Representing Yourself: 3 Tips For Early Career Artists & Filmmakers
💲Financial Management: Here are three tips to insure that no-and low-pay gigs remain rewarding.
In an industry that is constantly changing, one thing will remain the same: early career artists and filmmakers need to hone their craft, expand their network and build their resume.
Sometimes this means working for no-pay or low-pay. There is, after all, a reason that the terms “ultra-low budget”, “non-union” and “off-off-Broadway” exist.
These experiences can be incredibly beneficial, providing exposure, insight and inroads to higher-paying gigs. Unfortunately, they aren’t all rosy experiences. Every entertainment professional has at least one “here’s how I was exploited” tale to reminisce about at cocktail parties.
Here are three tips to insure that no- and low-pay gigs remain rewarding:
1. Understand the Offer.
Beyond obvious things like schedule, location and billing, do you know who else on the project is working for no- or low-pay? Are actors working for nothing while the crew gets paid? Is the director making less than the stage manager or line producer? What happens if the project eventually makes money?
Can you get the terms in writing? One way to protect yourself is to ask for a favored nations clause (MFN). This is a nifty idea that helps to insure equity among people in your department (e.g., talent, designers, crew) or across the entire production team. If your agreement has a favored nations clause, it means no one in your cohort will receive more favorable terms than you are getting.
2. Push for Personal Incentives.
What will make you feel valued beyond the pay being offered? Consider the schedule. How many nights will you be working into the wee small hours? Ask for the production to cover your taxi home or to pay the babysitter if you work beyond a certain time. Can you get complimentary tickets for agents or producers?
How many DVDs or free streaming links do you need? Does the producer have another paying project for you down the road? Can you also assist with marketing, crew calls or in some other manner on the project so that you add a new skill to your resume (and perhaps get paid for it)?
3. Act “As If”.
Artists and filmmakers, like any entrepreneur, need to market themselves as cheerful, working professionals who are hungry for opportunity. This can be really difficult if you’re serving lattes all day and working for nothing on someone else’s passion project all night. But unless you are with your dog or your BFF, act as if you love what you do and you’re prepared to take on new projects.
Beyond appearances, this means keeping your website and social media platforms up-to-date, remaining informed about what’s going on in the industry (and, ideally, the world), responding to professional emails and phone calls in a timely fashion, and maintaining your professional contacts even when you’re not working together.
No one wants to hire someone who seems disinterested, disorganized and/or overwhelmed by the industry. While you’re building your professional stamina, act as if you’re never out-of-breath.
The most powerful people in the entertainment industry are comfortable discussing the “biz” in “showbiz”, and learning to represent yourself is a valuable skill regardless of the pay or whether you have an agent or manager negotiating terms.
Like everything else, negotiating for yourself is a skill that takes practice, and the earlier in your career you start, the sooner you’ll reap the benefits.