[Greg Ball]

Really? You mean somebody drew them on camera? Because some of the graphics look too good to be hand drawn. I thought there would be an easier way of doing this. I thought that perhaps someone had hand drawn the images in advance and they were just animated on, and the hand was not real.

So in order to do this I would need an artist to draw this in real about 15 images in real time and high speed it or shot it in time lapse?

[Greg Ball]

Interpreting the script and making it into a video. This can involve planning locations, shots, pacing, acting styles and anything else which affects the feel of the video.

Overseeing the shooting and technical aspects, including lighting, sound, framing, etc.
Coaching actors and non professional talent and directing them towards the best and most believable performance
Coordinating the staff on set, directing the shooting timetable and ensuring that deadlines are met.

All of this takes knowledge and experience.

[Greg Ball]

Thanks Glen and Todd. That’s exactly what I was looking for. Have a great weekend.

[Greg Ball]

Deposits depend om many factors. I usually require at least 50%. If I’m sub-contracting a crew, or a studio, I’ll ask for a deposit that covers my out of pocket costs.

If a client has us shooting footage and handing them the raw footage, we require 100% up front.

[Greg Ball]

Although I agree with Bill on clients you can trust, I don’t see any harm in having a signed agreement.
Clients change all the time. I’ve had great clients that I trusted that left their company in the middle of a project. What would happen without an agreement? We all hope to never need an agreement as proof in a court of law, but strange things can happen.

Yes deposits are also important, as is your reputation. I’ve had 3 instances where we didn’t work for someone because they wouldn’t sign our agreement. That’s fine. It’s all part of doing business.

Watch People’s Court a few times and see how many cases involve not having a contract. Even my lawn guys had an agreement that we needed to sign.

[Greg Ball]

I send an agreement for $3,000 too. What does it hurt? If your client is serious about paying for this they’ll have no issue signing it.

[Greg Ball]

Your best best is to have an Attorney write up the Agreement for you. But you of course write up the proposal and scope of work.

[Greg Ball]

Hi Daniel,

Yes ABSOLUTELY. Work up a proposal that includes what you’re doing, what the scope of work is, and what you’ll be providing. We normally provide an overview of the project, a description of what will be shot and what will be included in the edit, a timeline (if necessary). The we have a legal contract attached that spells out payments. We always require a deposit up front, and we require full payment of all balances due BEFORE delivery of the final video to the client.

We have the client initial each page of the proposal and sign the contract. Terms and conditions are always part of any good contract. We usually keep our quote valid for 6 months.

[Greg Ball]

Al always you guys are great! Thanks for all of the suggestions. This may be a bigger can of worms than I thought, considering the client’s budget. But I really appreciate your suggestions. This is one of the best forums on the cow.

[Greg Ball]

Hi Tim,

Thanks so much for your help and support. I really appreciate it. I often read and enjoy your articles in the Cow Magazine. I still have your Media 100 training video somewhere as well! LOL!

Have a great day and thanks again.

Greg