Should we work for no monay? No. And yes. Maybe. You may have some suspicions that there is no definitive answer but I think there are a few guidelines.
Surgeons usually get paid
It’s a topic that comes up quite a bit on message boards and mailing lists. The industry mailing list I am on in Australia has taken the step of marking non-paying jobs differently to paying jobs because of people’s reactions to some dubious unpaid jobs.
There are different schools of thought on taking non-paying jobs. Some people are against it no matter what, others think it’s okay if you are aware of the situation.
Here’s my rules:
If someone is getting paid on the job, you should get paid. It doesn’t matter how much and it might only be a token amount. If the Director is getting money, you should be getting money. How much is up to you to work out with the person employing you. If they say it will look great on your reel, that might be the case, but how many people do you know work for free? Even apprentice tradesmen get paid *something* and their work is contributing to their future job prospects.
If you are made aware of the financial situation and you still want to do it, then do it. This might seem to contradict the first rule, but if you are told up front there is no pay and you are cool with that, then that is your decision. If you are told that other people are getting paid and you want to do the project, go for it but don’t complain about conditions or the lack of pay.
Personally I think I should charge *something*,even if it is a small amount. It makes me feel and act more professional, and it let’s the client know that they have to act profesionally as well. This goes doubly for small projects where clients often have no idea of what the work actually entails and often want to make a lot of changes without paying for them. Setting a base price and then a price per revision lets the client know that your time and skills have some value.
The problem is that so many people think that visual effects and animation are “fun” that they then assume that because it is so fun you should want to do it for free. Last time I checked though, my mechanic likes what he does but he is quite clear that he wants to be paid for his work. My doctor seems to enjoy his career but if I try to leave without paying, there are going to be issues.
You are a professional. Professionals charge for their professional services.