Just fired a client

[Masato]

Hi ----------, I'm very sorry but I simply cannot continue to work under these conditions.

There is obviously some great misunderstanding somewhere about the artist/client relationship, and what those expectations are. This is the strangest job I have had in years, -----(another illustrator on the same job) confirmed the same, it is completely astounding and I am really not sure it can be solved.

In short I have simply lost faith that I can trust it at any level; I have no control over my scheduling etc for days, have lost many days/hours of income, and have accommodated round-the-clock availability beyond reasonable expectations, and still somehow there is still a consistent inefficiency in how the creative direction and feedback seems to integrate an illustrator into the process.

I lost the whole day yesterday waiting for direction for just 2 mere frames. Now a day later, hours after a brief, late in the afternoon, its changing again? I have no idea what the frame will be, nor when I will get direction. Maybe they will have new frames? How late will I be up tonight? I have no idea. That's 2 days in a row now I've basically booked off and worked for nothing. Combined with the previous round of work, I have taken a lot of big hits financially on this job.

What I can offer is a day-rate of $1000/day, plus $150/hr after 6pm to keep me on hold & available for whatever you need. For this arrangement you can delay/change feedback as long as you like, and I will be happy to do endless revisions without complaint, even overnights.

But the traditional artist/client relationship has been broken so many times already for this job I'm afraid for my own protection I cannot continue on a per-work basis. If you would like to find another illustrator I completely understand.

I will not bill you for the work I did today that is now scrapped/changed.

Sincerely

-------------
(aka Masato)

[Masato]

I really hate to do that, I've only felt I had to do it a few times.

I pride myself on being very easy to work with, I am happy to bust myself to a point to make things work for a client.
But this job was a nightmare, man. Weeks of nonsense.

[Masato]

UPDATE:

Just got a call from the Sr Producer - either she just totally kissed my arse, or she's just manipulated me into working for them again, lol I'm not sure which.

I said if they were gonna be all chaotic with their creative direction/feedback that they have to allow a greater window of time for me to fit it into my schedule. She agreed.

Now instead of having work ready for tomorrow I have till next wednesday, lol.

Watch the brief come in Tuesday at 10pm lol

[BobbyD963]

Wow that blows.


PS
You charge $1000 a day? Damn son..

[Masato]

^ lol no, that was an exaggerated pitch to scare them away, lol

that's the 'I'll be your bitch' rate :D

Of course I would take it if they gave it but I don't think they would lol

I have never actually charged a day rate. I only charge per illustration. That's why this job was so shitty, they kept me hanging around for days while deciding on a few frames that in the end are only worth a few hundred bones.

[penxv]

I don't think you get to fire clients. What you're talking about is called quitting.

[Masato]

Lol, I think you might be right :)

Sounds so much more eloquent the way I said it

I am picking up the job supposedly tomorrow morning @ 9:15am

Sometimes you just have to draw a line, they were fuckin me around too much. Now they are playing right, (I hope)

[Canuckster]

I like masatos take, fire those sumbitches.

[Masato]

Canuckster, I imagine you can also relate to having clients that think its OK to jerk you around...

I will put up with a lot to deliver good service, but there is a line after which its just self-respect imo, if a client is being disrespectful and costing you time and money you can't just keep getting fucked until they don't need you anymore. That's one reason I went freelance, so I didn't have to be a subordinate to a boss.

I just got off the phone, they called at 9:15 sharp as they said. Had their shit together, and were clear and generous with the new deadlines.

Sometimes I think people just don't know how to work with illustrators; they are not rude, they only don't know the expectations of how we work and what is the most efficient way to incorporate an illustrator into their process.

I like to think when I do this that I am helping them learn, and they will be better at this part of their job in the future for me, and all the other illustrators they will inevitably hire

[Canuckster]

You better believe that I know what that shit is like.

I've actually fired one client. Told her, I didn't think there was any way possible to satisfy her needs and pay us for work completed