I just got off the phone with a student film maker from Chapman. I've
been asked if I wanted to participate in working on a student film this
weekend (starting tomorrow) as a Sound Mixer.

The person told me that Chapman had all the sound gear needed, and I
wouldn't have to bring anything (heard that one before).

This person also told me that I would have two "in training" students
working with me as Boom Op and Utility Sound. And that they would be in
training, looking over my shoulder.

When I asked what the pay was.. She said, "there is no pay, everyone is
working on this shoot for free" line.

Needless to say, I have absolutely NO incentive to go work this kind of
job what-so-ever because the way I see it, it can only go from bad to
really bad for numerous reasons.

1) Anytime you use someone else's equipment, if it has problems (and it
always does) you'll be blamed. Not to mention that I found it Odd they
where actually missing 'a mixer' in that list of equipment.

2) When did it become ok to wait until the last possible minute, and
then start calling sound mixers the day before shooting?

I don't know why unpaid gigs continue to surprise people. Not that
i'm condoning it but obviously some people will work for free to build
contacts/experience. There's new threads all the time on craigslist
complaining about unpaid work and they even flag posts. Don't waste
your energy, just ignore.

On Apr 2, 12:27 pm, Kill Bill goblowme.com> wrote:

If my experience in San Francisco and elsewhere over the last few
years is anything to go by, it's every darn film school out there. The
'in thing' these days to make your name as a director/producer is to
get as many people to sign on for free as possible. Unfortunately the
availability of good cheap video cameras and the rise of things like
YouTube hasn't helped.

And then there's the whole social attitude. My girlfriend is
constantly pushing me to direct more, and take a small amount of $$$
and pull in people for free. She's right in many ways, but at the same
time I have a real mental block about roping people in and working
them into the ground for nothing, even though that's how I built up my
own resume. I can't help remembering how much I resented some of the
early gigs I was on after several weeks of 15 hour days under a 1st
timer, and the poisonous vibe it creates among the crew even though
everyone kept it professional on the set. I know, I'm being over-
sensitive but there it is.

I love how these people say "it's a great project that everyone
believes in. Everyone is working for a credit, and they feel strongly
about the project. It's an awesome script". My response usually is
"well, I haven't met someone trying to get people to work for free who
hasn't believed in their project".

-Dave

Slightly off topic:

I sent a email to a really weird CL posting a few months back saying
that they needed a sound guy for some low budget thing and that he had
to have and know how to use a digital recorder. I sent them my rate
range and a gear list. A few weeks later someone from production
called me up. They said that the production was shooting over the
course of 6 weeks. When it got to the budget the first thing they
asked was if the rates I gave them were per day or total....I told
them per day and they replied by saying that their total budget for me
and my gear for 6 weeks was...$200. I tried to politely decline. The
conversation we had then was like this:

Her: "Well, thats a real nice recorder you have."
Me: "Yep."
Her: "So theres no way you could do this?"
Me: "Nope."

I was just baffled that they(a non-student production) could think
that anyone could make a 2 month commitment for $200. The mind recoils
in horror.

-e

That's almost more insulting than asking you to do it for free.

On Apr 2, 11:24 pm, Dave Fisk gmail.com> wrote:

Hey! Do you want to hear INSULTING?
Go To :
http://realitystaff.com/home/index.php?section=JOBS&result=Job%%20details&rs_job_id...

~
S

On Apr 2, 11:24 pm, Dave Fisk gmail.com> wrote:

Hey! Do you want to hear INSULTING?
Go To :
http://realitystaff.com/home/index.php?section=JOBS&result=Job%%20details&rs_job_id...

~
S

On Apr 3, 12:24 am, Dave Fisk gmail.com> wrote:

The more insulting part is that they told me that they were spending
$500 on camera and they only had $200 left for sound.

-e

That IS more insulting, at least with most student films there only a
quasi pretense for low/no budget.

And the "Nash Entertainment" job... no comment,
well, shall I start on the 1/2 day 'really quick' job myth-!!

My 2 pesos...