What the thread found

• Charging equipment rental rates rather than working for free is reasonable for operators starting out, as professional rental of similar equipment without an operator costs at least $300 per day.
• Working for free or at severely discounted rates undermines respect for the profession and can result in clients not valuing the work or following through on promised compensation like demo reels.
• Clients may value footage produced by inexperienced operators even when they criticize the technical execution, but this does not obligate them to pay fair rates.
• Obtaining footage independently for demo reels is preferable to relying on clients to provide material after a project ends.
• The profession has become less profitable as newer operators enter the market willing to work at minimal rates, creating downward pressure on industry-wide pricing.

Depends on

• The discussion reflects market conditions from 2010 and may not represent current pricing or industry standards.
• The original poster's assessment that their work was 'good enough' is based on client satisfaction rather than professional evaluation.
• No resolution was reached regarding whether equipment-rate pricing is actually viable for attracting paying clients.
• The advice about industry profitability is pessimistic and may not account for specialized niches or strong personal business practices.

Parts

Hard Mount

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