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“For Exposure”: 40 Screenshots Of Choosing Beggars Caught In Action When It Came To Paying For Services They Asked For
Interview
The concept of providing exposure instead of just recompense for work is a problem that affects many businesses, and "For Exposure" on Twitter exposes this behavior. The page collects direct statements from people and organizations who have made offers to work for exposure rather than payment to professionals in a variety of areas, including artists and photographers. These statements reveal a disregard for the time and effort required to produce high-quality work.
"For Exposure" seeks to raise awareness about the significance of appreciating professionals' efforts and compensating them fairly for their services by sharing these messages. The page has spurred significant discussions about the importance of labor and the necessity of valuing people who devote their time and effort to their art. It serves as a reminder that experts need to be paid adequately for their work and that publicity alone is insufficient.
The article also includes an exclusive interview with Ryan Estrada who is an established comic artist, author, and the creator of the "For Exposure" Twitter page, so make sure to keep on reading.
This post may include affiliate links.
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#2
Mabelbabel 2 years ago
The problem is, they will have had enough writers agreeing to do an article for free to make it worth their while to keep asking. If they ask 10 writers, and one or two agree to no fee, why would they change their policy? It's the same with "influencers" They've obviously had some businesses or individuals agree to provide something free of charge so they just keep on sending out begging messages because it works.
Bored Panda reached out to Ryan Estrada, the creator of the "For Exposure" Twitter page, to learn more about his inspiration behind the page and his thoughts on compensation and recognition in the creative industry.
Ryan shared that the whole thing started as a joke. "I'd been seeing a lot of 'txt' accounts, so when I got a really dumb message about working for no pay, I thought to myself 'I bet I could fill up a txt account of these for exposure messages for a whole week!' I spent an hour procrastinating by tinkering with it, and before I knew it, I'd scheduled a year's worth of posts."
The "For Exposure" Twitter account gained massive popularity over the years, reaching millions of people and changing the conversation around terrible offers. Estrada shared that "everyone from aspiring teen artists to Eisner, Emmy, and Grammy winners followed the account. I was really happy to see how much it changed the conversation. How people would reply to terrible offers with 'this sounds like something out of @forexposure_txt' and the places where offers like that were made got better." Despite its success, Ryan recently decided to end the account after ten years when Elon Musk, whom he had quoted on the account multiple times, bought Twitter, and it no longer felt as fun to work for free to keep the account running.
#5
Christian Fuller 2 years ago
"I ordered the filet from your restaurant, but then I found a hot dog cart outside who only charged a dollar. I got woefully sick from it. Why didn't you stop me?!?!"
#6
Tucker Cahooter 2 years ago
Looks like the bride will just have to make do with grainy snaps taken by the guests on their phones as the memento of her big day
We also asked Ryan about his experience with compensation and value recognition in his work and what steps he has taken to address it. The artist replied, "Everyone who makes art has to fight to make a living at it. The place I learned the most was when I ran a custom comic company. People would order comics about their boyfriends as superheroes, or 'how we met' comics for their weddings, comics about their company to hand out at trade shows, that kind of thing. I started off charging next to nothing, and that price ended up shrinking due to repeated demands for redos. Eventually, I upped the price just because I couldn't keep up and I wanted to slow the orders down."
#8
The creator of the page went on to explain how he gradually increased his prices, and as he did, he found that his orders actually increased as well. He said, "I ended up charging 50 times what I charged in the beginning, and making rules that everything they wanted in the comic needed to be said in advance. If they wanted any changes, they would have to pay again. The professional rate made people trust that they were getting a professional product. And the confident, unapologetic demand to be treated like a professional invited customers who were glad to do it."
Estrada said that he has taken the lessons he learned from running his custom comic company into the rest of his career. While he only works on projects he's passionate about now, he's confident in his worth and has no problem asking for fair compensation.
#10
BoredDisneyPrincess 2 years ago
"Why is child labor and slavery illegal and wrong, when I could be making money by it?"
Zedrapazia 2 years ago
Does he really think anyone would even apply to his s****y business for free..?
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SheamusFanFrom1987 2 years ago
I'd report wankface up there for child labour/slavery if I had the chance. See how they like getting slapped with a criminal record. Smh!!!
Jon Steensen 2 years ago
You cannot hire people for free. If you don't pay them, then it is volunteering not being hired. What else are they going to do with that time? Perhaps take a job that actually results in them being payed.
Dave Harris 2 years ago
So basically he wants to have slaves AND be paid by the government for having those slaves?!
JoJo Anisko 2 years ago
I don't know which would indicate censure of this post, upvote or downvote. So I'm abstaining but condemning OP's attitude.
Niels Boehm 2 years ago
The posts at the top of the article are supposed to be the most outrageous ones and they get there by having more upvotes. So upvote it is.
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Mickysixxx 2 years ago
Just the kind of joker I don't send my students to when they have to do work placement
Michael Largey 2 years ago
Gee, he wants them to work for free and for the government to give him money! Ah, the Puritan work ethic.
Samuel Pelatan 2 years ago
They used the exact same points to defend child labor, nothing reallly change under capitalism.
Deborah B 2 years ago
"Why can't I enslave/exploit teenagers and be paid by the govenment to do it?" Give some people a tiny bit of authority and they become totally delusional. No for-profit organisation should be allowed to have unpaid staff. No "internships" or "work experience" or volunteers unless the organisation is a registered charity.
Nicole Weymann 2 years ago
Can someone please explain the concept of hiring properly to this clown? As in "You need help and pay people for it"?
Weasel Wise 2 years ago
He wants slave labor from children while simultaneously getting a monetary pat on the back from the government. 🙄
The Other Other White Meat 2 years ago
Who is this "employer", and how are they still an employer? 😥 I would never allow my [hypothetical] children to work for someone like this, even if they WERE paid. What a twatwaffle.
Alexandra Davis 2 years ago
But companies do do this, unpaid internships are rife nowadays! My cousin is at uni and applying for ones for this summer and some read like unpaid dogs body over actually learning anything of use in his field!
Kate Jones 2 years ago
How to tell people you're fine with slavery without actually saying it...although this is kind of saying it.
P.A. Yearsley 2 years ago
Hire teens for free... So slavery. This person would like to enslave teenagers.
Just me, myself, and I 2 years ago
Gotta love the"maybe getting a stipend" part. The greed is strong in this one!
Audrey Malone 2 years ago
Why SHOULDN'T I exploit children for unpaid labor?? Waa waa waa. THE LAW. The Law is why you can't. It is illegal.
redanteater 2 years ago
Teens don’t want to be off the streets. Others want teens off the street.
Seabeast 2 years ago
Didn't the author of that book spend her last days on welfare?
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Lena Harris 2 years ago
The government isn't going to give a stipend for illegally hiring anyone, teens or otherwise, without pay.
You do you! 2 years ago
What would you do if you were a teenager with a summer ahead of them. Work for a decent wage or work for free?
Joe Standford 2 years ago
Oh yes, please hire all the teens for free and then wonder why all your c**p was stolen over the summer.
juan martinez 2 years ago
Why not put a name on this. This is actually the problem. People afraid of exposing this cancers
Praecordia 2 years ago
As a non-teen speaking on behalf of teens; I think all the teens can agree and respond by saying, “sit on it and rotate.” It being experience.
PandaGoPanda 2 years ago
Well, over the summer months my teen is mentoring younger kids who struggle with schoolwork - keeps her off the streets, I suppose, but also think she's contributing more to society than the guy who wrote this post!
Courtney Christelle 2 years ago
Yeah, start the training early that they won't get a decent wage for their labor.
Brian Droste 2 years ago
Unless it is advertised as a volunteer work not sure you can hire people foe free. If you hire people you should be willing to compensate them for the work and time they do. This is by paying them.
Karen Tyas 2 years ago
They’re gonna get a job for money. A potential teen hooligan drug addict isn’t going to volunteer anyway 😂
Bruce Horton 2 years ago
Hiring people and not paying isn't really hiring at all, sad that this needs to be pointed out.
Nikki Sevven 2 years ago
It really takes a complete and utter lack of self-awareness to be this abysmally stupid.
crowspectre (he/they) 2 years ago
As someone who does volunteering work, just ask for god damn volunteers
Haywood Jablome 2 years ago
Why can't I take their childhood and replace it with slave labor? Snowflake millennial trash
StrangeOne 2 years ago
I was in a World of Work program in HS. 3 times a year we would get to chose a business to work at for 3 week stints for school credit. NONE of that mattered when I went to apply for jobs for real work. When we worked at these jobs we were given the b***h work, and sometimes unsafe stuff that we weren't allowed to do cos we were not paid employees. At HMV I spent one week just sorting receipts and the manager was getting on my case about going to the washroom and losing a sale because someone asked a question and I was being honest. I had no training on sales. At The Bay I just tidied up the sales floor and put clothes away. Putting dye tags on clothes was fun. At Louis Craft (yeah it was that long ago.), there was no place for me to sit. Some of the places were nice to work at. Others were the longest 3 weeks of my life and we got no pay at all. Some businesses were striked out of the program cos the managers refused to comply with safety agreements with the school program.
SirDigbyChickenCaesar 2 years ago
Id lay down $100 that this person would treat those kids like c**p and complain about their work ethic.
Ragnarok 2 years ago
I was okay with student wage, I was less experienced at the time and it made sense that maybe I don't make as much. That said no compensation. seems a tad extreme, nothing and money from the government... Guess at least your workers won't have to pay taxes toward that since you can't tax zero income 😂
#12
Tucker Cahooter 2 years ago
He's right, you shouldn't call 911 for things like that, it should be used for things like complaining about not getting the right pizza delivered or asking the police to send someone over to open a jar of pickles
When asked for advice he would give to young artists and professionals who are just starting their careers and may be struggling with the issue of being offered exposure instead of fair payment. Ryan's response was: "You are going to spend your whole life making art for little to no money. But make sure it's YOUR art. When you make someone else's art for no money, you only expose yourself as someone who works for free. I can't tell you how many people told me how much exposure I'd get from designing their logo. I'd love to ask them to name ANY designer of ANY logo. Spend your time making the art that only you can make, that you are passionate about, and you will discover untold ways to monetize it."
Estrada emphasized the need to break down the stigma surrounding compensation and treatment in order to build a culture that values and respects the contributions of professionals across various industries. "We need to get rid of the stigma of talking about compensation and treatment. Not just with our peers, so we know how to compare what we are being offered to common standards... but to the people who want to hire us. Don't be afraid to question, or ask for what you deserve. Even I have to be reminded sometimes. Last year, I started posting AI-generated comics based on @forexposure_txt quotes and hundreds of people rightfully called me out for going against the very mission of the account. They were absolutely right, and I appreciate their kindness in pointing it out to me so I can do better. Extend that same kindness to the rest of the world, so everything can get better," he said to Bored Panda.
Ryan's experiences collaborating with various publishers and companies, such as Scholastic, Star Trek, and Garfield, have helped him understand the importance of fair compensation and recognition in the creative industry.
"Anyone whose 'exposure' has ever been worth it for me was already successful enough that paying me was not even a question," he shared with Bored Panda. "It took many years and a lot of hard lessons to know how to stand up for myself, so I hope others can use the ten years of quotes on @forexposure_txt to learn the red flags, know they're not alone, and have the confidence to stand up for what they deserve."
He also urged others to extend the lesson to help and support authors in their own communities. "Like for example, if you enjoyed the ten years of unpaid work I put into @forexposure_txt, buy one of my books! I have a new one called 'Occulted' coming out in May!" he added.
#20
#25
Samuel Pelatan 2 years ago
"It's a privilege to work for my benefit" followed by "check your ego at the door", brilliant
#30
Christian Fuller 2 years ago
"HR might want a word with you soon." That word's going to be, "We fired the other person for harassment and threats. We apologize. Please don't sue us."
#31
Eastendbird 2 years ago
And I expect Hugh Jackman to call and declare his undying love for me, but looks like we're both out of luck.
#32
You Should Do Nothing with the Fence 2 years ago
How difficult is it to give credit?! Cite your sources, grade school 101.
#33
Penny Hernandez 2 years ago
That man is really gaining points in his running for the 'Biggest Scum on Earth' award.
#35
Sad Quokka 2 years ago
Saying 'no offence' immediately means that you will say something offensive
#36
Samuel Pelatan 2 years ago
Tbf you can also seduce them but you need to bring something to the table to be interesting in the first place
#37
#38
Christian Fuller 2 years ago
This guy's not looking for an EA, he's looking for a mommy with benefits.
#39
Kevin Sutton 2 years ago
Careful. He's a violent felon. Weird how they don't introduce him like that. "Live on stage, Violent Felon Chris Brown!! Don't look at him funny he'll slap the s**t outta ya!"
#41
Interesting_Astronaut 2 years ago
I dont pay taxes either! (I still live with my parents, im 14.)
#42
diana king 2 years ago
OMG I hope to HELL this person got what they deserve. What a scumbag POS
#45
Little Wonder 2 years ago
This is true actually, because as we all know video games arrive fully formed thanks to the Video Game Fairies who have them coded by the Elves.
#47
freakingbee 2 years ago
but designing things STILL take time and the designer needs to be paid🙄
#48
#49
#50
and_a_touch_of_the_’tism 2 years ago
It’s TWELVE BUCKS. If you can’t get 12 friggin dollars, don’t waste their time. Ffs.
#51
Flying Bacon 2 years ago
Bro that was an incredible offer! For free too! And then they wanted to get paid to what? Model? They could have gotten a few pretty photos FOR FREE from an artist and they turned it down!!
#52
Dirk Daring 2 years ago
I'm missing something here... He's supposed to narrate eight thousand words in 15 minutes? Is he the Micro Machines guy?
#54
Tucker Cahooter 2 years ago
Cadbury is the second largest confectionery brand in the world, according to wikipedia. They should be able to find a few bucks in the petty cash tin to pay people for their time and effort
#57
Tucker Cahooter 2 years ago
"My opinion is the only one that matters". The mantra of narcissists worldwide
#59
Add New Image
What do you think ?
Leo Domitrix 2 years ago
Guessing people have forgotten most nations have abolished slavery, for good reasons. If your business can't function without slavery, then your business model sucks and is unsustainable.... or you suck at the business. If people do the work, they get pay. Period. Rant over.
Doodles1983 2 years ago
Newsflash. Slavery is still very much up and running.
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Mark Fuller 2 years ago
Could get that far. You clearly have more stamina. Is this world we now live in?? God help us.
Load More Replies... Mike Crow 2 years ago
When I was in film school I made a short thriller and my very little budget went to props, insurance, and food for everyone. I had no money left to pay crew or cast but I still had professional actors, and crew who volunteered for the love of the art (and they knew I would not be making any money off it). It was a lot of fun.
jeniel stephens 2 years ago
yes but u said urself that the professional actors VOLUNTEERED their time and selves. totally not the same situation. 🙃
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Rachel Reynolds 2 years ago (edited)
I'm a mechanic. I charge a $50 an hour plus parts. I'm also an artist. Guess how much I charge for commissions. As much as I love to draw, time spent on someone else's art is time not spent fixing engines. (Or working on my own stuff) I know what my time is worth.
Kathleen R. 2 years ago
Cuz they're broke. They don't have any money but they still want stuff. They figure it doesn't hurt to ask. Which it technically wouldn't hurt to ask, if they weren't such pricks about it when they're told no.
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Jerusalem Cat Syndrome 2 years ago
I don't get it: if you can't do it yourself, you have to pay for someone else to do it. What's the question?
Leo Domitrix 2 years ago
Guessing people have forgotten most nations have abolished slavery, for good reasons. If your business can't function without slavery, then your business model sucks and is unsustainable.... or you suck at the business. If people do the work, they get pay. Period. Rant over.
Doodles1983 2 years ago
Newsflash. Slavery is still very much up and running.
Load More Replies... Mark Fuller 2 years ago
Could get that far. You clearly have more stamina. Is this world we now live in?? God help us.
Load More Replies... Mike Crow 2 years ago
When I was in film school I made a short thriller and my very little budget went to props, insurance, and food for everyone. I had no money left to pay crew or cast but I still had professional actors, and crew who volunteered for the love of the art (and they knew I would not be making any money off it). It was a lot of fun.
jeniel stephens 2 years ago
yes but u said urself that the professional actors VOLUNTEERED their time and selves. totally not the same situation. 🙃
Load More Replies... Rachel Reynolds 2 years ago (edited)
I'm a mechanic. I charge a $50 an hour plus parts. I'm also an artist. Guess how much I charge for commissions. As much as I love to draw, time spent on someone else's art is time not spent fixing engines. (Or working on my own stuff) I know what my time is worth.
Kathleen R. 2 years ago
Cuz they're broke. They don't have any money but they still want stuff. They figure it doesn't hurt to ask. Which it technically wouldn't hurt to ask, if they weren't such pricks about it when they're told no.
Load More Replies... Jerusalem Cat Syndrome 2 years ago
I don't get it: if you can't do it yourself, you have to pay for someone else to do it. What's the question?
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