Long story short, went in for a general. Hit it off with the producer. Spent a lot of hours rewriting a treatment with her. She said we'd present to the rest of the producers and see how they responded.
Now I get an email to set that meeting up. Oh and by the way there are TWO OTHER WRITERS who are doing the same thing. So basically they are going to meet with all of us and choose a writer. And now they've also got three treatments to work from for free.
Granted, I knew full well I was doing work for free. I'm not in the guild and figure I gotta take my lumps for a chance to get paid.
But I didn't know I was doing it for free AND I would be competing against two other writers for the gig.
My question is, is this what we have to do in the beginning to get work? Should I not have done it or done things differently? Is this a pretty standard way of doing business these days?
I can't see saying no to a chance to getting work. But I also understand that it will keep on going like this until people say no. I'm just not in a position where I can afford principles.
Now I get an email to set that meeting up. Oh and by the way there are TWO OTHER WRITERS who are doing the same thing. So basically they are going to meet with all of us and choose a writer. And now they've also got three treatments to work from for free.
Granted, I knew full well I was doing work for free. I'm not in the guild and figure I gotta take my lumps for a chance to get paid.
But I didn't know I was doing it for free AND I would be competing against two other writers for the gig.
My question is, is this what we have to do in the beginning to get work? Should I not have done it or done things differently? Is this a pretty standard way of doing business these days?
I can't see saying no to a chance to getting work. But I also understand that it will keep on going like this until people say no. I'm just not in a position where I can afford principles.
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