Complaint Review: modern image studios

I am a professional wedding videographer who interviewed with these guys back in March after responding to their Craigslist ad.

First of all, they have a slick website which makes its look like they have massive experience shooting weddings, but the "interview" took place in a corner of David's Bridal, a place that sells wedding gowns. This is after they mentioned on the phone that they were expanding and had large offices in the Dallas area.

The manager, John, didn't even look at my reel and I doubt he even saw the extensive resume I'd sent pre-interview. Instead, he ran through what sounded like a sales pitch about how good I was and how they were expanding, and by the way, before they can "hire" me, they need to "test" me first by having me shoot a full wedding for NO PAY!!!

Clearly, they take the money, shoot it themselves or find enough talented fools to shoot a freebie on the promise of loads of work. Rinse, wash, repeat. Before you know it, they have a smokin' demo reel and lots of business.

They rake in the dough because God only knows what they charge the couples, while in the Craigslist ad they say that they "pay" professional videographers 25/hour, a total insult even if they did pay.

But like a lot of people, I answered the ad because these are tough times. Too bad so many companies these days enjoy screwing professionals.

Maybe they find enough idiots and desperate filmmakers to fall for this, but maybe not. Today I just saw another ad for the same company on Craigslist. DON'T BOTHER.