Move in or goodbye?

B

Bante

Active member
Hi all!

I'm in a little situation here and I really need some advice from you guys who's been in the game for while. Sorry about the long post, I hope you are up for some reading. :)


This summer I finished a TV and Media education and now I'm in the works of starting my own production company. I was
approached by a somewhat local celebrity ( here in south sweden :) ) who wants to cut a deal with me.


We can call him mr B and I've worked with this guy before with no issues. He is now working fulltime as a showhost on television ( so he has massive connections ) but his plan is to start his own production company and he wants me to join him, as I have all the necessary gear, and he hasn't. ( Cameras, lighting, grip )


He offered me my own workspace in his office, but no pay, at least in the beginning. He has agreed that I can use the workspace for my own private business as well, as he recognize the fact that money makes the world go around. I need food on the table as everybody else. So far so good.


But right now I'm used to carry out my business from home, in my work room. I don't feel comfortable moving in to his office for more reasons then the obvious bellow. It's freedom thing, I want no strings attached to my company.


I've explained this to him, and I gently turned down his offer of moving in ( but of course, still continue all the work together ). However, according to him, this is not an option. Either I move in and give 100% or he will find someone else to do it.


So last Friday we brought this matter up again and I asked him exactly why he wants me there, and he has been really diffuse with his answers. In fact he once said with his own words " I cant really say why .. ". But he tried to explain that he wants a more intimate workrelationship with me. How we are supposed to work more closely together when he is working all day long is still a mystery to me.


He said that he can get more people to move in if there's already a cameraguy there ( me ). He sometimes pulls the "you-should-be-thankfull-you-get-to-work-with-me" card. Sometime he tells me that it would be good for me to have a dedicated office, you can't really do your business at home and so on. But I don't think his intentions are that noble.


Here's my take on why he really wants me to be there. I learned a couple a weeks ago that he has brought in an intern. Since mr B isn't there to look after him, he probably needs someone to do the job, since there is no one else in the building. I don't know the rules for internship here in Sweden, but I can't imagine a 17 year old intern to be left alone all day to do various job. There needs to be some adult supervision, at least on paper.


So there it is. I have a very unsettling feeling about all of this. I don't like it at all. If he would just ask me for a favour to watch this intern for him, it would be a totally different thing. But now I think in his way of acting he is clearly showing what he thinks of me.


It sure would be big opportunity to suck it all up, move in and continue to work with him, and give my career a big forward push. But is it worth the price? What happens when money gets involved? What would you guys do? Any help is very much appriciated!
 
If you have a strange a feeling about it. Don't do it. The end. I am a true believer in trusting your gut feeling. You should do the same.
 
It sounds like he is asking you to be a business partner; in which case you should get an equal share of the ownership of the business.

You are both putting up substantial assets to the company - you with knowledge and gear, and him with contacts and sales. There is no reason that he should be the sole owner of the company and you working for him.

I can understand his point of view; wanting you in the office. For example he may want to bring a potential client by and impress them by popping in your office for a minute while you are working on something. That's more impressive than telling the client, well i have a guy who works from home. He may just want to make sure you are really committed to the business and moving in would show that.

The bottom line is, if he wants you to commit in the way you are saying, then he should also be willing to commit by offering you an equal share in the company. If he is not willing to do that, I would be suspect.
 
Bante said:
He said that he can get more people to move in if there's already a cameraguy there ( me ). He sometimes pulls the "you-should-be-thankfull-you-get-to-work-with-me" card.
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Holy ****! If someone said that to me I'd either leave or punch him in the funking head.
 
Tell him you don't want to, and take that or leave it. If you cave in to him, you will end up being his *****, and that is not how you want to start a business relationship.
 
haha, the Captain is right about that.

I mea he sounds like a good connection in many ways, but I just got out of a business partnership with my first production company and I would say you're best off starting your own company and working side-by-side with another company, if you want to go it that route. It's a lot easier in many ways, keeps the books tidy and there are fewer squabbles over financial issues. My relationship was much the same in my previous business partnership, as far as me providing a lot of the knowledge and skills, and equipment, and my business partner having connections, business experience beyond mine, and negotiating powers. Those can be great business partnerships, but you just have to be careful because it's a tough situation to be in business with anyone else.
 
It sounds intriguing. Is the intern pretty? Can you get into TV and make some of your own contacts? You can always quit if things don't work out; I'd consider the offer seriously. What have you got to lose?
 
This person is dishonest. You already know it but you're trying to rationalize things to death and stomp on your better judgement. If you want to learn to be in business, start by getting a backbone.
 
I agree with Jockomo. It's a partnership. While it's nice to have a studio, it's useless if you don't have actual clients and projects to work on. If he has actual work lined up for you, I'd consider it, but otherwise you can achieve the same goals from home.
 
Wow, big thanks to everyone taking their time! There's some good advice in here!


Jockomo said:
It sounds like he is asking you to be a business partner; in which case you should get an equal share of the ownership of the business.
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He has made it very clear that he wants to be the one who gets to make the all the decision, as he is the sole owner of the company as we speak. But you are totally right, if he wants me to commit then I want to feel that it's my company as much as his.


Paulus said:
Holy shi*! If someone said that to me I'd either leave or punch him in the funking head.
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Hahaha, that would've been sweet! ;)


filmman said:
It sounds intriguing. Is the intern pretty? Can you get into TV and make some of your own contacts? You can always quit if things don't work out; I'd consider the offer seriously. What have you got to lose?
Click to expand...


The intern is a guy and I'm straight. :) Yes, I also find it very intriguing. It's a great opportunity but to get on the ride I need to ignore these warningsigns. Is it worth it? Once I sign the contract I'm stuck there.


craigbowman said:
This person is dishonest. You already know it but you're trying to rationalize things to death and stomp on your better judgement. If you want to learn to be in business, start by getting a backbone.
Click to expand...

Yes, I am pondering this problem to death, because in my shoes as newcomer it's a great opportunity to get my business start rolling. But you are right, it's not a good idea to deal with a dishonest person and that's why I see all these warnings around me.




So, this week I'm gonna meet up with him. I'm gonna tell him that If he wants me to commit in the way he wants, then I want to feel like this company is mine as much as his. We share it 50/50. I get to make decisions about the company too.

If he won't agree to that, ( which he probably wont ) then I'm gonna keep working from home and he will be my klient, like we've done before.

I don't think I want to bring up the whole intern issue, since I believe if I hit bullseye, he's gonna get very offensive. Either he wants to come clean or not.

Does this sound good to you all? Am I missing something out?
 
It's an interesting scenario. And you wouldn't be the first person to let yourself get used to get your foot in the door. However, if you are going to do that, you need to protect yourself. That means you need two things.

1. An attorney
2. A contract.

Since the gear is yours, the contract should stipulate a usage fee to his business any time your equipment is in use for his production. You should also get your name on the front of the door, below his. I'd consider that fair. You should get the office space for 24 months free, non-negotiable subject to him maintaining an office there. You should agree to a fee for your services on his productions.

You have to make this a business deal, and not a "couple of friends" kind of deal. Make no mistake. He is NOT your friend. Television has to be the shadiest profession I know of, and I don't trust anyone in it. Not that there aren't some honest people, but there are way too many bad apples for me to trust the barrel.

I don't necessarily think anything is wrong with the deal as long as you protect yourself legally. All gear is yours, and remains yours. All usage of your gear for HIS projects money comes to you. Profits from joint productions are shared 50/50 no matter who brings the client through the door.

If he doesn't want to agree to the partnership, walk away. Getting bent over is one thing. Getting bent over without the lube is just bad...
 
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