Howard Philips
said:
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For many people, this is THE 'debate': work for free to make connections and establish working relationships, or expect to be paid for ones services, like in any other industry. Just because my mechanic is passionate about Hondas and engine technology, I can't expect him to work for the experience, after all! It seems that because we are so dependent on mechanics, and they provide fast turnaround time (hopefully!) for immediately identifiable problems, no one questions whether or not they should be paid for their efforts. Yet filmmaking, like photography, recording arts, distribution, film festival organizing, all these fields are lumped into the "Art" world, and clients seem all too ready to imply: it's fun for you, so you don't need to be paid too much. We've all been impacted by this attitude. As Safa reminds us here though, it's not uncommon at the starting stages in any number of fields to "apprentice" or to work for little to no money. At CDIA at BU, we try to instill in both our graduates and in the companies or individuals approaching us, a degree of professional respect. Meaning very simply, once you've graduated from CDIA and spent money, and have worked hard, you should expect to be paid or compensated. That's what we tell companies and indivuduals looking to hire our students. On the other hand, if you have bought a camcorder and read a couple articles on the internet about the "latest trends" or have been impressed the snazziest ads in MacWorld, well then yes, you'll have to "pay your dues", that too is only fair to the people who have worked hard, or people who have spent their money and efforts for training. I think Beanytown is doing a great job of helping make connections in the fileds of filmmaking, networking and sharing deep levels of information on a great range of topics. And like CDIA at BU, we can and do sometimes pass on the 'work for no pay' jobs for those who may need to establish themselves and start to create a portfolio of works and references. Not sure there is a "bottom line" or quick summary, but I agree with Jonathan in spirit that professionals should be paid, and agree with the 'devil's advocate', or down-to-earth advice Safa has: network, work for the experience at the very start. Ultimately though to be fair to all parties and to create a healthier relationship, once you are competent in your field, expect to be compensated for the skills you're offering. |
Jonathan Millett
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Great advice guys, this is really helping me get a better idea about the film industry. It's true that it's an art, which is why some movies dominate the box office and others bomb; it all depends on what the consumer (i.e. moviegoer) likes and dislikes. In two days I will be working as a PA for a rehearsal as part of a production shooting late June. The compensation: gas stipend. It was listed as TBD on craigslist and I was trying to get the position of 1st AD. I'm hoping this opens up more opportunities for me as I try to re-break into the industry and re-establish myself as not only a professional, but a WELL KNOWN professional. This imaginary money that I mentioned in my blog entry will hoopefully come from a 90 page script that I am currently marketing. It is a new idea, slightly controversial, and will hopefully make a bold statement to the audience. This is the kind of script that I hope to sell to the highest bidder. I will send it first to a producer I know in NY and hopefully he will network it to the right people. This is where I hope to generate money from. More scripts are on the way. Thanks, guys. And I hope to work with most of you someday. |
