Freelance work problem/question?
I recently found some freelance work doing commercial template videos using After effects… I haven’t met the guy or had a formal interview and got the gig on Craigslist.org… the job is 25 dollars an hour. but I’m expected to pay for my own, plug ins and music… so in essence I have to spend a bunch of money and then give them the videos… I have zero assurance that they’ll actually send me my pay check… it seems a little fish to me!
any thoughts?
Ask them for 50% up front. Which they will say “We never pay up front.” Then say what you told us… you have an investment in the equipment and your time, so… maybe you can reduce the down payment to 20%, if they can provide you with credit references.
Ad agencies and other corporate service companies usually won’t pay a down payment, because they get paid by their client after the work is done. However, if you make the case for the down payment and you are successful, you will find that the client then “buys into” the success of the project. Best of luck!
Or ask for terms where you get paid 1/2 at the halfway point (once they’ve seen a preliminary review, for instance) and 1/2 at the finished point.
