VO-BB - 20 YEARS OLD!

mcm · Last edited by mcm on Thu Sep 29, 2005 9:38 pm; edited 1 time in total

I had a request yesterday to do 4 15-second VOs. They were really 2 pairs of VOs, each member of the pair being very similar, so I charged less than what I would usually charge for 1 minute of corporate-type narration. The client was enthusiastic about the test read I did, so I completed the job, he requested an invoice and I sent it, all very efficient and jolly.

Two hours later, I get a "sorry, the client decided they just wanted 2 voiceovers. Could you just do these two scripts and bill us accordingly?"

I would run this by the client of course, but wouldn't you think I should bill this as a new job? The scripts are very similar to what I already did, so I don't mind discounting this job also, but I really thought I was finished 2 hours ago. I am hoping that "bill us accordingly" means, for what you already did plus this, rather than, bill us for only these new scripts.

Deirdre · Posted: Thu Sep 29, 2005 1:21 pm Post subject:

The stuff you did WAS approved.
THEN the client changed his mind.

You can give a discount if you want, but the new scripts are a new job.
_________________
DBCooperVO.com
IMDB

Guest · Posted: Thu Sep 29, 2005 1:49 pm Post subject:

I agree with DB.

I would get clarification from the client before proceeding. And whatever they have to say, they owe you for the work you have already completed, had approved and invoiced. At the end of the day, how are you supposed to know that they haven't decided to go with 6 slightly different versions of the script instead of the original 4?

Good luck

Simon

Simon Fellows · Posted: Thu Sep 29, 2005 1:50 pm Post subject:

Damn - not logged in yet again :oops:
_________________
Simon Fellows
http://www.simonfellows.com

Drew · Posted: Thu Sep 29, 2005 2:04 pm Post subject:

New job. Bill accordingly.
_________________
www.voiceoverdrew.com
Skype: andrew.hadwal1
Although I have a full head of hair, I'm quite ribald.

billelder · Guest

I asked for a second opinion once. The client said, "Ok..you're UGLY, too!" LOL

Mike · Posted: Thu Sep 29, 2005 6:05 pm Post subject:

Since you had already billed for the first set I can only imagine that "..bill us accordingly." refers to the second set as a seperate job.

Maiku.
_________________
www.michaelrhys.com

"If grass could run, cows would look like tigers."
Murray Wiggle

mcm · Posted: Thu Sep 29, 2005 6:36 pm Post subject: Sheesh, what a day.

Thank-you all for giving me the strength of my convictions.

What a day - it started out beautifully, 1) with a lovely email from a client for whom I'd done a VO yesterday, who said it was perfect.

2) Another email from another client - describing the VO I'd sent him last night as "fantastic".

3) a new gig from an old client appeared in my inbox after lunch. I read through it, email client to say, I hope you don't want this to be a :30 because I clock it at :50. He writes back, that's good, it's inside a :52 music bed. So I do the read, edit it in my usual zealous fashion, make sure it's :50, and zing it back, thinking I'm on a roll.

Mid-afternoon it all starts to unravel. Client 1) says his client decided that after the spot was put together, the script sounded bland, so we'll have to do it all over.

Client 2), as described in the beginning of this post, says their client decided on fewer scripts so we need to re-do.

Client 3) writes back and says, let's pick up the pace and read it faster Confused

Then, to crown the day, a client for whom I recently finished a narration for a Flash animation, and over which I had labored with great fondness, wrote to tell me that his client, upon hearing it, decided that his OWN voice would be better than mine. My client, at least, had the grace to disagree, at least to my electronic face, but to no avail.

My godfather once described a situation that turned out in this sort of way as "like expecting a kiss and getting an enema."

My consolation is that the Flash client told me I can use the animation for demo purposes and even put it on my website as long as I don't have any identifying text on the site or refer to him by name - (which is also a pity since his work is so nice).

I can feel my skin getting thicker as I write....

By the way, here is that animation (and yes, I changed the name of the file to protect the innocent):

http://www.mcmvoices.com/mediafiles/gw.swf

kitstern · Posted: Thu Sep 29, 2005 11:08 pm Post subject:

Mcm, very nice work. Don't let it get to you, tomorrow will be a whole new adventure.
_________________
Enjoy life, this is not a rehearsal.

http://www.kitziestern.com/

Philip Banks · Posted: Fri Sep 30, 2005 12:30 am Post subject:

You choose the paint, you choose the decorator and the job gets done. You don't like the end result so you refuse to pay the decorator?

You choose the script, you choose the voice and the job gets done. You don't like the end result so you refuse to pay the voice?

Whilst I will always try to be reasonable if someone uses my time and resources they are expected to pay. If I make a mistake and need to do something again there are no additional charges.

When a job arrives it's always worth including in any email or conversation the phrase "I'll go ahead and record then invoice you accordingly". The client then knows you intend to record and you intend to charge, the onus is on him to say "No don't ...."

At the end of an ISDN session I always say during the course of the closing polite chat.

"Are you happy with that?" Meaning the take or takes.

Followed by

"OK. so you have everything you need?"

Followed by

"Right it's in the bag, yes?"

All of the above comes out in natural conversation but I ensure that the client/producer/director has said to me 3 times that everything is fine. On the rare occasions when a piece of text needs re-visiting there are never any problems with billing.

Deirdre · Posted: Fri Sep 30, 2005 3:38 am Post subject:

I always ask "Are you happy?" because I'm a tough-as-nails, hard-bitten businesswoman.
_________________
DBCooperVO.com
IMDB

Drew · Posted: Fri Sep 30, 2005 3:43 am Post subject:

Dayum! Truly a WTF kind of day! Said animator usually has a check to the talent within days of receiving the finished audio. I assume the same was true for you?
_________________
www.voiceoverdrew.com
Skype: andrew.hadwal1
Although I have a full head of hair, I'm quite ribald.

mcm · Posted: Fri Sep 30, 2005 4:32 am Post subject:

Yes, I had a check within a few days. He's a good guy.

Yes, I will "bill accordingly" and feel sure they'll be fine with it.

None of this is really a big deal. It only seems that way when so much of it is crammed into a day that started out so beautifully.

Guest · Posted: Fri Sep 30, 2005 5:31 am Post subject:

Mary -

If you have a policy -- be it billing by time or per spot, ya gotta stick to it, I think.

Exceptions on revisions may be made in the future for folks who become regular clients, but in the early going ya gotta bill as you said you would from the outset. Otherwise I think you risk setting up a scenario in which people think there are always unlimited freebie do-overs.

Bill everything as you say you will on your "rate card" - within reason, of course.

That's my .02,

LL

lisaloo · Guest

Oops - thought I was logged in. That was me, obviously.

Lisa