Moderators Janice Arthur Posted January 30, 2015 Moderators Report Share Posted January 30, 2015 Hi all; I just had call from potential instant job from out of town for a couple day job with an unknown company. Do u guys bill PayPal or expect check before they leave? Lately I think the trust factor is less on these random jobs so I need a better plan. Janice Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members John Stout Posted January 30, 2015 Premium Members Report Share Posted January 30, 2015 I always tell first time clients, in or out of town, 100% up front. Once we establish a relationship AND the check clears we look at other options. If they balk it is usually a bad sign. Most push back a little bit, but when I stand firm they make the arrangements they need to make. I always ask about the check when I get on site, but then typically don't make them produce it until after the first day of shooting. If they are squirrely, I make them give it to me up front. We can also take PP or credit card if needed as well to help make it easy for them. This is our policy. Anytime we deviate from it, we end up chasing the money. John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Alan Rencher Posted January 30, 2015 Premium Members Report Share Posted January 30, 2015 I have to second what John said. I have been burned in the past! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Robert Starling SOC Posted January 31, 2015 Premium Members Report Share Posted January 31, 2015 Janice, Las Vegas is a very last minute transient production city and frankly some of the local companies will hose you in heartbeat. 90% of production comes from out of town and probably 30% of that is International. Most of us here are strictly COD unless it's a bonafide payroll job. I have a Deal Memo that requires a signature and a Rental Agreement that all clients have to fill out. The only exception is when studios come they either have their own Deal Memo of sorts or they attach mine to their paperwork. The Rental Agreement is always required and we've never had a push back on it. I'm still confounded why so many in our business offer credit or payment terms to people they don't even know. It's hard to name any other business, profession or industry who does that. I'm not saying you do that I'm just making a blanket statement. As I've always been very transparent with my business practices I'll share the Deal Memo and the Rental Agreement with anyone who asks and you're free to take what you like or not. No PMs, email only. Best of luck! Robert Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Janice Arthur Posted January 31, 2015 Author Moderators Report Share Posted January 31, 2015 Robert Yes over the years I and thousands of others would work on a promise and I agree those favor days are gone I often thought a cruel joke could be had on many of us "hi we need u in this place (many hours away) on this day with this gear." We would often blindly assume a production was there and it was but it just as easily could have been a hoax. The point for all of us is leverage. We have it when they need us and can force payment. When the shoot is over and they leave or even locally the production company is now on equal ground and we are forced to prove wrong. Time and money--all ours, to prove the wrong. So just remember leverage. (If they balk at payment then u didn't loose anything, in fact you won, you didn't work for nothing only to spend more hours chasing them.). It takes courage to demand. That's the hard part. Janice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Mark Schlicher Posted February 3, 2015 Premium Members Report Share Posted February 3, 2015 I generally require 50% down via Paypal or bank money order and 50% day of shoot. On tight turnarounds with verifiable companies I have accepted 100% payment on day of shoot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Victor Lazaro Posted February 3, 2015 Premium Members Report Share Posted February 3, 2015 Robert, I'm curious about what your rental agreement looks like. I have a deal memo but no separate rental agreement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Schwandner Posted February 6, 2015 Report Share Posted February 6, 2015 Robert I'd love to see you rental agreement and deal memo. Would you mind sending it to me? dschwandner@powderandlead.tv THX Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Janice Arthur Posted February 10, 2015 Author Moderators Report Share Posted February 10, 2015 Dave You can make your own agreement very simply first and if it starts to work for u then develop it further. The simple sheet as a PDF or cut/paste into an email 1) what u will provide. Gear, personnel (you/assistant) 2) rate/time; OT starts when?; rate OT 3) payment due time on-demand? 30 days? PayPal? 4) extras? Mileage; extra rentals; 5) misc or additional stuff u want to include You sign it and employer signs it. Whether someone wil do an electronic signature God knows? Lastly others have done this in the past but no one will sign it or I've had bad luck getting anyone to sign it which is why agreements seldom get used by ops but Robert seems to be better at this and can this done; I can't. Legally I don't know how u enforce it either or whether it's worth getting a lawyer to make it up Also remember some person who called and booked u and signs your agreement then something bad happens like u don't get paid and the owner of the company says he/she didn't have authority to sign anything and you're still stuck It's way simpler and cheaper to just get paid via Paypal or check on the day of the shoot as others have described. Good luck Janice Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members rupert peddle Posted February 10, 2015 Premium Members Report Share Posted February 10, 2015 quick question, how come you guys use pay pal to take payments. don't you get fleeced for the transaction charge by them? what's wrong with direct bank transfer? or is it for the client's peace of mind in that they can use the pay pal buyer protection? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Janice Arthur Posted February 10, 2015 Author Moderators Report Share Posted February 10, 2015 Rupert Easier to use PayPal, credit card from set is easy for them. Me getting them my bank info and expecting them to do it while doing 10 other things is harder If you're quiet about it I build into my deal a little gap that covers the PayPal fees or I just maybe charge them 50% to get paid via PayPal or I eat the cost rather than loose out on getting paid at all Depends on what u can get and how sketchy u feel the client is Janice Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Kevin Andrews SOC Posted February 18, 2015 Premium Members Report Share Posted February 18, 2015 I've always done 30 day invoices but this is a very interesting conversation. I've never thought to ask for checks on the day, and wonder how many productions would actually do that. Bigger companies usually have no problem paying, but yes I agree, smaller unknowns should paying on the day. I only have about one or two issues a year with getting payed. I can be very persuasive ; ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Victor Lazaro Posted February 18, 2015 Premium Members Report Share Posted February 18, 2015 You can also offer to pay by credit card the day of with a Square reader. Did that once. It worked like a charm. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members William Demeritt Posted February 18, 2015 Premium Members Report Share Posted February 18, 2015 Another great option is the Square cash app. With a debit card, you can send or receive any amount of money with no fee. https://square.com/cash 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Alan Rencher Posted February 18, 2015 Premium Members Report Share Posted February 18, 2015 Another great option is the Square cash app. With a debit card, you can send or receive any amount of money with no fee. https://square.com/cash ...And when you sign people up, you get $5. Win-Win! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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