What to Discuss with a Client Before Production Starts

Posted on February 20, 2022 by Larry

[Updated Feb. 21, 2022, with comments from John Forrest.]

This is an article I need your help with. While every project is different, most of us work in corporate or client-based video. As you start a new project, what topics are key to discuss with a client before pre-production starts?

I’m compiling this to share with students and folks new to the industry to help them understand the client planning needed at the start of a project.

Since all we have to sell is our skills and time, it’s good to get these resolved at the start.

NOTE: Clearly there are more tasks than this associated with any production. My goal here is to list those that affect the working relationship between client and production agency. This is not to say that changes are not permitted. Rather, this explains who needs to approve them and any budget impact they may cause.

Please add your thoughts in the comments and I’ll update this article as we go.

OPERATIONAL

A written agreement is always a good idea, who signs it?
What’s the budget?
Does pre-production start without the first payment?
When are payments due?
What’s the deadline?
What in-progress reports does the client expect, who writes them and who receives them?
Who approves the finished project?
What’s the delivery format – or – where will the video be used?
Is there a secondary platform on which the finished production will be accessed
What files do you want of the finished production, and in what format (thumb drive, hard drive, DVD, etc.)?

CONTENT PLANNING

Who determines the objectives of the video?
Who is the target audience for this production?
What outcomes would you hope the finished production achieves?
Who is writing the script or outline?
Who needs to review it?
How many revisions are allowed without changing the budget?
Who approves it?
Does production start before the script/outline is approved?

PRE-PRODUCTION

If this video requires special facilities or locations, who obtains them?

PRODUCTION

Who, if anyone, from the client will be allowed on set?
What authority does the client have on set?
If changes need to be made from the script, who approves them?
If changes need to be made that affect the budget, who approves the extra money?

EDITING

Who reviews the edited version?
How many revisions are allowed without affecting the budget?
If changes need to be made that affect the budget, who approves the new budget?
Who signs off on the final version?
To whom is the final version sent?
Who’s responsible for archiving project files and media?

Let me know what I forgot in the comments section.

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31 Responses to What to Discuss with a Client Before Production Starts

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Greg Ball says:

March 21, 2022 at 4:03 am

Another important issue is who writes the agreement/contract. I’ve had a few clients who want you to sign THEIR agreement.

Often their agreement is written by their legal team and includes verbiage that is beyond normal language and only protects the clients interest. I would need to pay my attorney to review it.

I have lost 3 projects because the client insisted we use their contract. I’ll never do that.

I usually suggest that the next time they lease or purchase a vehicle, they bring their own agreement, with their own terms and have the dealer sign it. It will never happen.
Larry says:

March 21, 2022 at 4:07 am

Greg:

I like your analogy of the contract with the car dealer. It seems there needs to be a middle ground, because you are doing to the client what you don’t like them doing to you – asking them to use your contract. I am NOT saying this is wrong, but it is an interesting perspective.

Larry
Joe Ake says:

March 21, 2022 at 8:58 am

Hi Larry, Most everything here is covered in the T&Cs of a well-written contract. It is your responsibility to make sure your client understands how those T&Cs relate to them. I will never start any project without a percentage of the payment for the production cost of any project and that’s in my contract. You must have the meeting before the meeting!! Nothing beats experience and I have done a lot of failing forward in the days of my productions. Small customers are never prepared and are always in a rush and don’t understand their need to budget for production. Who is your customer who do you want to do business with? Small customers will never have the risk of loss like the bigger ones have, so you will always be serving small customers on a ham sandwich budget however there are a lot of small customers that make the drop in the bucket a full gallon? It’s our job to help customers of all sizes, big ones have risks small ones need a template to fit into and that’s on us. If you understand the risk of the company your T&Cs will make sense to them based on their risk of loss.
Larry says:

March 21, 2022 at 9:04 am

Joe:

Excellent comments – thanks for sharing them.

Larry
G. Steve Jordan says:

March 22, 2022 at 8:29 am

Alternatively, request additions and subtractions to their existing contract. I recently signed the client’s contract but only after they agreed to add all the caveats that I found missing. Since these were primarily related to the creative process, I’m guessing their legal people could care less. Finally, as a one-person shop I find that, at the end of the day, the contract is more about establishing a mutual understanding of the job so there are minimal hiccups going forward, and less about the actual threat of legal action. If I feel that a projects or a potential client is iffy, I’m not likely to sign on. I can’t afford the time and money to fight anyone in court.
Larry Jordan says:

March 22, 2022 at 9:47 am

Steve:

I agree – none of us have the resources for an extended court battle. What the contract does is set expectations, responsibilities and deadlines BEFORE any arguments start.

Larry
Toni Moss says:

March 22, 2022 at 3:30 pm

Sorry, but what is a T&C?
Larry Jordan says:

March 22, 2022 at 4:09 pm

Toni:

Smile… Always good to ask. T&C = “Terms and Conditions.” These define what the contract covers, who’s responsible and what happens if there’s a problem.

Larry
Ethan Derner says:

March 24, 2022 at 8:36 am

A pricing structure I’ve used often:

30% to start
30% at rough cut
40% upon delivery
Larry says:

March 24, 2022 at 8:55 am

Ethan:

Oooh! I like that you get substantial money up front, but the client feels like the full payoff waits upon completion. Thanks for sharing this.

Larry