Re: Freelance Editing + non competition agreement

It's less about ethics than practicality. Everybody has to get by, and everybody has his reasons for doing what he does. But you as well have to be able to make a living, and live with yourself.

As a rule I agree with Mads and Walter. Common sense dictates that the freelancer should offer to pay the producer/former-friend APPROPRIATELY, e.g. 10%, not 50%. If the producer wanted 50% of the tiny budget, good-bye producer, so long friend.

Probably like most of the people on this thread, I'm basing this on personal experience. I've been in Lisa's position, and had a client approach me directly -- I always, always talk to the producer who introduced us, and make a deal (sometimes 0%, sometimes 10%) -- and usually go on to do more jobs, where the client goes through the producer, who hires me again.

I've also been in Lisa's producer's position, when a hungry freelancer and a penny-pinching client collude behind my back. That's a good way to find out that a client is a grinder, imho, and not worth keeping. And of course, although I'll still hire him when necessary, the hungry freelancer won't get the first call again.

Bob C