Have You Ever Been Locked Out of Your Own Client?

Flame Between Renders
1

Hi everyone,

I wanted to share an experience that might be useful for other freelancers and independent Flame artists.

I’ve been working directly with a major agency client for quite a long time. Recently, another company approached me about a project but initially didn’t disclose the end client. The day before the booking, they revealed that the client was actually the same agency I’ve already been working with directly for years.

I immediately informed them that this was an existing direct client relationship. They acknowledged the situation and assured me there would be no issue continuing the booking.

However, over time I discovered that an intermediary had positioned itself between me and my client. The result was that my client ended up paying more, while I was earning less, despite no additional value being added to the process.

After discussing it openly with the agency’s resource manager, they agreed the arrangement didn’t make much sense and we returned to working directly together.

Unfortunately, it later emerged that the intermediary had signed an agreement directly with the agency, without my knowledge, restricting the agency from engaging me directly.

Legally, I’m free to work with the agency. The restriction exists only between the agency and the intermediary, but it still affects how we can collaborate.

I’m sharing this because it’s a reminder to all freelancers to stay aware of the contracts being signed around their client relationships, even when those agreements don’t directly involve them.

Despite the frustration, I’m using this as an opportunity to expand my network and connect with new clients.

So, if anyone knows of studios, agencies, or productions looking for a London-based Flame Artist / Flame Op with 20+ years of experience across commercials, episodic TV, and streaming projects, I’d love to hear from you.

Thanks for reading, and I’d be interested to know if anyone else has experienced something similar.

Baran

2

That’s an unfortunate situation for certain.

There have been other companies that have written contracts that would prevent you from working for anyone in the same field within a 50mi radius for a few years. Absolute bonkers. I don’t think that stands up to legal scrutiny, but is expensive to fight. Those just become contracts you don’t sign (different than your situation).

There may still be a legal issue with their move, depending on UK law. But again, expensive to find out, and leaves more bad blood on the street.

In the end the intermediary didn’t do himself favors. They outed themselves as not having the right in-house talent and just adding friction rather than solutions. If word spreads, they’ll have to move their grift to another market. This stuff always has short legs, but people try it again and again.

3

Thanks, I appreciate your perspective.

You’re absolutely right, restrictive clauses like these often seem difficult to justify, but challenging them can be expensive, time-consuming, and ultimately not worth the energy.

What frustrated me most wasn’t necessarily the contractual aspect, it was discovering that decisions affecting my long-standing client relationships were being made without my knowledge or involvement.

As you said, adding layers that create friction rather than value rarely works out in the long run. Trust and transparency matter, especially in such a relationship-driven industry.

For now, I’d rather focus my energy on building new relationships with clients and collaborators who value direct communication and fair partnerships.

Thanks again for your input.

4

Please email me and my producer with your info. I’m sorry to hear about someone messing up your flow. We’re in LA, but don’t mind a time zone difference.

gpm@sauce.studio

Lily.ma@sauce.studio

5

Thank you so much,@GPM ! This genuinely means a lot, especially coming from you. Navigating this stuff can be frustrating, but seeing solidarity like this makes it all worth it. I’ll shoot an email over to you and Lily right away. Would love to connect and catch up properly!