flat rate or hourly

[David Roth weiss]

[Mark Suszko] “”How long is this going to take?”
“As long as it takes.”

or, the more classical reference, from “The Agony and the Ecstasy”:
(Pope, glancing at ceiling) “When will it be finished?”
(Michelangelo, painting ceiling) “When it is done.”
“When will it be done, then?”
“When it is finished”.”

Reminds me of a classic golf story. As the story goes, an amatuer asked the great Ben Hogan for a tip. “Gee Mr. Hogan,” he asked, “can you tell me how to make more putts?” “Sure,” said Hogan, just hit your approach shot closer to the hole.”

So John, when your client asks why it’s taking you so long, you can always tell him, he’s shooting too much footage, and his projects are too long.

David Roth Weiss
Director/Editor
David Weiss Productions, Inc.
Los Angeles

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[Mark Espina]

My two cents.

Either put your foot down in a courteous and professional manner or just grin and bear it.

If you’re too afraid to loose his business – he’ll always have the upper hand and can pretty much do what he wants to do on you.

No matter how you try to ‘fix’ the immediate problems – you will always have a big burden compound on you in the long run. He will always try to skimp on payments, criticize and manipulate you to doing what he/she wants.

There is no changing this situation unless you are willing to walk away.

But if you can’t walk awway, and if trying to find a better client or set of clients to replace what he’s doing for you in terms of jobs and income is too hard or too risky, then just grin bear it and bow down.

You can’t gain anything unless you are willing to loose everything.

[Grinner Hester]

I have found a flat rate gets folks in, gives me more freedom and allows me to charge a better hourly rate in the end as I get done much faster than with a client in the room.