Greetings from the crypt of the shadow arts. Sorry people, dealing with some terrible technological mishaps that has me beaming my brain goo matter to you from the clankity clank of a rather robust PC keyboard. My mac laptop, after years of infidelity with chaos and bastardom, has left me. God rest her whorish soul. So now, hopefully I'll be able to recover most of my files she left with. Just because we are divorced doesn't entitle you to half, baby.
Did some boards a week or so ago for short Hello, Charlie.
Short film, dirtbag work. Here:
Sum up
Note well: Insults and approaching me with no ettiquette and respect for my time is a good way to be ignored. I'm a Martian, so enter my realm with caution .
"Excellent. Yes. Short film. Twenty frames a day...yes... my dayrate is 120 + VAT...for FREE? And for when? With updates on the hour? Sure, wait there, I'm just charging up my Illudium PU-36 Explosive Space Modulator."
"mm, mm Mommy, Dirtbag guts are the bestest! Wish I could kill one everyday."
Gentle people, creatives etc. Thought this would be a good read. Lengthy but good. Puts the modern creative industry into perspective. My suggestion: bookmark it, and send it to any dirtbag (referred to, in part, as 'hack' in the article) that crosses your path and steps on your toes. My favourite excerpt in reference to crowdsourcing (where they have millions of creatives clawing and scraping for one job or contract, which, in the end pays poorly [the organisation's way of complying with government standards by rebuking unpaid work schemes without actually having to pay much):
"...So, if my math is correct and every one of the 73,000 designers won just one competition a month, each would get $8.22. Sure not every one will win with the four to six entries they must submit to each contest…assignment…act of piracy on the high digital seas…whatever, so some designers will get $16.44 or maybe $32.88 per month? If I lived in Bali…and was stealing someone else’s electricity, I could live well. Well…live..."
It mentions in particular designers, but is quite applicable to all creative fields. If we can identify the problem, we are halfway home to a solution.
Just finished one set of boards for a music video. After I show the director, you'll get a sample. Till then, thought I'd show you some other boards I did for music videos during 'dirtbag' season. Both vids were directed by my boy Remi. Have a looksie:
And the video:
More boards
And video:
Sum Up,
This concludes dirtbag season. Thank you for watching.
"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.
I told you all I'd be dishing out advice. In a business where being screwed royally is as naturally occuring as cave formations, you kind of need to protect yourself. If you are as trusting as I am, you tend to want to trust the maniacal utterances of a dirtbag Managing Director or "Creative" Director. Don't. Get some one paper, and signed, no matter how small the job is. This is to make sure you are iron clad, whatever the outcome.Emails- detailing parameters for a job...you think that would be enough, but electronic data can be more easily altered...therefore there is deniability. A signed contract less so. Due date, amount to be paid, what needs to be done, all should be addressed.
Dont get me wrong there are some honest bosses out there, that stand by their word and pay up what they owe. I love those few, and they get my best work. Whatever you do, always do your best, and if you see a company acting shifty, divorce them. To tell you the truth I don't always follow my rules...stubborn yes. I'm in contention at the moment with one particular company. Well they were a company. Latest victim of the Credit crunch? No...more like poor financial handling. They either give me the ring-around or dont respond to emails. Meh. As much as you get screwed however, you remember, the work is yours. Sign everything you put out.... one that is visible, the other embeded somehow and made a part of the design in the image (if possible). Thats what I do with my story art, illustrations and film. Get it. Good.
Sum up, Never put a company's needs above your own. You can tell alot about a man by how he runs his business. And if your boss is a righteous asshole, you, unlike other employees, have the privilege of severing all ties.
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