New

Client Hasn’t Paid ~$40k For Commercial Shoot (6 Months Overdue) – Next Move?

Hey everyone,

Looking for some guidance from people who’ve dealt with this before.

I’m a Los Angeles-based director/cinematographer and I’m dealing with a non-payment situation on a commercial project for a major agency/brand. Total owed is around $40K.

Here’s the situation:

• Work was completed and delivered • No signed agreement transferring ownership of the footage • Invoices are now about 6 months overdue • Payment has been acknowledged multiple times over email/text • I’ve already sent a formal demand referencing copyright ownership

At this point I’m trying to figure out the smartest next move.

I’m considering:

• Escalating to the end client • Pursuing legal action (possibly including copyright claims) • Applying pressure to individuals involved, not just the company

For anyone who’s been through something similar:

What actually worked for you?

Did you escalate to the client, and how did that go?

Was legal action worth it, or did it just drag things out?

Anything you’d do differently in hindsight?

Appreciate any real-world insight—just trying to approach this strategically and not waste time or money.

Location: Los Angeles CA

submitted by /u/negativespce
[link] [comments]

Back to Listing

credit:

Client Hasn’t Paid ~$40k For Commercial Shoot (6 Months Overdue) – Next Move?

Popular Products