Am I getting screwed over?

[Carlo]

I'm new to the industry. What is typical in this situation?:

I assisted a photographer on a shoot for a tourism magazine.
We left our town at mid-day, flew 3.5 hours to the city in question,
and started shooting pronto. That was day 1. We then shot lots through days 2, 3, 4 and 5. We returned home around 3:30 in the afternoon on day 6. We didn't shoot at all on that day. That day's itinerary, which we had received from the client, was reserved for reshooting anything we would have needed to reshoot.
My question: Given that there is no shooting taking place but that my availability is taken up by the job, is an assistant typically remunerated for this last day?

Thanks for any help.

 

[Big Mike]

This sort of thing should probably be agreed upon, beforehand. I really don't think there is a typical protocol for this situation. Are you being paid directly by the client or are you being paid by the primary photographer?

Welcome to the forum.

 

[astrostu]

Check your contract. If you don't have a contract, get one for next time and don't expect anything beyond what you've been given.

I know that sounds really harsh, but I've been on this forum long enough to know that you ALWAYS NEED A CONTRACT because of questions like this.

For example, I just did a consulting job last week. I wrote the contract, and in it, I explicitly stated that they got me for "active participation in up to two (2) nights of astrophotography with the Agency." Well, the first night we shot. The second night I was there but there was no astrophotography due to clouds (they shot other things).

I personally was willing to give them another night free because of what it stated in the contract, since we technically didn't do astrophotography the second night ... but I'm generous. However, they offered me 1.5x what they had originally offered to get me for the third night, so I took it.

 

[Christie Photo]

Well, like Mike said, there is no typical protocol for this situation and this matter should have been discussed and decided before the job.

But I do think it reasonable that you get compenstated for the last day. Your employer should not expect you to give up that time without some pay... shooting or not.

-Pete

 

[Carlo]

Of course I should have made sure everything was clear from the outset. I've known the photographer for a LONG time and never even thought it would be an issue.
To be honest, the real question I was gonna ask to begin with was should I get paid for day 1 (he's trying to not pay me for day 1), but then I thought it's so obvious that I deserve remuneration for it that I left that out of the question.

thanks for your opinions.

 

[Carlo]

I'm being paid by the photographer. By the way, of course everything ought to have been stated in a contract to begin with but I've known this person a long time and fully trusted him beforehand.

thanks for your help

 

[Phranquey]

I'm being paid by the photographer. By the way, of course everything ought to have been stated in a contract to begin with but I've known this person a long time and fully trusted him beforehand.

Number one mistake. I trust my friends less than my enemies when it comes to financial matters.