8mm Forum: A Day In The Life Of A Dealer...

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Posted by Simon McConway (Member # 219) on September 19, 2005, 01:13 PM:

I've often wondered what a day in the life of a film dealer is like. For example, Barry (Independant 8) care to give us your typical day? Any other dealers...it would be fascinating.

Posted by Ian O'Reilly (Member # 76) on September 19, 2005, 03:27 PM:

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A DEALER.............Goes something like this, Rise at 7am,
make sure my 96 year old elderly mother is not late to start her paper round, set the
dogs on my wife for not having my breakfast ready.
8am eagerly await the postman for my usual sack of film orders, put all the bills in the
bin, answer all e-mails that have arrived from around the world overnight, apologise
for not answering them sooner.
8.01am Check E-Bay.
9.00am Take my seat in the office of to await the bank of phones to ring.
9.30am The Dog has just walked in with a copy of "THE ROSE" in it's mouth hinting
that it would like to be taken for a walk.
9.31am Check E-Bay.
10.00am Parcel and pack all outstanding orders and get the wife to drag the sack to
the post office 2 miles away.
10.30am Coffee break.
11.am Explain to customer that it is not viable to travel 180 miles to purchase his silent
501 Eumig.
12.00 Lunch.
13.00 Plan my next holiday.
13.30 The dogs just bit the man from DHL who was trying to make a delivery, distract
the dog with a copy of "Dynamo Doc" apologise to the nice man from DHLand ask
him if he's ever thought of taking up film collecting.
14.00 Check obituaries in local papers to see if there is any film collections in the
offering.
15.00 Tea Break
15.30 Check e-bay and GT40 forum
16.00 Don technical hat, and try to explain to phone caller who has just found a shoe
box full of films in the attic the difference between super 8 & std8 assure her that the
copy of Mickey's 1st fifty in not worth sending to Sotheby's
17.00 Best part of the day Switch on the tele and watch American Hotrod.
17.30 Switch on the answer phone, grab a beer and think what a stressful day it's been.
Roll On Tomorrow

Posted by Simon McConway (Member # 219) on September 19, 2005, 03:55 PM:

Very good....well done Ian. I have a rare copy of The Wizard of Oz on Super 8...will you offer me my asking price of £200? There's always someone thinking this...

Posted by Barry Attwood (Member # 100) on September 20, 2005, 03:25 AM:

Dear Simon,

My normal (if you can call ANY DAY normal) day usually starts with helping Mum, as I am her official carer, as believe it or not, my 8mm business is run in between looking after her, she's 78 and disabled, and unfortunately she had a heart attack 3 weeks ago, although on the mend, you can gather from this looking after the 8mm side had to go on the back burner a bit, but happily I am now thinking about my next film lists, which should be out in the 1st or 2nd week of October. When a list is imminent I usually pull everything together in about a week, the checking of films (every film on my list has a few feet, or more checked through a projector), the typing up of the lists, and then sending them to be photo copied (for my customers who still prefer a paper hard copy booklet), and at the same time I send a copy of my lists over to John Clancy (a very nice man), who kindly uploads them onto the BFCC site, where all you cyber space followers can peruse them at your pleasure. Then you just have to sit back and let the telephone ring, or email sound, and the money rolls in (Oh how I wish this was true) , well it would be like that 10 years ago, but to be truthful it's a bit of a struggle these days, especially the Summer months, but I've been struggling now for over 10 years, and I doubt if I'll give up the struggle anytime soon, as believe it or not, I'm still hooked on this hobby, and its mad collectors (MAD, in the nicest sense of the word, that is!) .

Each day, each week varies, but my main motto is customer service, as soon as I receive payment, I try and send it out that particular day, by the quickest method possible, each with a tracking number, even abroard, as the Royal Mail is not what it used to be, and at least you can track your goods if they go missing (and it's a lot easier if you have to claim compensation).

So each day is pretty hectic, one way or the other, and this year is just shooting by, but I've got my little holiday coming up in Blackpool in November, Hmmmm, isn't that where a film convention is being held by a certain W. Midlands dealer, it must be a coincidence, nothing more!

Posted by Tom Photiou (Member # 130) on September 20, 2005, 12:28 PM:

Ian, i recommend getting rid of the dog, take only half hour for dinner and sack the Mrs. [Big Grin]

. Put The car on EBay then watch some dosh roll in.

Barry, know one works harder than a carer, my only advice, Get Mother to take all phone calls. [Big Grin]

(a joke of course, hope she's ok) [Wink]

Posted by Simon McConway (Member # 219) on September 20, 2005, 02:11 PM:

Barry...many thanks for your recount of your day. Very interesting. Have you had any examples of people ringing up thinking their Eumig 610D is worth nearly a grand?

Posted by Barry Attwood (Member # 100) on September 20, 2005, 04:06 PM:

Simon,

Not so much with projectors these days, but sometimes with films yes, some people bought their films back in the late 70's when a lot of people bought a cheap 8mm sound projector and a couple of films, they paid £30 or more for a 400' from Dixons, and thinks by now it must be worth at least double, because of the scarcity value. How I wished I could get £60 for a 400', still they try!

Posted by Winbert Hutahaean (Member # 58) on September 20, 2005, 05:32 PM:

Barry or other Dealers,
I know weird things always happened, i.e. thinking that Disneys or Star Wars are quite rare items. (Added: or thinking his JFK reel was part of Zapruder's footage) But I'd like to ask from the opposite, have you ever experienced someone who was so "hillbilly" that did not know what stuff he/she had and asking for a price that sound a miracle to you? E.g. bringing GS1200 Xenon and thinking that it has a similar price to Chinon Stereo? [Wink]

Or brought a Full Feature of "Wizard of Oz" and asking the possibility to swap it with the same title on DVD?

Please be honest.... [Razz]

Cheers,

Posted by Jan Bister (Member # 332) on September 20, 2005, 05:54 PM:

I've seen a Chinon SP-350 projector sold on eBay for a buy-it-now price of $29. Only missed it by minutes, too, or I would've been the buyer. [Roll Eyes]

This was back when I was just rediscovering super-8 and needed a new projector besides my aging Bauer T450 machine... now the SP-350 would've given me twin-track capability, dedicated line-outs for stereo playback and a nice 1.2 lens. Bummer [Smile]

I'll let you know if I come across more insanely good deals... but it's very, very rare that you see clueless owners sell stuff underpriced (they don't always make the mistake of setting low buy-it-now prices on eBay, anyway)...

Actually, I recently heard a story of someone buying a GS1200 at a yard sale for $50! Sadly, when that machine was fired up, that's exactly what happened - it went up in flames and was destroyed beyond repair in the process. Even more sadly, it then got thrown away before I could get my hands on it for spare parts. ARGH!

Posted by Winbert Hutahaean (Member # 58) on September 20, 2005, 06:14 PM:

Jan,
If an insane transaction like what you just told, I have one and my self was the buyer (but I am not a dealer).

I once bought Sankyo Stereo 800 for (eqv.) US$ 15. Moreover, it was boxed, brand new, unused, mint....whatever you mention. Where I got it ..... just see where I live now.

Follow to the old threads, you will know that only myself is colllecting this mad hobby in this country.

Unfortunatelly, the ex collonial powers never brought the GS as a part of their deal with locals. (I was just crossing my finger that Japan through its aid body, JICA, had ever donated GS to an instution in Fiji, so I will check this possibility).

I was once in the island of Tuvalu (this is a very tiny country where is only 10.000 people live, not even more than people in your district). I saw an Elmo was lying on the ground, it was big and owned by the Woman Association. Since the video era they never used it again. Unfortunatelly, when I open the cover, it was ELMO 16L which was not my subject. They even asked me to take it for free, but I did not want to fill my house with something I don't like (or I can be tempted to start collecting 16mm....oohhh no!)

But don't ask me for the prints...I never acquired even a single piece. I always bought it from Australia. Good price...but reddish print [Mad]

Posted by Jan Bister (Member # 332) on September 20, 2005, 08:15 PM:

YOU ... GOT ... A SANKYO ... 800 ... FOR 15 ... BUCKS ... [Eek!]

And I'm having regrets because I just let one on eBay go which only went for $60 or so! (and that was a parts/repair unit!) [Eek!]

Posted by Barry Attwood (Member # 100) on September 21, 2005, 02:42 AM:

Dear Winbert,

About 12-13 years ago I worked for a friend of mine, and he said one day a man brought in a GS1200 and said he wanted to sell it, my friend said he was interested but how much was he looking for, as he didn't have much cash in the shop at the time. The man thought for a minute and said, will £50 do, I think that was the quickest I've ever known my friend to open his wallet. Unfortunately this has yet to happen to me, but I live in hope! [Big Grin]

Posted by Tony Milman (Member # 7) on September 21, 2005, 01:28 PM:

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A DEALER....

Ian, I was so touched by your diary entry. I wondered if you had ever considered writing fiction? You would really be very good at it with your imagination;)

there is a real risk you will be reported to the RSPCA over the rose incident......

Shame you don't have time for all those extra activities I know you get up to [Big Grin]

Are you planning a trip to the BFCC or a holiday instead?

Posted by Ian O'Reilly (Member # 76) on September 21, 2005, 02:21 PM:

Hi Tony (Do I known You?)
Jury's - out on Convention or Holiday !
Com-on-now........ what would the 50th bash be like without Perry's there ! [Roll Eyes]

...bit like the 49th I suppose.
Can't wait to see the "Lightfingered four", [Big Grin]

I mean the Lightwater Four again.
Maybe I will head off on Holiday on Saturday night after the Convention, Now where is it warm in October. [Wink]

Regards
Ian

Posted by Ian John (Member # 26) on September 28, 2005, 10:47 PM:

Ian, There's plenty of warm places to go in october. My wife told me it was my turn to pick our holiday this year, and asked me where I wanted to go, so I said take me somewhere nice and warm, somewhere where I've never been.... so she grabbed me by the arm and took me into the kitchen. I told her "the Bible says that the MAN is the Head of the house"... and my wife looked at me and said.... "Yea, and the Woman is the kneck, and the kneck turns the head anyway it wants.

Hope you enjoy your hols. [Big Grin]

Ian. (UK)

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