I hate Los Angeles

I was looking to hire a few more camera operators for a job in Tokyo. So I tossed out a few ads on the interweb.

Looking for videographers with Panasonic HVX, or Sony Z1Us in Tokyo area for a 1 night, multi camera shoot on March 11th.

Please email me at [************] with location, equipment, and day rate (JPY).

North American and Japanese crew already booked, so language is not a problem.

Here is a response I got today:

I am in Los Angeles but can definitely help you out. I shoot with a DVX100A and have the century wide angle lens with seinheiiser shotgun mic. I was in Tokyo last November and would love to return. I can shoot nonstop and just provide you with live and personality footage for an EPK. Let me know what your rates are. I am even willing to provide the service free of cost if you can provide airfare and lodging. I am ready. If interested, let me know I can encode some stuff and send it to you.

Great, so you'll work 1 night for free, if I buy you an airline ticket to Japan? With this short of notice, the shoot is on the 11th, which is clearly stated in the ad, it would cost us $2,891.10 on United, round trip. Not to mention a Tokyo area hotel for the night, before we fly you home on the 12th. Thats easily another $100 USD. So what should cost me around $250 - $300 to hire a local operator is now up to around $3000.

On second thought, I would totally pay for this guys airfare...

If I had prior knowledge that his flight would end up as wreckage floating in the Pacific.

Congrats Jam and Dave, now someone else will be reading our blog besides my mother. Give a big warm welcome to the Department of Homeland Security! Maybe they will click our ads?