I’m a freelance Video Editor and I’ve worked one job for this company. It was two weeks ago and their internal recruiter found me on LinkedIn. The job was supposed to start in about a week, but when I got in contact with their post producer he said it would be the following day (Friday). Normally I need confirmation a job is happening a full 24 hours beforehand. Needless to say I didn’t have another client booked so after it seemed straight forward I agreed.
I should mention when this job was offered it was $50 under my current day rate. I agreed while letting the recruiter know because they are a new client. She understood and said next time it would be at my current rate. However a day later she says she’s never had to do this but that the rate is now $150 below the original rate she offered. So $200 below my current day rate. I was very close to walking away, but as to keep a possibly new client and that I didn’t have another job pressing I agreed to that rate.I’ll spare you the details but they didn’t explain the amount of files at which this program I was going to have to sync to have the job prepped. I spent most of the day doing that while having another separate task thrown on top. The work Monday would require us to start ASAP as new color files that weren’t going to be ready until then – I had to put in a half day work over the weekend to have everything ready to go Monday.I let the post producer know and he didn’t acknowledge what I was saying in the email. Needless to say I got my work done Monday and explained Tuesday we were only on schedule due to my OT, of which he didn’t say anything.
Job ends, I send an invoice, done right? Wrong. Yesterday the post producer asks me to do some work on my previous edit as client had changes (not unusual) as well as work on another episode. It wouldn’t be as detailed a prep though (no need to go into it), seemed easy enough. He was again asking me to work the following day (today – Friday). I agreed, but I find it yet another red flag to have such a short heads up.
After confirming availability he asks if I can work hourly. AKA we don’t have enough work to have you working all day and we want to save money. I said the best I would do is a half day, and if they have changes later in the day it would be a full day rate. He responds with confirming me for 9:30AM but will “touch base and decide then.” I’ve never heard that before. 9:30 rolls around, I have his previous job lined up on my system and he says they will do it internally and to have a great weekend. Needless to say I’m not too happy and want to reply with my cancellation fee (half days pay if given within 24 hours before start time) will be sent via invoice. I haven’t sent that yet. Wondering if I should just chill and hope next go around with a new project is better.
Before you say fuck that place, fuck them, just know I have a few consistent clients, but it’s not like I have so much work every month I can’t keep up. There are fat months and lean months in this game.