Image Provided By:Video Editing Made Easy
When one hears the compliments, “You do amazing work” or “I have seen your work and I would like to hire for my next event”, are always good signs of what one would think will be the start of a great working relationship. So now you have met with the client and have discussed what the particulars will be. The date is set and you are ready. The time is now here for the event to take place and you commence to work. No one ever told you that what lies ahead will make a turn for the worse.
As a wedding an event planner I take it very seriously to educate myself of things that have happened to other vendors in the industry. While researching, I came across a video that was posted by Gary Fong. A wedding photographer reached to him, “who found himself in a pickle: after doing a “great job” (in Fong’s opinion) in shooting a wedding, he received a menacing letter from the couple threatening him with a $300,000 lawsuit”, as taken from the website Peta Pixel.
This photographer is experiencing a case of the Libel life. The lawyer (who is also an attorney) started the letter with, “This is the only demand you will receive before you get sued, and you ruined our wedding. Verbal contract aren’t forcible in Washington State.”
The video continues with Fong reading this letter. He speaks about the errors in the photographers: always have a contract, always edit out the photos that were not going to be used, and be careful.
I spoke with Doria Barnes of D’Arne Productions a multimedia company and had her review this video. I asked her a few questions and this was her response:
What are your thoughts of the video and the issue at hand?
I think the client does have a right to not be satisfied with the photography work. However, the lawyer intimidation and the $300,000 they are requesting is ridiculous. There should always be an initial meeting with the client and photographer, covering all bases ensuring the client and photographer click and work well together. In this situation the photographer failed to have that initial meeting and a follow up meeting presenting the contract spelling out everything the client(s) want and a media release form. These forms are to make certain, the photographer will capture everything the client wants documented. Videography is a little bit different, I record the entire event from 2 different angles and I am able to cut and paste to create exactly what the client wants.
As a professional how do you combat issues like this with a client?
Having meetings after meetings with the client making sure we are all on the same page.
How important is that you cover your bases?
It’s very important that as a company, we cover all bases because the client we are working are presently work with can refer your services to new clients.
Do you have any libel or defamation clauses in your contracts?
I do not have those clauses; however, I will definitely make sure I do so, a.s.a.p.
So in the end we need to cover our bases. We have to have documentation no matter how well you know a person or not. In the end it’s all still business.
To find more information about D‘Arne’ Productions check out their website darneproductions.blogspot.com.
Image Provided by D’Arne Productions
