Payment and Invoicing for Make-up Artists
Payment Help and Tips for Professional Freelancers in Make-up
May 11, 2009 Shefali Choudhury
Professional make-up work mostly involves being self employed and having to invoice for work completed. Added to this, being in a creative profession means that there is competition, a system rooted in collaborative and voluntary work as well as the need to practice skills before taking on too much responsibility. Getting paid can mean the difference between being successful and having to give up a dream.
Private Make-up:
Some make-up artists make a whole business of this kind of work as bridal artists or with celebrity clients. Bridal work is often the easiest kind to get paid fairly quickly for. It pays well and is fun and sociable but it is also easy to take a few steps to make sure that the business side of things runs smoothly.
- Be clear about price and do not feel awkward about discussing this in an open manner before any work commences.
- Quote no less than the average rate even at the expense of losing a job. Taking on a poorly paid job for someone who does not value your work will only lead to feeling exploited.
- Hiring a freelancer can seem expensive but there are many essentials in this field including public liability insurance, a comprehensive and fresh kit as well as transport and advertising. Do the job to a high professional standard and then do not feel bad about costing the above into the business.
- Some freelancers charge a cancellation fee or ask for a deposit before work is done. This is up to individuals but should be discussed clearly before any work is started.
- Contracts are unusual for private work, but get booking confirmations via e mail or post. This way there is a written record of work undertaken which avoids confusion when it comes to paying.
Commercial Work:
- Many television and advertising companies use a system of purchase orders when booking make-up artists. In order to invoice, the purchase order number needs to be quoted. Chase this up if the reference is not received quickly after a booking is made, as invoicing is not possible without it.
- Read terms and conditions carefully as many companies have a long payment cycle. Invoicing before cut off dates speeds the process.
- Non payment of invoices is rarely down to an inefficient accounts department. However, they are always helpful in chasing up owed monies. When payments are very late it often comes down to someone not signing off an invoice, but contacting the person who has it sitting on their desk unfortunately seldom works; even if that person hired you. Speaking to accounts can help get all correct papers signed off and payments made. This should be the first call.
- Write professional looking invoices. It is acceptable to put a clause in the original invoice which warns that interest will be applied to late payments. This may in reality be hard to enforce but it does show that you mean business.
- Send regular statements to late payers. These simply show the payment due, and interest owed but are similar to the credit card statements consumers routinely get. It keeps the debt current and is an annoying reminder to pay. .
It can be lonely starting out as a freelancer, needing to take every opportunity on offer without getting ripped off, so consider joining a body which has resources to help with the business side of the job. BECTU is the Broadcast Entertainment CInematograph and Theatre Union in the UK and has an excellent resources section to help freelancers invoice and obtain moneys owed with access to legal advice.
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