Post House Blues: Part Deux

After getting a slew of emails and IMs from those working in post houses about the deplorable relationship between them and the agencies who hire them, we decide to ask you readers for comment. See the original post here. Here’s one of our favorite comments about the whole debacle.

From Post Monkey:
“Ninety-five percent of all spots could be improved if AE’s were not allowed to speak during an edit. –98% if they weren’t even allowed in the room.

Pro Bono work is the bane of the post industry. The end client is rarely served well. Everyone is in it for their own reasons.

Somebody post the record number of “versions” you’ve sent out the door for an approval marathon. Ten versions of a spot on an approval reel just means that someone didn’t have the balls to say, “This is the way it’s going to be!”

Things that can’t be fixed in the edit include: bad acting, poor writing, cheap sets, and everything else you skimped on the budget. After literally wearing out their welcome in an LA shop, I had an agency come in and say, “This spot isn’t funny. Make it funny.” Sure, got a PO for that?

Somebody post the record number of bid versions you’ve ever submitted for a job. I once submitted TWELVE versions of a bid at once.

Don’t tell me something can be done in a day when we both know it can’t (especially with THAT client). Producers: Don’t make your pre-pro budget numbers work by cheating the post time after I told you it would take two days. You make us both look bad.

Don’t ask me to start putting all of those third party costs into my bid that you usually pay directly. I’m not calling in favors or beating up vendors because your budget sucks.

I could write a book… hey, wait… I am writing a book.

And quit screwing talent.”