Lessons

Every hour the job really takes

What it is

The hours one complete job takes. Including the parts you never put on the invoice.

Why it matters

Doing the work is the visible half. The quote is the job too. So are the calls. So are the two rounds of changes. So is chasing the payment. Count only the visible half and your rate is fiction.

The method

Take one recent job. Add up four sets of hours. Talking about it. Doing it. Changing it. Getting paid for it. That total is the real figure.

Example

Maryam thought a shoot took three hours. Editing added two. Changes added one. That is six. Her rate fell from AED 133 an hour to AED 67. Nothing about the work had changed.