While many advertisers believe the agency and their producer is there to represent the advertiser, often there are situations where the interests of the agency and the advertiser are at odds with each other. So beware of some of the jargon and interpretations you may hear. Here’s a few statements to be wary of.
“Paying a per diem is required by law.” There’s no law on per diems, just guidelines at best. So be wary of statements about laws as few areas are enshrined in legislation.
“We have to supply catering on the television shoot.” Meal breaks must be provided, but a catered lunch is just an industry tradition.
“Don’t worry about that (problem), we can fix it in post-production.” Ask the person who made this statement how much it will cost to fix in post. If they don’t know, ask them to find somebody that does.
“Three 14-hour shoot days are cheaper than five 8-hour days.” Crew overtime fees alone make three 14-hour days 35% more expensive than 8-hour days, while equipment hire is usually the same.
“It’s just an estimate, of course we’ll refund what we don’t spend.” Expenditure usually increases to consume the allocated budget, so contingencies should not be paid up front but held in reserve for if and when they are needed.