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Project over runs by 75% … how do I charge 75% more..
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Here’s what I would do… Deliver your master so that it stops at exactly two minutes in and goes to black! Then you explain “You paid for two minutes…Here’s your two minutes!” I know not really constructive advice, but I find myself developing a “Bob Zelin Complex” lately!
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Harsh? Maybe. Perfect business person? No way. But we have been known to play “high stakes” poker with delivery of masters vs delivery of checks. That’s really the only leverage you have. That’s what I mean about “paying attention to business”. For example, adding a clause in your contract that states you own the copyright of the work UNTIL the invoice is paid in full. It’s much more valuable to go after “Breach of copyright” in court than just “unpaid bills”.
One more comment. It’s often NOT the director that deals with business issues. If you can successfully separate the two (creative and business) and navigate both waters, then you will be fine. Ignoring one over the other is where the problems arise.
Mark wanted advice, I supplied it. The “harshness” was thrown in free of charge.,
mark
[Tim Baker] “Mark R. I’d say you are being a little harsh…unless you are one of those perfect business people in this crazy business of ours and has never run into this situation…you too missed the point that he brought it up early and tried to confront it…as long as he has documentation to prove it…he can most certainly go after the extra money…he did the work…it was out of scope and he is most certainly due the overruns.
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[Tim Baker] “Mark R. I’d say you are being a little harsh…unless you are one of those perfect business people in this crazy business of ours and has never run into this situation…you too missed the point that he brought it up early and tried to confront it…as long as he has documentation to prove it…he can most certainly go after the extra money…he did the work…it was out of scope and he is most certainly due the overruns. He came here for advice not sniping and belittling of his professionalism and business acumen.”
I don’t see anything as harsh when it comes to business quite honestly. Business IS harsh if you want to succeed. There’s no being a nice guy as I’ve come to find out. There are times when you have to man up and take something because you messed up and there are other times where you have to stand up for your own rights and rates.
I think what Mark wrote is pretty much hard knock lessons learned. If that’s harsh well, then don’t get into business and you’ll be able to avoid backstabbers, lawsuits, lying / whining clients and all the other fun that comes with being ‘the guy’ who own the business.
Walter Biscardi, Jr.
Editor, Colorist, Director, Writer, Consultant, Author.
Credits include multiple Emmy, Telly, Aurora and Peabody Awards.
Biscardi Creative MediaCreative Cow Forum Host:
Apple Final Cut Pro, Apple Motion, Apple Color, AJA Kona, Business & Marketing, Maxx Digital. -
I wonder what would happen if you deliver what the PO calls for, 2 minutes.
Can you imagine his face when the picture just stops at 2?
He’ll demand, “Where’s the other 90 seconds?!”
“90 seconds of what,” you ask sheepishly.
He says, “The film is 3:30.”
You can pull out the PO and say “Sorry. I thought the PO was for 2 minutes.”
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A little hard ball! I like your style, man.
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You guys are awesome. I don’t know that I would have the balls to do that, then again it depends on how screwed you felt and how much potential future business this customer could give to you.
In general, if there’s any possibility that the messup was due to my company’s fault, I eat it. Happily. Like Ron said, file under “tuition”. Because you never know, that client could bring in future business. Happens all the time.
Then again, if the client is a sociopath all bets are off.
And there are a lot of sociopaths in this world, especially lately.
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http://www.patrickortman.com
Web and Video Design
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