Charge for render time?

[MileCreations]

There is a problem I've always thought about when editing videos obviously there is a great amount of render time involved. Should I charge for this time? It almost doesn't seem right because personally I'm not doing any work, but obviously my computer is tied up and so can't do other work. What about those times where you have to render multiple copies of the same file in different sizes, that's taking up a lot of time just for one already edited video.

What do other people do about this when you are being hired by the hour?

 

[GuerrillaAngel]

IMO, your computer is tied-up on their behalf, yep, figure it in.

 

[jax_rox]

To think of it another way:

If you were creating some 3D content to insert into videos that were going to take 2-3 full days to render, would you charge out that render time?

The same should go for video rendering.

 

[MileCreations]

Hmmm well I guess I'll have to figure that into future quotes I give then.

 

[Sweetie]

It can also depend on the equipment you use. If it's taking extra hours due to your poor equipment, it may make your quote uncompetitive. If it's comparative with other professionals, then yes, figure it in (at a slight discount as you should be able to render while you're asleep).

 

[DeJager]

It can also depend on the equipment you use. If it's taking extra hours due to your poor equipment, it may make your quote uncompetitive. If it's comparative with other professionals, then yes, figure it in (at a slight discount as you should be able to render while you're asleep).

Exactly. If you were going to charge me extra because your equipment took you 3 days just to render then I'd go with someone else. I've worked on rigs that have no render time whatsoever.

 

[Cracker Funk]

I think it depends on what you're doing. If you let it render while you're out doing something else, or while sleeping, etc., then it seems like a little bit of a dick-move to me, if you were to charge for that.

 

[Ernest Worthing]

It depends on where you are in your own career and what you want to do. Quite some time ago I charged $200 for the same service that cost $1500 among my competition. I was new in the area and did not have a well established reputation. Those rates went up as time went by.

Do you need them more than they need you right now or is your plate full and you can spend the same time better elsewhere?