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Contracts Get You Repeat Clients And A Pay Check: A Quick Film Maker How-To
By Frey | October 5, 2007
This may or may not sound obvious, but a lot of film makers do not realize that being up-front and getting a signed contract is one of the biggest keys to keeping a customer.
In initial negotiations with the clientele, always be up front and honest. Do not hide the fact that something will cost extra, nor should you dodge questions on price or the amount of time you estimate. These people want to pay you for your services, but they often don’t understand what all goes into shooting a commercial or promotional piece. Cameras, lighting, etc., all cost a lot of money, but they don’t know or even see that. So this is the kind of stuff you need to put down on paper and discuss it over with them.
After your initial talks and Q&A session, a signed contract is the next step and is extremely important. Going to a shoot without one is like playing Russian Roulette with your paycheck!
The two above steps are very big - and often film makers are blinded by the fact that they need cash. They may also just want the job so much that they overlook the customer’s financial status and/or if the customer is right for them.
Let’s face it, if a client with a low budget called and asked how much it would take to shoot a 30 second commercial spot, especially when you are in dire need of a customer (and money), you’d probably skirt the “money” issue as long as you could. You’d probably explain the options with words and references like “taking longer”, “expensive”, and “cheaper alternative”, but never put a time limit or price on anything, because you don’t want to scare her away.
But since she is having a sale, she asks if you can shoot it immediately. You run out and shoot it. When you hand her the bill, she passes out - since it was for, let’s say $6000. There were no hidden charges -they were your standard rates (and you had to pay your crew) as well as the equipment costs and rental fees. But through your brief talks, she honestly thought it would be only a few hundred dollars, a thousand at the most, and is now very hurt. She trusted you, but now doesn’t pay. She also doesn’t recommend you to other business associates…
The above scenario is fairly typical - you don’t need to tell someone your price right after “Hello”, but you do want to give the person a rough idea of your hourly charges before going too far. Contracts are great, since they make sure that both parties sign a piece of paper that explains EVERYTHING - before you pick up a camera and before the client gets the rug pulled out from under them with charges they hadn’t planned for…
So be honest and up-front and get a contract every time and you’ll get repeat customers as well as paid!
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