Sorry, I m very upset right now and I just need a place to rant because I can't do it at home. If you have stories about people taking advantage of independent artists/busnesses, share them!
I am trying to make my independent brand of figures, I'm very serious about it I am very formal with my deals and I always pay on time...and still I have to get through a lot of sh*T just to get things done.
I have a small budget and I can't afford mass production, I went to a manufacturer that has a very nice factory and I repeatedly asked if they were okay with the number of pieces and the budget, they were very nice, agreed to make my stuff, there were no problems whatsoever. Next thing, they ghosted me and only communicated with my partner (who was going to produce more units than me). They never answered when I was the one who called.
A designer invited us to the office in his factory, everything went fabulous, he told us that they could make our stuff printed on 3D etc. Coool Cool, we agreed to stay in touch to get a price estimate, I left them a prototype of my figure. They never sent the prices or contacted us. We emailed them again to ask for the price estimate of a figure that one of our friends wanted to produce. They indmeidately replied, "Hey, I can't give you the estimate because that's our client, by the way, you are not allowed to visit us again at the offices because of the industrial secrets". So HE steals my figure, never answered our calls, and he thought we wanted to steal his clients...
I set an appointment with a manufacturer that inserts doll hair... I visited them twice... he never did the work...What the hell???
My friend knows a dressmaker that especilizes in miniature clothes, they are so well done and beautiful!! He is even internationally famous. I met him and he agred to make the patterns for my clothes...he agreed, I was willing to pay him whatever he asked. I got contacted after a week, "hey I finished the patterns send me the money." "I was like, "Ah cool! I will send you the money transfer right now, can I get a picture or something?". he never replied again :'). He kind of disappeared for a year we had the theory that he was on drugs. He kept other of my prototypes by the way.
My current manufactured was supposed to finish my production in 3 months, it's been 3 years :') And this person is the only one actually trying to help me...
I had the urgency to make some molds and wax copies of some pieces. The only one available was my friend's husband... I called him, asked to make my stuff by Thursday and explained to him that I didn't want him to agree to the job if he could to make them by that date. "Don't worry I can't make it, I need to charge extra". I agreed. One day before the deadline he said that he would charge double of the money or else he wouldn't finish. What the fuck? He already had increased the price. I was furious but I agreed because I really needed the modls.
By the way if you are wondering I don't have a bad reputation or anything wrong with me that would make them ghost me after we met. I think that they are just nice to my face and but they don't wnat to waste their time with small projects.
I am not asking for free stuff, I never ask for discounts, I just want to give them money for the stuff they do!!!!!!! I understand If they have bigger deals than mine, then they should not lie to my face and say they will make my stuff just to ignore me later. I want to yell at them "Have the balls to decline the deal or be true to your word!!!" It is very hard to be independent and in my country, we don't have lots of workshops that can manufacture and I simply can't afford to manufacture overseas
I try to keep myself chill and positive but it is so hard because I feel like everyone looks down on my project. And I can't rant like this with family and friends because they might think that I'm giving up, and I am not. I won't stop and I will keep trying to find serious deals.
Oh yeah... another one:
7. I contacted a toystore, to offer them a line of exclusive figures and the head of marketing and sales was very excited... he stopped working there before the presentation meeting and the new dude has no interest whatsoever and even hung up the phone on me when he didn't recognize the name of my brand.
Thanks for reading sorry for the long post.