Dishonest Clients

[TuoKaerf]

So I just finished a session (6 songs, tracking and mixing) with a local band. The band is semi popular in the area, and a mutual friend recommended me to them for cheap recording time. I asked for $600 for tracking and mixing, with half up front as a deposit. They paid the deposit, and we hit the studio.

Everything was going great up until I finished mixing. I brought the band back in, played them the finals, they Ok'd them, and that was that.

The next day I finished archiving, and called the guitarist (he handled most of the business side of the band) up to discuss final payment. He tells me to hold on for a few days since he needed another check to clear so he could pay me. I said fine, and let it go. A week later I call again, and he asks me if I'm ever going to send them the final mixes. I tell him that I need to get paid before I part with the recordings.

Its been a few weeks now, he won't return my phone calls, and I keep getting nasty e-mails from him about me holding the recordings.

Would it be advisable to threaten to destroy the CD-R copy and wipe the session files off of the external drive I used for the session unless I get paid?

 

[timboZ]

Give him the cd. But use this plugin on it first.

http://www.voxengo.com/product/beeper/ (its a free plugin)

Tell then you will remove the beeps when you get the rest of your cash.

 

[G-String]

So I just finished a session (6 songs, tracking and mixing) with a local band. The band is semi popular in the area, and a mutual friend recommended me to them for cheap recording time. I asked for $600 for tracking and mixing, with half up front as a deposit. They paid the deposit, and we hit the studio.

Everything was going great up until I finished mixing. I brought the band back in, played them the finals, they Ok'd them, and that was that.

The next day I finished archiving, and called the guitarist (he handled most of the business side of the band) up to discuss final payment. He tells me to hold on for a few days since he needed another check to clear so he could pay me. I said fine, and let it go. A week later I call again, and he asks me if I'm ever going to send them the final mixes. I tell him that I need to get paid before I part with the recordings.

Its been a few weeks now, he won't return my phone calls, and I keep getting nasty e-mails from him about me holding the recordings.

Would it be advisable to threaten to destroy the CD-R copy and wipe the external drive I used for the session unless I get paid?

No, no matter what you do, Stay professional. It will be no good for your business if word gets out that you made A threat. This is what I would do-sympathize with them on the fact that sometimes money is hard to come by, especially with an aspiring band, and you understand their predicament. Then, ask them to come up with $150.00. That way, you may be able to recoup some of your time invested, and won't have anyone running around badmouthing you. That is what I would do. Word of mouth is very important in any business. Whatever you do, stay professional, and chalk it up as A loss. Keep your hat on straight, bud.

 

[TuoKaerf]

I'd be all about them paying me what they can when they are able to and I've let him know that numerous times over voicemail and e-mail, but if he's not responding to those offers I really don't know where to go with it then. I really enjoyed working with them, and mutually we put out a good end product. Plus the band expressed interest in doing a larger project with me down the road.

I'm not about to burn bridges with any client, but its dodgy when I get the feeling that he has no intentions of making the payment that was agreed apon.

So taking one for the team and moving on would be the best bet?

 

[easychair]

Don't take one for the team, they are not on your team. You are not burning any bridges by not giving them the disc, they are by not paying you. Don't destroy it, but don't give it away either. If you do this, you are setting yourself up for more abuse. Stop calling and e-mailing, let them make the next move. Don't make yourself look desperate.

Give them the recording when they pay, and don't do their next project, unless you want more of the same. This is the way I run my sound business. Any dodgy clients give me 100% payment in cash upfront or nothing comes off the truck.

 

[xfinsterx]

Ahh thats a bitch.

That is why "paid upon completion" dosent work.

I got burned ONCE and only ONCE on that recently.

Now the client pays ALL the dough up front. Period.
Also there is a contract signed, and a reciept given.

The only way to weed out the fuckheads is to see if they respect theirs, and your craft enough to put their money where their mouth is.

No other way to do it.

 

[mshilarious]

I'm not about to burn bridges with any client, but its dodgy when I get the feeling that he has no intentions of making the payment that was agreed apon.

So taking one for the team and moving on would be the best bet?

Don't delete the files or anything, but don't release the CD under any circumstances other than final payment in full. I don't see what good cutting your rates after the fact will do. They will tell all their friends to do the same thing, and their next project could be even worse regarding payment.

 

[chessrock]

You guys are a bunch of pussies.


Tell him your hard drive gets cleaned out on the 2nd Wednesday of every month, and if they want to keep their stuff from being zapped, then they gotta' pony up.

Yea, word of mouth is important. And if you go around letting things slide all the time, word is going to get out that you're a push over, and sooner or later every deadbeat in town is going to be expecting free handouts from you.
.

 

[xstatic]

Whatever you do, don't destroy the files. If you do that, you lose all hope of recouping anything and may actually open yourself up to legal action. There is still a possibility that something is going on with them that you would actually understand and be sympathetic towards and that it was just a very poor communication decision on their part to not keep you in the loop. I would imagine that you would feel pretty bad if you destroyed their stuff and then found this all out.

I agree with a couple of posts above that you should just hold on to all the stuff and wait for them. If it were me, after 30 days I would decide what amount they needed to pay me to make everything OK with me. Then I would wait and see what they say as far as why they avoided you etc.... When they come up with the agreed upon amount I would give them their product (or whatever you have to do to fulfill your commitment to them). If however after we settle they approach me later and pay the difference after we have settled on an amount, I would actually still consider working with them in the future, but on a pay as you go or all upfront arrangement. If those sessions went as planned, then down the road I would consider treating them as anyone else would be treated. Band sometimes have real internal problems, bad judgement etc... The sad thing is that it is in many peoples nature to try and avoid the issue with the other people it affects instead of owning up to it and keeping people informed. For me, honesty and an open line of communication always outweighs tardiness. But, many people shy away form that as it becomes uncomfortable for them and don't realize that they are taking what would be a small problem and making it into a much larger one.

 

[xfinsterx]

Im gonna stray off the subject here a bit.

Heres a question.

How did the project turn out?

How do YOU feel about the job you did?

Who screwed up more? You or them?

 

[SonicAlbert]

So taking one for the team and moving on would be the best bet?

What do you mean by taking one for the team?

Since you've already archived the project, just hang onto it. Don't send out a file with beeps on it, don't permanently delete the archive, don't do anything cute, just withhold the finished track until they pay *in full*. Don't accept partial payment.

If you have archived the project to one of your hard drivees and later need the space, you would then contact them as chessrock suggested and tell them the files will be deleted on such and such a day. But hopefully you've archived the song to CD or DVD and can clean your drives right now.

Really, time is on your side. Just hang tight and hang tough.

 

[Harvey Gerst]

Have you tried contacting the other members of the band to advise them of the situation? There's no telling what the guitarist is telling them as to why the CD isn't ready. Let the other band members put pressure on the guitar player to pay.

 

[corban]

As a combination of this advise, maybe offer them the CD with beeps on it for $150, and the remaining money will get them the whole CD. I don't know, it's a tough call if they're not responding to reason, but don't do anything drastic like wiping their files. You could TELL them that your hard drives get wiped periodically, but don't delete it, you're limiting your options.

 

[Yareek]

I'd stick to your guns.

You offered them a service for a price, they agreed. You followed through, but they didn't. Why should they take you like that?

I'd wait 30 days and send written notification if you wipe the hard drive. I don't know if you offer them the tracks (at least the raw audio) along with the final mix, but that's what I'd do.

Anyways, maybe consider doing 75% up front and 25% upon receipt if it's a common problem. If not, well, they just paid $300 for nothing, so it's their loss.

 

[apl]

Or you could make a payment plan, $50 per song. Every time they drop a Grant on ya, they get a CD with one song.

 

[SHEPPARDB.]

So I just finished a session (6 songs, tracking and mixing) with a local band. The band is semi popular in the area, and a mutual friend recommended me to them for cheap recording time. I asked for $600 for tracking and mixing, with half up front as a deposit. They paid the deposit, and we hit the studio.

Everything was going great up until I finished mixing. I brought the band back in, played them the finals, they Ok'd them, and that was that.

The next day I finished archiving, and called the guitarist (he handled most of the business side of the band) up to discuss final payment. He tells me to hold on for a few days since he needed another check to clear so he could pay me. I said fine, and let it go. A week later I call again, and he asks me if I'm ever going to send them the final mixes. I tell him that I need to get paid before I part with the recordings.

Its been a few weeks now, he won't return my phone calls, and I keep getting nasty e-mails from him about me holding the recordings.

Would it be advisable to threaten to destroy the CD-R copy and wipe the session files off of the external drive I used for the session unless I get paid?

Show up at thier gigs and sell C.D.'s.

 

[corban]

Show up at thier gigs and sell C.D.'s.

Best advice ever.

 

[MadAudio]

Tell him to rent "Boogie Nights" and to play close attention to the scene with Dirk in the recording studio.

 

[giraffe]

Show up at thier gigs and sell C.D.'s.

that requires putting more time (i.e. money) into this net loss.
not to mention duplication costs, i wouldn't bother.

i'd go with
try to contact the other band members and
let them get it when they have the cash.
don't delete it, or even threaten. just say "it's here when you have the money"
and smile.

 

[corban]

I thought that was a funny joke, sorry if it was serious. You would have a lot of legal issues selling their CDs and pocketing all the money.