Pain in the as$ clients

[A Step Above Productions]

I got to vent here – I have spent the last two days with a client and have yet to edit one frame of video. Tonight is Wednesday; we started working together on Tuesday.

He wants me to produce a 6 minute video for him of his properties he has for sale (he is a developer). Mostly using Google earth. When we met on Wednesday I told him what I needed to get started.

I told him I need any and all photos/renderings

A log into his Google earth pro account

I need him to write the script… he wanted to voice it, I suggested a pro but no he was going to voice it.

He was due at my office of 10 am Wednesday– he did not show until 12:45. When he did show he had nothing.

No photos/renderings
No script
No Google Earth log in

So he spent the day in my office writing the script – he finishes it at 5pm we spend an hour and a half tracking it…

…After several attempts he sides with me and wants to hire someone to voice it. So now it is nearly 8 pm and I have to find someone to meet me at my office in the morning to voice it.

The project is due Thursday (tomorrow) night, I don’t know what will happen he needs it for the weekend ad I am already booked for Friday.

Don’t you just love pain in the a$$ clients.

And h says he will bring the photos/renderings with him Thursday.

O and the kicker….

I am still waiting for a deposit.

[f11vid]

Smells.Don't give him anything until the check clears.

[Baltimore Shooter]

Wow, this guy is a first class jack-ass. If he's this disorganized and he has to be finished by Thursday night and it's either not finished or it is but it's not as good as it could be because it was rushed, it's his own damn fault.

To tell you the truth, because of his foolishness, I would tell him tomorrow morning that you will be need to be paid in full for the estimated or quoted amount before you begin work tomorrow or good luck findimg someone who can do all that work by Thursday night. And I'd tell him why you're doing it, because he's lazy and disorganized.

Let us know what happens with this clown.

Warren

[Tv Shooter]

Ditto what they said.As far as a voice,try www.Voice123.com. I've had great success getting reasonably priced voice talent and they can send it as a WMV or QT file.
I agree-get the $$$ NOW...you risk doing all the work,then hearing "I left my checkbook at the office/my accountant's out of town/I need it now/what you don't trust me?"

[dhart]

Watch out for developers they are notoriously for not paying their vendors. I have an architect who refuses to work with them. Got tired of them always trying to screw him.

I try and avoid "civilians" (people who have never produced a video before) they really don't know what they are getting into and in my experience it always turns out bad.

[A Step Above Productions]

Well I just wasted nearly thee days of my time after asking for the deposit five times today…

…the client walked out.

He owes me over $2,000.00 – and owes my friend who waited two hours for him at my office $200.00 for the voice over (which he never did, because he could not wait any longer).

I don’t know what his problem is, but I think he never intended to pay me.

I am still going to send him an invoice for my work as well as my friend’s time.

I have learned a lesson – I WILL NOT START ANY WORK ON A PROJECT FROM A NEW CLIENT WITHOUT A DEPOSIT. I have stood by this rule for some time now, and the first time I break my own rule, I get screwed.

He left some CD’s and DVD’s at my office – if he wants them…

… He must first pay me.

Other than that any advice on how to get this guy to pay?

[Flaca Productions]

i've been very lucky - only one deadbeat in 6 years.
i resolved it FINALLY earlier this week. she had an invoice that was over a year old. i had sent her multiple invoices - the latest ones with a note inviting her to call me to discuss the matter.

she never did.

i had left numerous messages on her machine over the past few months. no response.

i finally dug her home number up and gave it a call this past monday morning at 730 as i was on my way to a shoot.

she obviously likes to sleep in on mondays - she was dead to the world when she picked up the phone.

we had an interesting conversation - a lot of me talking and her listening (sleeping?) - but surprise of all surprises - i got a check yesterday.

persistence pays off.

stay on this guy....

[Sean-1966]

Sorry to hear you got screwed. Just keep after him. Hopefully he'll cough up. I still think there needs to be a site set-up that lists bad clients to protect us all. It's too easy to get screwed in this business.

[Baltimore Shooter]

I have learned a lesson – I WILL NOT START ANY WORK ON A PROJECT FROM A NEW CLIENT WITHOUT A DEPOSIT.

I can say it til I'm blue in the face, but I guess until someone experiences it...

Warren

[BluesCam]

I always get a deposit. If it's a deal breaker, so be it.
I have delt with so many flakes in the last three months it's not funny.
Must be something in the water. :>}

[Baltimore Shooter]

I have delt with so many flakes in the last three months it's not funny.

Do tell, do tell.

Warren

[Cameradude]

I coined a phrase several years ago called the PITA factor for pricing jobs. PITA stands for Pain In The A$$. I have a client or two where my rate is adjusted for the PITA factor. Of course some are so bad that you are better off not working for them.