CHAT BACK: The rules of a freebie

I look at the phone and hesitate to answer – it’s my friend Ross. Then I make the decision; straight to voicemail. I feel bad for a minute. How did this happen? We used to have a laugh, but now it seems the only reason we chat is to discuss work.

I had no idea that when I agreed to rebrand his business, based on the premise that I could do something I loved, it would result in this. Now it seems I have something I’m not proud of and I’ve lost a friendship.

Yes, a regretful decision and a totally avoidable outcome. I took on the freebie to do something inspired or award worthy. But the terms of our relationship were not agreed upon at the outset. We needed a contract. The next time I engage with a pro-bono client, I will have some rules.

I’m working for free. I do this because I want to exercise creative freedom beyond the usual constraints of commercial design. I take on few passion projects because I know I’m going to invest a lot of time beyond the value of the payment. But this is what ignites me and keeps me sane through the disheartening work.

The original concept will evolve and progress but it will maintain its integrity. Numerous client changes and ‘creative suggestions’ only work to the detriment of the job. The more changes you make, the more I regret taking on the work in the first place, and the less likely we are to be friends in the future.

By this point I’m too tired or disillusioned about the original purpose to care any more. The final product is unrecognisable from the original concept presentation and I’m now at the point where want it all to go away and get back to having my evenings back. I don’t care any more about the quality of the job – only that it all goes away.
 
It’s also important to note that the client should print/produce the final design agreed upon. Firstly so that the job becomes ‘real’ and I can claim it for my portfolio and enter awards, and secondly so that it gets distributed and its success gets tested in the real work.

How embarrassing if they take the design files and adapt them to their own final creation. Bear in mind that your designer has poured his/her heart and soul into producing your beautiful design. Imagine how it would feel for the designer if the end result is to be the creation of somebody else.

Also, bear in mind that whenever you’re asked who the designer was, you’ll say my name and that unless I’m happy with the work, that’s damaging to my own reputation.

I’m working on this outside of normal working hours. This is my free time for the benefit of your company. With this in mind, its only reasonable to give me acceptable timeframes to complete the work.

As the client, you may offer your input but should know that your comments may or may not be interpreted as the brief. There is a difficult balance to be found here as both parties each have huge invested interest – but free work generally means less client involvement.

Try and keep your amends to a minimum, and keep them consolidated. Nobody appreciates a stream of one line emails with comments ‘as you think of them’. Keep them short, sensible and consolidated.

Don’t tell me your favorite colour.

Don’t send me something you quite liked on the internet as inspiration.

Don't send me your logo as a small JPEG.

The final rule. If at any point that I’m not enjoying myself, the work is not good, you’re annoying me, I find I have no free time, I regret taking on the job, it ends up costing me money, or you don’t like what I produce – then the job's off. I walk away, you pay nothing, you get nothing. No harm done except a damaged friendship.

If the client trusts that the designer is the expert in their field, and not a hobby designer they will get first class work at no cost. If on the other hand they break the rules, friendships could be lost.

My advice – run away from jobs for mates, mates of mates, or people you meet down the pub. It just ain’t worth it.