Is this fair?

Posted: Mon Mar 11, 2002 8:22 am

Is this fair? Sorta like a lawyer, eh?

The client’s project progress should be logged, and kept though-out the entire process, and, the client need NOT be present to be charged for any of the following.

Planning: Discussions related to, phone calls, meetings, script development, idea phases, faxing, on-line contact, printing, filing, organization, and proofing, data or graphical input or manipulation, scheduling, etc.

Technical Preparation Remote: Equipment prep, charging (batteries), testing, packing, loading/un-loading, travel, expenses, set-up, field directing/shooting, materials (tape), setting/replacing lights, remote truck operations, microwave live link and testing, shutdown, normalizing, de-charging (battery protection), and securing, etc.

Technical Preparation Studio: Set design/set-up, balancing, arrangement, cabling, lighting, camera blocking/positioning, directing, prompter operation/preparation/editing, Chyron text prep/titling/operation, audio mixing/adjusting/processing/operation, VTR operation, materials (tape, lamps), shutdown/normalizing, and securing.

Post Production/Editing: Materials gathering/organization/consultation, system prep, routing, font creation, palette selection/imaging, rendering, processing, shot sheeting, searching, materials (edit master(s), and dubs), limited duplication, systems interface,
shutdown/normalizing, and securing etc.

--Rick

Posted: Mon Mar 11, 2002 9:26 am

Ever since I was a kid (2-3 eons ago), I was (only half-jokingly) told that "fair" was a place you went to taste strawberry jam, look at pigs and rabbits, and maybe get a ride on the tilt-a-whirl...

All seriousness aside, nothing you mentioned would even be done if the client's project didn't need it, so as long as it is made clear up front what will be billed for and how, where's the problem? Granted, a lot of clients will not want to pay for "stuff you'd have to do anyway", even though you WOULDN'T have to do it if not for the client... I think the main thing is to have a printed (signed)contract stating what will be billed and how, and proper studio software to track every item of materials, labor and equipment time/usage. If the client can't or doesn't want to be present for all the mundane but necessary processes, he should be shown a progress report (including a running total) every time he does show up, and asked to initial it. That way, at the end of the project when final payment comes up, he will have a harder time saying, "I don't remember OK-ing that..."

The lawyer analogy, much as we all love to hate them, is actually a "fair" one - Lawyers use paralegals, etc. to research your case, they have rent, lights, secretarys, etc, all of which are not free. (No, I'm not one, put away the tar, feathers make me sneeze) Unless your client is also a professional studio operator, there are a lot of things (re: your list, above) he will never think of unless they are brought to his attention.

Yeah, some things should be "free", everybody wants to feel like they're getting something for nothing (coffee, donuts, pens with studio logo, ?) These still need to be paid for, but can come out of margins on other charges so the studio is not made to look "cheap".

Anybody who balks at paying for what they recieve needs to go back to their brother-in-law who's just doing it for fun, and accept the non-professional product that results... Steve

Posted: Mon Mar 11, 2002 10:00 am

Quote:

Originally posted by knightfly:
Ever since I was a kid (2-3 eons ago), I was (only half-jokingly) told that "fair" was a place you went to taste strawberry jam, look at pigs and rabbits, and maybe get a ride on the tilt-a-whirl...

Did I spell it wrong???

Quote:

Originally posted by knightfly:

...coffee, donuts...

I knew I was forgetting something, thanks!
LOL
--Rick

Posted: Tue Mar 12, 2002 11:39 am

Rick, you spelled it the only way I've ever seen it - I only used the quotes to point to the word I was half-joking about. Now, about the donuts - get some of the ones with the little nuts embedded, and I may just take advantage of the cheap airfares (different word, doesn't count) and visit you - :=) Steve

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