Hi everyone,
Earlier this year (in February) I made 4 separate videos that clinched a liquor deal for a marketing company. Now, eight months later, the client--who hasn't yet paid--is questioning the charges.

So I'm wondering, what do you think a video like this is worth?

http://vimeo.com/6694010

It is one of five videos that I made showing the marketing concept for this particular company. The final video, pulling it all together, is 7 minutes long.

If you wouldn't mind, take a look and name a price. What's this worth?

Thanks a bunch!

Nice spot. Well put together, but nothing flashy. For a video like that, I would have probably ended up charging around $300 or so, possibly a little less if they already had the footage organized. For five of them, it's hard to say. It depends on how much time you ultimately spent on the project and what rate you quoted them before you started.

The important question: Did you write up a contract when you took the job? You can always take legal action, even if you did the work on a verbal agreement, but a signed contract is the only way to ensure that you are paid what they owe you.

Actually, I did everything--produced, shot and edited. No contract. I'd been working with them for the past two years, and on this campaign they had me working round-the-clock. That night's shoot lasted 8 hours--no break. Charged them $400 to shoot it on HD, plus a $200 dollar assistant to hold a light, because we were in the dark.

I think you're being a bit too generous.
Your rates are good, however no mention of editing costs/Hr., tape costs, etc....
Are they airing this footage??
Are they profiting from it now??
One can always file a "Mechanics Lean" on the project.

They're definitely profiting because they used the 4 separate videos to land the account after the initial launch. I charged $300/day to edit.

They're angry because they sent me out to 16 locations on 9 separate days, and I charged them a half-day rate of $200 plus $150 for my assistant (on a couple of them) for all shoots up to 4 hours.

They felt that when they asked me to "stop by" and shoot with my $4,000 camera, I shouldn't have charged them for a "whole 4 hours."

In all, I made 4 videos analyzing their marketing campaign--culminating in a 7-minute piece that pulled together consumer and industry reaction, in combination with footage from the launch party, demonstrations of numerous mixologists making (and talking about) their special cocktails they developed, and interviews with the marketing team who dreamed up the whole campaign.

For these four videos, they wanted to spend a total of $2,000--this is what they tell me months and months after I delivered the pieces, and they landed the account.

They've worked with me for the past two years, and they know the rates I charge them--and they've never acted like this before. They were delighted with the pieces--ecstatic, really. But that was March. It's October, and I haven't seen a dime.

Oh, and to clarify--there were 5 videos. But 4 are charged to one company. One is charged to another. It's a husband/wife team. She's paid $500 so far, and still owes me more. Says they were "taken for a ride" by a client, and doesn't have the money right now....

I am sorry to see that you are in this situation. I've been there before, living and working in the state of Florida. Seems like the "Pirate" spirit is alive and well here.
Having said that, I require all clients to pay 50% upfront... No final copy of the finished product gets handed over until the check clears...
If the client can't work with this? Fuhgetaboutit, it's not worth the paper chase...
Good luck, you have a friend here..

sux video girl, so sorry.
with web distribution of high quality video it's important to maintain some control of the final product. like photography, consider a "video girl" watermark across the screen (or better "my client hasn't paid me for this video so this annoying copy will remain on screen until he finds his checkbook")
their response to the half day thing is a communications issue. for the next client, you need an e-mail chain that elaborates on the terms of these things. and you must ask them, in real time, when they book "just a quick shoot" with your talent and $4k camera, if $x's is what they agree to, like in the earlier e-mail. let them decide if they don't want to pay that amount. be willing for them to say no.
you obviously have talent videogirl, resolve not to ask "what's this worth?" again. it's worth what you decide, yes? it's up to your scumbucket client to decide if they'll pay or not. your rate is your rate. stick to it.
been involved in plenty of those frantic/ridiculous client production schedules that turn into "it costs WHAT?!" post-purchase dissonance, cluster-figs. you have to be the rational one, the one that says, "well that will cost x, we're probably over $x for the project now."
good luck. consider breaking kneecaps?


you might consider a lawyer letter, clearly and fairly spelling things out.

Thank you all for your responses.

One thing's certain: This'll never happen to me again! So I suppose it's a business lesson. It cost about as much as a semester in business school. Or was it the school of hard knocks?

I'm going to think about that "kneecap" suggestion...

i think the advice to send a lawyer letter was premature, vgrl.
if you can get the client on the phone and have any dialogue with them at all, then ask them, point blank: "for the half day shoots on Feb 6, 8, 9 etc., what do you think is fair compensation for my time, my crew's time and the equipment rental? The standard half-day rate, and I may not have communicated the rules on this well, is $x, but I want to know what you think is fair." ... or something like this, basically saying, you're being unfair, you're not paying me but i'm willing to settle for what you think is fair in your twisted, selfish world where taking advantage of vendors is some kind of selfish lark that keeps me from paying my people and my rent. it's an in-between step that allows you to stand up and look them in the eye, figuratively, and say "well, if you're going to be an a**hole, that's your choice."
if they don't pay you the full amount--your half day rates that you originally invoiced -- then don't take their call next time, never work withthem again, and consider communicating to others to stay away from them.
then have a lawyer friend send a letter.
good luck.

In the normal order of things, and I realize that we have to get used to being raped and left for dead by clients nowadays, I would have bid it as a 3 person job: 1 camera person at $500 not including equipment. 1 sound person at $400. And one utility/gaffer holding a pocket par with a Chimera at $250. The camera is another $300 - $500. Pocket Par is $175. Plus mark-up. Your clients are assholes and should be abused and humiliated in some truly foul and degrading way. May their liquor importation business tank...after they pay you.