Contract Woes, Questions

[Gorath]

I recently submitted some concept designs to a video game dev team. They liked the designs and asked if they could use them, and I said sure! I'd love them to. I'd even let them have the designs for free (simply because I was enthusiastic about their project). I figured it would at least be a good start to a resume/portfolio. A few days later they asked me to sign a contract for my IP rights.

I told them I would only sign under the condition that I still be credited for the designs, or at least have my name in the credits.

They refused.

They wanted the designs without compensation or accreditation.

Can someone explain this situation to me? I really didn't think it would be that much of an issue, but they really want them without giving me anything for it. I may not be a professional YET, but I have my dignity. My business consultant on the matter and other professionals told me to pull out of that situation as fast as possible because they just want to take advantage of me. Is that it?

I haven't cut the negotiation off completely because I'm so perplexed about it. Is giving me even a thank-you in their concept credits really as impossible as is implied? Is it a legal issue?

If things don't go through I'll post the art here instead and you can tell me if I'm the hack-job artist they seem to think I am :( Please give me your thoughts.

[Hitsu//San]

Sure that they want to take advantage of you. Sure they can credit someone else out of the project but it's not a common thing neither something very professional. You must refuse to sign the contract and you must refuse to give them the property for free. Ask them to hire you as a freelance if they want your concepts or nothing else.

Man if you give your work for free no one is going to pay you to do concepts in the future cause they'll know that you can even work for free, isn't it? And by doing this you are messing up with us too cause if half of us works for free why such company would hire someone and pay someone to do a job that the can have done for free?

Please, please, please, act as a professional if you want to become a professional.


(PS: they make (edit) BIG (edit) money with your ideas, why the hell would you want to give it away for free???)

[Eelis Kyttänen]

I love this graph. Don't have any use for it myself yet ofcourse, but I hope it gives you some ideas:

http://shouldiworkforfree.com/

[Gorath]

Sure that they want to take advantage of you. Sure they can credit someone else out of the project but it's not a common thing neither something very professional. You must refuse to sign the contract and you must refuse to give them the property for free. Ask them to hire you as a freelance if they want your concepts or nothing else.

Man if you give your work for free no one is going to pay you to do concepts in the future cause they'll know that you can even work for free, isn't it? And by doing this you are messing up with us too cause if half of us works for free why such company would hire someone and pay someone to do a job that the can have done for free?

Please, please, please, act as a professional if you want to become a professional.


(PS: they make (edit) BIG (edit) money with your ideas, why the hell would you want to give it away for free???)

Yeah, this is all I've heard about the scenario and is probably the last time I'm going to do something like that.

[Hitsu//San]

Well, if sending your concepts to companies can give you the work then you must keep doing it. Only the giving away your ideas for free is a big NO, if you plan to work in this sector one day (and i think you might consider it cause this company proved that you have profitable ideas) you only need to know how to act professionally and turn down this absurd requests.

Now the only question left is, when we can see your art? (i'm curious about the company too :) but i don't mind that much, pretty much every company is able to do this kind of thing, it's sadly common)

[J Wilson]

Honestly, what is there to be confused about? They want the designs, which means they have value. They have offered no pay, and have refused to even acknowledge credit. With you getting absolutely nothing, why would you give them even a moment of consideration? Laugh in their face, tell them "hey, good luck with that," and move on. You won't even be out the ego stroke of seeing your designs in a game, because with an unprofessional attitude like theirs, I have a fair degree of confidence they don't know what they are doing, and their game won't go anywhere.

[Gorath]

Now the only question left is, when we can see your art?

Here it is, since you were interested :) I was doing them with the idea of the images being from a field sketchbook and gave it a worn, overexposed look. These were done quickly. I wouldn't call it my best work.

[Hitsu//San]

They're funny, kinda remembered me the works from Citizen Kabuto, great game and concepts. Maybe they're not professional at all or technically not so good but i can see why they wanted to use them, great passion. Do you think it's too early to start to think about doing this job in the future?

[Gorath]

They're funny, kinda remembered me the works from Citizen Kabuto, great game and concepts. Maybe they're not professional at all or technically not so good but i can see why they wanted to use them, great passion. Do you think it's too early to start to think about doing this job in the future?

It's never too early to think about it, and prepare.

[mafka]

I recently submitted some concept designs to a video game dev team. They liked the designs and asked if they could use them, and I said sure! I'd love them to. I'd even let them have the designs for free (simply because I was enthusiastic about their project). I figured it would at least be a good start to a resume/portfolio. A few days later they asked me to sign a contract for my IP rights.

I told them I would only sign under the condition that I still be credited for the designs, or at least have my name in the credits.

They refused.

They wanted the designs without compensation or accreditation.

Can someone explain this situation to me? I really didn't think it would be that much of an issue, but they really want them without giving me anything for it. I may not be a professional YET, but I have my dignity. My business consultant on the matter and other professionals told me to pull out of that situation as fast as possible because they just want to take advantage of me. Is that it?

I haven't cut the negotiation off completely because I'm so perplexed about it. Is giving me even a thank-you in their concept credits really as impossible as is implied? Is it a legal issue?

If things don't go through I'll post the art here instead and you can tell me if I'm the hack-job artist they seem to think I am :( Please give me your thoughts.

This is a very familiar situation. I'm a comic artist and the small companies ask for this type of 'free' work often (this means concept art, character sketches etc.) and they want the rights of course. And they forget to print your name on the cover sometimes... blah, blah. The right answer is NO. Don't worry your stuff is good. You'll be an great concept artist and YOU'll choose the company.

[Gorath]

This is a very familiar situation. I'm a comic artist and the small companies ask for this type of 'free' work often (this means concept art, character sketches etc.) and they want the rights of course. And they forget to print your name on the cover sometimes... blah, blah. The right answer is NO. Don't worry your stuff is good. You'll be an great concept artist and YOU'll choose the company.

Thanks for the support <3

[sylv]

A video snippet entitled "Pay the Writer". I feel the message is very relevant here too. Well worth the 3 minutes:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mj5IV23g-fE

[Chris Sanders]

sylv- "I feel the message is very relevant here too. Well worth the 3 minutes"

i gave that 9 minutes, its both funny but very serious; thanks for that.

Also yeah Gorath - these guys are trying to politely rob you, they might be nice about you but i would still not give them another second of your time.

[Tad]

sounds like you're stoked on the project and you want to have a piece of yourself in it,
which is (i'm guessing) what makes it worth it to you to not get compensation.

But by them refusing to give you credits.. they are in a way robbing you of even that small portion of "ownership" that you're hoping for..