Client Grief.......

TeeJay wrote on 8/2/2006, 5:31 AM
I have just finished a project and delivered the masters to my Client.
It is a school concert that was shot on 2 consecutive nights, both nights had a different cast. The Concert was a Play that was written by the music teacher of the school and between acts, they had kids coming out doing "variety style" filler acts.
The opening act was a Band and I hate to say it, but they were particularly aweful, but deserve credit for getting out there and giving it a go.

Now my problem. I spent an incredible amount of time titling each act, and setting chapter markers and finally set up a scene selection menu in the DVD menu for the main acts. After seeing the Masters and realising how bad the opening act is, my Client (the Headmaster of the school) wants me to cut the band from the start of each night. Well, if only it was that easy. It was an 8 hour render, so not only would i have to delete the band, i'd have to re-render, then redo the whole chapter menu, as this will upset everything. Is there any way of taking out a chapter, without then having to manually re align all of the successive markers and scenes?

Anyway, i'm not really looking for any answers here...just venting a little of my frustration.
I have tried to explain that the changes whilst they seem very minor on the surface, is in fact quite a bit of extra time and that they would have to pay accordingly, but i am sure they think i'm just trying to milk a few extra bucks out of the job, (which i did for a VERY reasonable price to start with)......He said he would get back to me with what they want to do and it's been 2 days and i've left messages and emails but i haven't heard from them....

Anyway, thanks for listening to my rant.

T

Comments

Chienworks wrote on 8/2/2006, 5:37 AM
How about deleting the first chapter on the DVD menu and setting the play start point to the second chapter? No rerendering necessary, and DVDA should reuse most of what you've already prepared. It should be a very fast change.

As a bonus, you could move that first chapter to a special "extras" menu at the end so that those who want to see that band still can at their own choice.
vicmilt wrote on 8/2/2006, 5:49 AM
Second Chienworks very excellent suggestion ( I hope you were rendering your MPEG in Vegas and not in DVDA) -

also - stop bugging your client (two calls in two days is excessive).
There are no "airdates" on this project. Leave them alone for at least a week now (like any professional would). No slight intended here - this is good business advice. After a week of silence from you, give a call then again two weeks later. Then just take your money and look for another project. Tha's the way it goes.
You'll probably be able to sell the completed disks to the parents separately from the school, if you get totally ignored. The principal is probably busy with "real" stuff, or simply doesn't give a crap. Be cool and see how things develop.

best,
v
TheHappyFriar wrote on 8/2/2006, 5:51 AM
what did you promise to do? I've done video taping for my school. I always specificed if they wanted a recording or editing. They want recording they get straight from DV to DVD. Not even chapters.
RalphM wrote on 8/2/2006, 6:19 AM
On a more basic note, sounds like the principal is on a little ego trip, focusing on how this might reflect on him/her or the school.

The parents who were there saw the live band performance and know it was awful. They still want to see their kids on the DVD. I predict that the principal will deal with some disappointed parents who will want to know why their kids were cut.

I've done several of these for school performances and there were some pretty bad performances on Talent Show night. I never cut anything because it's not about the parents or the staff - it's about the kids.

I realize it's not your decision - just a little rant on my part.
Jay Gladwell wrote on 8/2/2006, 6:19 AM

I second what Vic said.. You've told them what's what. Now the ball's in their court. Wait for them to "return the serve."


TeeJay wrote on 8/2/2006, 6:21 AM
I'll play around with the chapter relocation idea.

Vic, i also agree that 2 calls is excessive, although, they were initially 'bugging' me to make sure the DVD will be available 'on time', so that they could give their parents an availability. I have another project starting tomorrow which will make my time a little scarce for them......

Yes, it was rendered in Vegas.

My original deal was to supply them with the fully edited masters, complete with full Cover and Disc artwork and at my suggestion, an intuitive menu system. I had a meeting with them to discuss what i would cut out and at no time did they mention cutting any of the acts 'if they sucked'. So it was sequentially edited from a 2 camera shoot, just cutting out the downtime between acts. I've gone way beyond what i originally agreed upon, which i was happy to do as i'm a firm believer in ensuring that the customer is always 110% happy with the product, but ah well, i guess i'll wait and see how it plays out.

Thanks for your thoughts,

T
TeeJay wrote on 8/2/2006, 6:25 AM
Exactly right Ralph, and that's precisely what i tried to convey to him when he asked for the additional cut. I said that despite how good or bad any of the acts were, that's how it played out on the night, and that the whole spirit of the concert is to give the kids a chance to get on stage and perform.
I think he is just a little embarrassed about it, being the opening act.
apit34356 wrote on 8/2/2006, 10:08 AM
TeJay,"I think he is just a little embarrassed about it, being the opening act." I think your 100% correct. But as suggest above, just move the chapter entry points, make the band's performance as the tail end chapter. Cutting the play would not go over well, but cutting the opening act, is always on the table.
VOGuy wrote on 8/2/2006, 11:03 AM
In Hollywood, they delete the parts of the movie that were particularly bad, and then add them as "features" on the DVD - labeled "Outtakes".
richard-courtney wrote on 8/2/2006, 2:27 PM
I agree leave as is and wait for the check.
Unless there was profanity or something like a "costume failure" that you
can be sued over, play as it occured.
Steve Mann wrote on 8/3/2006, 12:24 AM
"In Hollywood, they delete the parts of the movie that were particularly bad, and then add them as "features" on the DVD - labeled "Outtakes"."

And you could still do it with the existing MPEG files in DVDA ad Chienworks suggested above.
johnmeyer wrote on 8/3/2006, 9:00 AM
"In Hollywood, they delete the parts of the movie that were particularly bad, and then add them as "features" on the DVD - labeled "Outtakes".

Actually, if you follow Kelly's advice (Chienworks) in the initial post, which has been seconded by most everyone (and me too), not only will this only take about two minutes to do before you're ready to burn, but you'll get the added "bonus" of creating an "Easter egg" of sorts. By this I mean that the original video, which includes the bad band, will still be on the DVD, but none of the standard navigation logic will be able to get to it. However, some DVD players may have certain key combinations that let them play the VOB file from the beginning. Even if that is not the case, anyone can certainly play the performance on the computer by simply dragging the first VOB file to their DVD player. It will start playing from the its start, which will be the band performance. It seems to me that this will serve everyone well: you'll get to keep your original edit, which is what you wanted to deliver; the principal and most parents will not have to watch the bad band; but the band member can revel in their hidden glory, once the find that it exists. All you have to do is "leak" the information on how to access the hidden performance. It will take less time for everyone who want to find this to view it than it took for the Al Gore Penguins to find their way around the Internet.
JohnnyRoy wrote on 8/3/2006, 9:37 AM
I agree Chienwork’s idea is the best. Trim the opening act from the Play button but definitely add it as a Special Feature or Opening Act link. Under no circumstances would I leave it off of the DVD. You owe it to the parents of the kids in the band to have it on there somewhere. It was part of the night regardless of how bad. As other have said, it ain’t about the principal, it’s all about the kids.

~jr
Chienworks wrote on 8/3/2006, 11:03 AM
Wow. I came up with something good? *blush* How astonishing!