Short sighted view. I suppose you think that crowd sourcing is a good idea. By encouraging this sort of behavior you're actually hurting those just starting out. How do you expect them to earn a living if you devalue the skill of editorial to below minimum wage?There are lots of people who will work for next to nothing, especially when times are tough. If they are happy with such pay, then it is their choice to participate.
Yes, there's handful of individuals that have enough passion to succeed in this industry despite the economic challenges. But for many, the "work for free" business model eventually drives them away from the industry entirely.
I would love to hear Spielberg's take on the economic impact of these so called contests....somebody like Spielberg...