VO-BB - 20 YEARS OLD! Forum Index VO-BB - 20 YEARS OLD!
Established November 10, 2004
 
 FAQFAQ   SearchSearch   MemberlistMemberlist   UsergroupsUsergroups   RegisterRegister 
 ProfileProfile   Log in to check your private messagesLog in to check your private messages   Log inLog in 

Client now wants new compression

 
Post new topic   Reply to topic    VO-BB - 20 YEARS OLD! Forum Index -> Chat
View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
Moosevoice
Backstage Pass


Joined: 16 Nov 2012
Posts: 437
Location: Iowa

PostPosted: Tue May 19, 2015 5:15 am    Post subject: Client now wants new compression Reply with quote

So I did this project for a client that took a couple weeks. It chewed up a lot of my time (studio and otherwise) and has been essentially finished for a week now.
He's kind of flighty but knows what he wants. I'll put it like this: He knows what he wants it to sound like (tone of read, pace, etc.) but he hasn't thought through the technical details (compressed/uncompressed, file format) so he's kind of fumbling his way through that part.
He's been very kind and understanding of my time and having to redo stuff but the fact remains that this project almost ruined any Mother's Day celebration my family and I had planned. So any additions or major changes he's added $ to the budget and paid incrementally as well.
He is now 'thinking about using AAC compression' (files have been delivered in mp3 and then raw wav files too).
This audio is for a proposed aHobo Tounge he's creating (he's hired a company to build out the aHobo Tounge I guess) that's being pitched to presenting sponsors.
My question is: Do I need to charge him for this AAC conversion? It's kind of a pain for me because I don't want to do a batch conversion from MP3 because that'd be essentially compressing a compressed file so I'd have to open each project file (there's about 30 of them) and render them to AAC.
Do I charge him for this? I've been very gracious with my time and communicative with him over everything involving this project.
He, of course, has promised more work (especially if the aHobo Tounge works and is applied to other markets) so there's that consideration.
_________________
www.moosevoice.com
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website
Jeffrey Kafer
Assistant Zookeeper


Joined: 09 Dec 2006
Posts: 4931
Location: Location, Location!

PostPosted: Tue May 19, 2015 7:06 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

That's completely up to you.
_________________
Jeff
http://JeffreyKafer.com
Voice-overload Web comic: http://voice-overload.com
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website
Lee Gordon
A Zillion


Joined: 25 Jul 2008
Posts: 6864
Location: West Hartford, CT

PostPosted: Tue May 19, 2015 9:13 am    Post subject: Re: Client now wants new compression Reply with quote

Moosevoice wrote:

He, of course, has promised more work (especially if the aHobo Tounge works and is applied to other markets) so there's that consideration.


Better train him now. Explain that there's a charge, and charge him. Otherwise, that "more work" could jeopardize future family celebrations for no reward.
_________________
Lee Gordon, O.A.V.
Voice President of the United States
www.leegordonproductions.com
Twitter: @LeeGordonVoice
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
DougVox
The Gates of Troy


Joined: 10 Jan 2007
Posts: 1706
Location: Miami

PostPosted: Tue May 19, 2015 9:56 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Moose, I've got a (sort of) unrelated question...

I've never understood why someone would post a link to their P2P profile here, in their email auto-signatures or even on their own web site. It seems that all it does is send people to a place where they can find (and hire) thousands of other people who do what we do.

Is there a great reason that I'm missing out on?
_________________
Doug Turkel (tur-KELL)
Voiceover UNnouncer®
UNnouncer.com
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
Quicksilver
Been Here Awhile


Joined: 29 Oct 2012
Posts: 217

PostPosted: Tue May 19, 2015 11:16 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

"Thinking about AAC"?

Sounds like he has no clue what he's doing and doesn't want to be bothered to use Google.

There's an equation you can use to figure this out though..

How your month is going.
- How much you've been spending at the bar recently.
+ How much potential work you think he might bring.
- How big of a PITA it will be.
/ The quality of the weather or surf.

= Price for doing silly work

So if it's beautiful out and you're having a good month I'd charge him a lot. If it's windy and you currently feel poor I'd charge him a little.

Above all, charge something for using your time instead of Google's.

That's how everyone does it right? Laugh
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Bish
3.5 kHz


Joined: 22 Nov 2009
Posts: 3738
Location: Lost in the cultural wasteland of Long Island

PostPosted: Tue May 19, 2015 11:43 am    Post subject: Re: Client now wants new compression Reply with quote

Moosevoice wrote:
Do I charge him for this? I've been very gracious with my time and communicative with him over everything involving this project.
OK... I'll be the contrarian here Smile

From the details you've given (re-rendering 30 wav files as aac) I would do it as a "customer service". The fact that you have been "gracious and communicative" with him is nothing more than being professional. I obviously don't have a full handle on the complete scope, but I can't see this as anything other than a minimal job if you've already supplied wav and mp3. Re-converting the wav masters to aac via a batch conversion seems like a couple of minutes work. However, you do say you'd have to "open each project file", so I assume you do not have wav masters of each final deliverable.

I always keep everything aiff and only do conversion as the very last stage of prepping the deliverable. This way, all my deliverable masters are in raw format and conversion is no issue. This may cloud my judgement and make it (to me) a complete "no worries" question.
_________________
Bish a.k.a. Bish
Smoke me a kipper... I'll be back for breakfast.
I will not feed the trolls... I will not feed the trolls... I will not feed the trolls... I will not feed the trolls.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website
todd ellis
A Zillion


Joined: 02 Jan 2007
Posts: 10529
Location: little egypt

PostPosted: Tue May 19, 2015 2:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

i agree with both lee & peter --- were it ME - i would explain that there IS a charge for this kind of thing (insert minimum studio fee here) but tell him i understand his plight in this situation and will take care of it gratis. THEN - and this is important --- send him a bill for said minimum fee with a zero balance. that way he associates the fee with the work & associates me with a great guy.
_________________
"i know philip banks": todd ellis
who's/on/1st?

Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website
heyguido
MMD


Joined: 31 Aug 2011
Posts: 2507
Location: RDU, the Geek Capitol of the South

PostPosted: Tue May 19, 2015 6:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Todd nailed it. Inoccent
_________________
Don Brookshire
"Wait.... They wanna PAY me for this?"
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Lee Gordon
A Zillion


Joined: 25 Jul 2008
Posts: 6864
Location: West Hartford, CT

PostPosted: Wed May 20, 2015 12:43 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I actually agree with Todd (who has already partially agreed with me). The reason I suggested charging him was the bit about nearly ruining your family's Mother's Day celebration. That sent a signal to me that perhaps this client does not value your time. And one way to combat that attitude is to assign a value in the form of a line on an invoice.

It didn't occur to me that your reason for being sidetracked from family obligations might have been your own self-motivated effort to please your client, rather than him putting unreasonable demands on you. So I will modify my advice, based upon the circumstances. If the pressure came from him, bill him. If the pressure came from yourself, do what Todd said.
_________________
Lee Gordon, O.A.V.
Voice President of the United States
www.leegordonproductions.com
Twitter: @LeeGordonVoice
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
georgethetech
The Gates of Troy


Joined: 18 Mar 2007
Posts: 1878
Location: Topanga, CA

PostPosted: Wed May 20, 2015 1:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yeah, always tell them what the service is valued at before gifting to the client... Batch convert the MP3's to AAC and be done with it. They are very unlikely to notice any issues, if done correctly.
_________________
If it sounds good, it is good.
George Whittam
GeorgeThe.Tech
424-226-8528
VOBS.TV Co-host
TheProAudioSuite.com Co-host
TriBooth.com Co-founder
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website AIM Address
Display posts from previous:   
Post new topic   Reply to topic    VO-BB - 20 YEARS OLD! Forum Index -> Chat All times are GMT - 7 Hours
Page 1 of 1

 
Jump to:  
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum


Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2005 phpBB Group