Does it happened to anyone?

[joy]

Does it happened to anyone, that after completing certain work, the client don't pay up and stop responding?? Please suggest how to deal such problem and avoid them.....

thanks
Joy

[Celeste]

Yes I am afraid it does. Sometimes its not the persons (client) fault, and sometimes it is. We did a project for a guy that lives out in England, and when he didn't pay, my boss flew all the way from here (South Africa) over there. He tried to find him, to beat him up, but with no luck! I dont suggest you do the same, as not only did my boss not get paid for the job, but then he wasted all that money to get over there!
I am not sure if there is a way you can deal with it. Like I said, if the client went bankrupt, theres not much you can do but laugh it off. But if he didnt...maybe there is a way. :o

[Vivekenanda]

Yes this is very common. happens all the time universal law of life nobody likes to pay. not much u can do keep pestering. but nxt time always charge a part of the money as advance a token amount sorts.

[Daniel Poeira]

Down here at Poeira we decided that we only work when the client pays half of the job in advance. Guess what: the first time we tried this, the client paid the whole thing in advance!! :)

But finding the client and beating him up is always an option. Most people think animators are a bunch of coward nerd pencil-neck geeks. If we imposed more RESPECT, people would pay us MORE and MORE OFTEN. Because nobody would mess with the FAMILY, capisce?

[Geoff P Edwards]

Before starting work it is a good idea to produce a written quote that says what you are proposing to do and for what price. Then get a third down before starting, a third when you deliver a draft and a third upon completion.

Cheers.

[joy]

Quite bright suggestions guys, it improves me truely. Maybe I should be more careful next time.

regards
joy

[joy]

Hi Guys,

Just a little info...here in this very forum, some people are there like the one I have describe. Please take care if one 'Shawn the touch' give you work here.

Joy

[Chason]

Before starting work it is a good idea to produce a written quote that says what you are proposing to do and for what price. Then get a third down before starting, a third when you deliver a draft and a third upon completion.

Cheers.
that has always been my policy ive had 2 clients up and leave mid game and one even changed the whole idea of what he wanted when i was in the final stage and he rufused to accept what i was previously told to do or to pay extra for reworking.

i also mail a contract saying the entire job description along with how it will be paid for the more expencive jobs and require it be mailed back to me along with the down paymentbefor any work is proformed

[EustaceScrubb]

Use contracts and include a "kill fee" clause that specifies the additional costs of last-minute changes to work that was already approved .

Click on this link . Read and memorize what you read there :


Top 10 Lies told to Naive Artists and Designers
http://paintercreativity.com/articles/top-10-lies.html


This book has sample contracts , current market pricing and other very helpful information :

Graphic Artists Guild Handbook: Pricing & Ethical Guidelines
http://www.gag.org/pegs/index.php

[Geoff P Edwards]

Hey EustaceScrubb,

I found that to be interesting reading and a nice refresher. Thanks for the link!

[Les Brooksbank]

Some of the replies made me smile, particularly Daniel Poeira demanding more RESPECT! If only it were so. This is a long standing problem and I've had my share. As others have said, try and get 50% or more in advance, then at least you'll get something. Also try writing it in on a legal contract that the copyright remains yours until all moneys and fees have been paid, then if they don't pay but still use it, you can sue them.

Hope this helps.

Les.

[Ken Davis]

Some of the replies made me smile, particularly Daniel Poeira demanding more RESPECT! If only it were so. This is a long standing problem and I've had my share. As others have said, try and get 50% or more in advance, then at least you'll get something. Also try writing it in on a legal contract that the copyright remains yours until all moneys and fees have been paid, then if they don't pay but still use it, you can sue them.

Hope this helps.

Les.

You can only sue them if you can AFFORD to sue them. Injunctions and suits for damages and lost of revenue etc, take a long to time to complete and can be very expenisve. If the amounts you are owed are less that $100,000 then there's very few lawyers that will sweat the pro bono work to recoup the loss for you.

Its sad but true.

--Ken

[ScatteredLogical]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't that why some people sue for whatever it is they're going after, and -then- in addition the money to cover legal costs? Sort of like burping "eeexxxxccccuuussssseeee mmmmmeeee!" Cancels itself out.

[ScatteredLogical]

In all seriousness, I'm going to reiterate what's been said. In any contracted-work business, contracts matter. My sister is a model who blows the doors off of airplane hangars with her looks, but because she doesn't use good contract sense, she's lost tons of money from people who called themselves professionals but were really guys with a "studio" in their parent's houses. *COUGH* Craigslist *COUGH*

That example's an exaggeration of course, but knowing how frequently she gets interest I'll bet you making good sense of that stuff would double her income.

aprilflorio.com

[Ken Davis]

Having been in the biz for 20 years, I've learned that contracts only protect the ones with the money.
I signed a contract in 2002 that promised me $50,000 income ......I got only $18,000 of it after the other party failed to pay me. I could have sued, I actually considered suing, but my lawyer told me why bother! They were UNABLE to pay, so having a contract in that case was meaningless, even though THEY broke it.

This is the NORM! You can only successfully sue another party IF they have clearly wronged you ( typically easy to establish) AND if they have assets that can be liquified to exact restitution ( not always easy to establish)--otherwise there is no sensible reason for doing so.
Bankruptcy can shelter a litigant ( at least it can in Canada) from a debt endured by the courts and, once declared, any recourse you have against that litigant effectively ceases.

What is your greatest weapon is the THREAT of legal action against a thriving offender who is still in business and will be for some time--in that case you have a very good chance of getting restitution, but......if they have very deep pockets, you can fight to the point YOUR resources are exhausted and then they win anyway.

The best option always remains dealing ONLY with reputable clients and doing so in a very cautious careful way.

--Ken

[RRRivero]

Amen... incredible how many have fallen, who would have been saved had they read that top ten!

[Geoff P Edwards]

Good points Ken,

That's why if the project's price is a substantial sum it helps to get a downpayment, ask for another payment when you deliver a draft copy of work ordered with the final due at time of completion. I like 33% increments

This method has worked well for me so far.

Good luck everybody.