Should I get a contract for my clients to sign?

[Noumenon]

I tried searching for this, but didn't really find anything.

Do you ppl here make your clients sign contracts before starting on a project?
If so, what do you have in the contract? Perhaps someone is nice enough to show me an example of their contract?

 

[GeertSamuel]

I think there were discussions about this in the past. If you do a search you will probally find the threads and examples of contracts!

 

[Noumenon]

Indeed there was, found some using googles search

 

[Seth Munson]

Why not get some people in here for a more "updated" thread

I am sure there are things that people would have added since then and things that some would take out.
I know I wouldnt mind hearing new ideas for contract that I haven't thought of

 

[crillemannen]

My answer would be no.

Just make your clients pay 1/3 uppfront when they book the studio. Don't send them 24bit files before the job is done and paid.

 

[Noumenon]

I'm thinking about a fixed deposit, and that the least amount is two days work (I'll probably charge by the hour). And all the samples sent before the final payment will be with beeps and shit

On the invoices I state the following terms:

Payment of the deposit is to be considered as a purchase order of service. The deposit is non-refundable and work will start when the deposit is received. The deposit will then be subtracted from the total amount.

The client is obliged upon publishing of the finished product to give credit to XXX for the performed work.

 

[Brett - K A L I S I A]

My point of view is that your clients show you some trust by hiring you, so you shouldn't behave like you don't trust them at all and treat them with respect. Of course, upfront payment to book you and total payment before getting the final product are needed.

 

[Seth Munson]

Well I would like a contract so the bands would know what to expect when/if they break something or anything like that
More on the lines of "rules" and do nots (like smoking inside, bringing extra unneeded people without asking, ect ect)

Edit: And also a signed agreement between myself and the band on pricing and such. Too many bands try to tell me that we agreed on a different price and I would love to pull out the contract with all of our sigs and show them otherwise. (honestly, it seems like 1 out of every 4 bands tries to pull this shit)

 

[Felix Neumann]

Don't send them 24bit files before the job is done and paid.

THIS!

It´s the best safeguarding you can do.

 

[Sloan]

1. GET PAID UP FRONT.
2. Get paid before project is done
3. Get paid up front
4. Don't release anything until your paid
5. Get paid up front

 

[Jarkko Mattheiszen]

I've toyed with the idea before, but then again, when someone sends you an e-mail asking for an offer, you send them the offer and they respond with "OK, we'll take it", that's a contract right there.

 

[jipchen]

After reading through a few threads on the topic here, and especially after the "being organized" threads I write contracts for the bands.
It just feels good, you have a proof they want to work with you and how much you get paid, what the rules are etc.
An email or a phone call is no proof - at least in Germany.
The bands I've sent the contract didn't have a problem with it so far, on the contrary. They all immediately understood it, and actually liked it because they get some proof/security, too.

They sign a fucking contract for pretty much every gig they play, and that's just a few hours. A full production is weeks of work.. why would you not want any physical proof of the whole thing?

"Not sending out 24bit files" seems not very safe to me. First off, the band most probably doesn't give a shit whether the audio is 16 or 24 bit (what would an audio noob do with a 24 bit file anyway? He couldn't even get in on an audio cd).
And secondly, a lot of bands release their songs only through myspace / digital download anyway. So a mp3 file is enough for them to GTFO and not pay you.

 

[jipchen]

My contract says roughly:

"Contract between:
((Fap-a-lot-studio)), owner: ((Mr. Fap Alot, Penis-street 69, Penisburgh))
and
the band ((fuckmetwice)), responsible ((dude1,dude2,dude3,hotchick1))
______
Both parties hereby authenticate their cooperation with the following terms:
- the artist books the studio for the production of 100000 songs
- the artist books the studio from xx.xx.xxxx to xx.xx.xxxx
- costs are calculated as following: 9999999€/day, 9999€/mixed song, 1€/mastered song
- the artist commits to paying 50% of the planned production costs upfront - at least 5 days before the production starts.
the production does not start until the deposit is made.
- the deposit is not refundable
- one studio-day is 8 hours long (+breaks)
- the artist will get no CDs or whole MP3s before having paid the whole bill
- the artist may request modification of the mix. the final files will are not created until the artist agrees
- this contract is fulfilled when the artist has paid the whole bill and the studio hands the final sound storage medium over to the artist.
until this happens, all recorded material is property of the studio.
- both parties read and agreed upon this contract in its entirety
______

It's pretty hard to translate this kind of contract, it even sounds weird in german.. and it probably sounds double-weird now in my horrible english.. but I hope you get the point.

 

[Noumenon]

My contract says roughly:

"Contract between:
((Fap-a-lot-studio)), owner: ((Mr. Fap Alot, Penis-street 69, Penisburgh))
and
the band ((fuckmetwice)), responsible ((dude1,dude2,dude3,hotchick1))
______
Both parties hereby authenticate their cooperation with the following terms:
- the artist books the studio for the production of 100000 songs
- the artist books the studio from xx.xx.xxxx to xx.xx.xxxx
- costs are calculated as following: 9999999EUR/day, 9999EUR/mixed song, 1EUR/mastered song
- the artist commits to paying 50% of the planned production costs upfront - at least 5 days before the production starts.
the production does not start until the deposit is made.
- the deposit is not refundable
- one studio-day is 8 hours long (+breaks)
- the artist will get no CDs or whole MP3s before having paid the whole bill
- the artist may request modification of the mix. the final files will are not created until the artist agrees
- this contract is fulfilled when the artist has paid the whole bill and the studio hands the final sound storage medium over to the artist.
until this happens, all recorded material is property of the studio.
- both parties read and agreed upon this contract in its entirety
______

It's pretty hard to translate this kind of contract, it even sounds weird in german.. and it probably sounds double-weird now in my horrible english.. but I hope you get the point.

How do you handle the signing of the contract if the client is on the other side of the world?

 

[26]

- costs are calculated as following: 9999999€/day, 9999€/mixed song, 1€/mastered song
- the artist commits to paying 50% of the planned production costs upfront - at least 5 days before the production starts.

alternative payment for hotchick1 should be considered, IMO.

 

[jipchen]

How do you handle the signing of the contract if the client is on the other side of the world?

Huh, never had that before. I think I'd let the client write a declaration of some kind "I, blabla , hire you - studio blabla - for the production of 5 songs.." etc.
and send it to me in PDF format. If you're really anal you could get him to print it, sign it, scan it and send the scanned document to you again.

 

[Sloan]

You can get signed contracts via fax if you want. I know the store STAPLES has a public fax machine you can use for a fee, just call dude and setup a time to fax etc...

 

[timislegend]

stipulate your roll (what you are doing)... also figure in cost and payment method.

if you intend to add services later, write a new contract.

i do work... "all in" meaning i do not charge by the hour which saves time an money spent on contract write-ups and notaries because your time and services were extended.

always employ a deposit (up front) because it serves as a partial agreement and is admissible in court (depending on state/fed laws and if it ever comes to that).

contracts can be as simple as time/date/place/materials/services/monetization ...or they can be extremely complicated due to individual agreements etc.

keep it simple.

 

[006]

From both regular local bands and working with labels, I haven't had the need for any kind of contract, ever. Clients seem keen on making sure I get paid, and in the case that they ever don't I will just not give them the files... pretty easy. At the most, some labels, like Relapse for example, will want an invoice of some kind for their business purposes but that's it so far in my experience. Just always try and get a deposit and don't give them anything until you are paid in full.

 

[barricade]

Get 50% befor you start the project and 50% after you are done.
Send them mp3's with a noise or a beep each 20s (using Voxengo Beeper http://www.voxengo.com/product/beeper/ )...when they pay, they get the wavs. Simple!