Am I being jerked around?

I

IronWilson

Member
I responded to an ad for a company that needed videos made on a weekly basis. It seems to be a very lucrative opportunity. I send them my resume, demo reel, etc.

In a mass email, the potential client emails me, along with all of the other bidders with a request for videos. The videos needed to be posted within 72 hours of the email.

In one video, you were to explain why they should pick you for this job. For the second video, you were to create a video that is "Your best, most creative work."

I understand the need to simulate a deadline scenario. But I think that giving them my demo reel should be enough to prove that I do or do not have the skills that they are looking for.

Am I right in thinking this? Also, if not, what would be a politically correct way of telling them to go pound salt?
 
Well... without knowing what the company's specific offer is... I can say that it sounds like an unusual bid process. But in a free country, if they're offering an opportunity, I guess they have the right to conduct their interview process however they want. It will undoubtedly turn off some folks (like you) but, hey, perhaps that's fine with them as they're going to have to weed through the pile of applicants to get down to one anyway. If someone enjoys the way this company is asking them to submit, then perhaps that someone will turn out to be a compatible personality with the way this company wants to work.

Likewise, if you don't enjoy the process, perhaps you wouldn't like working with them anyway?
 
Normally, I would not have a problem with doing this kind of "bidding" as I have done something like this before. The difference (that I should have included in the original post.) is that they have not even spoken with me about the work that is to be completed, and have included no websites, nor even a company name.

If they called me and told me who they were and about the project, I would have no problem with making a sort of demo video for them. But I have no information at all about them. Basically, the extent of my knowledge on the project is that they are a property company that needs many "outstanding" videos per month.

Apologies for not including this in my original post, as looking back, the story is not fully explained. I highly doubt that is something where you would have to make a "pitch video" as I know is common practice in high end marketing. If it is, at least they should tell me some guidelines. For one of the videos, I have to make something that is my "most creative work."

But this is sounding more to me like someone who needs to feel powerful making "The puppets dance." They are saying that I am to: Make videos where I am interviewing myself and make a vague creative video. Then if they like mine over the other bidders, they will tell me what the projects entail.

What I really want to tell them is that nobody that is worth hiring would jump through hoops like this. I know that I have basically answered my own question about what to do. But my reason for posting is that I wanted to know if I am being to choosy or prideful about the whole thing.
 
Almost anyone I've ever worked for (networks, procos) has asked for my reel, list of credits, IMDB or a combination of those. Most often, I send them my IMDBPro link (which also works on the regular site if you grab the number) and that secures the work.
 
Sounds like low buck real estate videos if it's for a property company. Beauty shots of properties for minimum wage rates is typical of most of this kind of work. "High quality" is a relative term.
 
Yeah if they don't identify themselves with their standard contact info like company name, phone, email, website etc, then I wouldn't even consider them to be a real company, much less a real project opportunity. Have you googled the contact guy's name even? You should at least ask for these company info before doing anything for them. For all you know, they are another video production company trying to steal your "most creative work" as their own portfolio. The 'interview video' may well be a smoke screen.
 
I had a photo company recently ask me to sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement prior to interview, which turned out to be a 5 year Non-Compete Agreement. I canceled my interview and moved on, but always wonder about the companies that actively recruit people who will do stupid things (i.e. sign non compete on initial interview, do work for free). If you don't value your time neither will they.
 
Yeah I have had multiple companies try to get me to sign iron-clad contracts stating that I will not work for anyone else in their industry for 5 years. Also, their contracts always had a clause that renewed itself until you cancelled it in writing. And I was only doing a couple of freelance projects for them.

Some company owners have a lot of balls.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top