Budgets

Q:

I’d love to know your good ideas on how overages are handled and if and when they occur? Layout in bid ahead of time so everyone is clear? How spelled out should/can this be without seeming too nickel/dimey?

A:

Overages can be simple if your estimate states what the bid includes. I would not worry about sounding too “nickel/dimey,” but too much unneeded info only prevents the needed info from being read. Less is more if we want to be heard. State on the estimate form job description and listed in your email when sending in the estimate what is included and what is not included. Things like retouching, shoot hours, variations, stylists, which props, how many locations, etc., should all be stated, so it’s easy to get overages approved before they occur. Remember, “before they occur” is extremely important as clients need to be a part of the process before granting a financial overage approval.

Q:

As the generation on social media becomes the major buying power, is the way of high production and big campaign work going away?

A:

High production and big campaign work have gone down, but mostly it’s changed into more content per photoshoot. High-quality production still happens, but the number of shots has increased because they need more social media assets. The more assets you can deliver through production ideas, equipment versatility, and motion, the better. They need more content, so find ways that you will be the one to give them even more than they are asking for.

Q:

So often art directors push for more images on the shoot day even after the final number of shots has been agreed upon and approved. It’s tough to navigate on set. They usually say something like, “we’d love to get a few options on this shot,” or “what if we do this?” How do we be stern (no pun intended) with these on-set requests with discussing money during the middle of a shoot?

A:

I tell every photographer I rep or temp rep to blame me. For example- “I’d love to do this for you, but Andrea had me agree that you’ll have to talk to her first.” If you aren’t working with a rep then you can say, “As much as I’d love to, it’s my self-producing policy to not surprise you or me later with costs and timing issues so I’ll get back to you in a few minutes with any cost or scheduling changes to make those happen.”

Q:

What questions should be asked when figuring out costs for projects?

A:

This could be the most important part of estimating a job. Get the info you need so you understand what they are looking for, otherwise you risk not being covered ($) for something they expected you to cover. The other risk is you will be either too high or too low and not get the job. Ask for their budget (I doubt you will get the answer), get the shot-list, a layout or mood-board creative deck, what is the usage they want to license, and are they handling any of the production. After you see their deck info- ask the specifics about the day count, remote or on set, location, talent, props, backgrounds, surfaces, live casting or not, and any part of the production they are handling. You then have a sense of your approach and their needs to get your estimate started.

Q:

If a client asks you to be tested on your own before a shoot, can you charge a fee for the time? Not everyone lives in cities where testing is really easy to come by, and lines can be long. (Example: I am in Vermont right now for a month and have to drive an hour to get a test for a shoot in NY Tuesday), I know we are all just excited to get jobs at the moment, and I don’t want to rub anyone the wrong way. Of course if there is a fee they should pay, but what about for time? Like a mini travel day and mileage? I’m not stressing this type of fee, but just figured it might be something a lot of us hopefully start dealing with when going back to work so could be good to see how people respond. 

A:

Right now getting tested before a job is a standard requirement. If you charge extra for it because of your location, this may turn into a detail about you that can hurt you in the future. If you are getting jobs out of NY I would not suggest making this more of an “issue” that the client has to pay for. You can always add a little more to your shoot or prep fees if you think there is room to do so, without calling it out as a Covid test fee. A side not to this is that I am noticing photographers paying their crew to get tested. Sounds like a fair idea to me.

Q:

I have a question regarding fees during this pandemic. I have a client wanting me to do a shoot in Florida early August. Being that that is a high risk state right now do you see photographers increasing their feeds for the added risk of the situation? Like hazardous pay? Thanks much!

A:

This is a new situation for all of us, so there is no absolute answer to this. Since your question makes rational sense, it’s worth bringing up with a client you have food communication with. As you know, less jobs are happening so budgets are going down and photographers are extra eager to get work now. This high level of competition could prevent any extra financial coverage. Play it safe though and don’t cut corners on the precautions which affect the expenses and shot count. I’d suggest bringing up the expenses instead of trying to raise your fee, where clients can rationally see and understand what they’d be paying more for.

Q:

As there is an expected decrease in volume for corporations, companies are looking to cut the equivalent across the board. I have a feeling they’re going to ask everybody to make this sacrifice, including us photographers. What’s your take on this? If everyone is taking a pay cut, are we expected to as well?

A:

From what I am hearing, clients are going to see how photoshoot budgets can be cut down by eliminating their own travel, reducing the amount of crew and hiring photographers who can shoot all the stills/motion/drone themselves. This has been happening over the last few years (clients getting more/paying less) and now it is going to be taken even further with our new situation. Social media is more prominent than ever, so I’d expect this to also cut budgets by using more influencers and selfie type of shoots. Overall, we will feel this across the board as clients will see how they can get more content for less $ and they will expect that to continue beyond the time of “social distancing.”

Q:

With the onset of a global recession, do you fear that our industry will halt with less need?

A:

I personally do not fear that our industry will halt with less need because of this disheartening situation we are in. The way our system is set up with everyone now on the internet, content will always be needed. Some businesses have fallen because of this and I could see a trimming of the better qualified photographers rising more to the top. With less budget being available, the stronger portfolios may escalate leaving less room for others. So put your focus on strengthening your portfolio. 

Best use of time now – sharpen your brand.

Q:

Is an advance to cover hard costs for production or do you pay the photographer 50% of the fee in advance of the shoot?

A:

The amount of the advance depends on the policy of the client. Sometimes it’s 75% of the expenses or 50% of the total budget, but most often it is to cover the expenses of the shoot and not the photographer’s creative fee.

ASR: How do you see the business changing right now and where do you see it going?

Anonymous NY Art Producer: Budgets are getting smaller, and clients are becoming more savvy with building campaign landscapes. They don’t want just stills, they want content. In addition to static assets that will live in print and OOH, they’re also interested in GIFs and short form content. It’s truly the middle ground between static and broadcast production, everyone across disciplines needs to consider shooting for vertical. Clients are no longer wanting traditional assets like a commercial spot and campaign stills – they want everything.

ASR: How are photographers handling this differently now to make this happen successfully?

Anonymous NY Art Producer: Good question! I would say this is where a photographer has the leg up edge-wise. Tackling this successfully requires a smaller footprint than what’s been done before to solve creative ask. Since photographers have normally worked with a fraction of a traditional broadcast budget, they’re already accustomed to creating with smaller crews and resources. Don’t think shooting motion equates to taking on the same resources as a broadcast production; be tactical, nimble, and resourceful. There are young emerging artists who have proven to achieve more with less, that’s the way of modern production now, and that’s what’s driving client expectations.