Why not do my DM on Koh Tao?
- Thread starter Bubble Dragon
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OP
Bubble Dragon
Registered
So you want to make films about divers? Interesting, most videographers would rather make documentaries about the wild life, the effect a big mass of divers has on the reefs and environement etc etc. Call me old fashioned but you aren't going to win any awards filming people tryinig to look cool by removing their regs underwater and prancing round like a set of cocks. And its by winning awards that gets your name around and makes sure you can sustain it as a living.
Trust me, I used to work on the rock and know what its like, people will say they will buy your dvd and some actually do but most don't. It used to earn me about 20,000b per month on a good month! Dive shop takes a chunk, the instructor takes a chunk and the vidiot gets about 500b per dvd.
As LiquidVDO says, check out the video's on youtube, most of them you can tell are amauter as you can see the outline of the red lens that has been stuck on the front of the housing. It shows as a black circle round the frame, the whole footage is not usauble in anyway shape or form IMHO of course however I bet they still try to sell it for 2000bhat.
Oh and check out my username, I am a shooter and I do work as one however its only about 3 - 6 months of the year and I do have to cover all my own costs unless I can get the footage sold off.
Trust me, I used to work on the rock and know what its like, people will say they will buy your dvd and some actually do but most don't. It used to earn me about 20,000b per month on a good month! Dive shop takes a chunk, the instructor takes a chunk and the vidiot gets about 500b per dvd.
As LiquidVDO says, check out the video's on youtube, most of them you can tell are amauter as you can see the outline of the red lens that has been stuck on the front of the housing. It shows as a black circle round the frame, the whole footage is not usauble in anyway shape or form IMHO of course however I bet they still try to sell it for 2000bhat.
Oh and check out my username, I am a shooter and I do work as one however its only about 3 - 6 months of the year and I do have to cover all my own costs unless I can get the footage sold off.
OP
Bubble Dragon
Registered
So, you're asking why people would like to do what you used to do yourself? Must have been one of those "retorical" ones...
On the other hand, if you're eager to share your wisdom & experience, I'd be more than happy to learn something from you! Where do I sing up
On the other hand, if you're eager to share your wisdom & experience, I'd be more than happy to learn something from you! Where do I sing up
Stout
Contributor
Vidiotic, I'm a little confused as to the numbers you're citing in your last post.
Are you meaning that a dive shop charges 2000 THB for a DVD and you only get to pocket 500 of that 2000 ?
As to the 20K in a good month, is that gross sales ? if so it looks like only 10 DVDs in a month, or one every three days. If your profit is only 5K THB in a good month, then I can see why you're counselling against this route. they'll buy what ? accommodation and rice ?
Are you meaning that a dive shop charges 2000 THB for a DVD and you only get to pocket 500 of that 2000 ?
As to the 20K in a good month, is that gross sales ? if so it looks like only 10 DVDs in a month, or one every three days. If your profit is only 5K THB in a good month, then I can see why you're counselling against this route. they'll buy what ? accommodation and rice ?
Hello,
I know many VDO graphers here on Koh Tao and there are many different companys. They sell the dvd's from 1700 per disc untill 2500,- baht a disc.
Some companys make it cheaper when several people buy the disc.
The fate of a vdographer is that you can make nice money one month and hardly any the next. Nowadays I think some of the companys also have a pool system where they split whatever they make between the vdographers.
Greetz
I know many VDO graphers here on Koh Tao and there are many different companys. They sell the dvd's from 1700 per disc untill 2500,- baht a disc.
Some companys make it cheaper when several people buy the disc.
The fate of a vdographer is that you can make nice money one month and hardly any the next. Nowadays I think some of the companys also have a pool system where they split whatever they make between the vdographers.
Greetz
lord khram
Contributor
I must say that does sound like a career with excellent long term prospects!!
I may even consider starting work again myself?
I may even consider starting work again myself?
Stout, you've got it! IF.......the Vidiot gets out of bed even if it's raining, even if it's a day before / after or heaven forbid the vidiots own or close friends' birthday. IF they don't need to do a visa run, IF they've remembered to set their alarm, IF their bike starts, IF they've remembered to charge their batteries,IF a mates not arriving/going, yes they get 25%.
If not, the money's crap, but you only work 4 days/month
Yeah the company I worked for charged 2000bht, i got 500 of that, the dive shop got a cut, instructor gets a cut, the company I worked for got a cut.
On average I usually earned about 10K (cash in my pocket) a month however I did actaully manage to sell 40dvds in one month hence the 20K but that was a rare occasion and one I never managed to repeat. Considering my rent was 5k a month it doesn't leave you with much. You need your own cash to survive with any level of comfort otherwise you tab everything, come your next pay day, your skint.
By all means do these courses and work as an interm as it beats diving in the north sea, in a dry suit, filming seals or does it?
I do find however a lot of vidiots that learnt on Toa never ever follow it up, its a way to seem cool while there and if thats how they want to waste their cash then so be it, which is good as it leaves me with more job options and for a serious cameraman that ain't a bad thing.
Stout
Contributor
Cheers Vidiotic
10K a month isn't too bad in the grand scheme of things, the big thing being is you're not paying to dive and your days are effectively filled with interesting things to do. I could easily spend 3000 THB/day diving on Tao. As it turned out I ended up spending only 1000/day as the operator I went with was only charging 500/dive and only going out once a day.
It's always been one of my "fantasy jobs", underwater videographer. After seeing the Blue Planet series, and the Life series, the job made it onto my list. I have my own career,one that I enjoy, one that gives me an obscene amount of time off ( 9 months/year ) and I'd consider pursuing what you were doing on Tao but strictly as 'something to do" rather than a way to make money.
After watching the episode "the making of Life" the series, not a porno I figure freediving is an appropriate area of study as well.
I was unable to come up with a price for an UW videography course, I got distracted by Simple Life's new megawebsite, looking good:cool2: They were estimating one sale per day meaning a graduate could "expect" to pocket 15K/month if we use your earnings as a guideline.
Ummm yea, that cold water and drysuits thing. Maybe I'm getting old (48) or maybe just soft, but even though we have awesome diving here on the west coast of Canada I've hung up all that rubber and become a warm water only diver.
10K a month isn't too bad in the grand scheme of things, the big thing being is you're not paying to dive and your days are effectively filled with interesting things to do. I could easily spend 3000 THB/day diving on Tao. As it turned out I ended up spending only 1000/day as the operator I went with was only charging 500/dive and only going out once a day.
It's always been one of my "fantasy jobs", underwater videographer. After seeing the Blue Planet series, and the Life series, the job made it onto my list. I have my own career,one that I enjoy, one that gives me an obscene amount of time off ( 9 months/year
) and I'd consider pursuing what you were doing on Tao but strictly as 'something to do" rather than a way to make money. After watching the episode "the making of Life" the series, not a porno
I figure freediving is an appropriate area of study as well. I was unable to come up with a price for an UW videography course, I got distracted by Simple Life's new megawebsite, looking good:cool2: They were estimating one sale per day meaning a graduate could "expect" to pocket 15K/month if we use your earnings as a guideline.
Ummm yea, that cold water and drysuits thing. Maybe I'm getting old (48) or maybe just soft, but even though we have awesome diving here on the west coast of Canada I've hung up all that rubber and become a warm water only diver.
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