r/VideoProfessionals

Hey all, I’m seeking your input on a job I’m expecting to interview for.

About the job:
They are a start up that sells products in the fitness/ nutrition/ wellness space. They have been dramatically ramping up their advertising and marketing this year. Right now, they have some editors, a video production lead, and a creative director but there is no one single post production supervisor, so I would be kind of building a department and set of processes from semi-scratch.

About me:
10 years of experience as a story producer, post producer and editor. Mix of freelance clients and one full time job as Story/Post producer at an agency for 3 of those years. I’ve never held a post supe title, but I’ve been in positions many times where I’m juggling many projects, clients, and editors at the same time as a Post Producer, and also worked within several different companies, which gives me a good sense of what does and doesn’t work.

What salary should I reasonably ask for this? And what should I reasonably expect to get? I’m down to swing for the fences, freelancing has been great to me the last few years and I’m not coming to this interview from a position of any desperation.

I cross posted to r/videoprofessionals as well so adding that this would be in Los Angeles (but fully remote)

Thanks for your thoughts!

me and my roommate wanna make cooking videos. ive never edited videos before, what editing software should i use and does anybody have any tips?

edit: pls dont offer to do it i wanna learn

I’m a small video production company owner and I’m dealing with a situation that has me second-guessing my entire business.

I was hired to film and edit a pilot episode for a client. The project involved multiple people, including another creative who was involved with the production. There was never a written agreement between my company and this other person, but he is now claiming that I hired him and owes him money.

The client still owes me $1,500. She says she lost her job, which I understand because life happens, and I was willing to rework her payment plan to help prevent late fees. She declined that.
The client has now sent me a demand letter claiming:
The work was “substandard” and “amateur.”
Deadlines were missed.
They want approximately $5,700 refunded.

They are threatening small claims court.
Her demand letter deadline has passed, but I haven’t heard anything since. I also checked the public records and found nothing filed.

The confusing part is that I have video footage of the client at the premiere saying things like:
“It was beautiful.”
“Y’all did good work.”
“I love y’all.”
“Thank you.”

They also ganged up on me on a call. I was talking to the other creative and found out halfway through the call that she was on the line. They tried to get me to give up the footage, which I’m holding due to nonpayment. I agreed, under duress, to release the footage on the condition that they have a letter of settlement drafted by a lawyer to protect myself.

I have been silent since sending my conditions for release, one of which is that I only be contacted by the lawyers. She declined and was irate in her text, stating that she no longer wanted the footage, but then sent the demand letter demanding the release of the footage or a refund for services already rendered.
The client also paid for the work throughout the project and did not make these complaints until after disputes started involving the other person.
I have:

A written post-production agreement.
Terms stating final delivery occurs after final payment.
Text messages and emails.
The video contradicting the claims that the work was terrible.
No written agreement with the person now claiming I owe him money.

At this point I’m trying to decide whether I should:
Wait to see if they actually file.
File my own claim first.
Continue trying to settle.
Stop communicating entirely and only respond if a lawsuit is filed.

For those who have dealt with difficult clients, threatened lawsuits, or creative disputes, how would you approach this? Does this sound like a legitimate legal threat or more like negotiation pressure?
I’m honestly exhausted and trying to determine whether I’m looking at a normal business dispute or something more serious.