Who's to blame?
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- Sandman_1982
I recently designed a DL leaflet, prepared a PDF/X file and handed it over to the client who were dealing with the printer themselves.
Basically it looks like there was a font problem within the PDF as some of Russian and Czech characters have changed within the document during the print process. As the client did not request a proof from the printer before going ahead, all 30,000 leaflets are now heading for the waste.
So the question is. As I was not dealing with the printing side of things, am I liable in any way for this unfortunate f*ck up?
- akrokdesign0
i would say the client is guilty.
- hans_glib0
no you're not, though if you didn't warn them of the risks they were taking in not involving you in the print process and not getting a proof, they're going to be pissed off when you hold your hands up and say "hey - not my problem..."
when I'm in that situation I always let the clint know what they're about to take on.
- Dancer0
Client to blame for sure.
As soon as they say "we will handle the printing" they are responsible.
- GeorgesII0
Why didn't you outline the fonts???
- I know this would have been avoided had I done that but I don't see that as being a reason to shift blame onto me.Sandman_1982
- akrokdesign0
yeah, if they want to cut corners and not pay for quality. well, there they go.
- Dancer0
On the flip side if you had created the PDF correctly then all these issues would of never occured....
- <Dancer
- If it views correctly on your computer doesn't mean it will on others.Dancer
- True, but thats where the printed proof would come in, no?Sandman_1982
- monoboy0
The client won't see like that, they'll blame you for sending them artwork that wasn't printable. Tread carefully there dude.
- roundabout0
Do you have a contact?
- It's uncommon for Czech Printers speak English and I don't speak Czech too well. That's part of the reason why I rarely handle the print side of things.
Sandman_1982 - hand the artwork over to the client to deal with printing.Sandman_1982
- It's uncommon for Czech Printers speak English and I don't speak Czech too well. That's part of the reason why I rarely handle the print side of things.
- akrokdesign0
"did not request a proof from the printer"
...take a walk on the wild side.
- Horp0
In a situation like this the first question to always ask a client who has taken on the job of printing is to ask "Were the mistakes present on the proof that you signed off?"... They are then forced to declare they didn't request or see a proof, at which point you can confidently state that the errors are not present in the document you supplied them with and part of the job of handling the print is to sign off a proof.
It was entirely their responsibility to ensure the 30,000 units they were producing were going to be printed correctly, and as long as the files you provided were correct its really not your responsibility.
I am sure you will have great difficulty getting paid for this work, but the first thing you need to do is close the door on any discussion that you are liable in any way.
- Don't even ask IF they got a proof, act as though its a given that they did from the get go.Horp
- Thanks for that helpful response Horp.Sandman_1982
- Exactly, that was the first thing I asked.Sandman_1982
- Sandman_19820
UPDATE...
In the end the printer accepted responsibility for the error and printed a 'correct' batch for free. So a happy ending for both designer and client.
:-)
- Mmmm. Happy ending.Peter
- Ha ha. Probably should've worded that differently :-)
Sandman_1982
- mydo0
it would suck to be a printer.
- Roberthannink0
Good lesson tho!!
- MrOneHundred0
I hate happy endings.
- at least you get $20 and have made someone happy. granted there's someone else's mess to clean up.airey
- Not if it goes in my mouth. That's $25 and no mess.MrOneHundred
- janne760
^
- iCanHazQBN0
Lesson Learned: Always Czech your files before handing them off!
- Sandman_19820
Taxi for iCanHazQBN!!!
- miesvan0
You can thank God that the characters were just not the color, kerning, the definition of the images or the font ...