davdud101
Yeah, I actually am going to use that. I have no b axis, and really I'm at no 'professional' level, so I'm still figuring out how to DO the labor and run the books. So basically GH, you've got it like... :
- Client pays a security, then you begin work and have them client pay in increments
- Once it's done, you send a semi-lo-quality, semi-silenced copy for final product demo
- The client finishes payment and you send the full quality final product
That's pretty simple. I'd have to say though- I'm curious how your online work goes? Do you still go by an hourly rate?
I'm thinking in terms of ME- I like to experiment, I'm not the greatest producer and so I might take a long time to fix something... How do you factor something like that out of the total when it's at an hourly rate? I think that's been what scares me away from doing walk-ins, especially when my church's studio gets running.
First of all, I don't do a lot of work for hire....it's only on occasion. But , yes... steps 1,2,3 are what I used. Although quite often, since it is not my "dayjob" I will start a project with no retainer fee paid. If I did this as a source of income, absolutely, no pay, no play.
Next, I mostly give a set price for something. As I said before, the down side to a set price is that the client tried, in this case, to change this, change that, I don't like this, I don't like that and I had to put my foot down to stop the diminishing returns on that set price. Once I let him know that I wasn't going to spend hours of time redoing things that really didn't fit into the big picture, we were able to move forward. One of the biggest time wasters on this project was trying to nail down the specific style this client wanted. He was sending me one or two videos and telling me, kinda like this style in the video, but more of a cross between the "Black Keys" and "Johnny Cash"..... WHAT? I'd throw something together and .... close.... but more like this video and a bit more this or that..... stuff like that can drive you crazy and wastes time..... but across the net, with someone who only sings and wants backing tracks.... it is what it is. This was the point, after several days, back and forth with several demo's... time to make a freaking decision and nail something down or pull the plug on it.
I basically sent an email that said something to this effect. We agreed to a specific price for the song project/tracks. My ability to deliver a quality product to you at that price depends upon you being able to make decisions and move the project forward. I'm willing to spend as much time as you wish on specifics. However, that extra time to do so, was not calculated into the project cost. It would be necessary for me to charge you XX dollars per hour if we need to spend time reworking tracks at this point in the project.
Upon receiving this email, the client agreed that the tracks we had to that point, in the last demo I sent, were in fact, perfectly good and he was just being a bit too picky. We went on to finish the project and finalize it. I sent an mp3 of the finished track with tiny gaps of silence..... I used the "mute a section" of the song function in Sonar....used the PROCESS AUDIO FX and waaa laaaa... short gaps placed to allow the client to hear the important parts but rendered the track unusable for commercial purposes. This process of gaps of silence were used in ALL demos going to the client. Also, this gap technique is used in plugin FX that are full function and then revert to demo mode after 10 days.....some use bursts of white noise, some use gaps. Gaps are harder to fill.
Once he paid me with PayPal, and I transferred the payment to my bank... I sent him the link to DL the full, unadulterated wave file of the song project.
He wasn't sure if he just wanted the project as a single wave or if he wanted the individual tracks..... and a number of other issues.....like mixing them himself or paying another studio to do so..... mastering, adding his vocals to the song.... on and on..... it was necessary to pin him down to what he was willing to pay me to do....then setting out to do that. In the end, he wanted me to provide ONE track, mixed and polished, ready to go so all he needed was to drop his vox into it. I saved the project in case he comes back and wants to purchase the individual tracks.
After this was all said and done.... he came back asking if we could change the style or was it the key? I think it was the key.... half a step lower.... I replied certainly! It would cost the same as what I had done in the original. Haven't yet heard back.
The important part in all that above is to try to cater as much as you can to the client's desires...yes, you want to give them what they are looking for and more.... but at the same time, be ready, willing and able to put your foot down when needed and keep things on track and profitable. The clients will push you as far as you let them. So keep control of the process.