pricing for animation

[fabmedia]

I have a 3D animation project that I've been asked to bid upon. It's 10 seconds long, and will involved output to video NTSC. I need to quote as there are no unknowns (yeah right), but I'm having trouble coming up with a figure. The product is a machine and the animation is to show how this machine works and give some detail.

I have to model and animate. Any ideas? Should I charge per second, the project, a different amount for rendering, etc.?


Thanks in advance!

Arlen

[rabid pitbull]

This is a tricky question.

First you need to figure out how long it will take you, then you need to decide how much your time is worth. Then you may want to add adjustments to the final figure for future work incentive, if this it is likely. But make sure not to give away to much, since this will always burn you.

It sounds simple but it is really complicated, take your time be accurate and make sure that you cover your but with a detailed description of the work to be done(including number concepts and adjustments) in your quote. Leave nothing out since this can be the most important step.

Good luck!

[fabmedia]

hey thanks. It sounds like a typical design gig. I'm used to that. I figure that I can really screw myself into the ground with this project. I would have 2 weeks to do this. So that leaves me 24 hours in the day x 14. I know that it will take in the worst cast scenario 50 hours to render 300 frames of animation (10 minutes per frame is used by animation houses). But I have 3 computers, so I would say 35 hours at least. This doesn't include test renders. So there's 2 days. With test renders probably another 2 days plus or minus. Editing will probably be about 3-4 hours tops, image adjustments with Commotion probably another 3-4 hours tops. So what, I'm down to about 10 working days.

I just don't know whether to base this on a per second, $200-250 or on an hourly rate. If I charge on a persecond basis and include $10/hr for computer rendering time (really cheap) That'll leave $200/sec left to production work. But it's only $2000. Now if I charge my hourly rate, that would leave the client with a $5200 bill if I was to bill for 80 hours worth of work and computer time.

And I haven't even figured out if I should add a rush charge.

Arrrrrrghingly,
Arlen

[Ralph Keyser]

This is a hugely good question, and I'd love to see how other folks handle it. Pricing always drives me nuts, and I never really know if I'm under or overcharging for my work.

I usually try to make an estimate of how much of my real time it will take plus an estimate of rendering time. I'll use these to get a minimum fee to take the job. Then I usually try to talk about what quality output the customer is interested in seeing, which hopefully lets me get a feel for what kind of budget they are dealing with. At the same time, I try to get a feel for their expectations. If their budget is too low, or their expectations exceed my capability, then I'll try to help them find someone else, otherwise I'll make a bid based on number of dollars per second of finished output. I always try to give myself an out if the customer isn't happy after a couple of attempts.

[Fizzer]

The very first question I always ask a prospective client is What sort of budget they have allocated to the project and work everything out from there.

Not very much help I suppose.


Fizz.

[fabmedia]

Ah yes, the budget question. I don't know about you, but in Canada, no one likes to talk about thier "budget" that "has" been allocated to a project. It's a real cat and mouse game. They really keep you guessing here. A lot of my clients are small to medium sized businesses and typically they don't want to tell you anything about their budget. Print and identity design isn't so bad as I am within the same pricing as other freelance designers. But when you get into interactive CD's, web sites, and motion media production, it gets a little hairy because each project is different. Everyone here wants you to flesh out and add to their ideas and get it onto paper with out paying and that makes all the small design houses nervous because of two things: 1. your estimate can be used by the potential client to set the bar for others to bid under it and you don't get any return (I've never had a client pay for any conceptualization yet as they think it's "your" responsibility to do so), or 2. you get into a project that the client expects that is only going to cost $X even if the project changes before or after the work starts. It drives me up the wall. Everyone here charges differently than the next so you just have to hope that your within the clients expectations.

It just drives me mad.

Arlen

[chuzzlewit]

I don't think if your a small business you should try to draw up a price matrix that you should stick to rigidly. There are to many grey areas. Some things that have not been touched upon are: is the piece good for your folio - how big is your folio (if your folios non existant sometimes its worth doing the job for cost). Is there any prestiege or advertising potential in the job - a well publicised animation could be the perfect time for an advertsing drive (although not in my manor - please) - always goes down great guns with the next chap if they can see something of your up in lights. Also whats your workload like. It kills me when people say you should always stick to premium prices when you've no work on. Animating anything is better than picking peas for a living...hang on though. I always try to sound out customers first very offen they give you some idea of budget if you listen to the clues (although don't believe the old chestnut too much when they say there's no budget on this one). Never commit to anything on the spot always leave it a few days.

The main weapon of the small business - flexibility.