I’m at a point in my career where I’m not accepting any and every job anymore, and this video is me breaking down the types of videography clients I straight up won’t work for. This isn’t to bash anybody—there are great clients out there—but there are also clients who will waste your time, mess with your rates, or create problems that could’ve been avoided with basic communication. I’m sharing the red flags I see the most so you can protect your time, your money, and your sanity as a freelance videographer. First, I’m not taking those “2–3 hour jobs” where the client expects to pay $100–$250. If you’re two hours away from me, I’m charging my half-day rate because travel, gear, and the full camera package is still the full camera package. Second, I’m done with clients who try to pick apart my day rate by removing gear from my package to lower the price—my rate is my rate. Third, I avoid clients who don’t know what they want, because “creative freedom” often turns into endless complaints and reshoots (like the time a client didn’t understand shallow depth of field and made me reshoot at f/4). And lastly, I’m not working with people who ask for discounts—unless it’s a real long-term relationship and it makes sense.