Dear... am I, really?

I’ve been pondering on this situation very much the last couple of years – in my capacity as “director for hire”, meeting many producers of production houses and being told I’m too expensive to hire.

Does my glorious portfolio accumulated since 1996 suggest that my rates should go the opposite way? Is this the state of the television creative industry in Singapore? Or perhaps many production houses out there are run by business managers more intent to beef up their bottomlines than pursuing high programme content with real production values? Hopefully many are not resorting to wide-eyed interns to justify their costs (as mentioned in my previous posts). To say that I’m disturbed is an understatement.

It irks me more that my "costs" are mentioned and circulated falsely within the industry. Where is the decency to pick up that phone and negotiate? Just in case you are not aware, I may do pro bono work if I feel strongly about the cause. 

Let’s think about ex·pen·sive /ikˈspensiv/

When does an item or product become expensive? Here is a very interesting article about products and the assignment of their respective prices from Harvard Business Review.

Now before I go further, here's my standard professional bio (mid 2013), albeit a brief one.

A graduate of Film & Media Studies dept (Film, Sound & Video) from Ngee Ann Polytechnic and Media & Communications from Murdoch University in Perth, Australia, Sanif Olek is one of the most accomplished and versatile Singaporean-based, television and film director. Since 1996 Sanif received multiple ‘Best Director’, ‘Best Drama Series’, ‘Best Magazine Series’ awards for his television work (ie, Kaki Borak, 1988...Segaris Sinar, Ayah @ Rumah, Soo Lazat, etc). His films have been screened internationally at major film festivals, won a NETPAC film award and showcased at international museums, ie the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) New York, the Singapore Art Museum (SAM) and National Museum of Singapore (NAMoS). He works closely with the Singapore museums for commissioned works, residency and public outreach programmes. He is the head consultant at reeljuice, a collaborative creative agency actively promoting effective storytelling as means to enlighten the human condition. He is currently juggling between full-time commercial television work and lecturing. Sanif has just completed his debut feature film SAYANG DISAYANG, and completing another feature film, VOLUPTAS. 

It is odd to consider me expensive when television budgets have generally been raised. The programmes in the PSB funds have generally increased 3-5 fold within the last 5 years, yet I've quoted for a rather constant rate during the last 6 years for local television production. You might not be aware but most of the time, I'm responsible at improving on the original concepts, amending the scripts during filming day itself, repairing callsheets for APs during production and sitting-in during post-production (because many times the video editors these production houses have engaged are either overworked or creatively devoid of soul, or both).

…and oh, I should also add that I’m in this full time.

Furthermore I do not take up any other production on the side while being involved in an ongoing production. With all due respect to the other folks, kindly do not tag my rates to other directors who may be involved in filming as a sideline to their more lucrative 9 to 5 day jobs.

Also, may I add that it won't do any harm to the product if I choose to be hands-on. The results speak for itself.

Here's a thought - if you're gonna pay peanuts, you get monkeys.