You Want it When?

I’ve threatened to talk about this topic before but I have refrained, until today….

Can someone please explain to me how colorists are repeatedly supposed to color a book without art?  Ok, I’m sounding a little cranky here, let’s back up.

As we all know, colorists get the art last (along with letterers.)  We have to wait for it to be written, pencilled, inked, scanned, and sent to us.  All of that obviously takes some time.  Also, in there, is approvals and changes from editors or other people in the creative team which can also slow things down.

I really understand that, I do, but, how can we get the call/email Friday at 5 saying the art is going to be emailed to you, you’ll need to color it over the weekend and have it waiting for us on Monday morning so that we can get you corrections (‘cause we all know there will be corrections) and off to press by 1PM Eastern.

Then the art doesn’t come, for whatever reason, until Saturday afternoon (after you’ve hung by your email waiting all day.)  Then you notice you are still missing 6 pages.  After some checking you find out you’ll get those on Sunday–early we promise.

Then you spend your whole weekend working like a dog to meet the deadline.  You are giving yourself an ulcer trying to get everything wrapped up Monday morning only to get the next call/email saying that the book that you thought was due Wed has been pushed back to Friday because the art is late and won’t be coming in until Wed late afternoon.  Then on top of all that you get another call/email asking if you can squeeze in a cover (right now) so that it can get to Previews in the afternoon.

Ok, now I don’t want to offend anyone who works in these other fields, I get it is a trickle down theory BUT stand back while I vent for a minute….

Now, most of these titles, mini-series, graphic novels, story lines, etc. are planned out in advance.  We have to coordinate all this with other departments, toys, movies, cons, whatever.  So, at some point, early on in this process someone knows when this puppy should go to print and when it should come out on the stands.  In some cases I’m pretty sure people know this up to a year in advance.  And I’m not just talking large publishers, this is true of smaller publishers as well.

That being said, how come the colorist gets it 36 hours before press and have to speed though it, then we get blamed for missing things or it looking “rushed”–no kidding?!?

Not being on the other side of this very often I would like to know what sorts of deadlines, writers & pencillers get (inkers too but we can tell they are down to the wire with us most of the time.)  Obviously, it depends on who you are. Some people get away with missing deadlines and some don’t.  Sometimes thats due to fame or talent or friendship or whatever but looking at it from a money-making (or losing) side of things why is that?

Why do projects get green-lighted in March, written in April, pencilled & inked in May to end of June and colored on July 1st?

Here is another topic along these lines that bothers me.  Why do we get the phone call on Friday at 5 and are expected to work all weekend when those giving the orders are scampering off for the weekend only to think about this again on Monday morning.  Why is it assumed we are excited to give up our weekend (or holiday or whatever) and work while we know good and well you won’t be.  Oh, right money.  I remember now, they get a paycheck every two weeks no matter what.  We only get a paycheck two weeks after we actually due some work.

I know there are a lot of caveats in this and things that go wrong along the way or even stories depending on other stories and therefore deadlines get pushed.  When we first started in this business we wouldn’t accept projects until we had all the art. That way we could see all the art, get a feel for the book and story, and… wait for it… be creative and careful and kick-ass.

This was never the most smoothly run industry but, is is just me, or have things gotten worse in the last year?

Authors Note:  Ok, this is really negative and I’m sorry but I’m tired, my tooth STILL hurts, and we’ve been working non-stop on crazy deadlines.  I know, I know, I should be pleased that we have work and not bitching about the deadlines.  I am pleased see my other article called “Working from the Couch.”  One last little problem with all this… you work your butt off on these deadlines, then sit and twiddle your thumbs for a week (while you could be working on the next project) waiting for word that the art is finally coming and you can have 3 days this time–lucky you!   Oops that was negative again, sorry.  Feel free to yell at me in the comments.

Kristy Miller

VP, Development

Hi-Fi Design