Just a warning for fellow freelancer
polycounter lvl 5
I don't know if this is right place but just a WARNING for fellow freelancers.
Stay away from company Creatives in the attic.
I did freelancing for them and they end up owning me payment for 2 projects. They stopped answering emails and banned me from their private forum.
Please spread the word i don't want anyone to get burned like i did.
Stay away from company Creatives in the attic.
I did freelancing for them and they end up owning me payment for 2 projects. They stopped answering emails and banned me from their private forum.
Please spread the word i don't want anyone to get burned like i did.
Replies
Next time, ask to be paid first before starting to work if it's a paid-per-job model. Or ask for an advance if it's some kind of hourly contract ! Protect yourself !
Thanks for the word
if not , well , let it be a lesson
To help protect ourselves from future situations... there are a couple ways to prevent this from happening.
If we're dealing with a company we've never worked with before, here's one method for maintaining a professional relationship while still making sure a payment is made for the asset.
Provide video or pictures of the completed asset before sending it to them.
If any revisions need to be made. Rinse and Repeat. Hold onto the asset until they sign-off on it.
Once they sign off on the asset, request a payment before the asset is delivered.
If they refuse, make strange excuses. Wish them well and if they change their mind, the asset will be available for delivery the moment the payment has been received. Then walk away.
I know. It's tough to do, but in the long run .. it's a timesaver & stressbuster overall
If the company is reputable, disregard the previous ^
then you should be fine
That was a huge red flag to me, so I decided not to work with them.
Curious what freelancers thoughts are on such a thing, I've been reading up on autonomous organizations, and digital escrow lately for a business project, and the lack of escrow in CG related industries seems really puzzling to me. Escrow is used in a lot of other businesses to great success.
TIP for contract users: Change Authorization Form
http://pushingpoints.com/v2/changes/
I don't really like the "holding assets hostage" scenario. After all, if they don't have the money - you've still wasted your time. New clients have to pay a deposit up front to secure your time. If they don't understand that, I'm not sure they're the sort of clients you want to begin a relationship with.
I'm sure client can retrieve it eventually in case of conflict but it's probably time consuming, requires writing explanations etc.
The system seems designed in a way that makes it easier for 2 sides to reach some kind of agreement than break the "contract".
I used escrow once and there were no problems, but it only makes sense to use it if client insists on it and you can't afford to lose him.
Deposit upfront before any work begins.
Milestone payment before release of finished assets. Send low fidelity proof of completion.
When dealing with an established company, get payment terms in writing. Everything is negotiable before you sign any contract.
If you have a soft heart for strangers as a freelancer you're bound to get cheated and disrespected.
If you are working with a new client and you are not sure if they are going to be able to pay or not, try using an escrow service. At worst you will find out they never had money to pay you before you start the job.
Equals, you just wasted your time or you got punked.
Versus, upfront deposit and acceptance of YOUR prefered payment terms. It signifies that your dealing with a serious and more importantly funded client.
Like I said, if you're soft you will be screwed.
Escrow can work on a milestone structure. Client pays entire cost up front into escrow account, escrow agent verifies the funds, then you get paid as milestones are met. If the client gets funky midway through and refuses to approve anymore milestones, well at least you got paid for previous milestones.
Whether to use escrow or not is a personal choice, but it significantly lowers the risk of doing business when you have to rely on unknown parties.
If they waiver they're not serious and just testing if they can play you.
A few of my friends and myself have worked /w the CIA on multiple projects in the past, they are an established company that works on a variety of quality projects in AAA games and other fields. They were very professional. Payment was received upon the clients approval of a grouping of assets. So to completely discredit them on the basis of one contractors experience would be short sighted. Especially because there were a multitude of artists who were unable to produce the level of quality work expected despite their portfolios/promises, during my time with their team.
So not sure what my opinion is worth, but I would take this warning against the CIA with a grain of salt, and do your due diligence before accepting work with any potential clients as many posters here have outlined. The CIA is ok in my books.
But the exploit here is this company got assets, correct? Assets they can roll to stronger artist to clean up, retopo or whatever. Or even include for free for their own client deliverables.
Where's the accountability for the original artists? Are they just hiring mediocre guys, set them to fail, and get work (however shabby) for free?
This is great, along with what every else has chimed in on!
Usually I will take a good amount of screen shots, or a video, and request a percentage up front. I also started bringing in a 3 time revision structure, because sometimes people can get really picky, or they like to split atoms about details/change the style on their end, but if its something that I did wrong on my part I'll usually take care of it, its to your best judgement.
Sorry to hear about this man, hopefully it gets settled in a professional manner!
No exploit at all, I would never upload or submit an asset until it got final approval. I would always take a multitude of screenshots/renders from my applications, and in game. Duplicating and rotating the asset in a variety of views, giving as much exposure as possible. When I worked, others did the same. Nothing was submitted until approved /w no more change requests.
I feel like the artist is responsible for protecting themselves as well, to avoid putting themselves in situations where they can be exploited like that. But in my experience, this was not the case.
If it's not good enough or you don't like them, cut the contract short and pay them for what they've done so far.
If you don't think they can produce the work to standard, you don't hire them.
Especially if you're an outsource house that deals with many freelancers all day long, you should be able to distinguish artists working to your required standards from artists who are not.
If you can't, it's on your head, not the artist's.
exactly, and if you spend the money reserved for the freelancer you pay them from your ownnmoney, and if the client doesn't pay, you communicate that and make it work.
you just pay your workers, and if it brings you to bankruptcy. it's not their fault, they delivered, so it is up to you, who hired them, not your client.