Need Vs. Greed: When should Filmmakers work for free?

need
That sneaky Film Industry, with all the million dollar budgets, global audiences and coked up Superstars we read about, why can’t the trusty PA get a slice of that action darn it? When should the talented up and comer decide that this Project is worth eating leftover noodles and sleeping on the floor of Hobo Harry’s cardboard box apartment? Fret not my Filmmaking birds, I’ll feed you.

It’s worth prefacing that every project and situation is unique and relative, so be mindful when making your own decision. There really are no bad choices only learning curves and every Filmmaker must experience the highs and lows of this Industry in order to wise up for the future. Remember, one mistake is practice, numerous mistakes are poor judgement. The long and short is that movies are the ultimate business, one that has been perfected over decades, the counter point is you too are a business. The more skilled your business mind the greater the success and ultimately the less you will have to squeal piggy squeal. My greatest education whilst starting out came from Jordan Belfort’s ‘Straight Line Persuasion’, a tad dated now but you would do yourself a massive favour by learning the principles.

Let’s lay out a scenario to explore the decision making process all you fresh faced filmic newbies will encounter upon entering the Industry. A Production Company are revving up a Music Video shoot and require some Runners (I loathe this title) to essentially carry out the mundane tasks that accompany a shoot. This typically involves assuring that all departments have the necessities required to do their jobs and yes coffee making fits this bill delightfully. It’s cool, you worked gruelling hours behind a bar to pay for Film School, you’re not afraid of grafting.  What’s that Mr. Producer? The budget has been spent on the key players and equipment? That leaves you with measly travel expenses, a craft table bagel and an important decision to make. So, we return to the question of Need vs. Greed (vs. Superman, no apologies) or my favourite translation, ‘is the juice worth the squeeze?’. This is where you must take a step back, intelligently assess the situation and act only out of personal gain. Search deep in your mind and ask yourself, how does my career benefit from this project? Is this a Production team with exciting future prospects? Will I learn from the talent on set or just how to make an excellent cup of coffee? Does the project stir my creative loins? These are just some of the questions that should be evaluated before jumping on to any old project that comes knocking, because let’s face it, opportunities may be exciting, but there’s zero value being hidden in the kitchen.

In this Industry, experience and contacts are the foundations of a healthy career, but not every Production can provide these and I’ve witnessed so many Companies using the ‘Runner’ to fill in the budget blanks without any intention to return the value. Money isn’t everything, but you have to survive in order to thrive and this is the mind-set you must possess when approaching your career.

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