk Takers & Thrill Seekers". A fair portion was devoted to skydiving, but part of the show also covered BASE jumping.

Amazingly, and much to my pleasure, BASE and skydiving were portrayed in a very positive light.

And as you are well aware, there are a few of us who care very much that BASE's colorful history be preserved and passed on. Y'all did some amazing stuff, stuff that would make even today's jumper's skin crawl.

Can you say "train jumps"? :o

[imported_mknutson]

What I didn't hear you mention, is that THC will re-sell the whole show. So, you gave them 2 shows and they profitted on 2 shows. Then, they sell the show again, and again and again..... This means they profit over, and over, and over again....

If the jumper sells the risk to his/her life for unlimited access, ass the jumper gets is an inflatted ego from being on several shows. The media CO is laughing all the way to the Bank.

Saying, "That idiot risked death, used all his own money, time and energy so I could profit"!

I have heard from everyone that $2K to $3K per minute with 2-4 minute MIN is the normal. I personally feel that we should get more as the risk is higher as well as the costs.