Il Pater Familias - I Have Had It!!!

So I called Laszlo last night to tell him about my Reserve deputy friend and the kind of camera he was offering me to use, and then Laszlo completely tears into me with his badgering me about my wanting to use 2 cameras on the shoot in July. He just has this way of questioning me that sounds like he thinks I am completely ignorant and ridiculous. The exchange was kind of like this:

Me: Unfortunately we can't get his camera for the July shoot b/c he's gonna be out of town.
L: Ok well we can use your brother's camera.
Me: I'll still need a 2nd camera.
L: I can get one from [the guy who lent us his camera for the trailer shoot]. But why do you need 2 cameras on that shoot?
Me: So we can get as much B-roll in as little amount of time possible, and/or to get different angles of the same shot.
L: So who's gonna operate these cameras? You need a professional camera operator! You have your brother for the main camera... I guess [tone of voice sounding like he doesn't think much of my brother as a cameraman after all!!!]... who would be on your brother's camera?
Me: Well I guess I can do it!
L: Do you know how to operate a camera? [tone of voice revealing that he thinks the idea of me operating a camera is totally laughable]
Me: I can operate HIS camera! It's just a camcorder! I've used it before!

---I feel I just have to interject here that my dad gave me a copy of Robert Rodriguez' "10 Minute Film School" to read and had me do that guerilla shoot with him at the Steve Earle concert last month and the moral of all that is that in order to be a filmmaker you must simply begin to MAKE FILMS! So now he's giving me a hard time about my wanting to get behind a camera and MAKE MY FILM?!?!?! I DON'T FUCKING GET HIM!!!---

(continued):
L: Well, I would recommend you get a professional, experienced camera operator on that shoot!
Me: Well I don't have the money to pay anyone!
L: I can get you one! I have those contacts!
Me: Oh really! Someone who'll work for free, all day long, those 3 days?!?
L: YES!
Me: Ok, then go for it. Fine.
L: But I still question your desire for 2 cameras. Why would you possibly need 2 cameras?
Me: For example, if we shoot the warrants team getting into a car and driving away. I could get a couple of different angles on that one shot and not have to ask the warrants team to do it for me 5 different times!
L: Well an experienced cameraman could get that shot for you.
Me: [bewildered silence]
L: It's just more efficient. 2 cameras is a waste of time, effort, and film.
Me: But it's MY time, effort and film and I don't care!
L: I don't mean to be naysaying you, just send me your shooting plan for that weekend and I'll give you some feedback.
Me: What do you mean, shooting plan, you mean a shot-by-shot list?
L: No! Just your general outline of what we'll be doing.
Me: I sent that to you 2 weeks ago!
L: Ok well I've been having Internet problems so I'll look at it now and get back to you.

Me, after hanging up and angrily calling my brother:
WHAT IS THE DEAL WITH DADDY?!?! HE AGREED WITH ME A MONTH AGO THAT 2 CAMERAS ON THIS SHOOT WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA AND NOW HE'S GIVING ME A HARD TIME ABOUT IT AND HE HAS BEEN SAYING I NEED TO BE THINKING ABOUT THE ARTISTIC ELEMENTS OF MY FILM BUT IF I WANT TO DO A BEAUTIFULLY EDITED QUICK SHOT LIKE THE ONE SCORSESE DID IN THE LAST WALTZ WHEN RONNIE HAWKINS WAS SINGING "WHO DO YOU LOVE" AND IN ORDER TO DO THAT I'LL NEED MORE THAN 1 CAMERA THEN WHY IS HE QUESTIONING ME AND BADGERING ME AND NAYSAYING ME ABOUT THIS?!?!?!?!?
My brother: I have no idea.

Later, after I forced myself to stop my tears of frustration, I remembered that when I went to assist on my dad's conjunto festival shoot the day before we did the trailer shoot, he used 4 fucking cameras!!! 3 on tripods: 1 wide, 1 on the bass player, and 1 on the accordion player. And then my dad did handheld onstage!!! For a static, low-action musical show on a stage?!?!?!?!? And now he's questioning MY wanting to use 2 cameras for an entire weekend of dynamic, active shooting! What. The. FUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I may have to end up firing him after all. This is exactly what I was afraid would end up happening, his belittling me and trying to make me feel like shit. In order to fire him though I will need to find someone who will help me edit the film and I'll also need to find someone who will lend me a light kit. I may have to see if this Reserve deputy guy wouldn't mind helping me--he did say yesterday that he was "excited" about my project. I will try calling him maybe tomorrow so I don't sound too desperate. The Major did email me back to say that we will meet with the 2nd Baptist church film people in the next 2 weeks. Hopefully they'll help me too.