While I’m thoroughly a believer that everyone should get paid, and certainly you should get paid what you’re worth, there are situations where working for free is the thing to do. Here are some of those reasons.
To Learn
The independent film community is thriving on Long Island, but the budgets are not. A person on an indie set who does not understand the workings of it can often be more of a detriment than helpful. If you can talk yourself onto a well-run indie set, keep your eyes and ears open, observe, help where you can and don’t get in the way. The experience can be more valuable than certain classes in film school.
I did not get paid for my first few casting jobs. I didn’t expect to. I was learning, and I didn’t want to charge for something that I was unsure I knew how to do. I do know how to ask questions and research. I got through those jobs, and through those experiences, and it brought a lot of work to my door. Although I mainly write and direct these days, I will take the occasional casting job, which supplements my artist’s income. Now I feel comfortable charging because I know what’s involved, and I know what I’m doing.
If you are going to work for free though, hopefully the production will feed you well, teach you, and not give you monstrous working hours.
When I wanted to do my feature film, The Only Woman in the World, I knew we didn’t have the budget to do it. The only way we could pull it off was with free locations (and I wrote for the locations we would be able to get), a bunch of actor friends who wanted leading roles and believed in the project, and we trained 95% of our crew as we went along. We trained our ADs, second ADs, grips, scripty and sound person. We did pay our hair and make-up person and the occasional gaffer. For the positions we did not pay, we made sure we provided a lot of value for them. Lessons they could transfer to other jobs. IMDb credits. We fed everyone well and paid a stipend for transportation. We kept our days short. Several of the people we trained, went on to use the knowledge we gave them to procure work after the feature. We’ve also hired some of these people after the feature or referred them for other higher paying jobs. Completing The Only Women in the World and getting it onto Tubi, Prime Video and several other platforms gave me entry into the Film Fatales, an organization that only takes women directors and offers opportunities, workwise and financial, to its members.
To Procure Future Jobs
I’m known for hiring great cast and crew members. There may have been a couple of mistakes along the way (people you thought were helping, and they turned out to be less than honorable), but for the most part, we work with incredible people. I have had other directors contact me and say, “I called everyone you used for that movie, and they’re all busy, who else do you have?” I’ve had this happen several times. I take it as a compliment. If you’re a talented worker with a great work ethic and are a good person, we’re going to refer you. A lot.
To Pay Back
I’m big on paying back. If you’ve helped me, and you’re effective, I’m going to refer the heck out of you.
And if you’ve helped by working for less than you would normally get, you’ll be the first person I’ll refer when the bigger jobs come in.
If you’ve done anything for me, and you call me saying you have a low-budgeted project and need my assistance, time permitting, I’m going to help you with it.
To Make a Name for Yourself
This is a small community. Everyone knows each other. If you do a great job, people are going to hear about it. If you make a mistake and don’t take responsibility for your actions, people will hear about that also. Get yourself known, but for the right reasons.
To Make Connections with Great People
I rarely work for free anymore, but if someone has helped me, I will certainly try. Or if there’s a name attached (perhaps an iconic figure, an academy or Emmy winning director, other notable crew member or famous actor), I may do it. If you’re looking for work, people will notice the other people you work with. We’re an industry of illusion, but usually, the work and connections speak for themselves.
You’ve Assembled a Team of People Who Help Each Other
I work with a few teams of talented people. We help each other out with our projects. That’s pretty much the only way true independent projects get done. When you find those people, value them.
This doesn’t mean you work for free forever. That’s not the point of this. The point is learning, getting value, and being of value.
Debra Markowitz
created and served as the Director of the Nassau County Film Commission. Serving four administrations during her 33-year tenure, Ms. Markowitz had steadily increased production of movies, television programs and commercials that were shot in Nassau County. Ms. Markowitz also serves as President of the Long Island Film-TV Foundation, Long Island’s most established and largest not-for-profit agency dedicated to the support and promotion of independent filmmaking. The LIFTF runs the LIIFE, the Long Island International Film Expo, which is headed into its 27th year in July 2024.
Debra is also a novelist (the Karmic Wind Trilogy: Naked in the Rain, Sarah and Caleb and Karmic Wind), award winning screenwriter and director of shorts, features and TV pilots, film consultant, casting director and teaches director to actor workshops. Debra was a judge for potential incoming drama students at the LaGuardia Arts High School (The FAME school) for several years. Several of Debra’s films have screened at Academy Award Qualifying Film Festivals: Chosen (Director/Producer) screened at LA Shorts, The Last Taxi Driver (Writer/Director/Producer) screened at the HollyShorts Monthly Screening Series, Shoot Me Nicely (Casting Director/Producer) screened at HollyShorts and Won Best TV Pilot, was a Winner of the Diamond Award at LA Shorts, and My Cross to Bear (Producer/Casting Director) screened at Flickers Rhode Island International Film Festival. Debra’s screenplay, Just Look Into My Eyes, was a semifinalist in both Flickers and HollyShorts and has won several other screenplay competitions. The screenplay of The Only Woman in the World won Best Screenplay at several international Film Festivals. The Only Woman in the World feature film is screening on Prime Video, Tubi, The Alice Channel of Xumo, Momentu and several other platforms. Debra is filming the 10 episode LGBTQIA+ limited series, Couple of Guys, and the fourth episode is currently being edited. Debra is filming the 10 episode LGBTQIA+ limited series, Couple of Guys, and the fourth episode is currently being scored. Debra’s company is currently shooting feature film, Wait List: A Love-ish Story, is in production on a pilot, is developing feature film, Yule Tides, and continues to write. Her work can be found at www.IntentionFilmsandMedia.com
To Find Out More About Debra Markowitz:
FB: www.facebook.com/DebraMarkowitzWriterDirector
IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0548713
Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/debra-markowitz/
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