Sticker Shock

I’m not sure how people go through life without having fits of shock when it comes to how much shit in this world costs. And cost of living has gone up. Making movies is the strangest. I always get sticker shock whenever I get my film back from the lab. Or how much it is to buy. People seem to hand over dough as if that is what is necessary. It especially confuses me that people buy new phones every year to update an iPhone. Or a digital camera. Usually it’s “meh, it’s $600.” I can find thousands of things I’d buy first than a new phone to update one that is perfectly functional.

Like today, I’m waiting for my car to get new brakes. This after being told my coolant system needs to be replaced. Money on top of money. I’d rather spend it making a movie. But…I arrive at the same place. I’m starting to sell off a bunch of knick knacks around my home I haven’t had the time to do. Life really makes you make time for stuff when you’re concern about wanting to make a movie in a few weeks. That shit costs money. And before you accuse me of being a hypocrite, since I did just mention how little makes one happy…I’ve a purpose to the money, and none of it goes to impractical things, such as a brand new car, drugs, booze or hookers. All the stuff money can buy. It is kinda’ funny that money can buy a piece of skin between a girl’s legs. If you think about “the oldest profession in the world” those greenbacks are backed by gold. So, I think if a girl ever says her pussy is gold, she’s not that far off. That’s if you spend it on that.

Back to my original point…shit in the movie business is always expensive. It’s like exercise equipment. It’s so specific that the industry pretty much tells you what it’s worth. For instance, a circular disc bounce board that is collapsible, in the “real world” costs about $15. For whatever reason, you can find a similar one that is labeled for the movie business that is $80. Same with simple things. A bag of clothespins traditionally used for…um..clothes, but in the movie industry used to secure gels to lights go for three times what they sell for at any retail store like Target. Yet, if you buy it at an expendable store, it’s a monster mark up. Nothing is different. They’re clothespins. And NO one seems to be outraged.

A professional grade digital camera, such as an Arri Alexa, engineered by the Germans and used to replace their film cameras (as none are made anymore) go for about $84,000. Yes, you read that right, it is about a tenth of the cost of what you would put down to buy a nice home (or in some parts of our country, a whole house). That’s just for the camera body. Once you have the accessories (which the markup is insane) you’re looking past $100k. Who the fuck has this type of money? I asked my friend, who is an Arri technician. I think he wanted to say stupid people. But what he ended up saying was that they buy it and lease it out. Basically it’s a consignment, and bank lends them the money to buy. Arri has their own financing, but then you’d owe Germany. I get that this technology is very specific. I mean, if you ever seen how one of these are made, you’d probably be wondering why they didn’t charge more. But, as shared by my friend, it’s a lot of trial and error. Precision machinery, much like a high performance car, STILL has issues. These are headaches the earlier buyers are facing. You just don’t buy something like this and walk away. They also have a warranty (of course) a plan that insures your camera, which by the way is the size of the old VHS camcorder and about the same weight, runs to specification. Does it worry you to carry this hardware out to middle of the Amazon? It should. Or maybe not, there are German ex-pats hiding in South America. I just don’t understand how people don’t have a heart attack taking on this burden. I bought a film camera that will obviously have some issues. But it is still mechanical. Only that technicians who service them, are dying out with (apparently) the lions. Maybe it’s me. That I don’t earn enough to not feel overwhelmed. I’ve never heard my Dad ever complain about what things cost. To him, it cost what it cost.  To me, shit cost way too much.