Chugach3DGuy
Well-known member
A few days back I responded to an ad that sounded like it could be a bit of fun in addition to being a monthly gig. I received a response that basically said, " we're interested, but we don't know how much all this is going to cost. Please name your price." I provided an informal estimate laying out a range of options with their appropriate price estimates from extreme low end to high end, all with a simplistic breakdown explaining what they're getting for their money. At a minimum, they were looking for coverage of an event that would take place indoors on a stage. We're talking 2 camera coverage (HDV) plus a still photog, and in the end this would be turned into a DVD or DVD set. Fully packaged and designed, (I'm assuming to sell). At most, they wanted video and stills coverage of 4 performers walking around town all day before the event, so there was a potential of at least a half dozen people with their respective half-day/full-day rates, not to mention all the editing, disc duplication, etc. that's involved.
In response to this I get a short email telling me they already had someone willing to do all the work for free for the past few weeks, but posted the ad because they wanted to know if they could get more work for nothing. And because I gave them prices, "it shows that I'm simply in it for the money", and they need the kind of people willing to do the work because they love doing it- not because they need to be paid for it.
Now, this isn't the first time I've been turned down, and that's not what bothers me. What gets me smoked up is the sheer arrogance and audacity at the notion that its absolutely okay to expect- or even demand, not just "cheaper than anyone else" prices, but everything for FREE!
I feel inclined to respond in some way to this last email, but I'm at a loss figuring out what exactly to say. I don't want to come off arrogant and abrasive, but at the same time, I feel I need to convey the simple fact that I'm not a charity, and utilizing the skills and talents of multiple people for several hours is going to cost more than a pat on the back and the warm, squishy feeling we all get when we shoot and edit video.
So what do you other freelancers and business owners do in situations like this? Do you find it all around better for you and your business to simply ignore people like this? Or do you make an attempt to educate them and help them understand that these are real skills and real gear that costs real money? I don't see anything wrong in the way I handled everything up until that point, but I still am a little green around the edges when it comes to things like business culture and "client perceptions" and all that jazz.
In response to this I get a short email telling me they already had someone willing to do all the work for free for the past few weeks, but posted the ad because they wanted to know if they could get more work for nothing. And because I gave them prices, "it shows that I'm simply in it for the money", and they need the kind of people willing to do the work because they love doing it- not because they need to be paid for it.
Now, this isn't the first time I've been turned down, and that's not what bothers me. What gets me smoked up is the sheer arrogance and audacity at the notion that its absolutely okay to expect- or even demand, not just "cheaper than anyone else" prices, but everything for FREE!
I feel inclined to respond in some way to this last email, but I'm at a loss figuring out what exactly to say. I don't want to come off arrogant and abrasive, but at the same time, I feel I need to convey the simple fact that I'm not a charity, and utilizing the skills and talents of multiple people for several hours is going to cost more than a pat on the back and the warm, squishy feeling we all get when we shoot and edit video.
So what do you other freelancers and business owners do in situations like this? Do you find it all around better for you and your business to simply ignore people like this? Or do you make an attempt to educate them and help them understand that these are real skills and real gear that costs real money? I don't see anything wrong in the way I handled everything up until that point, but I still am a little green around the edges when it comes to things like business culture and "client perceptions" and all that jazz.