In a message dated 8/3/98 10:14:14 PM Eastern Daylight Time, [log in to unmask] writes: << One friend was recently upbraided by a client for being billed for time spent by a crew-member taking photographs. The client didn't think that he ought to "carry the financial burden for your publicity materials". When it was pointed out that the contract called for documentation the client argued that he had never expected it to be anything but a written report, prepared, of course, by the GC without charge over and above his percentage. >> For trust to work in a relationship it has to go two ways. This is where the contractor has to be prepared to either give it up gracefully, hoping for a better day, or find another activity on the project to bury the unhonored charges. The lack of trust in the contractor to do the right job, on the part of the client, opens the door for all kinds of games. I see this game as the client trying to cheat the honest contractor by putting them in a position where they will be forced to feel guilty if they take any action to recover their loss. It preys on the myth that all contractors are thieves, and the honest contractor does not want to be a thief. One counter action is to change the myth and reframe the relationship. I don't like this game, which I have been forced to play often enough. I certainly hope that if the client is not going to pay for the photos that the contractor does not give in and supply the photographs with the report. Unless the contract calls for a minimum word count, I suggest the contractor supply a very short report -- the final bill. ][<en ][<en