Return-Path: Received: from mail-ob0-f169.google.com ([209.85.214.169] verified) by media-motion.tv (CommuniGate Pro SMTP 4.2.10) with ESMTP-TLS id 4753768 for AE-List@media-motion.tv; Thu, 21 Jun 2012 17:45:14 +0200 Received: by obhx4 with SMTP id x4so1124377obh.28 for ; Thu, 21 Jun 2012 08:48:10 -0700 (PDT) DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=gmail.com; s=20120113; h=mime-version:in-reply-to:references:date:message-id:subject:from:to :content-type; bh=yN4JnWRqOIikhdk4Vfl3NPBFstKR5rVgZ0PBml2I1pQ=; b=bWSYK9K7nw8y8xgoECAhY5veFMjqhgZH7DOUTbsnAKra6/Kt8I5ZaARgX41F39Ka+N Rp+MFqLcQt3RBEjfbXjpGfCUqyg+t8qf9hSwRXSvbI9RK+dwMQ73rMGvLH9AoLTfLOal HxgNOHHbh41CVd8hejBW71qkW/0SfZzBXcyssJLQXau+XjDf88TGckRvHroV8ZaIHf6I JdW1s/H8ufMg9cHzNf5cBajvoYROEIaboFfwyNcfHHrsPFggico6ZRs0P2vY6hI9MCnx gkt7gwFM73yUePvuw1jcmrtMocB10iE8ih0JCZqWbEAspetDuRWwj40YI1fLdDEwYbZQ qw+w== MIME-Version: 1.0 Received: by 10.182.89.102 with SMTP id bn6mr18599332obb.7.1340293690182; Thu, 21 Jun 2012 08:48:10 -0700 (PDT) Received: by 10.182.199.41 with HTTP; Thu, 21 Jun 2012 08:48:10 -0700 (PDT) Received: by 10.182.199.41 with HTTP; Thu, 21 Jun 2012 08:48:10 -0700 (PDT) In-Reply-To: References: Date: Thu, 21 Jun 2012 11:48:10 -0400 Message-ID: Subject: Re: [AE] contracts, slightly OT From: Teddy Gage To: After Effects Mail List Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary=14dae93997414c4dad04c2fd71bd --14dae93997414c4dad04c2fd71bd Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable In my experience I often find the largest companies are the slowest to pay. I have heard from people on the inside it is something of a company policy to delay freelance invoices so the budgets looks better. Additionally, if you're not "in the system" yet there's always some lazy body in accounting who forgets to include you in that pay cycle. I find smaller places it's easier to get paid quickly because of the personal connection. However I would agree there's more risk of a small place never paying at all. And like jim said I usually go hourly first or demand half up front when the bid is accepted. Unless I have grave misgivings or its a huge project I usually don't bother with a contract. Risky, but 90% of my business is done with a handshake... I worry places would be put off if it came to that. I work regularly in nyc, maybe things are different in LA etc On Jun 21, 2012 11:33 AM, "Jim Curtis" wrote: > I have different kinds of clients. Some are small production companies > and agencies. Some huge corporations and non-profits. The latter ones > make me sign their PSA, and I always get paid on their schedule. It's th= e > small agencies who are the worst, and the most likely to either > nickel-and-dime me, take forever to pay, or dock my invoice for some > imagined shortcoming. > > I wish I could hold onto masters as a lien/security, but most projects ar= e > time-sensitive, and that's seldom possible or practical. > > When I was in production, and on the hook for payments for film, > freelancers, meals, travel, etc., I demanded =E2=85=93 up front, =E2=85= =93 upon completion > of production, and balance upon delivery of master, spelled out in a > written agreement. > > But, now I'm strictly post. I do have a standard spiel for new clients: > I charge by the hour until a working relationship is established, so I > know what I'm getting into in terms of client involvement and working > methods. If they demand a bid, I tell them up front, I'm going to bid > double what I think the job will really require, to try to prevent workin= g > for half price. > > Nothing is written. It says on my invoice that "Payment is due upon > receipt" (although many of them ignore this, and pay me after they get > paid). > > I haven't been shafted since I cut an independent short for a so-called > "friend." > > > > On Jun 21, 2012, at 8:28 AM, henry birdseye wrote: > > > After reading the absolutely horrifying stories on The World's Longest > Invoice (http://worldslongestinvoice.tumblr.com/), I'm highly motivated > to require a contract with new customers. > > > > How many of you are using contracts and do you have an example of one > that pertains directly to motion graphic work? > > > > Thanks in advance. > > > > > > > > +---End of message---+ > > To unsubscribe send any message to > > > +---End of message---+ > To unsubscribe send any message to > --14dae93997414c4dad04c2fd71bd Content-Type: text/html; charset=UTF-8 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

In my experience I often find the largest companies are the slowest to p= ay. I have heard from people on the inside it is something of a company pol= icy to delay freelance invoices so the budgets looks better. Additionally, = if you're not "in the system" yet there's always some laz= y body in accounting who forgets to include you in that pay cycle. I find s= maller places it's easier to get paid quickly because of the personal c= onnection. However I would agree there's more risk of a small place nev= er paying at all. And like jim said I usually go hourly first or demand hal= f up front when the bid is accepted. Unless I have grave misgivings or its = a huge project I usually don't bother with a contract. Risky, but 90% o= f my business is done with a handshake... I worry places would be put off i= f it came to that. I work regularly in nyc, maybe things are different in L= A etc

On Jun 21, 2012 11:33 AM, "Jim Curtis"= <jpcurtis@me.com> wrote:
I have different kinds of clients. =C2=A0Some are small production companie= s and agencies. =C2=A0Some huge corporations and non-profits. =C2=A0The lat= ter ones make me sign their PSA, and I always get paid on their schedule. = =C2=A0It's the small agencies who are the worst, and the most likely to= either nickel-and-dime me, take forever to pay, or dock my invoice for som= e imagined shortcoming.

I wish I could hold onto masters as a lien/security, but most projects are = time-sensitive, and that's seldom possible or practical.

When I was in production, and on the hook for payments for film, freelancer= s, meals, travel, etc., I demanded =E2=85=93 up front, =E2=85=93 upon compl= etion of production, and balance upon delivery of master, spelled out in a = written agreement.

But, now I'm strictly post. =C2=A0I do have a standard spiel for new cl= ients: =C2=A0I charge by the hour until a working relationship is establish= ed, so I know what I'm getting into in terms of client involvement and = working methods. =C2=A0If they demand a bid, I tell them up front, I'm = going to bid double what I think the job will really require, to try to pre= vent working for half price.

Nothing is written. =C2=A0It says on my invoice that "Payment is due u= pon receipt" (although many of them ignore this, and pay me after they= get paid).

I haven't been shafted since I cut an independent short for a so-called= "friend."



On Jun 21, 2012, at 8:28 AM, henry birdseye wrote:

> After reading the absolutely horrifying stories on The World's Lon= gest Invoice (http://worldslongestinvoice.tumblr.com/), I'm highly motiv= ated to require a contract with new customers.
>
> How many of you are using contracts and do you have an example of one = that pertains directly to motion graphic work?
>
> Thanks in advance.
>
>
>
> +---End of message---+
> To unsubscribe send any message to <ae-list-off@media-motion.tv>


+---End of message---+
To unsubscribe send any message to <ae-list-off@media-motion.tv>
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