Mailing List AE-List@media-motion.tv — Message #64757
From: Brian Higgins <AE-List@media-motion.tv>
Subject: Re: [AE] Clients requesting RAW files
Date: Thu, 10 Jan 2019 14:24:34 -0600
To: After Effects Mail List <AE-List@media-motion.tv>
I agree with what Adam said. Using expensive plugins like Sapphire at least gives them pause sometimes, but the ship has largely sailed. Fighting it is a good way to lose future business. It's not 2002 anymore, for better or for worse.

-b

On Thu, Jan 10, 2019 at 2:08 PM Tim Sassoon <AE-List@media-motion.tv> wrote:
I agree. Do it, but charge for it. And throw EVERYTHING in there - all test renders, etc. Go big.

In my experience it’s basically the collector’s impulse - they feel more secure having everything. You really want them to come back and do more projects, mostly.


Tim Sassoon
Venice, CA




On Jan 10, 2019, at 12:03 PM, Adam Mercado <AE-List@media-motion.tv> wrote:

This has become a trend in my experience, over the years clients have come to expect/demand everything. 

The question is not whether you need to hand over everything to them, the question is whether you want to work with them again. Stand your ground and they will do find someone else. It’s not like this stuff is difficult anymore. The software and hardware has removed so many pain points over the years that what we do is basically a commodity. I learned that the hard way, after asking the very same question several times. Every time I stood my ground I never worked with that client again. Whether there was a contract or not. 

And even with the contract, if I ever stood my ground in contract negotiations, the point of contention was always raw files. They want them, don’t want to pay more for them, if I stood my ground it was bye bye. 

So I’ve learned long ago to stop fighting that battle. If they’re going to take my files to someone else, they’re going to do so one way or another. I may as well make a few bucks off them before they go. And they may even stay. It’s a losing battle either way as far as I can tell. Others may have more positive experience but to me that’s the way the game is played out these days






On Jan 10, 2019, at 11:23 AM, David Torno <AE-List@media-motion.tv> wrote:

Raw files are NOT part of deliverables unless that was explicitly agreed upon in the contract up front by all parties involved.

This applies regardless of it being a company or an individual freelancer contracted for the work.

These are details that must be made clear at the beginning unfortunately though. Discussing these details after the fact presents very awkward situations like this that can and usually leave a bad taste in both parties mouths. Jeopardizing any future collaboration.

Many clients have a misconception that any and all files related to the process are theirs for the taking. That is incorrect. They must understand that they are contracting a company or individual to produce a single FINAL product. If they want versions, they pay for that work. They want to archive? Then they can pay you to do so. Yes handing over those files will guarantee that they will reuse them later and by a cheaper individual too. I see it happen a lot.

If you are willing to give away your proprietary work, tools, or unique techniques for free or even for compensation... that is something only you can choose to do.

Good luck.


David Torno
818.391.6060
--------------------
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On Jan 10, 2019, at 8:41 AM, Michael Powers <AE-List@media-motion.tv> wrote:

I know this has been discussed many times before, but increasingly clients expect/request all files from projects - including Illustrator, photoshop, stock footage and music, AfterFX, and 3ds MAX files.
 
Is this a trend? It has been happening also with clients that we are the agency of record with. I am uncomfortable giving away intellectual property for free and having some freelancer undercutting us using our files!
 
Thoughts?
 
 
 

Mike Powers
https://vimeo.com/mpowers

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brian higgins | creative director

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