Working Hard For No Money

Amazingly enough, I have reached a point in my career when I can say no to (some) things.

I've been working in the wardrobe world for slightly longer than two years now, which means I know some people who can get me some work. It's through hard work and a pinch of luck and privilege, and I am extremely grateful for it. I count my lucky glow in the dark stars stuck to my bedroom ceiling every night.

A former coworker of mine offered me a PA position on a TV show, and through circumstances which weren't under her control, it was not a good working environment. The thing was disorganized from the top down, and it was an insane amount of stress for very low pay and no union hours. I bowed out appropriately, and I wish them the best of luck.

But things like that make me so angry. Asking somebody to work for 14 hours & get paid $150 is appalling. Maybe if I had never worked on a film before in my life I would stick it out so I could learn something, but the fact of the matter is I have already interned on a movie, so "experience" isn't going to cut it. I can't pay my rent with "experience".

Some people, I know, will take the attitude of "well that's just how film & TV work." First of all, no, no it's not. And second of all, isn't that why people created unions? So they wouldn't be abused by their bosses? It seems bizarre to me that on a Union show people could still be treated that way, in the name of there not being enough money left over to go around.