Koobazaur's Domain

Craiglist community has recently started cracking and flagging down low/no pay freelance film gigs – this is why.

The other day I saw this awesome Classified Ad for a Cinematographer:

Seeking Cinematographer with own equipment, preferably the Red 1, AGF 100 or The Alexa.
Pay is $100/day.
Shoot will be 5 days at most, in May. We are looking for a serious-about-their-career, but happy go-lucky DP willing to shoot a 15 page script. The story is heavy, our lead actor a 30 year TV veteran. Our first film was well received in the Festival circuit, and we are looking to produce another excellent short that all involved can be PROUD of.
We will provide plenty of food, a happy atmosphere and of course, credit for your work! No insane 12 hour days or screaming Directors.
Please don’t apply if there is even a hint you would bail on us last minute for a better paying job. We get it, it’s not a lot of $$, but we can also assure you that this project will leave you feeling proud.

Let’s break it down, shall we?

preferably the Red 1, AGF 100 or The Alexa. Pay is $100/day.

For those not in the biz, all these are top-of-the-line, thousands-of-dollars digital cameras that can usually be rented for $1000-1500/day and tons of insurance paperwork. Yet, these guys are asking for one at $100 a day PLUS the labor of the DP. Camera cost aside, it barely translates to minimum wage…

We are looking for a serious-about-their-career

Anyone serious about their career would want to be paid a fair wage for their work, experience, and expensive equipment. Don’t expect serious professionals with your seriously unprofessional demands.

…our lead actor a 30 year TV veteran. Our first film was well received in the Festival circuit…

If you guys are so famous and successful, how come you can’t afford to pay a competitive rate? Either you’re claims are bullshit or you’re cheapskates. I don’t think I want to work with either.

we are looking to produce another excellent short that all involved can be PROUD of.

I’m proud of work I get paid fair wage on; the two aren’t mutually exclusive. If you want to make something amazing, be ready to invest in it.

We will provide plenty of food, a happy atmosphere and of course, credit for your work!

Wait, so if you paid me fairly you’d reserve the right to starve me, treat me like shit, and not credit my work? Those aren’t extras – those should come standard with any gig.

Please don’t apply if there is even a hint you would bail on us last minute for a better paying job.

The very fact you need to include that disclaimer shows you’re aware of your own shitty pay and exploitative nature. It also suggests you have a history of people bailing on you, which could be easily amended by not bullshitting them (shocking, I know).

… we can also assure you that this project will leave you feeling proud.

Thank You for your assurance, now if you can convince my landlord to accept my pride instead of the monthly rent check I’ll start packing my camera right away! Really, your bullshit empty “assurance” is just the cherry on top.

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Those who met or worked with me know I’m not above working cheaply or even freely if the project is interesting and has honest and genuine people behind it who are realistic about their expectations and limitations.

But from experience, I can tell the above has all the little red flags and sugar-coating nonsense that it does not fall into either category. And you know what the kicker is? I’ve met those kind of people. I’ve been to their fancy 5-bedroom houses in Hollywood foothills. I saw the BMWs in the driveways. These are not poor struggling students trying to realize their first big film – I can actually relate to and support that. I’m talking about the well-off folks who are just being cheap, looking for ways to minimize costs at the expense of anyone trying to get “foot in the door,” using well rehearsed rhetoric of future benefits, networking, portfolio, and the biggest, fakest, shit-eating-grin you will ever see in your life.

This is why all your ads are getting flagged downed by the Craigslist community, at the cost of those with genuinely good intentions but limited budgets.