How do you politely tell customers 'no preview copy'

[Mark Ahrens]

I didn't read every response here but . . . those that never offer a review or changes come off sounding arrogant and rigid, to me.
And comments such as: "i don't need the help of the bride to edit their wedding" - that's just ridiculous.
The idea is a review copy before final run not collaboration. Everyone can make mistakes and working closely with material can cause a bit of myopia. Make them happy; why would you want them to feel that it's less than perfect.

Should you guard against ridiculous lists and extreme re-edits? Yes.
Should you make it a big deal to tweak the cut and cause the bride stress after getting paid for what you love to do? Your choice, but i believe that's bad client relations and inflexible.

It reminds me of the prima donna attitude i have always observed in the photography industry.

[John De Rienzo]

I do not agree with the barber analogy at all and this from from first hand experience!

Chris, I totally agree with what you are saying and absolutely get it and you know what, it has served
me extremely well to this day.

That said, if you are offering previews and amendments from a selling viewpoint because you feel that is your strength in marketing, fair enough.

Anything else and its crazy in my mind...just crazy,lol.......

Those worms are waiting to bite.

[Steve Burkett]

Originally Posted by John De Rienzo

I do not agree with the barber analogy at all and this from from first hand experience!

Everyone's a critic. :)

[Noa Put]

Originally Posted by Mark Ahrens

Everyone can make mistakes and working closely with material can cause a bit of myopia.

What's your definition of a mistake? If I would make a edit mistake and the bride finds out afterwards, that always is fixed free of charge. Anything else is a matter of taste, she might find the dancing part to short or the speeches too long or maybe wants another song for a certain part of her film.

For me everything would be ok to change but if it's not a edit mistake they are paying me a hourrate and if I need to remake the dvd's they are going to pay for that too, the easiest way to deal with re-edits is show them the full version before you start making your dvd's, then you only need to make changes in your timeline but even then I never would consider doing this "for free". Even when the changes are minor it can influence the way I edited the music and I need to change that too and I need to recheck the entire film just to make sure it's ok.

Also by giving brides a possibility to make edit changes can seriously mess with you agenda and create a backlog, they may come back in a week but maybe also in several weeks, in the meantime you have to spend time to push them to let you know something and if you have several clients with editing requests this will fill your harddrive up with almost finished projects, maybe they tell you "I want to like to see the changed version before you make the dvd's" so you again are uploading it online and maybe she reconsidered and requests another change. In the end you will be switching back and forth between projects to get them finished and while doing so you might make another mistake.

I"m glad I"m not offering this nor mention it verbally anymore but do mention in my contract that any re-edit is at a price and that they will receive a new quote for that, that's not arrogant and rigid but common business sense.

[Steve Burkett]

I can understand why some Videographers don't offer free re-edits or re-edits at all. Wedding Videography is a business, not a charity. However as a business, we must all decide what is our level of service, what is it we're prepared to provide. I am not crazy for offering a Preview copy, nor am I expecting to be bitten by a bunch of hungry worms that have recently escaped from a can marked 'told you so'.

It seems some are offended by this notion that some of us offer couples the chance to tweak their Wedding Video. In the end, I am providing a service, this is a part of my service and how I work. My clients appreciate this service and I do not find it an inconvenience. If I did, I would not offer it. Now if any of you cynics have a spare can of worms that needs opening, feel free to pass it on to me. I skipped dinner.

[Noa Put]

It seems some are offended by this notion that some of us offer couples the chance to tweak their Wedding Video.

To be honest I find it's just the opposite as well with some who seem to be offended that some don't want to offer this. :)

I think there is nothing wrong in either offering or not offering it to your client, whether that's included in your price or not. Only outright refusing to change anything if a client requests it, even if she wants to pay for it, could get you burnt and then you need to decide if it's worth having a unhappy bride and them trashing you online. Only if they don't want to pay for it, that's another story, only the sun comes up for free.

[Steve Burkett]

Originally Posted by Noa Put

To be honest I find it's just the opposite as well with some who seem to be offended that some don't want to offer this. :)

Not me; I'm delighted that there are so many that don't offer re-edits. It means I got something else of value in my service to market, and every little helps when there's some good competition out there.

[Roger Gunkel]

I find myself completely in agreement with Chris, where I just do not offer a preview at all. Of course I will correct any of my own mistakes and perhaps change something like an incorrect name that has been given to me for titling, or something that is genuinely upsetting for the couple.

I had a couple of periods last year when we filmed seven weddings in 8 days, and the logistics of having offered to preview and re-edit possibly all of them would have been impossible, along with the continuous flow of new weddings. I do however have a clause in my contract that states that any corrections required, must be notified and agreed within 7 days of delivery, just to leave room for discussion.

I also agree with Steve, that his business model of offering previews and re-editing options works for him and he feels very comfortable with it and presumably allows for it in pricing. If it works stick with it, just as I have for 30 years.

Roger

[Chris Harding]

Hi Roger

Well, at least I'm not on my own! Just to set the record straight I never ever refuse to do a re-edit ..I have just had a bride who wants half a dozen changes ...doesn't like the live audio during the congrats to the bride and groom outside the church so she just wants music ...weird, but that's what she wants! The whole idea there is to catch the audio of the guests congratulating the couple but she doesn't want it ..in fact 90% of her changes seems to be substitute live audio with supplied music. I will do it of course but it will cost her for my time but she seems happy to pay !

Yeah, I have also done one or two where I mis-spelt the name and sad to say one where the menu titles had the wrong year on them cos I used a previous template done a month before that just happened to be December 2013 and her wedding was 3 weeks later in 2014!!!

Chris

[Roger Gunkel]

Hi Chris,
I don't see anything different in what we do, as I would also never refuse alterations or changes that were not just nitpicking. I just don't promote it or offer a preview which would suggest that they can change it.

As there seem to be plenty of analogies in this thread, I would compare it with trying to sell video in the first place. If you ask a couple at a wedding show 'Do you want your wedding filmed?' the answer will usually be no, because it is the easy answer and they can walk on and maintain control. If you offer a client a preview and ask them if they want to make changes, they are quite likely to say yes, because again they are maintaining control.

If your business plan includes it then that is your choice and presumably works for you. Mine doesn't include it and works for me, so Vive la difference!

Roger

[Steve Burkett]

Originally Posted by Roger Gunkel

As there seem to be plenty of analogies in this thread.....

That would be me; I'm a sucker for analogies.

The idea of submitting a Preview Disk was introduced to me when working for the Media Department at a University, where I was expected to submit one to the Department requesting the video for approval before final disks were prepared. When I began my Wedding Business, I carried this practise over and assumed everyone did the same. This thread though suggests a wider range of policies regarding re-edits and whilst in years to come I may re-evaluate this service, for now it has a place in my workflow, not to mention a few lines in my marketing brochure. :)

[Roger Van Duyn]

Steve,

Just to murky the waters a little more, I offer re-edits. To my corporate clients. With time code, watermarked previews, and a completely different way of billing the work. I explain it on my site.

Wedding clients don't get previews. If a wedding client wants a change, after receiving final copy, mistakes are normally fixed for free. Requested edit changes not due to a mistake on my part are handled depending on circumstances. Quick and easy changes would be cheap, maybe even free. Changes that require substantial time and work, I give them a quote and let them decide if the changes are worth it.

I've found you can't handle corporate clients and wedding clients the same way. I try to explain it on my site to everyone's satisfaction. Corporate clients that are used to having video work done understand. So far, all my wedding clients have understood also, I think.

I guess if I did run into a control freak bride that wanted a lot of re-edits, I'd give her a pay as you go billing structure like the corporate clients from the start, and have her log in and view low res, watermarked proxies with time-code so she could give me all the ins and outs to her heart's content.

[Steve Burkett]

Hi Roger,

It doesn't murky the waters for me. I've been dealing with Corporate and Wedding clients for years and yes there's differences, but they're all my clients in the end and all coming to me for a service. Remember that some of my Wedding clients could be managers in Corporate positions, and will apply that experience in dealing with me as a Wedding vendor. Some of my Wedding clients have become my Corporate clients and potentially the reverse is true.

It doesn't change that a Preview copy for my Wedding clients is just another part of my service. If I told you that I personally hand delivered each Wedding Video or that I wrapped it in an expensive box with a lovely pink bow (I don't by the way), would this aspect of my service invite discussion or question. I look at Previews in the same way, just a little personal touch that some offer and others do not or do to a different degree.
I appreciate that many here have done the same and got their fingers burnt, I may too one day, or not. As I keep saying, we must all decide what's included in our service, and none of us are going to include the same things. A proverb tells us there's more than one way to skin a cat and equally there's more than one way to deliver a Wedding Video Service too.