E-mails from people with a vague concept of whom they’re writing to

I get lots of e-mails as a result of this blog, and I wanted to share with you some of my recent correspondence. Names and details are changed to protect the guilty ...

To: Steve Hulett
From: Bruce Barefaced

Dear Steve,

Hans von Taschendieb is giving away $15,000 a month to the top animators on his website! He recently moved to the United States from Stammheim to start a website, www.nevergiveasuckeranevenbreak.com, that turns animation into a competition. Each day two teams create animations that compete “head to head” to try and gain the most votes from viewers of the site. Each month, the teams with the best records compete in the championship and the winning team receives $15,000.

I thought I would make an introduction as your blog readership is in line with Hans's efforts. If you think it makes sense, let's set some time aside to hook up with a phone introduction. Thanks!

Regards,

Bruce Barefaced

The Honest Company
bruce@nevergiveasuckeranevenbreak.com

To: Bruce Barefaced
From: Steve Hulett

Uh, and what does the losing team get?

Steve

To: Steve Hulett
From: Bruce Barefaced

They get sent back to Stammheim.

Just kidding. Any good suggestions?

Hans was considering someone going on a hunger strike until they get a million hits so anything is up for consideration.

Bruce

To: Bruce Barefaced
From: Steve Hulett

Bruce. Old pal.

We're a labor union. You know, one of those quaint organizations that has as its core mission the idea that people who work on things actually get paid for working on them?

There are any number of web sites and on-line studios which think it's cool to have people donate labor for the greater glory and profit of the on-line studio, with the enticement that a few lucky duckies might see a little scratch at the end of their efforts. Hans's appears to be yet another.

I'm on record as being opposed to people working for free in the hope of some future payoff. I think that it's exploitation. I think that it's wrong. But I understand how it's a (semi) free world and artists and animators are going to do what they do.

So I hope you can understand why we have to turn down your offer of using a labor blog to aid in the exploitation of animators. It's just something to which we're completely against, so the answer from us is No. We won't be helping Hans get the word out regarding his "head to head" competition. We won't be touting it on the Animation Guild Blog or Website. We have enough trouble helping members make a living without adding to our woes.

Steve Hulett