Posts by Smudgethis

UPDATE!

Just got an email from my favourite client and it’s a blinder!

Client: I am a better user then you.Maybe y think i am elemantary user but i need that filecause i have no time and too busy.i dont need ur f(bleep)g file anymore.i can see that people seems alive but they are dead in my heart.How u think god bless u …ok bb

Me: I have no opinion as to what level of user you are. You could be Andrew Kramer for all I care I still wouldn’t give you the files for free. I invested a lot of hard work and time in creating this template and the files associated with it. Giving them away for free would not be a good move from a business point of view.

I am more than happy to supply the files to anyone who has purchased the template and have done so many many times in the past.

Regards

Perhaps live blogging this rather ‘intimate’ conversation is a little below the belt but it is my way of venting to the world the goings on in ‘La La Land’ where clients think they can get something for free by using naughty adult words and annoying abbreviations… ‘bb’ (anyone know what that even means?)

J

EFEKT_Studio said
ummm, I know it’s kinda offtopic, but could you send me the c4d file? But, like… now!

Hi _, Can you send me your proof of purchase of the template and then I will send you the c4d files.

Just thought I would share this small exchange of correspondence from yesterday. Was a shame it didn’t last longer, on reflection he was quite entertaining…

Client: hi i bought ur awesome project named “about me”but i need c4d and sound files could u send them to me as fast as u can ? thanx u so much again

Me: Hi _, Can you send me your proof of purchase of the template and then I will send you the c4d files. Unfortunately I can’t send you the audio as that does not belong to me and has to be purchased separately. Kind regards

Client: idk how can i send u proof i am new here cant u just send it plz i really need c4d today

Me: In your Envato profile, go to ‘Downloads’ then click the licence certificate of the ‘About Me’ template that you have purchased. (jpeg attached to help you). Send me that and I will send you the files today. Kind regards

Client: to be honest,i didnt buy ur project.i wanted a project from my cousin and he gave me that project.when i ask him c4d files he told me that:”u can ask (my email address) “then i e-mailed u.if u can do a favour to me i really be funny. Perfect regards

Me: Dude it’s $25. Stop being so cheap. You really expect me to help you when you won’t even spend $25 on my hard work?

Client: hey man we purchased 25 dollars already.i am not cheap.i have ur project file expect c4d.doesnt matter dont give me c4d good bloody days :/

Me: Actually you have only purchased ONE LICENCE to use the file ONCE (read the small print) and don’t get abusive.

I worked hard to make a product and your cousin purchased the rights to use that template once. If you now want to use it then you have to purchase another licence. Without doing so you are actually breaking the licence agreement and in proving you have done what you have done, you and your cousin are now subsequently eligible to be sued by myself and Envato.

If you want the files I am happy to give them to you but only if you abide by the law. I run a professional business and only do business with professionals.

Regards

I received no reply. I may be wrong on the whole ‘being sued by Envato’ part but it sounded good.

Anyway, I’l just rack it up as another case of classicclientitis. It seems like an epidemic is doing the rounds.

1. Your name is Gosh Honey!

2. ...what?

dorde said
Isn’t obvious that after effects project files are in after effects projects category?
Imagine, for example, big banner over the tablets for dish-washing machine in supermarkets: “You need dish-washing machine to use tablets for dish-washing machine”. And of course some people will buy tablets and will try to use them as bubble gums.

As someone who uses After Effects, yes, obviously, but not everyone who comes to this site is. Or am I just over-reacting to a world full of idiots destined to spend their lives buying things that they neither need nor have the ability to use?

GloriousVids said

Possible solution

Maybe the Devs can add this: When people are purchasing an item that is an After Effects Project File, a notification should pop-up telling them that they need Adobe After Effects in order to edit this file. Than the buyers actually need to check a box stating that they agree and know about Adobe After Effects being required to edit the file.

+1

felt_tips said
To those gasping in outrage at $500 to customize a logo file… Wake up!

$500 to customize a file, render, compress and upload it is a perfectly normal sum in the world of professional motion graphics. Oh…. and it’s never, ever, ever “just press render”. When you take on something like that, you take on a contract and a responsibility.

I know that Videohive skews your world-view somewhat. But c’mon… if you want to be the big motion graphic design professional, then stop thinking like an amateur.

My day rate is £350 which I think equates to around $500-550, and I have no problem with charging that to clients. What I do have an issue with is this idea that someone who has mistakenly purchased a template for $15 not realising it needs after effects (be that due to a language barrier or whatever reason) and then finding it will cost professional day rate to customise.

From the messages here it does sound like this happens a fair bit, not often, but sometimes. I just wondered if maybe the software requirements should be made a little more prominent to the buyer before they click purchase.

Is this the responsibility of the author or videohive?

P.s. this is more the sort of discussion I was hoping for, not a debate on whether we charge to much for a professional service.

J

maupa said
I’ve got over 10 of this emails in the last 12 months on my black 3d logo. The fiirst time I was shocked. Now I offer them an custom rendering for 500 dollar and never get an answer. This is the best way for me. maupa

This sounds like a horrible way of forcing poor naive individuals into paying a fortune for somethig that they thought they could get for a very low price.

I have to say I’m not too in favour of this mercantile approach and was looking more for creative ways in which we can help the customer, not fleece them out of hundreds of dollars.

I just got this comment on my profile…

“Hello,

I wanted to have a promo for my website and I brought this. I thought I will get some executable file which I can run by update text to produce a nice video. But I don’t see anything. I have a windows operating system. Please can you let me know how I can proceed ? What are the requirements for running your application. Sorry I am complete newbie in this ? I just just brought this and unzipped and unable to proceed further. Even a video shows some kind of editor which I don’t have. Please provide some info. If this is not possible, Is it possible for refund. Please reply”

This led me to thinking, how obvious is it to buyers that what people are buying is in fact not a stand alone application but a template that requires a specific piece of software (i.e. After Effects) to customise.

To us as authors it must seem so obvious that the above message might even raise a smile but if you have no prior knowledge of motion graphics and want to create a video without the experience or education on the subject, is it clear that you need Adobe After Effects to edit and render the templates available on this site?

Thoughts?

These two templates have been used by a number of (predominantly) American Church groups and I have been asked to customise them on a number of occasions for other religious groups.

Give me a shout if you need help with customisation james@smudgethis.com