[Nick Griffin]

Thanx, Shane. Maybe that’s it. But I did nothing with In/Out markers when I removed the old music tracks and put in the new ones. I’ll try playing it both ways when the current load of year end jobs is through.

[Nick Griffin]

[John Davidson] “For what it’s worth, there’s an ability to remove the related videos if you’re embedding a youtube on a wordpress site:”

My VP tells me that it’s not just Word Press, but any website. The iframe code line is REL=”0″. He did it for our own website and it works quite well, just ending the YouTube clips with a black frame.

And yes, not having more control over the thumbnail is irritating.

The one thought in this whole thread that potentially has me spooked enough to stay with the embedded links to YouTube is that they’re almost always for client sites. Todd’s comments about it being not completely reliable, sometimes requiring more than one click has me seeing visions of clients blaming us and thinking it must be something we did or did not do.

For client previews we’ve been using Media Batch for a number of years and find its ability for clients to leave notes, markers and even draw on the videos quite unique and helpful. (For those clients adept enough to use them, which not everyone seems to be.)

Thanks, guys! If anyone else has any more input I’d love to hear it.

[Nick Griffin]

Seems pretty simple to me. If those are his terms then the “for free” part should no longer apply. Ask for a percentage and when he balks settle for a fat hourly rate.

[Nick Griffin]

YES! Thank you, Jim. That’s the one. I have a job where it will be ideal.

[Nick Griffin]

Hey, Lewis: you should chill on the whole “girl” thing. There should be little difference between whether you’re employing a male or female.

With that out of the way, is this just for one hour of a static camera or is the end result and hour long “program” which has been edited from many hours down into one?

[Nick Griffin]

All of this just makes me so proud to have your names up here beside mine.

(Sarcasm is just one of the many services we offer at GriffComm.)

[Nick Griffin]

It certainly wouldn’t hurt to include a production schedule. We normally have that as part of the header of the budget proposal, but without much specificity.

Client:
Project:
Shoot Dates:
Post-Production Dates:

Again, though: ask THEM how they define a “work plan.”

[Nick Griffin]

I think how one would define a “work plan” depends on whose asking and how they expect to proceed once they have it. It may also mean different things in different cultures.

If it were me, I’d present it as a budget with tasks lumped together. For example:

Pre-Production & Production (Field Shooting) $X,XXX
Script writing & Shot list, Two shooting days including: Director/Cameraman, Producer, Grip, Jib Arm, Media, Travel time & costs

Post-Production Video $X,XXX
Voice-over fee & recording time, Production music, Transfer & Shot Logging, Non- Linear Editing (Suite & Editor/Director), Off-Line Efx & Titling (Opens/Closes/Titling), Master to Digital Files

TOTAL: $XX,XXX

Of course these bundled prices all begin in spreadsheet format, but not a spreadsheet that you provide your potential client showing each individual item and its cost.

You should also avoid providing too much detail on specific things because you are providing a virtual road map on the steps they may want to take themselves — including ALL of the steps. (“And thank you very much for your free consulting time,” they virtually never say, even though it’s the reality. I’ve seen this from VERY large corporations as well as small ones.)

They may also be asking for this as a way of making sure that you are for real and have a plan for completing their project from start to final delivery.

As your next step, before going any further, I’d ask them to provide you with a better idea of what it is they want to see from you. You should always phrase this is a positive way. Something along the lines of, “What do you need me to provide for this project to move forward?”

Hope this is of some help and others here can provide their insights.

[Nick Griffin]

I agree with Mark and will start with the second point. A watermark is a good way of discovering and PROVING a leak after the fact. You could also go all Hollywood and have a unique identifier for each stage of the process if you have multiple vendors involved. (Did you know that the “screener” copies sent to members of the Academy voting for the Oscars typically have unique serial numbers? If a popular movie shows up as a bootleg the studio knows EXACTLY where it came from.)

Now, to state the obvious, start with working with someone you can trust. Preferably someone with little to gain by exposing your work to others.

Which leads to the stickiest point. An NDA — non-discosure-agreement — really only means something to someone with something to lose. If you’re dealing with a kid who lives in his parent’s basement or a rented apartment, drives a klunker that probably costs more to keep running than it’s worth, and whose sole asset is his computer, he or she doesn’t have a lot to lose if they violate an NDA.

Typical NDA language says things like: “__(who you’re hiring)__ understands and acknowledges that any breach of this Agreement will cause __(you)__ irreparable harm, the amount of which will be difficult to ascertain and, therefore, __(you)__ shall be entitled to seek from any court of competent jurisdiction preliminary and permanent injunctive relief.” In layman’s language, as best I can understand it, that means you an sue them and, if successful, you can take away their stuff. If they a) don’t have much stuff to take, or b) don’t fully comprehend what this says and its potential implications an NDA just appears to be a piece of paper that says “blah, blah, blah.”

So it’s your job to work with someone who understands and will live in respect (and fear) of this.

[Nick Griffin]

I use Google Chromecast on an iPad for Netflix and HBO Go. And it works FANTASTICALLY!! I also have no problem “tying up” the iPad because I’ve always thought that the “two screen experience” is a remarkably stupid thing. I like to watch films and TV shows not bounce my eyes between a computer, phone, iPad, whatever and the nice BIG TV across the room.

(Not liking the “two screen experience” must be because I’m an old fuddy-duddy, right Tim. (And you kids get off my lawn!)