Freebies

Jose Galt · February 7, 2004

While asked to work as camera operator --to do a favor to a DP friend--I was given a contract to sign by the pa. It basically states that the "volunteer" "releases and forever discharges the company for any action, claims, expenses and compensation...."

For starters, volunteering to help on a shoot should mean that one is treated BETTER and with MORE respect and not taken advantage of. In this case, the director and producer got two camera operators to show up, thus wasting the time and potential efforts of a crew member. They were rude and condescending throughout the project having absolutely no respect for the time and effort that the 'volunteers' contributed. I would think that the 'company' would be overjoyed that there are crew out there to help them make THEIR INDIE and possibly share any deferalls with the crew. The idea that "If you do this one, we will hire you when we get a paying shoot." couldn't be more false. So at the very least, the company should promise to share some compensation for the crew's hard free work. All we have to sell is our time, and a little respect goes a long way. The P/D KH was rude and condescending and I have no qualms about letting this forum know of his contract and company. CAVEAT EMPTOR as they say. DO NOT SIGN ONE OF THESE FORMS. If you would like a copy of the contract please email me and I will send it to you.

Mitch Gross · February 7, 2004

I don't know the details of the job or the contract, but I can understand a Producer asking for a release that essential says that your work -- even free work -- is work for hire, so that you could not at a later time try to claim it as your own and thus prevent them from selling their product. At the same time, I see contracts and deal memos all the time with illegal clauses in them that cannot be enforced. Thing like they are not responsible for you if you get injured when in fact they always are even if you are there for free. They also can't make you say that you will accept responsibility instead--itis illegal to assign risk. I read things in contracts all the time that even if I sign I could still choose to sue over (and I'd win) such as these. I also love it when they say they're not responsible for paying taxes or providing you with tax info such as a 1099 document and such. That's their legal obligation under the US tax code no matter what they write on some piece of paper and ask me to sign. Nonsense.

Phil Rhodes · February 7, 2004

Hi,

I don't do freebies anymore, mainly because of crap like this. Okay, if someone offered me the opportunity to shoot a multi-million budget feature with A-list cast for free, I'd probably take it. But it'd have to be something like that!

I've been doing freebies for years, and they never did me a mote of good. They never hire you when they get paying work. They never send you a copy on a decent format, and they never treat you right while you're working. Stuff it. No more.

Phil

David Mullen ASC · February 7, 2004

I'll do a freebee SHORT every couple of years if it's for people I know. I shot "Stuck" for free for producer Andrea Sperling and she hired me to shoot the feature "D.E.B.S." a year and a half later, my first union feature and my highest budget at that time.

Phil Rhodes · February 7, 2004

Hi,

Ah well, that's LA for you. In London it's so crushingly unlikely that anyone will ever get a bigger gig that it doesn't really work no matter how honourable people's intentions; add to this the standard producer scumbag factor and you're really wasting your time!

Phil