client wants files-argh
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- Etype0
don't give it up without more money... I did this once and then they used the photos from the assets for other promo type stuff
- Meeklo0
You dont deliver source code to a client UNLESS HE PAYED FOR IT.
when you buy a coke, you buy that bottle you drink, you dont get the recipe so you can launch your own competition brand.
I would charge at least %50 of the total project
(if project was 10k, you sell the source for an extra 5k)I have worked at studios that sell it for way more than that too.
You need to start thinking about graphic design as a business, because that's what it is, its your way to make money, so if this practice is standard on any other industry, tell me one single good reason why it's wrong to apply it to ours?
- amensteven_segal
- NO FUCKING WAY unless ALOT of extra MONEY is PAID IMMEDIATELYvaxorcist
- alicetheblue0
thank you Meeko for that slap;)
I needed that
- JonnyPompa0
I had a client once request to "play" with my design comps. They butchered the project so bad i refuse to show the live url and finished my comps instead for my folio'. Never give clients anything.
- moldero0
they have to pay me 25% - 50% of total project cost for my .fla's
But I let them know that up front.
ifs its free work or for a friend with special rate, they dont get shit but .swf's, they should be happy they got either the .swf or the "friend rate"
- i like you!alicetheblue
- btw nice work, molderoalicetheblue
- ukit0
If they are having their "friend" take over your work for them, I don't see any reason to give them anything for free.
Tell them the project contains code that you developed independently which you plan you reuse on other projects and don't want to give up. By default, it's your intellectual creation legally until you explicitly sign the rights away - that goes for any design project.
- zarkonite0
I've never heard of a car salesman having to deal with a customer wanting the blueprints to his new BMW.
Don't give up your code for free.
- dbloc0
link?
- OSFA0
GIve them the swf and then fuck up on purpose the script. When they call you, make it look like the friend screwed it and that you need to get paid in order to take a look at it and fix it while you have the good copy at home.
When they ask you how much to fix it, charge them what you would charge for the FLA. They never know the truth and you make extra cash.
Oh, and PLEASE use contracts!!!
- Knuckleberry0
Be clear about... be an adult.
Tell him you usually do not part with the master file because it has some code that is partial to the overall work. Tell him you usually setup contracts for this sort of thing and the raw file will be (x).
Done
- cut&taste0
I'm a print designer and I only give clients PDFs. If they start asking for editable files they want to go somewhere else, either 'better' or 'cheaper'. The better one can obviously do better stuff and the cheaper one is cheap for a reason.
- formed0
Tell him it is proprietary information.
We have 3D files that top a few hundred megs worth of data and get asked the same thing. I'll send a client the stripped files, but there will be no lighting or specific things that make our work unique.
For web, I've never been asked for the FLAs, but I wouldn't send them. Again, proprietary information.
BUT I also won't make a huge fuss if someone insisted. While I don't like giving away months of work for someone else to study, I also realize that the info is usually too complex for any novice.
Anyone that would know how to use the data/code will, most likely, already have their own way of doing things.
- fyoucher10
Give it up.
Unless you made some new thing no one has ever seen, something you can use and continue to make a profit from like a new software program, there's a good chance that someone else or many people have made it already. We're talking about Actionscript again right?
Unless you don't want work from this particular client again, I'd just give up the source files and even offer help too.
Next time I'd state additional fees for the source in some sort of contract and make sure the client knows about the disclosure.
Me, personally, I always give up the files. I don't even ask if they want them, I just include them in the final package.
- Corvo20
The other day my boss asked me for the DB I developed to plan an entire design training company (which he glanced upon in a meeting). It was all there pretty neat, and I was stupid enough to take my original work to a meeting. That smart guy has a consultancy company on the side, and is obviously looking for assets... He's actually one of those poor arrogant bastards that gives you a lecture about things you told him 3 months ago.
People think that when they're paying you, they own you.
I gave him the finger saying that those were my personal working files. I mailed him a very shortened version of the check-list from the DB and I never heard from him since, thank goodness.
If he asks me again for it, I'll just say: I deleted it, sorry.
Fuck those people.
So, to the point. You delivered your job, mc. Now they want you to give your working files so they can give it to friends or such.
I don't think that's ok. Say you deleted them, since you didn't see any interest in them any more.
They're pushing it, and you know it. Otherwise you wouldn't have posted this.
- ukit0
Send them the file but replace the Actionscript with this
- version30
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- sofakingbanned0
I've had to deal with this on the print side.
Fucking hate when the client wants working files so they can tweak them. fuck that shit.
- airey0
if they stop using you and start using their contact what would you use the files for anyway. hand them over. if you make their life hassle free and offer good service the odds are that they'll be back, not to mention possible referrals.
weighing the pros vs cons will show you that handing over the files (that you have no use for anymore) will be more beneficial than not handing them over. you sweated over them to get the job done. yes it sucks that some other fucker may benefit but that person may be unable to support what you did anyway and the client will come back.
just me 2 cents. i'm probably wrong.
- you make way to much sense :)alicetheblue
- lol. not usually!airey
- Get real. They won't be coming back. Well-brought people wouldn't ask you for it.Corvo2