The writer’s guild strike is in full swing now.
And I felt it was time for me to speak out about my experiences with online filmmaking.
Prepare for a bit of venom.
I’m going to begin this with a simple email exchange I had recently with a company who posted on Columbia University’s email list that they wanted video content. I’ll only paste the essential parts:
“XXXXXXX is building a global network of producers, directors, writers, experts, and crew members who will work together to build the largest (and best) online library of instructional videos on the planet.
Once you’ve applied and been accepted into our Production Network, XXXXXXX will provide you with assignments based on your specific interests.
For a limited time, XXXXXXX will pay you $60 per approved (2-3 minute) video. ”
$60? For the budget of the film and my payment as a writer/director/editor/producer?
$60??!!!!
Are these people serious?
Folks.
Welcome to the new frontier. The NEW wild wild west of filmmaking.
Online filmmaking.
Unfortunately, filmmakers, being naïve and idealistic have been taken for a ride these past few years. Online companies (aka youtube-esque rip off sites) have told us that we can get “free exposure” by handing over our content. Sadly, this “free exposure” usually amounts to:
Jack shit.
I’ve fallen into this trap for a long time. But, despite where my videos have ended up on the web. Nothing ever happened for me. The only people who benefited were the people who owned the website. Who used my content to sell advertising.
Filmmakers. They are using your content. YOUR content that you busted your ass on. To sell advertising.
DO NOT HAND OVER YOUR CONTENT FOR FREE ANYMORE!
You need to start respecting yourself and the content that you create. Companies are starving to take us out to dinner. We have to let them know we’re not a cheap date any more.
Fast forward to my most recent debacle.
A different scenario this time. This was not an online company like youtube looking for free content. This was a company actually looking to pay for content. And still…it ended badly.
That company is:
AT&T.
I shudder at the name now.
I was hired by AT&T to create funny technology web videos for their upcoming “AT&T tech channel” (techchannel.att.com). My job was two fold actually. I was writing/editing/performing/etc. in live action video work AND also involved in a side animation project.
AT&T originally had a nice sized budget for us.
Then, they cut it down.
Then, they cut down the number of videos they wanted.
What companies like AT&T do is bank off our good will. As filmmakers, we simply want to make good content. That’s why no one stands up for themselves when it comes to money.
Check this out:
AT&T refused to pay for the crews meals in our production budget. Further, they did not want to pay for any of our production costs up front. Not, even half before and half after.
I told this information to my grandmom, who is easily one of the greatest people I know. God bless her, but she knows nothing about video production. When I told her what AT&T was doing, she screwed up her face and said, “Gee Bobby that sounds really fishy.”
You’re damn right it does Grandmom.
So, me and my friends. Who are already struggling financially with loans and all that. Had to pull our money together to fund several videos that cost a few thousand dollars altogether.
Yes. AT&T. A giant corporation. Could not be decent enough to help us cover expenses. Expenses for their project that we were busting our asses on for.
AT&T would refund us the money months later.
And when I say Months. I mean. MONTHS.
Of course with anything, the videos we did were censored and deformed after they got their hands on it. And as far as I know, none of them will ever see the light of day.
After talking to other freelance producers who have worked for AT&T. (Key word HAVE. Past tense.) They all share with me the same story. They had to quit because of the way they were treated. AT&T is literally forcing talented, creative people out the door.
The main reason I was brought into AT&T was to do animated work with my longtime friend Nick Bertonnazi. A marvelously talented animator. (See Mumbaloop.com.) We’ve been talking about making things together since we were little kids. If you were a friend or family member during this time where we first got the AT&T deal you knew how happy we were. It was, without a doubt, a dream come true.
So, they greenlit one of our animated series and officially put us on the payroll.
For a month, we worked on the project. I would write something, and then have to get on a conference call with an AT&T employee, who did not understand it. Lets call this person X.
Anyways, I would get X’s notes and I would rewrite it.
And X would still not understand it.
What’s funny is X greenlit the idea and the specific show ideas. But, now X “didn’t understand the humor of it”.
For a month this goes on. X does a variety of things to me: telling me how X would write it. Criticizing this and that. And it’s painful. Our enthusiasm and good will begin to trickle out the door. It made me very sad.
The final straw during this animation debacle with AT&T was this: A month after beginning work. I wrote X a very sweet letter saying that we really want to make good work for X, but we have no idea what X wants from us anymore. And to please tell us what X wants. We want to make X happy.
X replied a week later (standard procedure) and told us X was shelving the project. X offered us $300 for our time.
$300 split both ways.
We logged in around 25 hours. $150 each was a rate under minimum wage.
Thing is we were on the payroll for a $300 a day rate. (Which sounds like a very nice day rate. But, it’s a trick really. They were going to offer us a week or two of this day rate as payment for the completed project. Even though the project would take 2 months to complete.)
So, lets back the train up here.
X did not owe us $150 each. X owed us $937.50 each. (25 hours divided by an 8 hour work day = 3.125 x 300 a day.)
I nicely told X that I regretted X’s decision to shelve the project for now, but that I can’t wait to work with X in the near future. I also let X know that the price was a bit unreasonable and told X the hours I worked. I was painfully nice.
X didn’t respond to my email.
A week goes by and I hear back X loves the other videos we did.
I email X. Painfully nice. And tell X I’m glad X liked the videos. “Did you reconsider our payment?”
I hear nothing from X for two weeks..
I email X a stronger worded letter and give the exact hours I worked. Line by line stating what I did during those hours.
Suddenly, X gets back to me the next morning. (Odd considering X usually waits a week or two to respond.) X says, “Oh wait. You confused what I was saying. I meant $300 each.” No. X didn’t mean that. I even confirmed with an another employee at the time that X definitely meant $150 each and X was definitely not budging from that number.
The money X was giving us was arbitrary. The equivalent of a “fuck off, here’s a few bucks.”
This arbitrary attitude toward my online video work is exactly what is wrong with online filmmaking! There are no rules! EVERYTHING is arbitrary!
Anyways.
I politely ask X if I could see X in his office to talk about this. Just for a few minutes. Whenever it’s convenient for X.
X tells me that X doesn’t have time for that. That this matter can be handled without seeing each other in person. That it doesn’t need X’s full attention.
X refuses to be a decent person and just talk to me like a human being about this.
I then spoke to a Lawyer. The lawyer told me:
“You have an open shut case in small claims court.”
I let X know that. I also let X know that X had the weekend to think about this. If I don’t get the money I’m owed I will take X to small claims court.
That Monday I get an email. A very disparaging email. For a few paragraphs, X tells me my logic is inconsistent. But, ends with. “Despite these inconstancies, Im going to give you the money you claimed you are owed.”
And despite X’s disparing words. X paid up.
You must agree: Actions speak louder than words.
The fact is. Without us. The online filmmakers. These companies are nothing. What’s X gonna do? Make a film on X’s own? Good luck!
It’s time that these companies know this and respect us for it. We do good work! Lets not sell ourselves short anymore!
The happy ending to this story is that I was recently hired by NextNewNetworks.com to do commercial work for them. Y’know what their note was for me at the start?
“Do whatever you want.”
I did. And they actually respect my work! What the-? It’s like being in a bad relationship and then getting into a new one and being like: “Why did I put up with that before?” (You can check out the next new videos here: Funnyordie.com/bobbynextnew)
The thing is I’m damned proud to be working for NextNewNetworks. Because they seem to simply get it. Not only that, but if you look at the shows they create. Every single one of them is quality.
How do they do it? It’s simple. They let the artists do their thing. They understand how the process works. And they actually pay them for their time. People watch. Everyone wins.
X and the folks at AT&T should really check out NextNew Networks business model.
In summary. If you, as an online filmmaker, or an artist in general don’t respect your work enough to be compensated for your time. Then, you don’t respect yourself.
You should respect yourself more.
It’s time to join that picket line.
