Client asks for my original max files..what should I do?

[laszloadrian]

I did recently some work for a client. He was happy however now they are asking for my original files and they are offering to pay. What should I do? Should I sell them or not? The guy who hired me says he totally understands if I don't want to sell them - he also does photography so I assume that is the reason why.

On the other hand the files are totally worthless for me if they do not hire me for future projects.

 

What would you do?

[Scott Schroeder]

Never sell your original files. This is especially true if you used objects/textures that you bought, say from Evermotion, that you do not have the rights to resell.

 

You give them that file, he figures out what you did, then never hires you again because now he knows how to do it.

[Jeff Mottle]

I think these types of requests are becoming a lot more common and more people are giving up the model from what I am hearing. Depending on the project there are many other people involved the marketing process (where a visualizer simply would not be contributing) that can use the model for further ad creative, interactive etc. Brings up the question of licensing the model and other types of arrangements/compensations for handing a model over though. I am not sure it's always about trying to figure out how you do it so they never have to hired you again. Certainly that has to be in the forefront of any thinking though. Food for thought.

[Umesh Raut]

And also in case they are asking for the materials/maps created by the artist or under license from some company, simply overwrite the whole materials by a standard 50% grey one and delete the lights and cameras. That way even a smarty-pant is helpless and trust me, he's not going to spend time developing the scene once again to the mood set in the original file.

 

The original has to be the artist's property. After all, we spend huge sums annually on software and hardware for our use and benefit.

[Scott Schroeder]

Right, all good suggestions for how to prep the model if you have to give it away. I was taking it as the client was asking for the model, as is. I guess the original post never really clarified that aspect.

 

I still don't see the need for the client to have the original model though, even just the geometry. I mean, what are they going to do with it? Though Jeff brings up an excellent point about future earnings and rights. If you have to give the model as is, meaning everything is included, you should at least draft up a future earnings contract. This way if they client uses your model in another way and makes money off of it, you can get a cut of that. After all, it still is your work being used. I'm not sure how a client would react to this kind of request, but it is food for thought.

 

I think this is something that should be discussed as you are pitching the project so you can prepare for it. During the initial contract phase always make sure you ask this question so as to not be surprised by it was the project is winding down.

[Umesh Raut]

Dear Scott,

In our (viz artists community's, as a whole) case, almost all the time the clients are architects/designers. They would plan/want to use part(s) of the model later, may be in some other work too; just like we (at least I) do by backing up earlier models/textures as part of ever growing library. I strip away all the important and proprietary data if they request the model, as pointed above. Because here in India, clients try to outsmart the developers in such manners and I need to protect my interests and your point about putting it in black and white is, sadly, not well respected and hence practiced here as yet.

[heni30]

I am guilty of being on the other side of the request. We had to sub out some work to a Chinese company and I stipulated that we get the Max /Vray files in case I had to make last minute changes and they agreed because it was a substantial amount of work for them. I learned a lot from studying their lighting - materials - Vray settings, etc. It had nothing to do with using them in the future because that would only happen if we had a work overload. Recently I saw a scene online that I liked a lot by someone in India so I emailed him and asked him if he would sell me the files for the scene. We agreed on a price and he sent them over. We were both very happy with the arrangement.

[Umesh Raut]

hmmmm.........

It wasn't me, btw , but yes, I am open and hopeful of online transactions and file transfer for a fee. Till then.....

[M V]

I would never just give a model to a client. My contract clearly states that the deliverable is a JPEG image at a certain resolution. If you want the model, that's an additional cost. Most clients will just change their minds when they know it will cost more. From my experience, even if someone had access to a model and its settings, would that really teach them all that much? Every project is different and requires more than just a copy and paste of settings. How many years of trial and error and reading did it take each of us? You would learn more from buying some CG School tutorials or just going to this website and readying the how-tos.

 

Although, it would be nice if there was a script that would strip all materials to gray and remove all lights and reset vray settings to defaults. Sounds simple enough for someone who has the know-how.

[Umesh Raut]

You do not need any script for that, btw, just a couple minutes. To select all the objects (CRTL+A) and assign the famous 50% grey blob in the mat editor to selected and removing all material samples from editor's slots; select all the lights via light lister or H - select by name (filter by category if there are too many) and then delete . And vray is probably the biggest difference the firms have (or lack) here, hence many of my clients' machines may only default to scanline renderer. And yes, I charge extra for model/s .

Edited August 8, 2012 by umeshraut

[laszloadrian]

thank you guys for the advice. I just told them that I will not sell the original files. I was told they understand. Will I get future business, I don't know. It is what it is.

[Scott Schroeder]

Take a lesson from this experience. Whether you feel you should or would sell/give away your models is a personal preference. However, if you get to the point near the end of the project and you get surprised by the client asking you to give them the model files, then take it as a failure of your contract and initial client talks.

 

From this point forward, make sure you have this dialog with the client before you start the project. Make sure the exact deliverable is in the contract, as well as a original files clause.

[Dimitris Tolios]

If it is not spelled out in a written agreement / contract, then you could strip the model as it was suggested, and give him a simple .max or .3ds file with walls and slabs - pretty much what could be considered your client's intellectual property.

 

You could claim that materials, furniture and entourage were parts of bought collections that you don't have the right to resell, and you would not, just like you would not share your client's documents with other parties without permission.

 

Don't go into greater details about what's missing and what not.

 

If he bugs you about it, then simply say that you would have to charge him a lot of extras should you have to model all his furniture and entourage and materials from scratch - perhaps the furniture alone in a small room would take as much man hours as his building.

 

You are co-operating to your client's wants, you are honest and as Scott wrote, you understand how to spell out your agreements in greater detail for the future.

[laszloadrian]

The job was trough elance so I did not worried to o much about contract. And they offered to pay for the "native files". Now is water under the bridge anyway. thanks

[M V]

I agree across the board here. A job runs very smooth when you have an iron clad contract and the dialog is open at the very beginning about what they need and what you are giving them. Some clients don't even know the difference between getting a 'rendering' and getting a model. I love the idea of gray the whole model and send them a .3DS file with no stock models. They will soon realize how important you are and you will get more business from them for sure.

[SkylineArch]

It depends on the client for me. If I'm building a model for an architect (residential) then I will give them the model if they ask for it. For one, they do not know how to use it for rendering, or they wouldn't contract me, second, it helps them verify their 2D design, which in turn makes my service more valuable to them, and third, it's a custom home, there isn't much use for it for them or me beyond this one project.

 

However, if I'm contract through another render house or company that does their own in-house rendering, I won't give up the model, or Max file, or PSD file unless specifically agreed upon up front, and then I'll hide my specific techniques by removing them or flattening layers in the case of a PSD file.