I hired a freelancer to make a 2-min explainer. I was extremely clear through several correespondences (plus my original project description) of what I wanted, and sent a powerpoint deck as background material. The freelancer took the assignment, and messaged me multiple times that "she got it" and was excited and could meet my deadline.
I have many years of multimedia development experience and was looking to hire mostly on graphic/animation skills, which I was assured the freelancer had. I was extremely clear in saying the explainer would not use a narrator (text callouts only) and does not use text verbatim from the powerpoint. This explainer was for a very specific audience, and I asked several times in correspondence for a chance to discuss/collaborate, I put half the agreed-upon fee in escrow - I wanted to see samples before committing to the whole job.
When I finally got to talk to the freelancer, it was obvious that she (and her "team") had not read any of my directions (despite multiple correspondences and assurances that "I've got this."). She asked elementary questions again that I had answered multiple times in mail. She did not give me a chance to explain what I wanted, and when I insisted, she said, "let us do a script first, then see what you say." I didn't want a script -- there is no narration!! (She might have meant storyboard or outline or something else, so I was willing to go along on this).
I knew from the one short phone conversation that this freelancer didn't listen and didn't get it, and was a bad hire. She even said to me that "most people don't want to talk on the phone about the project." - whether that's true or not, it was not true in this case. I said to her straight out, it doesn't look like we're on the same page with this at all, and now I have to go and find someone else (losing a week of time). She insisted that it would all be clear once they show me the "script" and that I would have it Mon morning (today) and that I should reserve any judgement until then. I agreed -- maybe she's a bad communicator but does good work and can pull this out of the hat?
I get sent a "script" in Google docs and - dammit - it's exactly what I didn't ask for, she did not listen to any of the direction I gave, and her work is not usable. Now I've lost a week, and I don't feel I should have to pay for what I didn't ask for and what I can't use.. Good work-bad work is a judgement call, and I was a freelancer myself for years, so I'm sympathetic. But this was just very disappointing to say the least, and I don't feel I should pay for work that I can't use.
What do I do? I don't have any confidence in this freelancer and don't want to work with her, so giving her another shot seems a waste of even more time. How can I terminate in a situation like this? Am I obligated to pay what's in escrow?
