A question of scruples
Out of context: Reply #17
- Started
- Last post
- 40 Responses
- Spookytim0
Ah, Andy Ross, you're the other voice in my head. The one across the table from the one that says "its fucked, bail out". The one that says "NOBODYS GOING ANYWHERE. GET BACK ON THE BENCH AND ROW US OUT OF THIS MESS".
I know the client will be left high and dry, hence the 'question of scruples' title. But I did tell the client the day I got out of hospital that we had lost too much time and that I was advised to take two weeks off to recover. It was their heads buried in the sand at that point, not mine. It was easier for them to coerce me into carrying on than to consider an alternative campaign at that point... which was nearly weeks ago. Their rescue plan was to deliver half the test piece before Easter, to take easter off, then to deliver the rest this week... where I am now.
I wasn't just sick and feeling a little unwell when I was ill, I was in hospital with meningitis and felt like my brain was going to burst. Its a virus that attacks your brain. It hurts like fuck and you cannot open or move your eyes at all.
I'm trying to be as professional as I can in evaluating the situation as I see it and not using up any more of their time knowing I can't get all of this done. Surely its more professional to say "We're out of time, you have six weeks to seek a new concept" than it is to say "Sure, okay, I'll carry on" when I know its not going to fit.
I know its only advertising, and its only fashion, and that possibly, if its no good, no-one will notice... who's being unprofessional now Mr R for saying it?. Besides, I will notice if its no good. Its my duty to myself ultimately to make sure I do the best I can. This is almost always thwarted in the end by clients who compromise almost every commercial project - we all know that happens, but I cannot give up on myself because of that.
So, I AM anxious about the quality, becuase too often the quality gets compromised by last minute fuckery by clients anyway and I have to fight hard to get just a few pieces out that are up to my own standards. I'm not ready to give up on my work just yet, but I'm equally unwilling to just plough on and then be held responsible when I fail to deliver on the deadline despite the fact that I flagged it up as an unreachable goal on the day I got out of hospital!
Its good to hear your side though Andy. You reiterate what half of my conscience is saying.