The problem with trying to be a successful artist/businessperson is knowing when to say, "I'm sorry, I can't help you out on that."
Case in point: Last week, I received a bunch of emails from one of the sites I sell my models on indicating that I had a bunch of offers. I was thrilled! This meant more money, and I've been in a tight position lately (sickness in the family, loss of employment by one), so I thought "Great! I'll make some extra moolah to pay down a stubborn credit card!"
So as I begin to navigate over to the website, I observe that there are several offers...and that they are all for a substantially lower amount than the going price. The models in question average around $100 a piece. I was offered about $6 each. It would have cost me more to put the models back up on the site than I would receive from them.
I was flabbergasted.
Then I was offended.
Then I got mad.
When I tell people that I am self-employed, visions of jacuzzi hot-tubs and mixed drinks dance around their heads, for some reason. In reality, self-employed means nervous breakdowns from doing taxes (I'm paying in a pretty big chunk this year), bills piling in and not one invoice going out in an entire month, credit card bills stacking up because gas prices went to $4/gallon and buying food for a family of 3. And on top of it, no one wants to pay for art.
That's when I got offended. It is, essentially, someone saying: "My independent film that I'm making is more important than you eating right now, but don't worry! My movie is awesome and I'll put your name in it."
Please understand. I love to help people, and often will throw out something free every so often for a struggling project, if it won't take a great deal of my time. (I do reserve the right to determine which projects I want to help out and which I don't. It usually depends on the person's attitude and spelling and if I just have the time for the thing.) And the fact of the matter is, I know what it's like to struggle to get something great made. My goodness, try looking for good synchronized royalty free music for a video! Of course, I'd love to have Two Steps From Hell write a soundtrack to my independent film for free; or, Brad Bird animate all the characters in it just for the chance to help me out. Who wouldn't love to have something like that happen to them? While I'm no Brad Bird or Two Steps From Hell, I can say this: To those individuals who trawl the Internet looking for art and are always begging others for free stuff, an artist's work does have some merit and value, and their time is worth a great deal to them, even if not to you.
That's when I got mad. And there I stay, unfortunately. I have a paying client (whom I am contractually obliged to work for first) asking where I'm at because I had a sick mother who needed help. After a stressful, fitful night's sleep, I wake up to PMs from all over from (what seemed like) a litany of indie films begging me to give them my art for free or almost as much. Not one dollar coming in for the day. But the bills don't stop coming.
I had to learn when to say, "I'm sorry." The temptation is to scream my head off, sometimes, and be just about as abusive as I can be out of anger and frustration and rage. Of course, this is not only bad business practice, but also terrible manners and just plain indecent human behavior. So I bite my proverbial tongue and say, "I'm sorry, but I don't have the time to help you out on your project. I wish you the best, etc..."
Of course, I'm certain the person in question whom I sort of picked on in this rant (and it is a rant, let's face it) is not the bad person I thought they were in my head as I fumed at the screen. But when I wanted to make a movie--and I've wanted to for a long while, now--I learned the following: if you can't find it online for free, don't ask artists who make a living off of their work to just give away their bread and butter. Make it yourself! I learned to build CG sets that way, and let me tell you, it has kept me fed, if not well, then at least I'm not starving!
/Rant
Best regards,
Dan