The Time Adam Savage Majorly Messed Up With a Client

What's the best way to handle accidentally biting off a bit more than you can chew? In this livestream excerpt, Adam answers a question from Tested member ozpin8329, whom we thank for their support! Join this channel to support Tested and get access to perks like asking Adam questions:

Intro bumper by Abe Dieckman

Thanks for watching!

[dorsk]

When he paused just before he said "client", I could see his mind run through about 4 or 5 inappropriate things to say.

[guytech]

FYI: Change Orders are very very IMPORTANT. Often you an a client will agree to a scope of the project, but during the implementation the client wants changes (aka mission creep). This is a tactic many clients use to get more out of you than the job is worth.

I recommend you have a a signed agreement that states exactly what services (or products ) you will be providing and that any changes that deviate from the original agreement will include extra charges that the client must sign off (get it writing).

[kriskane]

I'm a freelance writer and the advice here applies to all freelance work. Sometimes you underestimate the job's complexity and the time it will take and overestimate your own abilities, and (as Adam said) you just have to eat it. Other times, you run into a client who's such an obvious pain in the ass that you know working with them is going to be an absolute nightmare. No matter how hungry you are, don't take those jobs. Some people's money is too expensive.

[jaydub]

I'm a consulting engineer and one of the most important things I've learned is to put EVERYTHING into a written contract. When will the job start, when will it be delivered, when will you be paid, HOW will you be paid. Do you need something from the client in order for you to finish your work? Put it in writing and clearly state when they will need to provide it.

Scope creep is a common occurrence in my industry and I will often have to go back to clients and ask for more money because of changes they've requested. Having the original parameters of the contract clearly written makes it easy to show how things have changed, why it requires more effort, and why it costs more money.

"You asked for X, I priced for X, you're now asking for Y, here's the price for Y."

[Incandescentiron]

A colleague of mine worked in the auto industry and once overheard executives joking about what vendors they were going to put out of business that year. Abusing contracted manufacturers is definitely not limited to the entertainment industry.

[GeomancerHT]

A lot of the times the client won't mention a "simple detail" and you will end with more that you can't chew but it's not your fault... I once estimated a software migration in 100 hours, 2.5 times the industry standard rate, to a client that didn't show a single line of code until after we signed the contract, and then realized their app was almost 3 millions lines of code and had to be completely tested to be certified as migrated, took +300 hours, I ended up eating the bill but they paid a great bonus that covered most of it and the next contract we both raised the hourly rate and completely changed estimations as we already were cleared to look at code.

[WKfpv]

While watching this video I felt this feeling of how lucky we are, after all these years after MythBusters, we still have this change of know and learn from you Adam, thanks you so much.

[siggycandy]

My wife and I have repeated Jamie’s advice of “however the client is going to be going into the job is how they will be going through” multiple times since the first time you told the story. It is now helping us immensely as we transition to a new career. I think it applies to a potential boss/organization who are interviewing with you.

[daveco]

"Make this job go away." You gotta love Jamie for that move.

[AllanSanches]

I'm a 2D animator and the industry now is absurd, it's exactly like Adam said. They will pay you a predetermined amount, but then down the line will require changes after changes because directors are incapable of abstracting ideas and they want you to animate it first, so they can see it finalized and only then they go like "hmmm, yeah we need to completely change this thing that I agreed upon when I watched the animatic" and of course they don't want to pay for the this needs to stop

[psmirage]

I once bid $120 on a project that involved converting a paper blueprint into an AutoCAD file. Looked easy at first, but the thing ended up taking three times as long as I expected to. Fortunately, my client was understanding, and paid me $300 for the job. It still only ended up paying me about $8 per hour (back in the '90s), but it could've been much, much worse.

[PaulStSmith]

I love that even after more than 30 years he despair at how little he charged for the pieces!
😀😁😂🤣

[icedstar]

I once charged 50$ for an illustration of a specific car and by the end of it I had worked 12 hours a day for an entire week. This stuff happens to everybody, the important part is learning how to do acurate quoting on your work and also learn what the value of your time is.

[scottlyttle]

As a maker and prop person in the movie industry, I'm here just nodding my head up and down as Adam is talking.. I've experienced every single instance he did.. and I've learned a lot as well.

[spartanog]

You just described my brother-in-law's 30+ year custom cabinet business. He was always way too nice to tell a difficult client "no thank you" and almost always underestimated the time it would take to complete a job.

[raydunakin]

I'm retired now but did freelance illustration for many years. Underbidding was always a huge problem for me. This was mostly because I was constantly broke and desperate for money, which is a real death spiral. You need to take whatever you can get just to survive but then you're not getting paid enough and are even more desperate.

[TheNextDecade]

ADAM THANK YOU. I'm sending this to my producers after we finish the shoot this weekend. Oh my god man, that last bit you touched on asking others to help across multiple studios has been my life the last week. i feel so seen and validated holy crap thank you Adam

[QuestionMan]

I love these kind of videos from you. Wisdom gained through experience and presenting it from a place of camaraderie is so helpful and therapeutic.

[MsAmazonu]

After 40 years these clients still get under my radar, I get so mad at myself! Then I have to think "well they made me better and it is a learning curve." And I will never see them again, because they knew they screwed me! Sort of ike when you loan your friend $5 and they don't pay you back, that is a cheap season cause now they won't borrow $100.

[MDA_]

As someone who is a similar age to Adam and has run his own studio since his early 20's I watched this with so much empathy. It's 100% on the nail. I've got the T shirt.