Date: 2009-12-28, 3:57PM PST
To all of you "haters" who hate crew members so much that you're unwilling to pay a livable wage for the jobs you list, good by.
You're not wanted here, you're not needed here, go offer your exploitation elsewhere.
It is illegal to hire someone to work at a job without paying them.
It is illegal to call a job an "internship" in order to avoid paying the state and federal minimum wages.
It is illegal to pay someone with "credit, copy, and meals".
Not only are all of the above illegal, they are also immoral and insulting to the people who actually do the work that you bottom feeders can't do.
A gig is a short term JOB, not an opportunity for you immoral fuckheads to get out of paying people to work on on crappy little personal projects. If you can't afford to pay your crew, go out and get yourself a job and earn the money to do so.
Location: Pasadena
Compensation: Invaluable advice
Monday, December 28, 2009
Saturday, December 19, 2009
To Producers
Date: 2009-12-19, 1:34AM PST
To low paid or no paid producers.
We as crew expect the following:
1. pay us at least a decent rate; nothing less then $200.00 a day + overtime, mileage or fuel costs
2. pay for equipment and kit rentals and don't expect them to be dirt cheap, but about 15% to 25% less then Wooden Nickel or Indy Rentals rates + expendables & supplies; we also expect you to insure our equipment so do one of two things 1) buy your own policy from an Insurance Broker or 2) hire a producer/production company to produce your project on your behalf cause I've seen to many low budget projects get shut down by the police for not having the proper permits
3. feed us well; with a meal 30 min prior to call and a lunch + an additional meal if we run over the normal 12 hours
4. provide healthy craft service food
5. minimum of a 10 hour turnaround
Beyond being artists we freelance crew members all run our own business and we expect to be treated as any normal business. You don't goto to an In and Out and ask them to lower there prices because you cant afford a doubledouble, so we expect the same treatment.
A happy crew is a good crew.
If you have a no/low paid project, please do us all a favor post your volunteer or no paid projects in the volunteer/nonprofit section cause me and my crew will be watching and flagging.
To low paid or no paid producers.
We as crew expect the following:
1. pay us at least a decent rate; nothing less then $200.00 a day + overtime, mileage or fuel costs
2. pay for equipment and kit rentals and don't expect them to be dirt cheap, but about 15% to 25% less then Wooden Nickel or Indy Rentals rates + expendables & supplies; we also expect you to insure our equipment so do one of two things 1) buy your own policy from an Insurance Broker or 2) hire a producer/production company to produce your project on your behalf cause I've seen to many low budget projects get shut down by the police for not having the proper permits
3. feed us well; with a meal 30 min prior to call and a lunch + an additional meal if we run over the normal 12 hours
4. provide healthy craft service food
5. minimum of a 10 hour turnaround
Beyond being artists we freelance crew members all run our own business and we expect to be treated as any normal business. You don't goto to an In and Out and ask them to lower there prices because you cant afford a doubledouble, so we expect the same treatment.
A happy crew is a good crew.
If you have a no/low paid project, please do us all a favor post your volunteer or no paid projects in the volunteer/nonprofit section cause me and my crew will be watching and flagging.
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Fun?
Date: 2009-12-15, 9:29AM PST
Why do all the folks who think that crew members should work for free advertise their projects as "fun" or "great crew to work with"?
First off, how is working for free on someone else's commercial project fun?
And since you're advertising for crew members, how in the world do you already know that you're gonna have a "great crew" around you?
You haven't hired em yet genius, they might be the worst group of people assembled since the Manson family or the last Bush adminstration.
I work for a living, I enjoy my work, I have fun at my job, I also get paid for what I do which allows me to have even more fun by being able to pay my bills and support a family. Having a lot of laughs hanging out on a set filled with people who haven't yet realized that working for free devalues themselves isn't my idea of a fun time.
And that whole copy, credit, meals thing, those things are or should be given to people who get paid for their work, not in place of payment.
Boasting about feeding me isn't going to impress me and sending me a copy of what will inevitably end up being a piece of crap personal film doesn't pay my mortgage and besides, you should be doing those things on top of paying for your workers.
And on a personal note, not one of the various low budget producer types that begged people to work for free or at a ridiculously low day rate has EVER sent me a copy of the final project. And as for "credit" why in gods name would I want my name associated with the kind of stuff that is being produced by these bottom feeders?
Location: Pasadena
Compensation: Invaluable experience and knowledge
-----------------------------
About having fun... (Pasadena)
Date: 2009-12-15, 2:38PM PST
Well it didn't take too long for the bottom feeders to flag it off, and that's ok, everyone is entitled to their opinion.
Thanks for all the good comments via email.
Remember, people who think it's perfectly acceptable to pay nothing for using the talents of others to make a buck are not your friends.
For those of you new to the Hollywood game, remember this too, there won't ever be "next time we'll pay you" jobs, the liars who tell you that will simply move on to the next gullible person who thinks that working for free will help themselves, it doesn't, it hurts you and it hurts others in your field who may have spent thousands of their own dollars and years of their lives learning their craft. When you work for free you're telling the world that you're worthless.
Is that really how you think of yourself? Making films and television shows is a business, not a hobby.
Are there people creating beautiful pieces of art using the process? Absolutely and they're all getting paid to do so.
If you simply have to work for free, find a real charity and donate your time, you'll feel better about yourself and you'll be helping people in actual need, not bottom feeders who call themselves "producers".
Happy Holidays.
Location: Pasadena
Compensation: Invaluable advice
---------------------------
Seriously Guys (Not the issue)
Date: 2009-12-15, 4:53PM PST
THE ISSUES
=========================
Working for free is not the issue here.
Yeah, we all work for free on occasion. You can make valuable connections, potentially get paid future work, etc.
I help my friends out all the time. The problem is these blood-thirsty, predatory producers stalking CL for fresh meat.
I have been RUTHLESSLY exploited by such people in the past, and for what?
These "shorts" and "dorito's commercials" are useless to us. Most of the shorts, and none of the music videos and commercials even make it onto IMDB so the credit is worthless. Rarely do you ever see a copy. And I know the fundees out there don't mind spending days of their free time for a couple of slices of Little Caesar's but the rest of us are desperately scraping by on the few gigs we can muster every month.
Now let's talk about the "fun" aspect. Though producers will never understand it as they don't come within arm's length of real work, gripping for a 12 hour unpaid day is in no way "fun". Rewarding, yes. But lugging sandbags and c-stands up and down a hill is labor, WORK not play, plain and simple. The same is true for other departments.
And they want to use your gear for free? Do you know how much that stuff is worth? How much people paid for it? If these guys really can't afford $100 a day do you think they'll reimburse you if something gets broken? They won't, I learned that the hard way. And something is GOING to get broken when they're taking every tom dick and inexperienced rich kid willing to work for sheer <3 of "art".
The same goes for makeup artist's kit fees. They live and die by their expensive makeup kits and these cheapskates expect MUA's to not only donate their time but their expensive property toward some dubious passion project?! It's outrageous.
As for these internships, why will a company ever start paying someone when they can get people to work for free? A friend of mine worked for MTV and at the end of her 6 month internship they didn't hire a single one of the 20 interns but instead got a new batch.
The real bottom feeders, the ones you'll see on here occasionally, are even worse. They will abuse you until you quit, and then you've not only wasted your time but haven't got so much as a recommendation out of it.
These are the issues I see at play, and why I flag the living hell out of anything that doesn't pay a decent wage.
Location: Not the issue
Why do all the folks who think that crew members should work for free advertise their projects as "fun" or "great crew to work with"?
First off, how is working for free on someone else's commercial project fun?
And since you're advertising for crew members, how in the world do you already know that you're gonna have a "great crew" around you?
You haven't hired em yet genius, they might be the worst group of people assembled since the Manson family or the last Bush adminstration.
I work for a living, I enjoy my work, I have fun at my job, I also get paid for what I do which allows me to have even more fun by being able to pay my bills and support a family. Having a lot of laughs hanging out on a set filled with people who haven't yet realized that working for free devalues themselves isn't my idea of a fun time.
And that whole copy, credit, meals thing, those things are or should be given to people who get paid for their work, not in place of payment.
Boasting about feeding me isn't going to impress me and sending me a copy of what will inevitably end up being a piece of crap personal film doesn't pay my mortgage and besides, you should be doing those things on top of paying for your workers.
And on a personal note, not one of the various low budget producer types that begged people to work for free or at a ridiculously low day rate has EVER sent me a copy of the final project. And as for "credit" why in gods name would I want my name associated with the kind of stuff that is being produced by these bottom feeders?
Location: Pasadena
Compensation: Invaluable experience and knowledge
-----------------------------
About having fun... (Pasadena)
Date: 2009-12-15, 2:38PM PST
Well it didn't take too long for the bottom feeders to flag it off, and that's ok, everyone is entitled to their opinion.
Thanks for all the good comments via email.
Remember, people who think it's perfectly acceptable to pay nothing for using the talents of others to make a buck are not your friends.
For those of you new to the Hollywood game, remember this too, there won't ever be "next time we'll pay you" jobs, the liars who tell you that will simply move on to the next gullible person who thinks that working for free will help themselves, it doesn't, it hurts you and it hurts others in your field who may have spent thousands of their own dollars and years of their lives learning their craft. When you work for free you're telling the world that you're worthless.
Is that really how you think of yourself? Making films and television shows is a business, not a hobby.
Are there people creating beautiful pieces of art using the process? Absolutely and they're all getting paid to do so.
If you simply have to work for free, find a real charity and donate your time, you'll feel better about yourself and you'll be helping people in actual need, not bottom feeders who call themselves "producers".
Happy Holidays.
Location: Pasadena
Compensation: Invaluable advice
---------------------------
Seriously Guys (Not the issue)
Date: 2009-12-15, 4:53PM PST
THE ISSUES
=========================
Working for free is not the issue here.
Yeah, we all work for free on occasion. You can make valuable connections, potentially get paid future work, etc.
I help my friends out all the time. The problem is these blood-thirsty, predatory producers stalking CL for fresh meat.
I have been RUTHLESSLY exploited by such people in the past, and for what?
These "shorts" and "dorito's commercials" are useless to us. Most of the shorts, and none of the music videos and commercials even make it onto IMDB so the credit is worthless. Rarely do you ever see a copy. And I know the fundees out there don't mind spending days of their free time for a couple of slices of Little Caesar's but the rest of us are desperately scraping by on the few gigs we can muster every month.
Now let's talk about the "fun" aspect. Though producers will never understand it as they don't come within arm's length of real work, gripping for a 12 hour unpaid day is in no way "fun". Rewarding, yes. But lugging sandbags and c-stands up and down a hill is labor, WORK not play, plain and simple. The same is true for other departments.
And they want to use your gear for free? Do you know how much that stuff is worth? How much people paid for it? If these guys really can't afford $100 a day do you think they'll reimburse you if something gets broken? They won't, I learned that the hard way. And something is GOING to get broken when they're taking every tom dick and inexperienced rich kid willing to work for sheer <3 of "art".
The same goes for makeup artist's kit fees. They live and die by their expensive makeup kits and these cheapskates expect MUA's to not only donate their time but their expensive property toward some dubious passion project?! It's outrageous.
As for these internships, why will a company ever start paying someone when they can get people to work for free? A friend of mine worked for MTV and at the end of her 6 month internship they didn't hire a single one of the 20 interns but instead got a new batch.
The real bottom feeders, the ones you'll see on here occasionally, are even worse. They will abuse you until you quit, and then you've not only wasted your time but haven't got so much as a recommendation out of it.
These are the issues I see at play, and why I flag the living hell out of anything that doesn't pay a decent wage.
Location: Not the issue
Saturday, December 12, 2009
Dp Gaffer Grips Electrics
Date: 2009-12-12, 4:53PM PST
The low budget market is DEAD, no-one buys these films(videos) and they are getting cheaper and cheaper to make on average 20K and less. So where is there any money for us. Only the director or producer skims off the top to survive, they are okay as they make there projects, their rent is paid, their food and utilities are paid, and the people like Panasonic /Sony and Red who sells these cameras by the thousands are okay, they arnt hurting, it's you and me. Every director in town owns their own camera now. Cant even make a few bones renting anymore, because video is so easy, every one in town is a DP and a Gaffer. Not like the old days had to work up to these positions, thus creating work for everyone, now everyone is a DP and a Gaffer and you cannot find a good BB or AC to save your life. Hey yeah, Im going to hire an AC who has a DP resume or a BB who has a DP resume with all the cameras and lights that daddy bought and they live at home. People like Birns and a few others are GIVING away Redcams just to make a few bucks on the accessories.
Its time to take a stand against these lowbudget bloodsuckers. Flag EVERY and I mean every NON Paying job right off the bat, as soon as it comes up, flag it, let these people find the money to pay and if they cant afford it get the outa the business.
My two pennies for what it is worth.
Location: Hollywood
Compensation: Huh!!!! are you kidding. The Directors okay so Fuck you buddy.
The low budget market is DEAD, no-one buys these films(videos) and they are getting cheaper and cheaper to make on average 20K and less. So where is there any money for us. Only the director or producer skims off the top to survive, they are okay as they make there projects, their rent is paid, their food and utilities are paid, and the people like Panasonic /Sony and Red who sells these cameras by the thousands are okay, they arnt hurting, it's you and me. Every director in town owns their own camera now. Cant even make a few bones renting anymore, because video is so easy, every one in town is a DP and a Gaffer. Not like the old days had to work up to these positions, thus creating work for everyone, now everyone is a DP and a Gaffer and you cannot find a good BB or AC to save your life. Hey yeah, Im going to hire an AC who has a DP resume or a BB who has a DP resume with all the cameras and lights that daddy bought and they live at home. People like Birns and a few others are GIVING away Redcams just to make a few bucks on the accessories.
Its time to take a stand against these lowbudget bloodsuckers. Flag EVERY and I mean every NON Paying job right off the bat, as soon as it comes up, flag it, let these people find the money to pay and if they cant afford it get the outa the business.
My two pennies for what it is worth.
Location: Hollywood
Compensation: Huh!!!! are you kidding. The Directors okay so Fuck you buddy.
Internships, copy/credit, no pay sorry
Date: 2009-12-12, 4:11PM PST
I hate to rant in this section, but I know you job seekers are feeling me here.
NYC is paying production assistants 150 dollars a day + a per diem for expenses
to work on MUSIC VIDEOS, LOW BUDGET FEATURES, & COMMERCIALS.
Boom operators make around 150 as well,
sound mixers with equipment get about 350 a day,
& the higher you climb the greener the leaves.
That's right, the guy or gal with the CREW raincoat on directing pedestrian traffic
around Union Square during a shoot is not eating dick to support his kids.
Nobody buys short films. In fact, nobody really watches them either.
The festival circuit? Laughable. Start offering money, even deferred, & we'll start working for you.
Because yes, Obama did promote volunteerism, but he also extended unemployment benefits.
I've got all the time in the world to wait for a real job to get posted.
-------------------
When Obama promoted volunteerism (Everywhere)
Date: 2009-12-12, 3:27PM PST
he wasn't talking about us volunteering to work on your music video,short film,feature film,spec TV pilot,commercial or any variations thereof. We cannot afford to work for you for free. Minimum wage in this state is 8 dollars an hour. After 8 hours it goes up to time and a half up to twelve and double time after that. These are not union agreemeents.. They are state labor laws that apply to everybody, regardless of your union status or size of your budget. If you cannot meet these simple rules then you need to go back to the trough and get some more money before you start running these ads. Stop trying to get around the laws and exploit people. It's not good for your karma and could get you into serious legal troubles if somebody decides to drop a dime on you.
I hate to rant in this section, but I know you job seekers are feeling me here.
NYC is paying production assistants 150 dollars a day + a per diem for expenses
to work on MUSIC VIDEOS, LOW BUDGET FEATURES, & COMMERCIALS.
Boom operators make around 150 as well,
sound mixers with equipment get about 350 a day,
& the higher you climb the greener the leaves.
That's right, the guy or gal with the CREW raincoat on directing pedestrian traffic
around Union Square during a shoot is not eating dick to support his kids.
Nobody buys short films. In fact, nobody really watches them either.
The festival circuit? Laughable. Start offering money, even deferred, & we'll start working for you.
Because yes, Obama did promote volunteerism, but he also extended unemployment benefits.
I've got all the time in the world to wait for a real job to get posted.
-------------------
When Obama promoted volunteerism (Everywhere)
Date: 2009-12-12, 3:27PM PST
he wasn't talking about us volunteering to work on your music video,short film,feature film,spec TV pilot,commercial or any variations thereof. We cannot afford to work for you for free. Minimum wage in this state is 8 dollars an hour. After 8 hours it goes up to time and a half up to twelve and double time after that. These are not union agreemeents.. They are state labor laws that apply to everybody, regardless of your union status or size of your budget. If you cannot meet these simple rules then you need to go back to the trough and get some more money before you start running these ads. Stop trying to get around the laws and exploit people. It's not good for your karma and could get you into serious legal troubles if somebody decides to drop a dime on you.
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