First gig

[ReneAigner]

I understand what you're saying rene, and I do agree with it for the most part. You should always favour paid work and decline it if it's not. I get it. But I can't even tell you how many times I've heard people get screwed over or have to literally wait months just to get paid for one project they work on where payment was agreed on both amount and date. And that's not even just little companies or small indie devs, but sometimes bigger companies that have no excuse whatsoever to withhold money from their artists. These days transferring money is LITERALLY a push of a button. No excuse.

That is objectively far more exploitative than working for someone who, upfront, plainly and matter of factly declares there will be no pay. You can't really argue with that.

I'm not taking morals here, I'm talking business. Honesty doesn't put bread on my table. A client who agrees (in writing) to pay you for work and doesn't can always be taken to court. The time you've invested in a project that the producers themselves don't believe in enough to get funding is gone forever on the other hand.

For example-- If I ever got called on to do concepts for an awesome point-and-click adventure game, sign me up. lol. 'Cause that's the kind of thing I love, and there's nothing better than getting to be a part of something you love doing. That's why we're doing this in the first place-- 'Cause we love it.

And that's exactly the kind of thinking that these kinds of explotative "clients" are bargaining for. Just because you love doing something doesn't mean you should do it for free. I'm sure there are plenty of doctors, lawyers and mechanics our there who love what they do, nobody expects them to work for free.

By working on commercial projects without pay, you're hurting yourself and the professional community at large. Don't let yourself get brainwashed by anyone into thinking that because drawing/painting is "cool" or "fun", you don't need to/deserve to get paid.