snowleopard
Well-known member
Interesting TED link there Drew. It reminds me of some of what Tom Peters talked about some years ago now on how to reward your employees in ways other than just cash.
Would you take a job for little or no pay, or would you walk away?
- Thread starter keylight
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Doc Bernard
Indie Arms Member
I have no regrets, Ullanta. It was an honor.
maranfilms
Veteran
Dont be fooled by the "non-profit" status. I just did a job for a non profit, that makes 13 mil a year. There's no way way in heck it costs that company 13mil to stay afloat. So just because their a non profit company doesn't mean they dont have money to operate. The probably have more than a regular company. lol
mjmcneese
Veteran
100% Agree. This is exactly the point I was trying to make earlier.
There are exceptions, I'm sure. But, I've found this to be more more often than not.
I don't have a family myself, but I have a responsibility to my craft to make sure I am up-to-date on what kind of gear I need to make the shoot successful. Until Sony/Panasonic/Letus/Redrock/Zacuto/ect. start giving away their stuff, I have to make enough money to a) live on b) keep my current gear in working order and c) purchase new gear to make shoots quicker/easier/better.
That clients don't understand b and c has been of great frustration to me.
Agree 1000%.
mainstreetprod
Veteran
Non profit jobs have worked out OK for me. First free job turned into a later paid job, not a lot, but enough to make it worthwhile. I now screen the "can't pay anything" jobs carefully - most I end up regretting. Those who don't pay usually don't appreciate you in any way. Same applies to ultra low pay jobs, they demand the most, get it and then don't appreciate it. Worst job ever was when I first started, for a magazine editor who flew in from NYC, $100 half day. Treated me like something on the bottom of her shoe, accused me of not having a clue what I was doing. Nearly walked away , but we were shooting a famous celebrity later in the day so I endured the abuse. Watched her treat the celebrity like gold, walk around the corner and treat me and the similarly low paid PA's like dirt. Moral of the story is hold out for at least a fair amount, lowballers usually are like this.
i find that the only time I derive benefit other than money is when i do my own work. Other than that, doing favors for people made me want to quit cameras and light altogether for the longest time. I'm a bartender now to make my money, coz otherwise I would've found another profession.
If I'm not paid to think, I don't do the job. And I'll never, ever, ever, ever again accept a job for no pay. Or even little pay. Never. If I grab a camera, and am paid to think, I better be paid well. If not, I'd rather make martinis. Just cause I love being a DP. **** money. I hate it.
If I'm not paid to think, I don't do the job. And I'll never, ever, ever, ever again accept a job for no pay. Or even little pay. Never. If I grab a camera, and am paid to think, I better be paid well. If not, I'd rather make martinis. Just cause I love being a DP. **** money. I hate it.
Batutta
Major Contributor
It depends on what stage of your career you're at. If you're at the early stage where nobody is willing to pay you anyway, then why not, if the project sounds interesting. If you're well established, and have been pulling in a steady income at your chosen profession for many years, I don't know why you would work for free to do the same job you get paid at. I don't think any low budget project would be so interesting you had to do it, when you probably get offered paid work that's just as interesting. If it's a chance to do something you don't normally do, maybe, or as a favor to a really good friend if they begged. I can count on one hand the friends I'd consider working for free, though.
In Lebanon, they're called NGO's. Those are the guys that try to get you off shooting things in developing countries for little pay so you can feel good about yourself I guess. I don't do those no more. Also, excuse the rotten attitude, I'm in Jordan, and it's really a messed up place. I can't stand it here, I wanna go to Beirut and edit my first feature, something I can't seem to find the space to do here.
The project itself (subject matter, participants, etc) is inherently interesting, to you
The project offers opportunity to do something unusual, for you, that will later look good on your reel or in your book, which can be footnoted as part of a production project
The project offers a chance to experiment on someone else's dime, with tools or resources that you want to play with
The project offers a crack at working in a more senior position in your trade, than you generally get to work at, on paid projects
The project involves someone who looks like a good prospect for future career success, and having 'known someone when' can be useful when they start getting more major work
The project belongs to someone toward whom you are kindly disposed, and you want to help them succeed
The project offers an opportunity to work in one of the production disciplines which isn't your main line, which you don't get paid to do very often, but is still fun and interesting
The project is a chance to recapture that feeling from school, or just-starting-out, where you work on it for the fun of it, with friends, without corporate interference, executive-suite jackassery, or suits breathing down your neck
...off the top of my head.
That said, I rarely if ever have the time to indulge in that kind of work anymore, but those are some reasons that I would, on the right project.
ullanta
Veteran
True, I won't argue that, but that's a little different from goofing around... maybe I read this too goofily: "The project offers a chance to experiment on someone else's dime, with tools or resources that you want to play with"... if I accept payment at all, I wouldn't "experiment"... that to me is unprofessional!
mr_goodbomb
Active member
I get offers to "work for free" all the time. I turn them down. If they're a real, legitimate business and they want real, legitimate work of any quality, they should be willing to pay for it, even if it's a small amount. I'm not at the point in my life where I can work for nothing, I need to eat and pay rent. Presuming the people can do that, they're better off than I, and can pay for work they want done.
Batutta
Major Contributor
That's why I put "if it's a chance to do something you don't normally do, maybe..." But I still wouldn't do the same job I do right now, for free, no matter how interesting. And truthfully, that incredibly interesting free work never seems to show up anyway. Free work is usually free for a reason.