I had to post this because it’s...well...just too weird not to. About an hour ago I got a call from a woman (who shall remain nameless) at Images.com.
She said that she was in charge of choosing an illustrator to feature in their upcoming newsletter and that they had chosen me for the interview. (Crazy huh?) She went on to say that she would be asking me questions about my influences, how I got started, and how I work.

Now in my mind I’m going hold on, wait, time out, isn’t Images.com really SIS? I know I’ve heard that name before....So I brake in and say, “Who is Images.com I know I’ve heard that name before” and she says, “Oh, Images.com is the parent company for SIS” So then I say, “Um, I have a problem doing an interview with SIS” and she says, “Oh are you afraid of giving away your trade secrets?” and I say, “No, it’s not like that, I have a problem with SIS and the way they do business. The main problem I have with SIS is that they undersell images which undermines the industry as a whole.” Now the tone of the conversation is changing and this poor woman seems to be getting choked up. She responds with, “Oh, I didn’t know that you had a problem with SIS...I don’t know what to say.” I say, “ Well that’s ok it’s just how I feel” Then things were quite awkward as she tried to gracefully get of the phone with me. She was apologizing for ruining my day and bothering me. I told her that she hadn’t ruined my day or bothered me. After a few uncomfortable pauses we ended the phone call.

After hanging up my mind was racing with some possible reasons I was called to do an interview with SIS. I’m still guessing. One thing I’m pretty confident of is that the woman who called me didn’t know my history with her company. I don’t know if she was told to contact me or not but my work hasn’t been in the last two or three catalogs so I don’t know how I could have been chosen by accident. Anyway I don’t think I could imagine a more bizarre scenario confirming the phrase "truth is stranger than fiction."

Will
         

   Will, you couldn't make up this stuff. Kind of shows you they have no idea what is going on, doesn't it.
"...Hey let's interview this Will Terry guy, his sales are great at Images/SIS...He should have a lot to say since he is making good money...Opps!
Shame you did not go through with the interview, I wonder how far it would have gone...
Maybe they don't even proof read it!

On 2/7/00 4:14:27 PM, Will Terry wrote:

>don’t know if she was told to
>contact me or not but my work
>hasn’t been in the last two or
>three catalogs so I don’t know
>how I could have been chosen
>by accident. Anyway I don’t

I'll bet she was told to go do a profile on SIS artist and just picked you because she liked your work. Maybe she did a website search, so she wouldn't have been aware that you have not been in SIS for a long time or that Ian hates your guts. I guess you should feel complimented?

On a related note, did anyone else know that Step by Step was owned by Dyanmic Graphics? Here's their website- http://www.dgusa.com/

Apparently their main business is actually selling Royalty-Free illustration and Photography CD's. I was in the process of being interviewed with them for a story about my digital techniques. I have already had about 3 small stories printed about various techniques that I do, but I never realised what kind of parent company owned them. Today I called and cancelled the interview because of my politics against RFCDs and she was real nice about it, I didn't think it was awkward at all. But it was interesting that she told me that this issue had never come up before. I would think that as we become more educated as a group they may hear the same concerns more often. I feel a bit like a schmoe now, since it seems I've been happily giving out my trade secrets to a company that could well be training artists to undercut me with my own techniques! There is even some FREE art on their website!


Bryan

StepbyStep

On 2/7/00 4:40:14 PM, Ken Dubrowski wrote:
>
>
>Shame you did not go through
>with the interview, I wonder
>how far it would have gone...
>Maybe they don't even proof
>read it!
>
 
Going through with the interview would have been a great idea, Will!  You could have feigned surprise at her reaction to what you really think of SIS, I would love to get a transcript of that kind of interview!!

Man, I'd love to see Ian wiggle out of printing that sucker, you sure you don't want to change your mind?

Gary Taxali

You should have done the interview and given
the worst advice.  "I use old SIS catalogs
for inspiration"  "I use a magic 8 ball to
decide on which sketches to submit"

She probably picked you because you are good!

On 2/7/00 10:33:27 PM, O'BRIEN ~ wrote:
>You should have done the
>interview and given
>the worst advice.  "I use old
>SIS catalogs
>for inspiration"  "I use a
>magic 8 ball to
>decide on which sketches to
>submit"
>
>She probably picked you
>because you are good!
>

This is all truly funny. I loved reading this thread. They could've gotten Will on Candid Camera with that interview idea.

Joel         

Thanks for the kind words Bryan and Tim.

Joel,


I was waiting for the laughter on the other end...but it never came.

Maybe I should have gone ahead   with the interview but I was speechless, which my wife said is unprecedented.

Will

>
>Maybe I should have gone ahead
>with the interview but I was
>speechless, which my wife said
>is unprecedented.
>

THAT"S IT! That was their intention....This is the new approach they are using to stop people from complaining about SIS/Images.Hideous!
>



         

On 2/7/00 4:40:45 PM, Bryan Leister wrote:

>
>On a related note, did anyone else know
>that Step by Step was owned by Dyanmic
>Graphics? Here's their website-
>http://www.dgusa.com/
>
>Apparently their main business is
>actually selling Royalty-Free
>illustration and Photography CD's. I was
>in the process of being interviewed with
>them for a story about my digital
>techniques. I have already had about 3
>small stories printed about various
>techniques that I do, but I never
>realised what kind of parent company
>owned them. Today I called and cancelled
>the interview because of my politics
>against RFCDs and she was real nice
>about it, I didn't think it was awkward
>at all. But it was interesting that she
>told me that this issue had never come
>up before. I would think that as we
>become more educated as a group they may
>hear the same concerns more often. I
>feel a bit like a schmoe now, since it
>seems I've been happily giving out my
>trade secrets to a company that could
>well be training artists to undercut me
>with my own techniques! There is even
>some FREE art on their website!
>
>
>Bryan

I am also doing an article for step x step digital. The article has not been written yet, but I wonder if I should also cancel the interview ...

william


http://www.williamlow.com

>On a related note, did anyone else know
>that Step by Step was owned by Dyanmic
>Graphics? Here's their website-
>http://www.dgusa.com/
>
>Apparently their main business is
>actually selling Royalty-Free
>illustration and Photography CD's.

That's right. Those of you who, like myself, have been doing graphic design for a long time might remember the huge binders of "Clipper" clip art. Those were published by Dynamic Graphics. They've just moved into the digital age.

I used to subscribe to Dynamic Graphics magazine, and when it came time to resubscribe, their promotion always included a free RFCD. Even before I was educated about stock and RF images, I didn't use them. I just didn't like the idea of putting somebody else's art in my designs.

EnvironMental Art by Kelly Cheek

Nature Art and Other Cool Stuff!