Hello, I’m a student and as part of my coursework we have to put together a mock report to be sumbitted to a “client” which includes a quotation of cost and delivery time for the approved final designs. My question is, when you put forth the cost to complete the job, do you break tha figure down (i.e. in to how much you’d recieve per hour and expenses) or is that information private and not part of the process? Or do you say;
Modelling: £XXXX
Animating: £XXXX
Rigging: £XXXX
Rendering: £XXXX
I tried to find examples, in docuement form, of cost breakdowns but I couldn’t find any.
The most important part of this document has nothing to do with how you charge but the terms in which you work ie All work remains the property of You until paid in full. Models/Files/designs will remain your property at all times and will not be part of the aggreement only the end product. Changes to the work made after the initial quote will incur changes to both the cost and time of completion etc Trust me if you want to stay in business make sure you cover your ass. If they don’t what these conditions then you’ve dodged a bullet and will be better off.
From my experience, typically a client will ask for a range of quotes based on the total costs if they omit parts. Do list the cost associated with each task, but make sure all required addition is done for them. For example Modeling may be one quote, Modeling + Texturing may be the next, and so on. There is a good chance they will not understand the process, so include visual examples of what they are paying for. Also give a percentage discount for larger quantities of work.
Start with your hourly rate, preferably using Excel so the client can adjust it. Typically you should nearly double what you would make on staff. The reason is to cover your expenditures like health care, work materials (if not provided), and have some negotiation room. Freelance is also less stable work so factor that in as well. With time, estimate at least 15%-20% more time than you expect.
Last, just as a word of future advice, if you ever find yourself freelancing, keep applying for jobs. Freelancing in itself takes extra commitment with both managing your time and tax considerations. If you are anything like me, it will be easier to thrive in a studio environment.
