Client requesting major changes a month later...

A

ASchear

Well-known member
I'll keep this short, just looking for opinions on what I should tell this guy. I think I know what I want to say, but want to get insight from you all:

I produced a series of PSA's for a local university's Emergency Management office. They're in the same vein as the DirecTV "Don't" commercial series. In one of the spots, the main character ends up in a strait jacket by the end. The whole message is "If you see something, say something."

The EM office had scripts and storyboards for 3 months prior to production. They knew exactly what the final product would contain. I delivered the spots about a month ago. Today I got an e-mail that says the couseling center at the university doesn't like the whole strait jacket bit and has filed a complaint. The EM office has now contacted me to ask if we can eliminate the strait jacket shots from the spot.

My problem is we didn't shoot anything else. I have nothing to replace it with. Not only that, but obviously we would have to run the entire thing through post-sound again, etc.

Is this a situation where I say "yeah, but it's gonna cost you" or one where I just say "no, sorry we just can't do it?" And if they can't get me paid, then is it a simple no?

Thanks!!!

Also, here's the spot for reference: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KtpJRcK6UA4
 
Going on the assumption that you are currently settled up with them as it was a month ago...

No question whatsoever. Get a number that you can feel good about to do the changes and send them a quote, or "change order". If they were good to you why not help them get this piece to a place where they can use it?

If they refuse to pay for the change then walk. The change is needed because the storyboards weren't properly vetted and "sensitized" by the right people. Not your fault at all. Seems pretty clear-cut, but I have a feeling you already knew that eh?

Would like to hear how it turns out,
Craig
 
Last edited:
This is a situation where you say: "I would love to do that for you, it will cost this much." and give them the price for the new work.
 
The real problem here is that the counselling service are nutjobs. Anyone who can connect this humourous take on a serious problem with offending some people who are a little bit sad is certifiable. Campus counselling services are a joke at the best of times. At my uni it basically served as somewhere for students studying counselling to get some practice while protecting the wider community from them. Their 'patients' are typically students who feel overwhelmed by homework and just had a breakup. Most of them are just looking for a note to hand in an assignment late. It would be irresponsible for them to deal with anyone with problems more serious. And why aren't they upset with the other scenes? The one of the wild-eyed girl walking through campus is the one that would actually resonate with someone having issues.

The EM office should stand their ground. Their message is far more important and this ad effectively delivers the message. The delivery is spot on and you are right, this cannot be saved without the strait-jacket punchline. A whole new ad will be required. How can you compare the importance of getting attacked to 'feeling a little bit sad'? People, young women in particular are attacked on campus far more regularly than gets publicised. Assault, robbery and even rape is far more common on campus than people are aware of and it often goes unreported by the victims as well as observers. The EM office should take this matter directly to the Dean (or whatever title this campus uses for the bossman/woman) and have it adjudicated here and now.

Of course it's not your place to say any of this. Maybe you could mention something informally as you hand them the quote for a reshoot for X dollars. You could even offer to overquote to support their case when they go to the Dean. In this economy the idea of spending more money may trump pandering to the wowsers.

EDIT: This issue has made me mad. Take it to the campus newspaper to hold up the counselling service for the reactionary mental defectives that they are. The students themselves are smarter than this. If the student union backs it then this dispute may well get far more publicity for their message than they would have otherwise gotten. Local papers may get involved, it's possible it might even get national attention as storms-in-a-teacup often do. It may even start a national debate. There is no downside for their message to take this as far as possible. Take a principled stand. This you can advise them as an ad-man.
 
Last edited:
I would say; Yes, ofcourse I can re-edit but look, I don't have any other footage to put in instead but maybe there's another solution. Talk about it and get back to them with a figure of how much the change will cost.
 
Just sent an e-mail back, here's the transcript:

It's very unfortunate that Dr. ... and the rest of the counseling center don't like the video. Not only does the See Something Say Something ad deliver the strongest message of our series, but I feel it does so due to its dual message: We should certainly report crimes if we see them, but we should also "say something" and refer students that are clearly troubled (like our lead actress walking wide eyed on campus) to somewhere such as the counseling center before they encounter serious mental health issues. This second, underlying message was seriously considered in the script writing and is why this ad took the direction it did, not for the comedy.

I feel that Dr. ... may have overlooked this underlying message in a single evaluation and felt we were being brash or audacious toward their department. Surely we were not because, in fact, we were promoting it and promoting students' mental health. This is parallel with their mission.


The strait jacket, whether we like it or not, is a universally recognized symbol of serious mental health issues and thus is the most poignant way for us to convey our message without something generally recognized as inappropriate (use of illicit drugs, bodily harm, etc.). I have thought for two days after receiving your e-mail, and cannot think of any other way for us to represent serious mental health issues that does not detract from the ad's underlying message mentioned earlier. In fact, after serious consideration, I feel the strait jacket is a very desensitized symbol in comparison with these other, more serious alternatives I mentioned above.


That said, I hope Dr. ... and the counseling center could re-evaluate their stance on our ad.


If it is absolutely required by the dean's office to remove the strait jacket and any reference to it from our ad, it will entail just about as much work as creating an entirely new ad, including, but not limited to, additional filming as we do not have any alternate endings prepared, a new voiceover recording session, and additional post-production sound design. I'm in no way against doing this, but due to the entailed work, the cost will be comparable to a whole new ad. If this is the case, I'd suggest waiting until we create more videos so we can bundle them together and reduce the cost.
Click to expand...

Thanks for all your help guys. Personally I would hate to go through the trouble of re-shooting regardless of pay, since my company won't be vendorized by the uni until early next year. In order to be hired to produce these spots, I had to be hired as an individual, drug tested, etc. Pretty silly. They've already expressed interest in future videos, so I leaned toward waiting and bundling or, hopefully making the counseling center reconsider their complaints.
 
Yes.....that was a very professional and well thought out letter/email. I saw that you showed that you understood both sides but still explained your choice, as well as giving some options. That is a hallmark of a pro.
 
Keep us posted please
Click to expand...

Just reading this thread now….yes, keep us posted.

Great looking spot. What a shame for you having to deal with all the red tape & BS. I hope this works out for you. I'm sure the geniuses at the couseling center have constructed an equally funny ending by now that you can swap in, right?
 
Craig nailed it, the term you can use that they will understand is "change order".

It is accepted practice in all government agencies to make change orders after contracts have been signed and production/construction/services, have been complete. I would think a University isn't much different.

You can ask them to submit a request for changes to which you submit your change order.
You only commit to the project after the client accepts the new terms and signs the contract.

Sounds like you negotiated the terrain as well as could be expected. Hopefully it works out, sometimes, it's best to just move on.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top