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Agency issues
I recently responded to an ad for a logo design and was asked to come up with a few initial ideas. The agency website looked legit so I spent less than a day coming up with something that was practically a finished design. They loved it and asked to send through a business card mock up in high res so they can print it to show the client. I thought, well if i send through a pdf high res they can't do much with it anyway, so i sent it through explaining my costs and said let me know what the client thinks. they responded with a request for the original ai file so they could put 'their copyright stuff on it', it was indesign anyway. I don't understand what they would need to put on or why they would need the original file at this stage. Does this sound strange to anyone? Also, as I was given the client's contact details for the business card, is there anything stopping me contacting them directly saying I've done the design and can do all future work for them? I haven't signed anything.
Thanks for any help.
Thanks for any help.
- Contact in PM
Hartley
Messages count : 22Likes count : 0Registration : 16 July 2009Yes it does sound strange. If you give them the original files then it's down to their honour as to whether they pay you anything for this work. As it stands there is nothing in writing to say you're expecting a fee as I understand it and that's what they might argue if you give it to them at this stage.
Until you have a firm order in writing and an agreement to pay you then I personally wouldn't release the files. If you agree to continue to work speculatively then you can reformat to their needs to show this to the client, but the copyright is yours at the moment not theirs, with a written agreement that if the client goes ahead you'll be paid £X for the development work already done plus whatever other fees if you're applying this to other end requirements or else an admin fee to release the artwork to them.
They obviously think there's a good chance the client will go with your option so start protecting yourself about now I'd say.