I got a referral from Bruce Flora last week, a customer needed a custom delta could i help them out?
Sure.
We exchanged email, then got on the phone.
customer: 'Yes, we need a three color kite for a photo shoot.'
" No problem, what three colors?"
'They'd have to be these pantone colors, I'll send them to you in email.'
"Okay, well fabric does not come in these colors, and the only colors i have that come close are red, orange, and yellow."
'Nope, they have to match the clothing'
"Ah, right, well there is one way we could do it, but it would double or triple the cost of the kite"
'How much?'
We agreed on a price, talked some more, and i got to thinking, "who will fly the kite?"
'....................uh, well, I'm not sure'
"Because if you are thinking of shooting the kite, while it is flying, with a model in the picture, that usually takes a professional kite flyer to help you get the shot. I mean, you could spend all day and not get it, and usually, when it's an outdoor shoot, they only have like an hour to get the shot, usually in the evening or early morning."
'uh, right, well I'm just the stylist, I'm not sure who will fly the kite. . .'
"Well i fly kites for living, and would be happy to show up with a van full of them, i'm sure out of all the kites i have, one would fit the bill, and we could set it up so the model was flying it, etc"
'We don't really have the budget for that...'
"No problem, i'm happy to make the kite for you, let me get your info, and we'll process this order!"
So another kite sold, and maybe, just maybe they will get lucky, and some how, some way, actually get the kite to be where they want it to be in the shot, with the model, the light just right, and all the elements the art director has in mind, right there for all to see and love.
Only, most likely, after this, when the word 'kite' comes up, anyone associated with this shoot will roll their eyes, and it will generally be known after this that the mere mention of 'kite' will cost you your job.
No one in the business would hire a horse, a motorcycle driven, or gun shot, a balloon inflated, or any of a zillion other things to be shot, in action, as a prop, without a handler, but every time 'kite' is mentioned, no one thinks that you need any knowledge for that, since, well, kites are just toys aren't they?
My fear, is that we get a bad name. I want them to get the shot. I want them to succeed! I live for seeing that shot, in print, on tv, on the interweb, wherever, whenever, i will bend over backwards to help them get the shot, but they have to actually ask me to do it.
Yes, i do build kites. It's a good one, fly's great, has twin 30' tails. It's color matched to the pantone colors picked by the art director. I just seriously hope it's not the last time this group of people want to do something with a kite.
You do what you can!
aoxomoxoa~!
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