Posted by Bill Fright on 10/12/05 12:29

Steve Guidry wrote:
> In my experience, the $1k per minute figure falls apart as projects get
> longer. That's because it usually takes comparatively less additional
> resources to produce the longer videos. Here's what I mean : The camera is
> there already. So what if you shoot for 3 hours or 6 hours. You're billing
> for a full day anyway. In the edit process, much of your work is in
> defining the piece's overall look and feel - - getting the show's graphic
> elements' "style" just right. Going through all the approvals for that . .
> . When it's done, it's comparatively little additional work to just create
> a few more lower thirds, or even full pages.
>
> On this project, I'd try to make a careful evaluation of the actors'
> abilities to carry the piece for 30 minutes of talking. Unless they're
> professionals - - that is to say if they are folks from inside the company
> who have been tapped to be the talent - - I'd build in 2X or more cushion to
> give them time to get it right. Be aware that often there are internal
> political reasons for choosing the talent, and you can't just fire them.
>
> Also, be sure to ask if the approval process has changed since last time;
> Ask "Who has to approve the final project ?" If there are 2 or 3 additional
> people who didn't have to sign off on the last one, then add 25% or so,
> because each of them likely has their own agenda about what the video should
> contain and look like. Especially be wary of "higher-ups" who want
> approval but somehow can't make time for the planning process. I usually
> add 50% for those folks, and it's not enough. They're the ones who will
> have you starting over from scratch.

I go through this approval process a lot. Adding %25 is a sane figure. I
add about more than that normally. It seems in today's work place the
approvers have a mandate to create change if it's necessary or not. They
simply have to change something to justify their approval status.
Sometimes it's an easy change but often it can be a specific reshoot.
Sure it's far less a headache than the linear days but still you have to
bill for it.


>
> Finally, if you at all can do so, insist on a graduated payment plan : 25%
> of the initial estimate upon script completion/approval; 50% upon completion
> of the shooting, and the balance upon completion of the edit. There's
> something about having already paid for it that makes a customer more
> flexible in their demands for changes. And the converse is true as well :
> It's a lot easier to tell them "OK, these changes are do-able, but it's
> going to cost you $XXX more . . ." when you only have the last 25% riding
> on their answer. Deal with them from a position of strength. If you think
> they won't go for a graduated payment plan, try this approach : "You know
> John, that previous project was small enough for me to finance it for you,
> but this one will take a lot more time and resources on my part. The
> pay-as-we-go approach allows me to give your project the focus and internal
> priority it deserves instead of having to chase other projects to pay the
> bills for the next 2 months while we're working on it." You'll probably be
> surprised how well they will understand this.

Well put!

>
> More later if the interest warrants . . .
>
>

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