Utter disappointment in a Video Freelancer in CS

[Static]

Sharing my horrible experience and misjudgement on a NSF freelancer offering his wedding videography services in CS video biz.

Problem started 2 months back when I was searching for wedding videography services in both CS and Singaporebrides.com for my wedding this coming weekend. Rhema ( spelt correct?)came highly recommended by my friend and some forumers in singaporebrides.com but due to the late notice and the fact this weekend is a hot date, all videographers were booked up. They said they can try to squeeze in one for me only if i take up their videography service + animation montage package, the hefty price tag forced me to look elsewhere for options.

Being a Cser, i concentrated my search in this forum and was very impressed by the works of a young NSF here and even more by the fact that he won some runner up prize in some mediacorps video competition. So i approached him.

During teleconversation, i was given a quote. About 2 weeks later, during actual meetup, he gave a slightly higher quote and denied giving me such low quote. I got a bad feeling about him and alarm bells were screaming in my mind, I hesitated and did not sign up immediately. Price quoted was not the issue as it was still lower rhema.

GF and I debated over several concerns
1) He is young and lack experience as a wedding videographer
2) Price quoted was only 250 cheaper than the video only package offered by Rhema.
3) One alternative: i could try my luck and plea wif rhema on just taking the video only package.

After a week (6/12/06 last mth) I recieved a SMS from him that he was willing to lower his quote. (the one quoted on the phone). However, I was still uncomfortable abt the idea of getting him but after another several discussion wif my gf, we decided to engage him. This was due to the fact my gf was pretty impressed by his works and also becuz the quote was reasonably within our budget.

A day later, I called up and verbally confirmed the booking with him. He requested for my email addr. SMS him three times and last SMS was asking him to revert if recieved if he recieved my SMS
No ans though, but nevermind as he mentioned he was watching midnite and i dun wish to disturb him.

But after 2 weeks, there was still no email confirmation from him and i got worried.

Last Fri nite 19/01/07 , I make a call to him. To my horror he TOTALLY FORGET and denied I ever made the confirmation although later he confessed "he seemed" to have received an SMS with my email addr and he would follow up on that.

From last fri til yesterday, still no email response from him. Called him yday nite for almost 20 times and no ans
Just few hours ago, received this SMS from him
"Hi, sorry my handphone was not with me for the past 24 hours. I do not think I can cover your wedding this weekend. I have to be in court to attend to something urgent. Regrets."

Frankly speaking, I can understand and accept his reason as such unexpected things are beyond his control. Even though he mentioned it was somebody's (his friend's) court case not his.

But his behaviour and attitude in handling my very special day is utterly unacceptable and irresponsible.
He did not even bother to call up to inform. But chosed to send an SMS to simply settle the issue. The kind of "Hey, i got something crop up, oh regrets period" attitude
What is more disappointing is the fact that he DIDN'T even bother to suggest TRYING to look for a replacement for me on my behalf and expect to accept it and explain to everybody including my gf's family

Ironically, b4 that SMS my gf was very worried that he got into some accident that's why he never ans or reply to my call for a day. In him, I can only sensed an irresponsible freelancer trying to make hit and run assignment in wedding to cover the cost of his hobby.

Angrily, I replied his SMS saying i regreted engaging such an irresponsible person for the most important day in my life.

Here is his reply "Its ok. Happens"



A note to david L** and rest of the freelancers here :

I hope u unstd the importance of a wedding to a couple. Please do not treat it as just some means to earn a few extra bucks. To u, it's just an assignment, last min cancellation means no extra bucks for u, tat's all. But to most couples, this is only once in a lifetime thing which is not gona happen again. Your roles are very important and the responsibiltiy is heavy, go around ask the professionals here.

I quarrel wif my gf this morn regarding this, just a few days b4 my actual day. I am very upset about it. Hope you would not cause such distress again to future couples

[haagen_dazs]

may i suggest to all that
everything should be contractual. black and white and signed.
and legal recourse should always be in the contract and available if terms and agreements are breached.

stay focused, look forward and have a blessed marriage.

[eikin]

Originally Posted by Static A note to david L** and rest of the freelancers here : I hope u unstd the importance of a wedding to a couple. Please do not treat it as just some means to earn a few extra bucks. To u, it's just an assignment, last min cancellation means no extra bucks for u, tat's all. But to most couples, this is only once in a lifetime thing which is not gona happen again. Your roles are very important and the responsibiltiy is heavy, go around ask the professionals here.

not just for videography service, photography service as well!

anyway, think of it this way, people in the past still get married happily without videography service, so don't brood over it

[glennyong]

its sad to hear about this..

but then again... like what most couples do. be kiasu abit and book your favourite photographers and videographers 6mths in advance to avoid disappointment.

and as for the videographer.

theres too many of such cases happening for both photography and videography.

[wind30]

Just enjoy your wedding lah.

But from his attitude right from the beginning, you should have expected something like that from happening right?

Moral of the story is engage someone who you like his works and TRUST. If you don't trust the person, how can you even be sure the works he is showing you are his???

[jeanie]

i can definitely understand your frustrations.

sorry to hear that...

[Del_CtrlnoAlt]

Originally Posted by jeanie i can definitely understand your frustrations. sorry to hear that...

U married?

Static... so how? got anybody contact you regarding the videography yet?

[jeanie]

Originally Posted by Del_CtrlnoAlt U married? Static... so how? got anybody contact you regarding the videography yet?

no i'm not.but when i was planning for my good friend's wedding, i got videographers who played out on me too.in the end, i had to engage a slightly more expensive one for them due to last minute booking.i felt so apologetic to my friend and in the end i paid for her videography fees.
really dislike people with no integrity and professionalism.

[Del_CtrlnoAlt]

Originally Posted by jeanie no i'm not.but when i was planning for my good friend's wedding, i got videographers who played out on me too.in the end, i had to engage a slightly more expensive one for them due to last minute booking.i felt so apologetic to my friend and in the end i paid for her videography fees. really dislike people with no integrity and professionalism.

they dun have a reputation to keep in the 1st place.. how to talk about professionalism?

[jeanie]

Originally Posted by Del_CtrlnoAlt they dun have a reputation to keep in the 1st place.. how to talk about professionalism?

how very true.
then again, you dont need to have a reputation to be professional.

[Del_CtrlnoAlt]

Originally Posted by jeanie how very true. then again, you dont need to have a reputation to be professional.

It works in a few way...

Like mine is 8k of post = my reputation... so if ever i do anything 'professional' i have to protect my reputation... true?

but if i graduate from some school, and take up the profession, 'professionally' then i build my reputation...

both ways, to me, reputation is important to me.

if still in doubt...

<--- check my reputation... hehehehehe....

[Caspere]

Originally Posted by jeanie how very true. then again, you dont need to have a reputation to be professional.

How to be "professional" if they have never been one? It's not like they teach "professionalism" in schools. One have to be in the industry to learn of the professional practises and business ethics & norms.

There is always a reason for "cheap"

[jeanie]

i can go on and on for a debate regarding professionalism.but let's just stick to static's plight here.

[Big Kahuna]

So sorry to hear that....and I am really sad to see that CS now has became a breeding ground for these irresponsible people...gentlemen agreement made by ungentlement people...I myself encountered twice on B&S.....these are rotten apple and I hope they are at receiving end one day

[shinken]

Static, I'm sorry for you guys being the unlucky ones. There are good freelancers out there, and there are those that suck big time. I think I know which one you're talking about. I'm sorry you met the wrong one.

I hope you can join us in spreading the word whenever you meet friends or relatives -to share the advice that for the wedding day, try not to save that bit of money. Saving the anxiety and headaches on the big day is priceless. Having the assurance that you'll have the job done, and done well, is already worth the couple of hundred savings.

Spread the advice to get a reputable photographer or videographer (full time or not), and someone whose works had been verified by many and liked by the couple. Trying to save money through hunting for cheap alternatives in video and photo is always to first step towards an unhappy wedding day.

Please PM me the details of the videographer you're talking about. I'll help warn my clients. To the videographer in the subject, if you feel you've been wronged, please defend yourself openly on this thread, and I will withdraw my warnings.

[jeanie]

Originally Posted by Big Kahuna So sorry to hear that....and I am really sad to see that CS now has became a breeding ground for these irresponsible people...gentlemen agreement made by ungentlement people...I myself encountered twice on B&S.....these are rotten apple and I hope they are at receiving end one day

what goes around comes around my friend.dont worry about it.

[Canonised]

To TS, the first mistake you made was that you did not make an effort to meet him in person, since the time grace was rather long, as well as you know it is your important event. Meet him and commit him, preferably in B/W.
But now it's over, maybe you should get over this and not that it to affect yr plan, look for another one. Best wishes ....

[Youhong]

Ethics....

[redzzz]

hey, like u say, marriage is a once a lifetime thing for a couple, dun like pple like tat ruin your once in a lifetime event!

think abt it, if really can't get video, so wat? you still have each other right?

have a blessed marriage!

[jsbn]

Originally Posted by jeanie how very true. then again, you dont need to have a reputation to be professional.

This gives an excuse for unethical peeps to join the business.

No reputation, no ethics, no integrity and dis guy can be thrown to the dogs.