Laotou is absolutley right. To write down what you mean will clarify things. But how difficult can it be? You have now written several comments and threads on this forum about how misserable your life is and how noone understands you. This has been the case ever since I first met you.

I do belive that it is possible to keep a good relationship with the foreigner even if things go wrong. But how come that people blame you most of the time instead of the responsible director? Is it just because most foreigners are bad people?

It is not particulary strange if people that don't know the entertainement industry in Kunming get upset when things go wrong when you don't care to tell them from the beginning (since it seems rather likely that something will go wrong). So here is a short list of what you should be telling them before you let them agree to anything.

* The working hours might be more than director says.
* If there will be extra hours I can not guarantee that they will pay you for those.
* I will be getting this much money out of your pay and this is how much you will get.
* The start and finishing date might change.

It's one thing if only one person don't like working with you but seriously Jasmine. If there is a lot of people saying the same things you should think about why they say it. You call people nasty things both in public and tell it straight to them. You might be honest but it's highly unprofessional. And you will get no sympathy by always telling people how difficult your life is. Get a grip or start working with something else.

Jasmine
You have two main issues.

ISSUE 1
The issue (aside from allegations of actors/models trying to get paid directly to allegedly cheat you out of your commission) is the directors and producers are unreliable and difficult to work with as they tend to cheat and steal, causing friction and bad relations with your expat clients.

Get the employers to agree to prepayment once their selected model/actor appears on the set. If they decline - advise the model/client there is a risk of fraud from this employer - from zero payment to some reduced payment.

If the work exceeds the agreed upon schedule - make sure you have a prior agreement with the employer on contract extension. Again - get PREPAID for any extensions. If the employer refuses - be prepared to take your employee and leave the set. If the employer agrees - wait for the money to arrive - verbal promises mean nothing anymore in China. Money talks, bullshit walks. If the money does not arrive at the agreed upon time - leave. They have no intention of paying you or your actor/model as agreed.

EXAMPLE OF SCENARIOS I'M SURE YOU'VE ENCOUNTERED
Unscrupulous directors will of course attempt to tell you the model/actor was all wrong, blah blah blah and demand their prepayment back. Tell them to show you tape. If they want their money back, they have to destroy any videos or still images (erase) in your presence. When you and your actor/model are satisfied all evidence of your day's work is destroyed, you can then agree to return a portion of the fee, minus transportation costs.

If the employer forces you to return the prepaid fee - they and anyone who assists is guilty of robbery. Have the police arrest them. Your witness is the expat employee. As for guanxi with thieves, frauds, and criminals - if you're afraid of losing your reputation with these kinds of people - there's nothing to say.

ISSUE 2
You definitely have communications issues with a majority of your expat models/actors. You should already have scripts for your models/actors on what they'll be paid for, what is not paid for, and when they should just stop work, what to do if the shoot goes overtime and what you should both do.

Think about all the bad situations you've experienced and develop scripts (or put the situations into a contract) and explain all the risks and responsibilities to your models/actors.

If the expat decides to try to negotiate the extra work without you and believes the employer will pay them more if they continue to work and can cheat you out of your commission - you've been paid upfront for the initial contract - pay the expat their contracted fee minus your commission and leave. As you probably provided transportation - make sure the expat understands they need to find their own transportation back home.

PROFESSIONAL ADVICE ON DEALING WITH EVIL PEOPLE
ALWAYS be fair, polite, courteous, consistent, and tough - never ever fall into the screaming and yelling game. It solves nothing, resolves nothing, and is generally a waste of everyone's time as no-one gets paid for yelling and screaming off-set. Now, if you've had a really bad day - feel free, let loose - but yelling and screaming at work should only be done for personal entertainment.

As for the anti-semitic remarks - Chinese and Jews share very similar cultural stereotypes, including but not limited to acidic pragmatism.

Jasmine, I am saying this from a Chinese point of view.

If you have your reasons for what you have done and want to clear your name then you should take this issue to the police or seek for some legal advice – I believe it is not legitimate for someone to post your image in such way.

Meanwhile do you understand you are making the negative comments on their territory? This is a foreign website for foreigners. There is no fair or unfair. Everyone is taking sides. Imagine who you would be supporting if your friend went into a fight with some stranger – a stranger or your friend?

They are foreigners and they are on the same boat. You are an outsider here. It would be naïve to believe you could clear your name by explaining here.

Suggest you to get some contract signed if you are still going to work with foreigners here in future as suggested by some people in this forum. By doing that no one could call each other cheater.

By the way, stop spoiling the foreigners. They are the way they are now because some of our kind are willing to offer them more than what they deserve. Why should you pay them 10-20 times more than Chinese extra? I know the market for Chinese extra is much more competitive than the foreign extra's which makes the labour cheaper, but seriously 10-20 times higher – are you kidding me?!!

"Jasmine, I am saying this from a Chinese point of view." are you kidding me? Do some people still think like this? Tell me QQWEN what is the "Chinese point of view" on quantum theory?

"Meanwhile do you understand you are making the negative comments on their territory? This is a foreign website for foreigners."
Says who? Have you asked the people who run this site if that is the case?

"They are foreigners and they are on the same boat. You are an outsider here. It would be naïve to believe you could clear your name by explaining here."
Why is that? Is it that "the foreigners" can't be reasoned with and will always stick together no matter what the facts are?

"By the way, stop spoiling the foreigners. They are the way they are now because some of our kind are willing to offer them more than what they deserve."
Really? Have any research of substance to back that up or just more of your ignorant "Chinese v foreigners" tripe?

"Why should you pay them 10-20 times more than Chinese extra? I know the market for Chinese extra is much more competitive than the foreign extra's which makes the labour cheaper, but seriously 10-20 times higher – are you kidding me?!!"

Don't worry dear, in the states Asian porn actresses often get paid 20x more than white or black ones. Supply and demand.

Having read this I am now certain could not work for jasmine.

How do I get job in yellow movies in US?

There's no smoke without fire. FYI, as far as I know, the person that Jasmine tries to discredit hasn't received any payment yet.

Jasmine, it really looks you're digging your own grave... professionally.

Chingis - Isn't it soooo obvious this is a website for foreigners? Isn't it the original purpose to set up this website so the foreigners in Kunming could air their opinion and exchange the info and get help etc. Are we writing here in Chinese or English? And what is the percentage of Chinese user vs English users of this website?

I didn't say all the foreigners can't be reasoned with. It would be ignorant for me to say that. Well, but it is our nature, every species on the earth, to help those of our same kind. Yes we do have sense of justice but the difference in culture and language could affect our ability of learning the truth and our judgement.

You ask every single Chinese on the street on their opinion about if the foreigners in China have been spoiled or not? You can only get one answer. Why don't you do some research before you come to challenge me. Well, I know some of the honest foreigners admitted as well. Seriously, you really don't think the foreigners in China are spoiled? I must live in a different planet.

Finally, supply and demand. With more and more foreigners coming to live in China this supply and demand will change.

Thanks for your payroll information on the USA porn industry - I can see you have been keeping a close eye on it.

For the record, this is not a website for foreigners, it is a website for English speakers living in or visiting Kunming/Yunnan. Originally, I started it in 2005 so I could have a quick online reference for good places around Kunming because I would often order ahead before leaving home for my favorite neighborhood restaurants.

The original version of GoKunming was actually bilingual. When we became a two-man operation (and a real, living, breathing website) in 2006, we decided to just make an English site because it was simply too much work for two non-native Chinese speakers to update and maintain the site in two languages.

The majority of GoKunming users may be foreigners, but I am just as happy for Chinese people to use the site to find people to rent their apartments as I am for a foreigner to find a cheap used refrigerator.

With the rate that people are learning English here, I wouldn't be surprised if in a few years there were more Chinese users of GoKunming than foreign users, which would be fine. I'm just happy that people find it useful.

QQwen.

First, we don't know the actual circumstances in this case. Secondly, Jasmine work with foreigners so our way of looking at things do matter. Not caring about what the people that you make your living out of think sounds rather stupid, don't you think? At least as long as their expectations and demands are reasonable.

It seems that you have no experience of this industry. Yes we recieve special treatment but that is not relevant here. It is only about supply and demand.

If this supply and demand change, so what? You seem to be terribly disturbed by this special treatment. If you are so keen on discussing it you should start a new tread.

yes,I have these experience in the past.I am going prepare the contract contain all the detail for avoid some problem between foreigner and crew.
what I write before is because someone still talking about some experience in the past.Laotou is right,no one like cheat people,make people dislike me.

but last year,the Tv play serial,the situation in the begining is complex.when they start shooting,3 old woman want run the extra and small role agent business.sometime,they complain each other,sometime they work together.they haven't experience with foreign extra.so,when the producer offer the 300 Yuan pay,they don't negociate with assistant director or producer.when I came.they use me do all the work,but share 50%commision from my work,once the producer knew it.he fired these 3 useless woman,the funny things is,before that,they take money from my work,when they heard fired,these 3 woman constantly call me.ask me stand on their side,reject against producer.why should I support someone exploit to me?so I didn't agree.and the bad things,they made a bad start.when the price fixed.I will difficult change.and they still didn't give up,they send a Chinese guy work for the assistant director at set,try to start some bad words about me and tell producer.they try to revanch after they fired.in this situation,difficult renegociate with producer.I try to let producer know,how hard of this work,he promise,naxt time,when he come to Kunming again,can help my work easiler.

but,he said he would come in last year,until know still didn't arrive.
many foreigner just said I cheat him.but you see,these crew always "cheat"

I said the agent situation not for gain commiserate,I think I have enough brave inside.just because many foreigner,they can't understand what the agent work.what we did?to client,I have responsiblity help them for the shooting work,to foreigner,I have responsiblity they can get pay after work,crew can provide some necessary support for foreigner.

some foreigner always try to take all money.dont want pay commision.without me,he\she can't get a role.unprofessional extra need more help.explain the acting,translate....

a professinal actor,speak Chinese very well,he can hire a assistant for carry his stuff,help him prepare his line.
he know the acting work,and many situation at set.the agent only work in the start and finish,get this role for him and when work finish get money from crew.and pay him.

but foreign extra,many people,never acting before,a speak a little Chinese,don't understand the acting work..I should do more work for help him.in this way,the pay also different with professional actor.

jonathan live in China 14 years,acting many years,handsome,very fluency Chinese.he told me,many people dislike pay commision,but he is happy for pay commision.because he know,agent can help him get more work oppotunite.maybe this is the different with unprofessional extra and a professional actor.

actually our profit is band together.if we can hold together.I can have more power for negociate with client.the Ira things,when she went to Ban na,she said she don't want see me.after finish work she didn't tell me,she keep me away,makes me cant help her.after that,she black mail,insult...keep me away more.
she dream producer directly pay money to her.eventually get zero.maybe,or she want get pay twice from me.

last year,the girl didn't trust my translate,yes,I agree,my Chinglish terrible.but she forget,I prepare these question long time,I am so wish she can win!but that guy only read these question few minutes before

go on stage.oh,he must very nervious.he misunderstand her answer,the translate make we lost the top 3 circle.oh!I sitting on the audience seat,nothing I can do!

actually I had save her in second circle."corner of Africa"not south Africa,it's Ethiopia.when she try to say south africa in English,I repeat the right answer by Chinese,so they judge her answer is right!

so pity!and I am sorry she didn't get good money we have expect before,maybe it's my fault,I didnt try to convince her let me translate for her.

thanks for all of these thoughtful advice.