The photography and videography industry is one of the most demanding and profitable industries in the Philippines. Photo and video services are now being used for different purposes, that’s why many creative professionals today are looking for ways on how to make extra money using their skills and talent.
If you’re a photographer, videographer, or creative professional striving to make a living through art, then you definitely need to keep an eye on how things work in this industry. Further, you need to protect yourself when transacting with clients and companies.
With that, let’s take a look at the laws and contracts that can protect you as a freelancer…
Contracts Protecting Freelancers
If you’re not a full-time employee affiliated with a company, then you must take action to protect yourself, as well as your works and rights. Freelance photographers and videographers are self-employed workers. They can only communicate with clients and companies at their most convenient time. This setup can create a lot of misunderstandings between two parties, so it’s important to have a negotiated and written contract between two contracting parties.
A freelance photography or videography contract should include the following:
- Full contact information of the client
- Coverage or deadline of the project
- Venue/s of the event that would be covered (if any)
- A list of products and services you will provide to the client (ex: trailers, invitations, promotional videos, banners,etc.)
- Logistical details such as time and location
- Rates of your services
- Payment schedule
- Payment methods
- Cancellation policy
- Liability limitations
While you’re at it, make sure to outline all the important details about your services. Lay down all the terms and conditions of your agreement in the contract. If it’s a same-day edit, disclose it. If they require extra services, enumerate it. Any extra service must require a fee.
As much as possible, don’t rely on verbal and online agreements. Your client’s words, claims, and promises must be included in the contract with his or her printed name and signature. You can only make sure that they would be true to their words through their signature and identity.
To make sure you’re only transacting with reputable companies and trustworthy clients, you can post and offer your freelance services at Rakuboss.com, an online marketplace that can connect freelance photographers and video
graphers to clients within the Philippines. Rakuboss explicitly displays and discloses your services, rates, commissions, contact information, and terms on each sideline you post.
Laws Protecting Freelancers
Contracts alone protect freelance photographers and videographers in the country, but they are only obligatory. If you don’t have contracts to present when transacting with clients, you can rely on the country’s Copyright Law to save you from scams, plagiarism, and infringement.
The Copyright Law is part of the Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines. It aims to protect the rights of writers, photographers, videographers, and other professionals producing products and services under his or her name. Works of photographers and videographers are protected for 50 years from the date of publication.
