The Diary of a Freelancer: "Dirtbag Doctrine"

"Dirtbag, can't make money, he's stuck in the streets" 

                                                                                  - Vinnie Paz

And this is the problem. A problem I've had to mentally challenge. There's a certain saying, 'lie down with dogs, get up with flees'. So what happens when you go to bed with dirtbags in business, men and women  who don't recognise that your talents extend far beyond their mortal knowledge?

The temptation of dirtbag change may tempt you specially when funds are low, but the key is not to sell yourself short. Ever. Take for example, an average music video. 300 for equipment + DOP, 100 to rent out some crumby club. 50+ for food. 250 for the Director. 100 + for incidentals. 200 for an editor. Get all your slutty, dirtbag friends to throw up liquors and such. so youre spending 1000+. So think about an animated video, a world created solely from blank space, godly molding not only narrative, but characters etc..... for 1200.  A decent price. A monolith amongst a sea of music video banality. So you think one shouldn't complain. Right?

Wrong.
If you can't offer dineros, of course there has to be something viable for both parties involved- deferred payment, a viable partnership for the future etc. But if it's a 'one-night-stand' job, pay homage to the alter of Creativity. Even if it is a token. But if you want me to create a month or 2 worth of work and you come empty-handed and pocketed, not even change to cover my material's cost, or some form of dually-viable agreement, then you're a dirtback.

As hinted, Contracts protect you from such people, so far. You just have to keep your eyes open. But in these hard times, where you have to do some jobs that sometimes pay crumbs or nothing at all, well you may want to give in to giving up the 'Creative' mantle for a quick buck to pay the bills. And that's how the 'dirtbag doctrine' stays alive. You gotta end the cycle of ignorance and greed. Turn a dirtbag down when he comes to you, and set the perimeters that have to be met before any agreement can be met. This took years to build...not for you to just come and leech off the talent. Sorry. And if you get screwed by a dirtbag (twice allbeit) , divorce them like a cheating strumpet.

Tacit complete.

Sum up,