Based on Professional and Creative Activities between 2012–2021
Visual References for the projects described below available as links
CONTENTS
1. Expenses
2. Project Financing Sources
3. Pricing Formulas
4. Appearance in the Market
5. Physical Production Costs
1. EXPENSES
a. Food: Groceries, Eating Out
b. Clothing
c. Shelter: Rent, Hotels, AirBnb
d. Communication: Mobile Service Provider, Superhuman App, Phone Hardware
e. Medical Insurance
f. Transportation: Lyft, Subways, Trains, Buses, Shoes, Flights
g. Tools: Adobe CC, Stationery (Writing and Drawing), Website, Spotify, WeTransfer, Laptop, iPad
h. Digital Storage: Hard Drives distributed around the globe, A suitable cloud option has not yet been found - Adobe Cloud?
i. Studio Space: Currently - living room, hikes, beaches - works fine; future upgrades: increased privacy, sound proofing
j. Legal: Trademarks/Copyright advice (Mushroom Books is a registered trademark with the USPTO; First use in commerce 2014)
k. Marketing: Website (project archival), Physical Cards, Bookmarks
l. Miscellaneous: Books, Musical Instruments, Cameras, Design References, Education
2. PROJECT FINANCING SOURCES
a. Identity Owners
Projects where the primary purpose is to provide a positive outcome/representation/deliverable for an identity. Sourced through word of mouth referrals.
Examples of Identities worked on: Visual artist, Dancer, Yoga Studio, Architecture firm, Hairdresser, Bodyworker, Writer, Musician, Rail Engineering Company, Circus, Candle Maker, Somatic Therapist, Herbal Products Company, Wearable Technology Company, Independent Clothing Designer, Telemedicine Company, Public Speaker
Examples of projects: Book Design and Production, Print Catalogs, Websites, Graphic Identities, Photoshoots, Flyers, Posters, Screen Based Applications
b. Crowdfunding
Raising money from a pool (100+) of people for a specific project; projects are likely to be funded mostly people who already know me and friends of theirs.
Investments range from low to higher ($10-$2000) in exchange for a copy of the outcome of the project. Example: Book, Print
The source of funding is decentralized to afford creative ownership while also ensuring that the project has the required budget to be produced professionally.
Usually a more public project.
c. Self Funding
From money left over after basic expenses.
For projects where the outcome is unknown, usually for projects that are highly experimental in nature but sometimes can have significant implications for other ongoing projects (Research and Development)
Eliminate the need for an external approval process to increase speed
Usually private until there are some pieces that can be shown in public
d. Buyer of Artifact
Somebody purchases an object from me that is classified as a “good”, I still own the copyright and the IP.
Example: Framed print, Book
Each piece is digitally stamped with a “Non Fungible Token” that records the existence and sale of the piece
e. Hour for Hour Exchange
Services exchanged for other services. Example: 5 hours of Website design in exchange for 5 hours of bodywork treatments
f. Other possibilities that have not been explored yet
- Royalties
- Grants
- Donations
g. In 2019–2020 Pandemic Relief for Independent Contractors was collected (Not a reliable source of future income)
3. PRICING FORMULAS
{Review scalability with each strategy}
a. Time-based pricing
- Free hour first meeting with trusted reference
- Hourly rate (rarely used) $150/hr, can be charged in 6 minute increments
- Hourly rate for small adjustments to sites I’ve already built $70/hr
- “Website in a Day” $600 flat fee (content provided by client beforehand) Work in live collaboration with the client to speed up approval process. Simple Wordmark included.
examples:
nikkocutsyou.com
metaphysiosf.com
- Day Photoshoot $600 flat fee 3-4 hours of picture taking - around 8-10 deliverable photos. (Some photoshoots require more planning and setup and cannot be charged for as a flat fee)
b. For a project that can be done in the following format: 3 meetings/reviews + 2 work sessions $1200-$1500 (Price initially derived in 2013 based on personal rent)
c. For highly subjective pieces (like a logo), the process is broken into two parts:
i) Open-ended, in person explorations for a pre-agreed amount of time. Activities include: sketching, rough mockups and prototyping, research, studying references, coming up with ideas and plans.
It is agreed that this is a time for exploration without the guarantee of a solution/attachment to the putcome or deliverable, though there will be sketches made, references collected and discussions had. If at the end of this process, a plan/vision emerges, move on to ii):
ii) Execution of the idea developed in i)
Pricing is based on the idea and what it will take to execute it in a refined way. Both lower-cost and higher-cost options are presented depending on the client’s budget
d. Producer Fee Model (in testing)
Typically for projects that take 3 months or longer and cost more than $5,000 in fixed production costs. Example: vinyl record
These have a more involved element of planning, team assembly and production oversight
Selling a plan and its execution
Formula 1: Producer’s cut - 20% on top of total estimated fixed costs
Formula 2: Producer’s cut - 50% on top of total estimated fixed costs
One number provided to client that is inclusive of Producer’s fee
Questions:
Does this incentivize the producer to propose a plan with increased cost of production?
How much transparency to offer in the breakdown with the client
Can this be combined with a royalty-based model?
e. Custom mechanisms used in the past where appropriate
- Monthly Retainer ($1000/month for 10 hours of work per month)
- Equity in the company
- Royalties (portions of profits from projects)
f. Artifacts (Large framed prints, Medium prints, limited edition books)
Each artifact comes with a “Non Fungible Token” recorded by Mushroom Books, showing existence of the artifact, sale record, accessible to the public, but names and prices are encoded (functions as a Certificate of Authenticity)
i) For Artifacts that cost more than $500 in production and materials
Formula: (Cost of print +frame+glass) *2 + shipping and installation (if installation is required)
ii) For Artifacts that cost less than $500 in production + Materials, these are sold and shipped in batches
Edition number is the number sold and is announced formally
Profit on each piece is worked into the price, aim is to make more than $500 in profit for each edition released
g. Where a pre-made image or IP is used
- One time fee
- Royalties on copies
Discounts available for high-volume referrers (calculated at the time of pricing, as available)
4. APPEARANCE IN THE MARKET
So far, 100% of transactions have occured due to word of mouth referrals. Word of mouth incentivizes quality of deliverables and customer relationships.
a. Website
There was no unified website before 2019. In 2019, mushroombooks.com was built mainly as a convenient archive/portfolio
Announcements of releases, projects and fundraisers in a press-release style will be run on various platforms and a few physical posters
b. Cards
Since 2014 cards containing the email contact@sumeetbanerji.com and the logo have been used in a very limited way - parties, etc. The card is always handed in person.
c. Free Bookmarks
To encourage reading and to always be able to offer something at no cost. Given in person.
5. PRODUCTION PARTNERS AND FIXED COSTS
Production Partners
Dickerman Prints: Photographic Processing and Pigment Printing
Solstice Press: Complex, Customized Print Production
Studio Ephemera: Letterpress one-offs
Key Printing and Binding: Specialized binding, boxes, fine book work
Micheal Thompson Framing: Custom framing and glass
Randy Figures: Large frame on-site installation (Bay Area)
Ingram Spark: Hardcover Books, Paperbacks, e-books, high volume production with order and print on demand option (these pieces are available on demand and not editioned)
Squarespace: Websites and Digital Publishing
Fixed Production costs (as of 2019)
1. Pigment Print Photographs (From Dickerman Prints)
- 8.5x11in: $55 (first print), $36 (2–9), $28 (10+)
- 17x22in: $110 (first), $73 (2–9), $55 (10+)
- 40x50in: $400 (first), $264 (2–9), $200 (10+)
- 50x60in: $600 (first), $396 (2–9), $300 (10+)
2. Film Processing (Dickerman Prints)
- 35mm, 120mm $12
- Contact Sheet $13
3. Scanning (Dickerman Prints)
- Scans For Screen: $5 per frame or spread of book
- Drum scan for 60x90in print: $150
- Per Hour film scanning: $60
4. Framing (Micheal Thompson Framing)
Museum Glass, Matter White Frame (PW404MWT) or comparable
- 7x14in to be filled
- 18x20in to be filled
- 35x90in to be filled
5. Framed Image Delivery and Installation (Randy Figures)
- Delivery (in San Francisco) $75 (for large frames)
- Installation $125
6. 28 Page Catalog, Color, Classic Crest Cover (Stapled)
Compare to Often Wander Catalog
8.5x11in
100 Copies: $902 (Unit $9.02)
250 Copies: $1769.99 (Unit $7.08)
500 Copies: $2247 (Unit $4.49)
1000 Copies $2707 (Unit $2.71)
2500 Copies $4514 (Unit $1.81)
5.5x8.5in
100 Copies: $721.60 (Unit $7.22)
250 Copies: $1596.80 (Unit $3.88)
500 Copies: $1797.60 (Unit $3.60)
1000 Copies: $2165.60 (Unit $2.17)
2500 Copies: $3611.20 (Unit $1.44)
7. 12 Page Catalog, Color, Classic Crest Cover (Stapled)
8.5x11in
100 Copies: $721.60 (Unit $7.22)
250 Copies: $970 (Unit $3.88)
500 Copies: $1158 (Unit $2.32)
1000 Copies $1426 (Unit $1.43)
2500 Copies $2537 (Unit $1.01)
5.5x8.5in
100 Copies: $311 (Unit $3.11)
250 Copies: $776 (Unit $3.10)
500 Copies: $926.40 (Unit $1.85)
1000 Copies: $1140.80 (Unit $1.14)
2500 Copies: $2186.89 (Unit $0.81)
8. Book Sewing (Low Volume) (Key Printing and Binding)
Setup $150
Per Book $4.40
Cut Setup $40
Cut Per Book $2.50
(With folio lip)
9. Letterpress
Initial Plate Making Fee: $50
5x8in Sheet, 200: $320
50 Business Cards: $130
250 Business Cards: $290
750 Business Cards: $575
10. Postcards
4x6in
100 Copies: $90.53 (Unit $0.91)
250 Copies: $105.62 (Unit $0.42)
500 Copies: $135.80 (Unit $0.27)
1000 Copies: $379.97 (Unit $0.15)
11. Mass Printed, Print on demand Hardcover and Paperback Trade Size Books + ebooks
Upload Cost for Print and eBook: $49
Upload Cost for eBook only: $25
8.5x5.5in Paperback
250 Pages
300 Count: $1,287 (Unit $4.29)
100 Pages
300 Count: $720 (Unit $2.40)
8.5x5.5in Hardback
250 Pages
300 Count: $2682 (Unit $8.94)
100 Pages
300 Count: $2,115 (Unit $7.05)
+ $200 for test prints and proofing