Commissioned Project: What Do I charge? Please Help!

A general forum for all messages that don't quite fit into the other forums.

Moderators: Admin, Moderator Team

Post Reply
Jperson
Forum Addict
Forum Addict
Posts: 699
Joined: Tue Jul 11, 2006 8:54 am
Location: London, UK
Contact:

Commissioned Project: What Do I charge? Please Help!

Post by Jperson »

OK guys I need responces quickly and I know this a hard question but try to anwser. :D Thanks in advance...


Q: I've just completed a short intro video piece for a presentation someone is doing. I want to charge them, but don't know how much. Here are some details:
  • About 4 hrs/3hrs in total work.
    No actual filming required for the project (saving up for a good camera! :D ).
    To be projected on a 2 by 2 metre screen (don't know if that is any help...).
    98 people in attendance at the presentation which will show the intro clip.
    Length of 35:07 seconds.
    Quite digital effect intesive.
    Client will be able to reuse piece.
    Ideas roughly based on the client's, although most of it comes from me.
    Worked by myself. :( .
    Want to charge quite competitive prices but still want to make a nice amount of cash......
    I'm in the UK.
Want do you think...? Thanks, again :D
[url=http://tinite.com][img]http://onstoryline.com/Atinitefilmsstrip.gif[/img][/url]
Grant
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 2982
Joined: Tue Dec 03, 2002 3:24 am
Location: Ballarat, Victoria, Australia
Contact:

RE: Commissioned Project: What Do I charge? Please Help!

Post by Grant »

One tactic I often employ is to basically ask the client what is their maximum budget and then I work towards it. This immediately tells me if it is viable or not. If their budget is under what I expect then I try to talk them into cutting down their expectations/scope of the job to match. I will not sell myself too short though.
The Honourable Grant Meredith - CEO Sick Individual Productions
http://www.sickindividual.com
Profile : http://www.innersense.com.au/mif/meredith.html
Jperson
Forum Addict
Forum Addict
Posts: 699
Joined: Tue Jul 11, 2006 8:54 am
Location: London, UK
Contact:

RE: Commissioned Project: What Do I charge? Please Help!

Post by Jperson »

Yeah. It's quite important I get this though, just because hopefully it'll spread my reputation a bit, since I'm relatively new to doing commissions. And technically the client I'm working with doesn't have a budget but are willing to pay for my short clip. £5 (9.82748 US Dollars - 12.00338 Aussie Dollars) an hour sound right?
[url=http://tinite.com][img]http://onstoryline.com/Atinitefilmsstrip.gif[/img][/url]
Grant
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 2982
Joined: Tue Dec 03, 2002 3:24 am
Location: Ballarat, Victoria, Australia
Contact:

RE: Commissioned Project: What Do I charge? Please Help!

Post by Grant »

Honestly it is hard for me to answer that for you. How many hours do you expect it to take? The whole process that is? That will give you a rough figure of your total
The Honourable Grant Meredith - CEO Sick Individual Productions
http://www.sickindividual.com
Profile : http://www.innersense.com.au/mif/meredith.html
Jperson
Forum Addict
Forum Addict
Posts: 699
Joined: Tue Jul 11, 2006 8:54 am
Location: London, UK
Contact:

RE: Commissioned Project: What Do I charge? Please Help!

Post by Jperson »

Well, I've actually finished it and I know i should have consulted the price before hand probably, but I was in a bit of a rush... It took 4 hours in total, well between 4 and 3 hours.
[url=http://tinite.com][img]http://onstoryline.com/Atinitefilmsstrip.gif[/img][/url]
Grant
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 2982
Joined: Tue Dec 03, 2002 3:24 am
Location: Ballarat, Victoria, Australia
Contact:

RE: Commissioned Project: What Do I charge? Please Help!

Post by Grant »

Even on 4 hours I think 20 pounds sounds cheap, but if you are happy with that and think that more work can come from it then go for it. I do not work professionally for under $50 p.h. but I am used to that. For web design I charge roughly $100 per page cash in hand, plus more for a photo shoot, header creation etc. I do not edit weddings or shoot them because I find them boring to shoot and edit, and do not really make a profit. For my work in education I am paid between $50-$130 per hour, but I only work between 14-20 hours a week at my peak there. In education I have nearly 3 months off wages though due to being employed casually
The Honourable Grant Meredith - CEO Sick Individual Productions
http://www.sickindividual.com
Profile : http://www.innersense.com.au/mif/meredith.html
Jperson
Forum Addict
Forum Addict
Posts: 699
Joined: Tue Jul 11, 2006 8:54 am
Location: London, UK
Contact:

RE: Commissioned Project: What Do I charge? Please Help!

Post by Jperson »

Wow...50 AUS Dollars comes to £20.82747 p/h. I don't think I'm quite at that level yet, so maybe I'll halve that £10 and just because I need to get this sold I'll make £9 p/h. I believe that comes to £36? that sounds fair (besides I'm going to make them a very fancy bill which they won't be able to refuse :D).

This is an interesting thread, because, as I said, I'm only just starting out doing commissions and to be frank I had no idea at all how much to charge...
[url=http://tinite.com][img]http://onstoryline.com/Atinitefilmsstrip.gif[/img][/url]
Grant
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 2982
Joined: Tue Dec 03, 2002 3:24 am
Location: Ballarat, Victoria, Australia
Contact:

RE: Commissioned Project: What Do I charge? Please Help!

Post by Grant »

It really depends a lot on what your market is prepared to pay and starting out you would be more flexible to negotiate. I also talk some tasks up at times that do not take long. A prime example is when someone wants a forum setup. I talk it up a little as it is not that easy to do etc when in fact I use free forums :) which are configured easily. I once got paid to act and do a air compressed bullet wound effect for a short film, $100, not really worth my time but it was a lot of fun.
The Honourable Grant Meredith - CEO Sick Individual Productions
http://www.sickindividual.com
Profile : http://www.innersense.com.au/mif/meredith.html
Jperson
Forum Addict
Forum Addict
Posts: 699
Joined: Tue Jul 11, 2006 8:54 am
Location: London, UK
Contact:

RE: Commissioned Project: What Do I charge? Please Help!

Post by Jperson »

Lol, yeah I could set up forums 'n' blogs 'n' other things for people. Make it sound harder than it is, you mean, basically? Very good.
[url=http://tinite.com][img]http://onstoryline.com/Atinitefilmsstrip.gif[/img][/url]
Grant
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 2982
Joined: Tue Dec 03, 2002 3:24 am
Location: Ballarat, Victoria, Australia
Contact:

RE: Commissioned Project: What Do I charge? Please Help!

Post by Grant »

I think that secret is not to lie blatantly about the job but if the customer is a total newb then talk some elements of it up to sound impressive and technical.
The Honourable Grant Meredith - CEO Sick Individual Productions
http://www.sickindividual.com
Profile : http://www.innersense.com.au/mif/meredith.html
Jperson
Forum Addict
Forum Addict
Posts: 699
Joined: Tue Jul 11, 2006 8:54 am
Location: London, UK
Contact:

RE: Commissioned Project: What Do I charge? Please Help!

Post by Jperson »

Yeah. I'm in total agreement.
[url=http://tinite.com][img]http://onstoryline.com/Atinitefilmsstrip.gif[/img][/url]
Jperson
Forum Addict
Forum Addict
Posts: 699
Joined: Tue Jul 11, 2006 8:54 am
Location: London, UK
Contact:

RE: Commissioned Project: What Do I charge? Please Help!

Post by Jperson »

Wrapped up at £34.00, which for me is pretty reasonable.
[url=http://tinite.com][img]http://onstoryline.com/Atinitefilmsstrip.gif[/img][/url]
Grant
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 2982
Joined: Tue Dec 03, 2002 3:24 am
Location: Ballarat, Victoria, Australia
Contact:

RE: Commissioned Project: What Do I charge? Please Help!

Post by Grant »

If you are happy with it and the client is also then all is well
The Honourable Grant Meredith - CEO Sick Individual Productions
http://www.sickindividual.com
Profile : http://www.innersense.com.au/mif/meredith.html
User avatar
ctbullet
Forum Addict
Forum Addict
Posts: 638
Joined: Fri Dec 23, 2005 5:05 pm
Location: ENGLAND
Contact:

RE: Commissioned Project: What Do I charge? Please Help!

Post by ctbullet »

i've personnally never made any money from film-making or web design, always thoguht of it as a hobby and thought it immoral to charge, plus i help out for the experience

now i'm taking film-making more serious and hope to get a career out of it i should probs think about getting my work out there

oh wait...i have, lol, now i get to show off

my town is a population of about 100,00 people and i recently got in contact with the local newspaper. They have a hosting facilitiy for home movies and the like on their site. I got a response a couple of days after i posted it and was told they absolutely loved the quality of the movie and want my number so they can have a chat and get some details

now in my eyes thats pretty cool, all a step closer to becoming famous, lol
Our Combat Years: In production
[img]http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a69/ct_bullet/wolfvisionpbanner2.jpg[/img]
http://wolfvisionp.tripod.com
Jperson
Forum Addict
Forum Addict
Posts: 699
Joined: Tue Jul 11, 2006 8:54 am
Location: London, UK
Contact:

RE: Commissioned Project: What Do I charge? Please Help!

Post by Jperson »

Nice... I just discovered that a person who saw my work at my last client's presentation wants to contract me and is willign to pay. Very good for a under 14 me thinks. :D
[url=http://tinite.com][img]http://onstoryline.com/Atinitefilmsstrip.gif[/img][/url]
Post Reply