This sort of thing continues to happen because designers feel that speculative
presentations are workable and starting jobs without contracts is prevalent.

We need to understand that advertising agencies can afford to make speculative
presentations because the creative is 'free' anyway, their money comes from
implementation and media releases over a period of time, this is in the 'crores'
range.

Designers can only charge for the 'idea' and they are stupid enough to give it
away without adequate safeguards, this is not a question of ethics, it is a
matter of foolishness. It is a different issue if one subscribes to the 'open
source' movement because then there is no need for complaint.

Why are designers so naive?

Are the educational institutions to blame in some measure?

I propose that designers begin to respect their own work sufficiently to put a
price on them and learn to enforce payment, all other professionals do this.
Have you heard this sort of problem with management or engineering consultants,
lawyers and accountants - they deal in ideas too, you know.

It is true that many young designers are not sufficiently professional regarding
deliverables and time schedules, they give the impression that the ideas they
come up with will magically transform to the end product. They are surprised
that this does not happen and the end product comes out looking shoddy and the
client is unhappy.

Know that 'Design' is nothing until it is implemented, and 'designers' who have
not learnt to execute 'quality' end results within available manufacturing
constraints and budgetary parameters will fail.

A client cannot afford to pay for work that he will have to take to someone else
before it sees the light of day, just because the designer thinks he had a great
idea or did extensive research but doesn't know how to implement.

We need to become professional, this will happen not by forming bodies or
national design agenda or fora but by learning our jobs.

If we cannot do this, we will remain amateurs, will lose out to overseas
designers and quite possibly, will deserve no consideration.

regards

Deepankar Bhattacharyya
Images Communications
NID 1970-76



Uma V Chandru <umavc@...> wrote: Hi
Sudhir
Very well expressed!
The harsh realities or the royalties of an Indian Designer, despite the perks
of traveling on
corporate jets etc!
And thanks for exposing the truth about wealthy clients who lack ethics and
exploit
freelance designers and design students as well as smaller design firms.
Someone else in
this forum spoke of lower renumeration for the same work done compared to what
they
are willing to pay foreign design firms.

Not sure if the freelance designer/design firm can really fight IPR
infringement-
but my suggestion after teaching a Design law course at srishti -if it is
copyrightable stuff
(design registration and patent is different) is to just post yourself a copy
of the work you
are presenting to the client in a sealed envelope and don't open it -and if you
find the
client or his "mole" (we really need to teach more ethics in design schools)
has used your
stuff-don't open the envelop, but file a case on copyright infringement -the
post mark and
sealed envelope and photographs taken during you presentation to the client
might be
enough proof according to a senior partner at Trilegal Service who made a
presentation to
my students.
The same advice may work for people whose scripts have been stolen by others-I
recall a
case here where credit titles were changed on someone's film and it had been
entered for
an award by someone who worked for him as his own work.

I think I have figured how to reset the setting and post-hopefully this goes
through.

Uma
Srishti faculty
Purdue Consumer Sciences and Retailing Dept (MS. Envt Design Analysis &
Interiors) 1989
Purdue Anthro & Sociology Dept. (Cultural Anthropology, Ph.D. a.b.d.) 2000

--- In designindia@..., "Sudhir Sharma" <sudhirelephant@...>
wrote:
>
> Hi Rebecca,
>
> Here are a few more methods Designers get NO-paid in India.
>
> 1. Sometimes designers get NO payment. This is paid in many ways-
> cheques which dont encash, Clients who don't answer.
>
> 2. Sometimes very big clients (of the biggest kind) avoid payment by
> diagreeing with design on designers face and then implementing it
> with 2% changes.
>
> 3. Sometimes designers get paid in kind- Expensive dinners, Private
> jet flying, Drives in expensive cars, Calls from abroad, gifts from
> exotic locations, tips on stock market. You feel too small asking
> for money anyway.
>
> 4. Some clients realise the real value of designers ie. to Argue/
> discuss with them, When after about two dozen meetings- when
> designer has streamlined the processes ready to implement design
> which he would do...Clients realise they could get an institute to
> show them concepts at no cost..with your consent.
>
> 5. Sometimes some huge clients ask for ideas, designers work to
> impress, Client has a mole (owned agency. inhouse R&D)..who does
> what you show with no compliments and no thanks.
>
>
> Designer learns the joke about I P R.
>
> regards
> Sudhir
> 1989 nid
> elephant
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> --- In designindia@..., rebecca reubens <rebs999@>
> wrote:
> >
> > Hi,
> >
> > Am doing some research on how designers in India are compensated
> for their work.
> >
> > So far have some information on designers who are full time
> consultants or employees and are compensated monthly, or designers
> who freelance and do design projects where they work as per the
> clients brief and are remmunerated accordingly for the
> collection/job as a whole.
> >
> > Have any of you worked on different terms?
> >
> > Anyone worked within the royalty set up? What do you think
> about being compensated through royalties? Would this work in India?
> >
> > Best regards,
> > Rebecca
> >
> > ________________
> > Rebecca Reubens
> > NID 2002
> > AEP FD
> > INBAR
> >
> >
> >
> > ---------------------------------
> > Don't get soaked. Take a quick peek at the forecast
> > with theYahoo! Search weather shortcut.
> >
> > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
> >
>






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