What’s going on at BackStage lately

I do work with and for indie projects and production. Besides other places where I look for post work opportunities, Backstage (backstage.com) has been one that I would frequent for post work. Although BS is primarily for talent casting, there’s been a few fishes that’s worth engaging and getting some work from.

But in the last few months, I am starting to see some cheapskate indie productions (I’m not including the student films here as those you can dispense they have no budget) and hiring folks wanting an editor or colorist for like $200-300 for some rush fixed hours (like 20-30 hours) to do work for them.

Some of these people I found are very demanding ask and mostly have footage coming off a RED. What usually are worthy charge per minute final delivery and fixed daily rates are now calculated to less than a freaking minimum wage.

I don’t know what these people are thinking and I know that since post production has been democratized and anyone with a free Resolve and some cheap computer can claim they can edit and grade, doesn’t mean that is what the market for post work is worth. Or am I wrong that this is the future and it’s work that anyone can do these days for super cheap?

What’s worst, these hiring people also expects 3 stars (advance level) editors and colorist. Either that’s crazy or I’m getting old for this ****. Hmmm….

This happened in audio post as well. They'd spend all their budget on the visuals and then plead poverty for audio production expecting it to be done for next to nothing.

It’s frustrating when indie productions undervalue post work, especially with high-end footage. While tools are more accessible, the expertise required is still valuable. Set fair rates that reflect your skills—there are clients who understand quality post-production work.

It’s tough seeing indie productions undervalue skilled work like editing and color grading, especially when they expect high-quality results for low pay. The democratization of tools has led to a lot of competition, but that shouldn't mean we undervalue our craft. It might be a good time to set clear boundaries on what you’re willing to accept and stick to your rates.