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Two former interns who worked on Black Swan are suing Fox Searchlight and are looking to end what they say is the studio’s improper use of unpaid interns, according to The New York Times. The plaintiffs, Alex Footman and Eric Glatt, claim the studio violated federal and state wage laws and are seeking back pay for work that they say should have been done by paid Searchlight employees. The U.S. Department of Labor requires companies that use unpaid interns to provide training similar to that of an educational institution, among other criteria. Footman said that as a production intern, he made coffee, cleaned, and took lunch orders for the staff. He said he learned only “how to be more picky in choosing employment opportunities,” according to The Times. The plaintiffs are far from the only college graduates who took an unpaid internship to try to get a foot in the door in the film industry. Their lawsuit is seeking class action status on behalf of more than 100 unpaid interns on Searchlight film productions.
‘Black Swan’ Unpaid Interns File Lawsuit
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I can’t believe someone is standing up to this industries improper use of interns! Hats off to all those involved, lets get this right!
Were they led by gunpoint to the unpaid intern recruiting office?
Did they have any other means of breaking into the industry?
Interns are not hired for charity…they need someone to do this stuff. They could have at least paid them minimum wage!
Exactly.
Not at gunpoint, but there’s a lot of pressure for young hollywood outsiders to get unpaid internships. The false promise that these internships are learning opportunities is perpetuated by so many people in this industry. Don’t get me wrong, many internships are great. But it’s gotten out of hand.
An intern recruiting office? It’s not the Army. That’s one of the issues; getting an internship is not necessarily easy. But it’s also pretty much a requirement for many of the biggest industries – film, publishing, business, etc. You have to scramble and scramble to get the chance for one which is why it’s such a problem when they turn out to be nothing but useless gopher work. I think it’s fine if you want someone to get your lunches and coffee but you should pay them instead of masking it with the chance of a “learning opportunity.”
The law is VERY clear on the rules of an internship — you cannot displace a paid worker with an unpaid intern. You can’t take away someone’s job and make the interns do it for nothing. Whether or not this is how the industry “works” it’s against the law. Period. And this needs to be enforced in a time when we NEED MORE JOBS! I live in Los Angeles. I work in the film business. And these sorts of practices HAVE to STOP….
Did they actually expect job training in exchange for their free labor?
Pretty sure the answer to that question is, “Yes.”
That’s the whole point of internships in the first place. Unpaid or otherwise.
I hope this question was asked by an ironic hipster.
They may not have been forced but that doesn’t mean that they were not mislead, told they had an opportunity for learning and advancement, when the company had no intention of providing either. Considering how much they pay their stars, they should be able to pay interns something.
What the fuck ever. They should be so lucky. No matter where you start in the industry you are going to end up working for someone doing the shit that they dont want to do. These kids got the upperhand by getting exposure to this early on. I am blown away by these silver spoon having little shits. I hope they never get a job in this town again. Paid or otherwise.
Your line of thinking just doesn’t make sense. You’re saying people should be grateful for doing work, not getting paid, and not getting the opportunity to learn as part of a deal.
Why are you so bitter?
It’s not about them having to do shit work. It’s about them NOT GETTING PAID to do shit work, and companies profiting off of them. Which is illegal and unethical.
I’m amazed at the negative comments. Spoiled? WE LIVE IN A RECESSION. The fact that unpaid interns replace what could be paid positions is terrible. These aren’t spoiled kids they represent a vulnerable group of talent that is exploited by Hollywood like fraternity brothers who beat up each other because “that’s how they were let in.” Fuck that, union up, lawyer up. Quote me on it, when I ever have an office everyone gets paid.
Nice name – urdumb.
You do realize the people unpaid internships really hurt are those that can’t afford to do both an unpaid internship and sustain themselves through another job. On top of that, most unpaid internships require course credit — which means they’re actually paying money to an educational institution to work for free.
“Silver spoon having little shits” actually benefit from unpaid internships because they are the only ones that can afford to devote months of their life without having to earn any $$$ to support themselves.
I’d take a wild guess here — but it’s not trust fund babies that are upset with unpaid internships. Rather, normal everyday people trying to scrape together a living, and pursue a dream at the same time.
Just because people will do anything to pursue their dreams, doesn’t mean they should be taken advantage of.
grow some hair on your balls!
The duties they complain about doing are the things they would have to do anyway at the start of their career (get coffee, take lunch orders, etc) One step up from an intern would be a production assistant and when you are an ofice production assistant those are the exact things you start off doing. I don’t see the problem really…they also should have clarified what their responsibilities would be before they took the internship…ask questions people! If what was promised turned out to be significantly different, then they have a case otherwise, be happy to put Searchlight on your resume
Well put!
Also, an experience is whatyou make of it. They got exposure to stuff I would kill for!
What whiny babies, I was an intern, did horrible, boring things all day. I didn’t complain so they hired me. Good luck finding a job after this
Internships are what you make of it. All interns are gophers in films and TV, but the intern is the one who sets forth their goals (i.e.:” I want to be a director, so I’d like to be in on the pre-production meetings where I can observe and take turns during production to be on set and function like a P.A.” or for TV show perhaps: “I want to be a writer so can I be in the writers room when you story-break and [if a sitcom] do group rewrites so I can experience how it works.”). I worked as a director’s assistant for a Fox Searchlight film and the interns who busted their butts, didn’t complain and took initiative became Pas on the next project the producers did. The ones who sat and read a book and bitched about making copies and coffee didn’t.
Want a lesson in how to end your film career before it starts, kids? Here ya go!
I was led to be believe success would be handed to me.
Yep. Those guys will never be hired anywhere. So entitled…
How can these interns possibly be considered “entitled”? They worked at a for-profit corporation, were never paid, and are now just asking to be paid wages that THE LAW says they should be paid.
I bet you don’t work for free? Do you even understand the difficult economic times in which we live? It is unethical, immoral, and illegal for for-profit businesses to have unpaid interns in most circumstances. How do we expect these interns to pay bills, and contribute to society if they are not being paid?
Oh, and think about how much better off the economy would be if these interns had been paid, and were able to spend that money and put it back into the economy. Instead, what we have happening is a small, select group of greedy businessmen getting rich off the backs of the poor.
This is an injustice, and I’m proud of these interns for taking a stand.
In the world you live in, everything you just said is totally accurate.
In HOLLYWOOD, everything you just said would be career suicide — a punchline to a joke.
Absolutely true – that is why Hollywood lecturing to America on moral issues is an obscene joke.
Out here in “fly over” America, we are well aware what scumbags inhabit Hollywood.
Just because it’s “Hollywood” doesn’t mean it’s fair for companies to take advantage of unpaid “interns” and ignore the law when it comes to hiring unpaid interns. If engineering, business, medical, social work, every other industry in this country has to follow rules when it comes to hiring unpaid interns so should this industry.
They’re entitled, to Fellow, if they don’t want to endure the same mistreatment he endured.
Sounds like daddy got you your job.
I guess everyone from the Charlie Chaplin days until now should consider to sue their first company of intership. I worked as a intern 12 hours shifts daily for three months on my first movie, and I wasn’t sometimes allowed to eat catering until all the crew members that were being paid went through the line first. I had a chance to work in every department during that process, and I’m sure I was breaking all types of union rules and slightly being taking advantage of. Sure, I was upset that I was a college graduate and I was running to Starbucks grabbing coffee for individuals that I really believed were more intigued with the name of Starbucks than the actual coffee. But poor me, I guess me thinking that if I work hard now, someone would actually put in a good word for me on the next job. Who was I too know that when you put down your reference numbers, that your future employer would actually called them. Now five years later and still in the business working for a very respectable production company, I’m upset how the interns are treated. These so called privileged interns, who parents knew someone on the inside to allow them a opportunity are so spoiled. You have people killing themselves to get into the business and can’t find work. And these guys have the audacity to file a lawsuit. I blame their parents for going along with this foolishness. Say hello to our future leaders of america. Never truely earning anything, but being given everything.
The ONLY reason I have the job I have right now is because I worked three UNPAID internships at companies that got progressively better. I learned little at the biggest one (run by an Academy Award winning writer by the way) but having his name on the resume, helped far greater than learning anything. And all I did was get them coffee and organize their bookshelves.
and who paid your bills in the mean time? this is the reason only rich kids can work in entertainment…they are the only ones who can afford to work for free!
Well they shouldn’t have taken the job.
snitches get stitches
Very good point about career ending move. Not to mention, the fact that I haven’t worked on a film in 6 years that has even allowed interns. Maybe this is why. Too bad, it’s a good experience for kids looking for it.
I hope they win. Because this will be the last money they ever see.. Go back to collage and become a lawer. You won’t have to get someone’s lunch there!
Maybe everyone wants to know if you can get a lunch order right before they pay you money to screw something important up.
Try applying your logic to any job or service for hire. It’s pretty hilarious. “Hey defense lawyer, I want to see if you can get those murder charges dropped first for free! Do a good job and I’ll pay you for the next case!”
Seanocali, that’s nice logic… but with being a lawyer, you get a pay a school teach you and you study and get a degree that says you’re qualified to practice law… doesn’t work that way in show business… watch swimming with sharks.
WTF are you talking about? Swimming with Sharks was about a paid assistant, not an unpaid intern. And what does that have to do with the point I made?
Perfect way to never work again in Hollywood!
And that’s a bad thing?
seriously? what do you expect when accepting a job as an “unpaid intern”?
in the three years that i’ve been in the biz, an “unpaid intern” is equal to free work. now i personally never interned but i’ve met a few and well that is how it is. the idea is to bust your arse for consideration of employment in the future and/or to get real world experience in the industry.
did they really think that they were going to be sitting next to the director or chatting it up with the actors?
welcome to the film business…. you gotta work your way up; that is how it works.
Doing those things puts you around the action so you can see how things work and don’t work. That is an invaluable education and experience.
Were they expecting to direct some scenes as an intern?
Unfortunately whenever their names are published, no one will hire them again. This industry lives off the work of interns.
I understand the principle under which these unpaid interns are suing, and sincerely appreciate it. BUT — and this is a big but — if “Black Swan” had made only $30,000 at the Box Office as opposed to a gajillion bucks would these unpaid interns be so hungry for a payday? Methinks they are greedy and, yes, crassly opportunistic. And why wait until NOW to cry a river? Something smells like bovine scat here! Finally, last I checked when you get an unpaid internship you go in knowing what you’ve signed up for. I guess these people — like gads of pro athletes — don’t give a damn about what a contract means these days. The gall of ‘em!
Don’t keep score in sports, don’t fail in school, don’t hurt feelings, Grip up kids. YOU ARE INTERNS. Welcome to real life.
How long ’til Participant or the like options their life rights to make “this decade’s Erin Brockovich!” A week? A month?
I worked for free at Participant.
I watch Participant films for free on the internet.
DUDE…
As someone who has worked for years and still hires interns, I’m sorry but if you make that much money….you have to give a little or just respect the workers. Obv they didn’t, just like M’s Natalie didn’t with the ballerinas who did her dancing.
It’s just nasty and rude but you are right that people in this industry are just that-mean people.
It would be great if they got their win though because it’s Hollyweird but here in the UK, we still need unpaid interns, though it’s important to treat them right!
They always say that there is no such thing as bad publicity. I’d use this as evidence to disagree.
This practice really is archaic and needs to die. Let interns get their foot in the door by working for minimum wage. It’s not going to bankrupt anyone.
Agreed. I’ve been an unpaid and a paid intern in the past, but for a company like Fox Searchlight (studio-owned) to try to get out of paying a minimum wage for shit work (getting coffee) is ridiculous.
As an intern myself all I can say is that the point of an internship is to get to the next level. I don’t think a lawsuit is going to be helping their cause… And will certainly end up making it harder for other students to find internships in the future.
The point of just about any job is to get to the next level. You still need to be paid something for your time.
spot on and truly unfortunate
Wow, are these kids stupid…Seriously – hanging out around Natalie Portman and watching Darren Aronofsky direct a film wasn’t a learning experience? Awww…did you have to get coffee? Poor little babies…WELCOME TO HOLLYWOOD, Assholes. You’re almost as bad as the screenwriter suing the agencies for racism. We use unpaid interns because you’re cheap and hungry. And if you were as hungry as you probably were lazy, you would have learned something.
hey nobullscript, did you have an unhappy childhood, were you made fun of by the older kids, maybe some verbal and emotional abuse, alcoholic parent? then you vowed to make it big one day… to show everyone what a heartless little prick you are?
Nobullscript, you said, “We use interns because you’re cheap and hungry.” Correction: You use interns because they’re FREE and you’re an exploitative predator.
By the way, I checked out your website and think I’ll pass on your “consulting services” since it’s obvious you use free interns to do the work. And wipe that silly smug off your face because word tends to get around.
I once worked trying to place special needs students in internships. The laws are rather unforgiving. What these kids did should be able to be a valuable learning experience, but from the sound of it, the company will lose. If they’re not paid, any productivity is shaky ground for a company.
I think college sports players should be paid – talk about free BS work!
Yes, because a college education doesn’t cost anything…
Neither do the meal plans, housing, healthcare, tutoring, professional trainers, access to world class coaching, chance to show off their skills to employers at the next level on national TV…
fox broadcasting, 20th century, FX, and searchlight pay all their interns now. interning for free is bullshit but so it paying for class credit.
end the greed!
good luck!
may the labor force be with you!
Future agents. Get some, punks!
“Future agents” – LOL. The closest these two will ever get to an agency is working the valet at CAA.
Nice. Well said.
I would have given an arm to be on the set. Pretentious punks!
What a sense of entitlement these kids have! Now we’re suing because we took lunch orders and made coffee as interns!?! Unreal. They were probably so busy complaining they didn’t realize that 3 weeks as an industry intern will teach you more about the biz than 4 years of film school. Good luck with that.
I get paid to PA in film and tv…and I get coffees and collect trash sometimes. As an intern, you pay yourself. Take what you can, make the connections, and go somewhere. “Unpaid” internships don’t involve cash but they are sure as heck worth the time and effort!
When was the last time you spent 3 weeks as an intern? When was the last time you spent 4 years in film school?
I’ve done both. You are clueless.
Go spend a couple years working for free as an intern and then talk about how great it is.
If you’ve spent years working as an intern and haven’t managed to form any relationships that have allowed you to move to the next level of your career, than I highly recommend you consider a job in a field that does not require any human interaction.
In response to other commenters, I have to say that almost every single person I know in the film business worked as an unpaid intern at the beginning of their careers. The few exceptions are people with family connections or people who grew up in LA surrounded by the entertainment industry. The smart ones managed to move forward, and the bad ones were quickly weeded out. Simple as that.
No one is disputing that people work as unpaid interns, or that successful people started out as interns. Obviously, unpaid internships are extremely prevalent as an entry level position in the industry.
The issue is whether the whole institution of unpaid internships is FAIR and REASONABLE — especially when we’re dealing with big companies that can easily afford to pay minimum wage.
When was the last time you spent 3 weeks as an intern? When did you spend 4 years in film school?
I’ve done both. You are clueless.
Go spend a couple years as an intern working for free and “learning about the business” and then talk about how great it is. And we’ll see whether you agree that thinking maybe you should have been earning a minimum wage during that time makes you “entitled.”
If you spend a COUPLE YEARS working as an intern in hollywood, get the HINT, your career isn’t going anywhere.
If your good, you get a better paid job fast. If your not, you’ll stay an intern.
Is this a joke? My first job in this business was as a paid PA and I made 50 bucks a day – not even close to enough to live on. My job was to drive actors to the set and once there get coffee or whatever was needed. One freezing night I helped the SFX dept operate a fog machine. One night I was an unpaid extra. I soaked up every second, observing crew dynamics, how the director brow beat his actors, making enemies of all of them. Witnessed a near mutiny by the lead Oscar winning actor threatening to walk off if I was fired by the director, who had somehow decided I, as a lowly PA, was to blame for his film going off the rails. The director backed down, we finished the film and I learned a ton. Needless to say I would have done it for free. These guys need to grow a pair and pay some ‘effin dues.
Someone finally said something of value.
C’mon John Harris,
Your experience sounds pretty sweet, but these guys aren’t asking to “direct scenes” or make tons of money, they’re just asking to afford a sandwich once in awhile.
People work for you, you pay them. Simple. End of argument.
Internship experiences are what you make of them. If you were only asked to get coffee and lunches, its because you either weren’t proactive or they didn’t trust you to do anything else.
Best comment on here so far.
Hear hear. Once your foot is in the door, you hustle and prove your worth and make connections. If you didn’t garner any progress within 6 months, you’re either the wrong guy, or it’s the wrong company.
With these guys, my money’s on the former.
So you need to donate six months of free labor just to determine whether you’re at the “right company”?
I really think you hit the nail on the head.
You have to be very proactive to get anything out of an internship experience. Not everyone is like that.
To the people that say “if you’re good” you move up, that’s simply not true. In fact, it’s often quite the opposite. No one wants someone stepping on their toes. More often than not the people who shut up and just get coffee are the ones that get the promotions.
The ones that tell their boss that the acting reels they are sending out have been compressed in an incorrect aspect ratio that makes the actors look like beanpoles are the ones that are quickly asked to leave.
Most people doing unpaid internships are overqualified for their position and are only doing it because there are no low-level paying entry jobs at all in the slim hopes that it may lead to something.
Being good doesn’t mean anything. Shutting up does. And perhaps being good at oral.
Exactly. If you can’t get the easy things right, I’m not going to give you the chance to get the important stuff wrong.
Who do these punks think they are? Demanding to be paid for working? They ought to be grateful Hollywood even lets them to live!
Even though you are being sarcastic, you do not even know how right you are.
Um, why should a production pay for a totally inexperienced production ‘gofer’ when, in this economic climate, they could hire experienced PAs for the same cost?
Why wouldn’t they just quit if they don’t like paying dues at the bottom of the heap?
Jenny- they SHOULD pay an experienced PA for the same cost, BECAUSE THAT’S THE LAW. Internships help kids get their foot in the door, no doubt, but they’re still mostly illegal and mostly unethical.
Also, just on a logical level, look at your argument: Person A has no experience but will work for free. Person B has PA’d on a feature and will work for minimum wage. You hire Person A because they’re cheaper. One year later: Now Person A has PA’d (equivalent) on a feature and will work for minumum wage. You hire Person C, who has no experience and will work for free. That’s a broken system that causes further unemployment.
By your argument, agencies should be hiring experienced, Executive Assistants with 20 years experience at 80k/year. There’s plenty of them out of work, laid off from their corporate jobs.
This business is about gaining experience, and those interns got to experience what it was like to be an entry-level PA. Again, they should’ve quit after two days if they weren’t cut out for it.