Exposure Doesn’t Spend As Well As Cash

Client: “It was my mum’s sixtieth at the weekend, and I filmed two hours of party footage and vox pops of my family sending her best wishes. I want you to turn that into a ten- to fifteen-minute video. I’ll give you £30.”

Me: “That’s nowhere near enough for my time.”

I usually do two or three nightclub promos for £100.

Client: “Yeah, but it’s a present for my mum, so I can’t afford to pay as much.”

Me: “I’ve never met your mum, and I’m not willing to give her £70 worth of my time, especially if you’re only putting up £30 of your own money for it.”

Client: “I’m not asking you to give my mum £70; just do her video. I’m paying £30 of my own money. And I’m thinking of starting a business filming birthdays, so this’ll definitely lead to more work, I promise.”