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As a follow-up to yesterdays’s post on Clients not paying, here is one from the writer’s perspective – but that one works just as well for any one who has ever worked for “deferred payment.” I’ve done that mistake as well, and of the maybe dozen (mostly short) films I’ve done that way, I ended up getting paid exactly zero times. And I have never met a single sould who did end up getting some money from a deferred payment job.

If you need the experience, you may consider working for free – just do not fall for the production assistant’s crap promising money down the line. If a film by chance should turn out to be a financial success, any self-respecting producer will immediately start a new production company, sell all rights to the film to this new company, and can rake in all profits.

And when it is time to make the next, proper budgeted, film, guess who they will not call? You. Because if you work for free, you can’t be any good, right?

Harlan Ellison with sharp, sharp teeth

Ellison is a veteran Hollywood writer, and even he get occasionally asked to do freebies. Here is an extract from the documentary “Dreams with sharp teeth”

If you are intrigued as I was, have a look at the well made trailer:

It made me order the DVD.

Every once in a while you will get a client that will ask for a favour. Be it an extra round of editing, extra graphics, or 50% off. Imagine if we would do the same in every day situations – we would be ridiculed. Yet, every one working in the creative realm will get asked sooner or later.

Here’s a film that shows how ridiculous this really is. Enjoy.

And here is the visual proof:

…or is he?

Who can spot how he managed to lift those 30 kg – and balance them – merely on his shoulder and the tips of his fingers?

AwkwardFamilyPhotos is a blog that posts just what it says.

Changing from DV to Red RAW has many advantages. One of them is that of a vastly improved possiblity to change things in post production. White balance is not baked in, and certain changes to exposure can be done without much penalty.

And thus an idea for a movie poster was born…

I’ll be gone for 10 days, filming onboard the Hurtigrute. In the meantime you might enjoy this Onion podcast:

Here is something that is beautifully shot, perfect way of saying: a happy, healthy & creative 2009 to all of you.

Suddenly I find myself enjoying making mock-up posters for RED. Here is the newest creation (click for full size):

RED’s boss, Jim Jannard, has pretty much revolutionized the camera business. Here’s a little thank-you-poster I made (after The Last Legion):

Jim Jannard, the ONE legion

I am always amazed when attending an audition, just how much of their soul those actors have to lay bare, often for a minor acting job. Here is a humorous view on those auditons: