[Hervé]

well that's true that Freelance is tough during Crisis times... but I would not go back to regular 8 hours borredom for all the gold on Earth... the best is to have some sort of small income on the side... like making goat cheese, decorating sleepers for Xmas... or fixing plumbing of your neighbour.. that can help..

h.

[Brett Morgan]

. If working for a client and they decide to rip you off you can't do much about it, you're screwed./ Max

Yeah had this happen a couple of times, suggestion is to watermark their rendering till final payment, is that a bit rough?

[Hervé]

. If working for a client and they decide to rip you off you can't do much about it, you're screwed./ Max

Yeah had this happen a couple of times, suggestion is to watermark their rendering till final payment, is that a bit rough?

some client would never accept that... because most of times.. (I talk from my exp.) they are not the final client.. and they have to show your render to their client for the PfP... so that's no easy situation.. I think getting paid or not is a question of feeling from the start with a client.. sometimes, you can smell bad vibes by just reading their requests...

anyway, IF you do get screwed.. not much you can do... , you're right about it Max...

[Mattia Sullini]

That's everyday bread!

"Just give us some tests of what can be done" <---- I hate this sentence

Mine is "These modifications will be included in the estimate, right?"

[Hervé]

he he.. I've had a "How many times can we change it if we don't like it..?"

[glebe digital]

Btw, I think you're all too hard on your clients......you make it sounds like they're all fly-by-night con-artists.........if you can't spot a turkey before you take the gig, who then's the fool?
In six years of solid freelancing I've had two cases of non-payment, one where I got ripped by a small Dubai-based firm [should have read the vibes, so hey I was the fool] & once when I walked from a small one-day gig before completion [client didn't like the fact that I was going to charge 14hrs for working 'til 4am, so I thought 'feck it' and just pulled the plug that morning, went surfing instead].

Every other client has been solid, so are you guys just unlucky or are you painting a bad picture of 'clients' just for the sake of it? They pay my bills, they're the most important part of my business.

In the words of Gloria the hippo, you don't bite the hand that feeds ya!

[glebe digital]

. If working for a client and they decide to rip you off you can't do much about it, you're screwed./ Max

Yeah had this happen a couple of times, suggestion is to watermark their rendering till final payment, is that a bit rough?

Yeah it's very rough, you're basically holding them to ransom whilst holding one finger aloft.

For new clients, start asking for a job-starter fee......somewhere between 30%-50% upfront. For your existing 'good' clients you can obviously waiver this fee.

[Bubbaloo]

I have an 9 hour/day job (for now) 90% CAD, 10% 3d. I do freelance "on the side" for extra money. It helps me to keep enjoying 3d and not get burn out by limiting my work and hours.

[dd_]

fulltime freelancer for many many years
upsides: i get to manage my own time, ive seen more of my kids and wife than i would have ever done if i was in a studio. so i have a really invaluable bond with them now.
downsides: listening to silly clients with silly demands ( never gets old) and due to having a family fretting when the work will come in ( which im kinda used to now and dont really fret as much as i used to )


in all the time ive been freelancing ive only been stung twice and i can smell a rat from 200 feet now and know how to handle them before i even start the job. there are times when i would like to give up the freelance gig and get a job, but i have got the feeling i am now unemployable, which i fear is another down side to doing freelancing for many years.

[mashium123]

... i have got the feeling i am now unemployable ...

that is interesting.
would you allow me to ask, how that comes? having seen some of your work (at least quite a time ago), i am sure it's not because of an absence of quality.

[Hervé]

I am unemployable too.. hehe.. too old..

[mashium123]

oh.. the age-thing, didn't think about that... could be...
what i "suspected" (because i know / see people developing that way) was, that being freelance, you just get so much used to being your "own boss", that it becomes too hard to accept a boss "above", someone else telling you, what to do, in good times or in bad times...

[Hervé]

well the reason you're giving (Boss above ) might also be true.. different reason... also certification sometimes..

anyway.. in Europe, at 50, you're cooked... hihi

[dd_]

i think its a few things, but as you said working for yourself for many years might give off the feeling that you can no longer work for others fulltime or stay working in normal working hours or the way they practise. also yes i think my age and family commitments also play a part in it too

[mashium123]

i see. thank you.