Somewhat OT business question

[Serge Hamad]

Hi Colin,

[Colin Braley] “Does anyone think that a guy who’s on a “limited budget,” and has a production company with no website, has a shot of making it?”

Yes, it is possible at least here in the US.
I myself did a couple of successful documentaries this way by providing film & video equipment etc…

I know that you don’t have a lot of experience but I think that once you will see what footage this person will provide you for your animation, you will then with some common sense be able to check on his chances to make it or not.
However, get any deal you may both agree to in black on white! As we say.

Good luck.
Salut.
Serge

[Lars Bunch]

Hi,

While some of these arrangements can be profitable for both sides and can work quite well, they often do not. My advice is to ask for some money – at least a token amount. If you don’t ask for money, people will tend to think your work has no value. I have had to learn over the years to not give away my work and I find clients seem to feel my work is worth more because of it.

I understand the desire to get work and establish yourself, but make sure you respect the value of what you do. Remember that even if this pilot doesn’t sell, the producer has still gained a valuble asset for himself (a show piece) from some of your work.

If you choose to do the job under the arrangement you describe, make sure you know from the start that you can afford to get nothing out of the deal and still come away with something of value for yourself.

Just make sure you don’t cheapen the value of the service you provide. You want to develop a reputation as a person who creates graphics that are worth paying for.

Hope this helps,

Lars

[Erik Pontius]

[Colin Braley] “When asked about payment, he replied that if the show makes it to the air, he will be able to pay me a substantial amount, however, if the show does not make it, I won’t get any money but I’ll have “something great for my reel.””

This is a pretty common “deferred” payment technique. In most cases you will probably not see any money out of it.
#1 get it in writing. Many a client has suddenly come down with a lapse of amnesia as soon as they get a check in their hands (often not for the millions they thought it would be).
#2 Don’t spend more then you’ve already budgeted for. Don’t run out and buy a new computer and software for the job, thinking that you’ll get it all back once the show “gets picked up”.
#3 paid work takes priority. Your client needs to know this. Passing up paid sure-fire gigs for deferred pay work with the “hope” that you’re going to get paid is not wise. You need to be able to pay your bills and eat.
#4 Keep the right mindset, better to think of it as free work…if you happen to get some money out of it, then it’s a bonus.

There are advantages to doing free work, especially when you are first starting out.
#1 You get real work experience. Often you can learn quite a bit about the industry.
#2 more for a reel. Having real material for your reel gives it credibility. Ordinarily, people willing to pay for work, will want someone with experience and a reel to prove it.
#3 contacts. This guy might be a smuck, but you might meet a dozen other people that also have contacts. A good portion of good paying gigs are the result of who you know. People are more likely to work with (or refer) people they have worked with in the past…good networking lands good gigs.

Erik

[Majorasshole]

This man is a “Grinder”. The promise of more work for a freebee now has been made a billion times and kept probably never. Tell him that if he pays you double your going rate for this :30 second piece that you will do the rest of his season at half price. If he complains or walks away from negotiations, he never intended to pay you a cent.

Hope I just saved you doing a ton of work and get jacked for the pay.

[Colin Braley]

Thanks for all the help evreyone, I appreciate the info and advice. It’s nice to hear advice from people who have been working in this industry for a long time. I’m meeting with the producer on Monday and I think I’ll discuss some of this stuff with him. Thanks.
~Colin