Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Aggressive Negotiations

I wrote out the title before I remembered that it's from a movie I pretend doesn't exist on a daily basis. Please forgive me.

I haven't posted in a while, which occasionally means that there's a shortage of crazy emails. Fantastic! In this instance, though, it's just a shortage of free time to commit to chronicling them all. For today's story, I'll have to start sometime a time long, long ago, namely the month of June.

I've had several correspondences with a guy who needed a videographer... and by several, I mean we've sent at least 30 emails back and forth. He asks a lot of very odd, novice questions, but there's no reason for me to be less than polite. At some point, he tells me he'll "get back to me."

Arby's said the same thing when I applied in 2003. Still waitin' on that call, guys.

Almost immediately after, on the same day the first conversation stopped, I responded to another listing for another crew position. The same guy responded, saying "you do this, too?!" Another conversation ensued, followed by another "I'll get back to you." These two conversations spanned, literally, several months.

A few weeks ago he posted another listing, and I responded, having no clue it was his posting. He told me about this new, third, project, and asked me how much I'd ask for the job, and I gave him a quote.

I was met with outrage. "That's not what you told me in June!" Well... yes, it's a different job, with different requirements and time commitment, and a third of a year has passed. I told him we could discuss and negotiate if he'd like, but I couldn't flex too much because, simply put, I could get that amount from a different job that I'd be doing if I weren't helping him. I haven't heard back sense. Fine by me.

Today is about a week later, and I get a response last night at 1:30am to a listing I responded to yesterday.

"I'm just curious as to why you would take this pay all of a sudden when my castmate (afformentioned person) offered you the same pay."

Allow me to point out that this is the FIRST thing they say... no hello, no introduction. This is what I get, as if I'm supposed to know who they are from their listing alone (which has no name or other information, and is incredibly incoherent).

What surprises me is that, if they feel I've offended or wronged them in some way, they'd continue to tell me about the project and try their best to convince me to take the position. It's like offering a used car dealer more than their asking price, and having them inhaling through their teeth and tell you, "I dunno, my manager's not gonna like that, but I'll ask..."

"But did I mention the seats are heated, if you sit on them long enough?"


Now, allow me to explain what "the same pay" means. The rest of their email goes on to explain the duration of the work. The original ad specified an amount that would be reasonable, if not a little low, for a full day's work, and made the amount sound as if it were potentially per day, or maybe "per episode." They specify in the email that this is the amount for FOUR MONTHS of work, October through February.

They even go on to explain why almost four months of work isn't so bad.

"We're only doing 15 episodes so we don't need you 24/7 for 3 odd months and some of these episodes are to be continueds so it's like one long one."

Oh, shit, it's only one movie? Sure, I'm free tonight at 10.

Then, they end the email with this little nugget of gold.

"Take it or leave it."

That's a tough choice and all, but I think I'd be better off waiting for Arby's. They'd pay more.