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another bid lost…what’s wrong
I was asked to bid on project by a local company… They told me is would be a 2 day shoot and 2 day edit. Then they sent me their script. The script indicated there would be 6 locations within a 60 mile radius where we would interview a total 12-16 different execs, clients, and employees.
Past experience suggests that this would easily be a 3-day shoot. In my proposal i told them it looked more like 3 days of shooting and editing. I have done corporate video for about 25 years, and often you schedule an exec for a shoot, they are late, or postpone it. Of course the client came back to me and said we were way over the price of the other companies that were sending them quotes. The main issue was the extra days of shooting and editing.
So I re-submitted, following their two days of shooting and editing. But I also added this in the proposal “This proposal assumes 2 days of shooting and two days of editing. Should the amount of days change because of client or location schedules, our rates will change accordingly.”
I also added that “Client must cancel with at least 48 hours notice in order to avoid charges”
They rejected our proposal saying that they were unconfortable with these kind of stipulations.
Apparently the client used to be a GM of a production company. My total shooting estimate was $3,700. That included 2 days of shooting, and 1 day of pre-production. Pretty cheap right?Was I wrong putting in these stipulations? Any thoughts?
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15 Replies
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Greg –
Why do you assume that you’ve done something wrong? Sounds more like you dodged an almost guaranteed grinder bullet. ESPECIALLY if the client has production experience and should know that 6 locations in 2 days is a bit extreme for anything more than “gun and run,” existing lighting shooting. And even then — 6 locations in 20 working hours?I think you made the right call and the only difference I would suggest is having all the language presented up front, in the contract. When they perceived you as laying the groundwork for the additional work you’d already said it would take, they got scared. Frankly I think it’s a given that if their people cause a delay it’s their problem, not yours so I wouldn’t even have contract language to that effect.
If this had not been an obvious grinder the best sales approach would be to help them “evaluate” all of their production options. Give them the feeling that you want to do everything possible to help them get the most out of their show and their budget. Once you’ve built up trust it’s a whole lot easier for them to be talked into extra days. But c’mon! 12 to 16 people spread over 6 locations in 2 days?? They better hope that whoever they get to do this doesn’t get anywhere near any Kryptonite.
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[Nick Griffin] “They better hope that whoever they get to do this doesn’t get anywhere near any Kryptonite.”
…or any “Smart Pills.”
TimK,
Director,
Kolb Productions,Creative Cow Host,
Author/Trainer
http://www.focalpress.com
http://www.classondemand.net -
You did nothing wrong.
You’re dirt cheap and your stipulations were very reasonable.
This was not a client you’d have wanted.
Be glad you DIDN’T get the job.
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Thanks to all of you for your support. I feel better already. Have a great weekend ya’ll!
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Totally unrealistic proposal. Best thing would be to send them to your worst enemy.
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Sorry I got here so late in the game. Actually, it was me that underbid you. I am hiring two student from a local film school to do the job for me. They will use a GL2 for the shoot and lights from Home depot. Camera mics will do just fine and, Oh, by the way, we’ll be using one pass tapes that we degaused. The kids will edit on a laptop and it will look really peachy keen. It will look perfect because they just completed a workshop on color correction so when they shoot with the wrong filter, they will be able to fix it in post. And I understand that they just purchased Sound Soap to take out the problem audio noise, just like they do on CSI.
See Ron’s literature on “Grinders”.
Have a nice day – not working for nothing for those jerks.
Steve Wargo
Tempe, ArizonaIt’s a dry heat!
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You may have underbid him by hiring college students, Steve, but I’m going to underbid you by hiring no one–I’ll do it for FREE so I can have the experience and something to show on my demo reel. Plus, they said they were going to tell all their friends and family about it and they’ll make sure I get credit, so I’m sure the phone is going to be ringing off the hook. I’ll be swamped! Then, after a few more clients to earn “experience”, I won’t need anymore experience and I’ll be working in the big time, charging like 15 bucks an hour. I’ll be loaded. Money falling from my pocket. Now, time to look for film jobs on craigslist that offer a production credit and a free sandwich. A man has gotta eat, you know.
🙂
Mike.
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Darn! There goes a quick $38, right down the tubes. Crapola
Steve Wargo
Tempe, ArizonaIt’s a dry heat!
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[Steve Wargo] “Darn! There goes a quick $38, right down the tubes.”
$38????? Were you the high bidder?
Ron
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[Ron Lindeboom] “[Steve Wargo] “Darn! There goes a quick $38, right down the tubes.”
$38????? Were you the high bidder?”
No…that’s what CineAlta guys are going for these days…highway robbery ain’t it?
TimK,
Director,
Kolb Productions,Creative Cow Host,
Author/Trainer
http://www.focalpress.com
http://www.classondemand.net
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