2008Legal / Business Practices forum
Collecting unpaid invoices from production companies
18 years old. Gear and prices may have changed since.
What the thread found
- When a production company refuses to pay, contacting the advertising agency or client who hired them can escalate the issue to decision makers who may resolve payment quickly.
- Direct confrontation at the office—showing up in person and refusing to leave until receiving payment or a new check—has resulted in payments being issued.
- A bounced payroll check can be reported to the District Attorney's office, which may pursue enforcement action.
- A bounced equipment check can be reported using a bad check complaint form available through the city attorney, followed by merchant hotline notification.
- Small claims court requires filing a judgment but does not guarantee payment recovery, and enforcement can take considerable time.
- Having a representative or agent negotiate on behalf of a freelancer can result in payment when direct communication fails.
- Production companies sometimes delay payment because they have not yet received funds from their own clients, who may operate on 120-day payment terms or longer.
Depends on
- The thread discusses cases from 2008 and may not reflect current legal procedures.
- Most examples involve California-based individuals suing New York-based companies, but jurisdictional rules were not definitively resolved.
- Effectiveness of different approaches varied by case and company.
- Some claims about what worked relied on anecdotal evidence rather than systematic documentation.