In December, I received an email from a student, whom I shall refer to as Student.
Student is studying film here. She's from halfway around the world. She wanted to know if (having found my info on a website) I would be available to perform some pre-production work on her upcoming student film. I said I was interested, and we arranged to meet.
When we met, I was impressed by her language skills and her plan for her film. She told me what her total budget was, and asked me how much I would charge for my work. I told her that we could discuss that at a later date, when she knew how much everything else would cost. I also told her that I could help with a couple of other aspects of pre-production, in addition to the work she had asked me to do.
We met only three days before Christmas. I waited until after New Year's Day to start working, since I knew nobody would be available during that time, and my emails would get lost in the shuffle. I emailed Student frequently to let her know how work was progressing.
Then, last week, Student let me know that the work she wanted me to do was no longer needed. It seems her school did it for her.
I emailed her back to ask if she wanted me to do any further work. She said no.
I asked her in my next email what sort of payment she had imagined for the effort I had already put into it - not only the work she had contacted me about in the first place, but the other pre-production work.
She told me that we had agreed that I would only be paid if she chose to go with my work - and since her school had done that part, there was no need for her to pay me.
I am steamed about this. I sent her an email to tell her that we had no such agreement. I reminded her of what I had said - that I didn't want to overcharge her, and that I was content to wait until I discovered what her other production charges were before stating a price. I also told her that if she didn't want/need me to do the work, it was her job to tell me when she knew it, and not keep my hanging on (and working).
If this is what she's doing so early in her career, I don't see much of a career ahead of her. Usually, those in the entertainment industry wait until they're established before they start ripping off the people who do work for them.
What I'm wondering is, should I contact her school and let them know about her behavior? I don't have any proof of our agreement, which was verbal, but I do have all the emails she sent to me, and I to her. I know she won't pay me anything, but at least I can make the school aware that she's engaging in this sort of underhanded behavior. I know that schools don't grade on ethics, but I'd like to think that they would want to know what she's done, and that they would tell her and the other students how not to behave when they're working.
Thoughts?
Student is studying film here. She's from halfway around the world. She wanted to know if (having found my info on a website) I would be available to perform some pre-production work on her upcoming student film. I said I was interested, and we arranged to meet.
When we met, I was impressed by her language skills and her plan for her film. She told me what her total budget was, and asked me how much I would charge for my work. I told her that we could discuss that at a later date, when she knew how much everything else would cost. I also told her that I could help with a couple of other aspects of pre-production, in addition to the work she had asked me to do.
We met only three days before Christmas. I waited until after New Year's Day to start working, since I knew nobody would be available during that time, and my emails would get lost in the shuffle. I emailed Student frequently to let her know how work was progressing.
Then, last week, Student let me know that the work she wanted me to do was no longer needed. It seems her school did it for her.
I emailed her back to ask if she wanted me to do any further work. She said no.
I asked her in my next email what sort of payment she had imagined for the effort I had already put into it - not only the work she had contacted me about in the first place, but the other pre-production work.
She told me that we had agreed that I would only be paid if she chose to go with my work - and since her school had done that part, there was no need for her to pay me.
I am steamed about this. I sent her an email to tell her that we had no such agreement. I reminded her of what I had said - that I didn't want to overcharge her, and that I was content to wait until I discovered what her other production charges were before stating a price. I also told her that if she didn't want/need me to do the work, it was her job to tell me when she knew it, and not keep my hanging on (and working).
If this is what she's doing so early in her career, I don't see much of a career ahead of her. Usually, those in the entertainment industry wait until they're established before they start ripping off the people who do work for them.
What I'm wondering is, should I contact her school and let them know about her behavior? I don't have any proof of our agreement, which was verbal, but I do have all the emails she sent to me, and I to her. I know she won't pay me anything, but at least I can make the school aware that she's engaging in this sort of underhanded behavior. I know that schools don't grade on ethics, but I'd like to think that they would want to know what she's done, and that they would tell her and the other students how not to behave when they're working.
Thoughts?
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