Rob Perkins tells film crew to stop accepting exploitative gigs from producers who lowball rates and demand 16-hour days for half pay. Use your client relationships as leverage to refuse bad work. Emotional detachment from the fear of losing jobs lets you set boundaries and attract better projects.
Here's what matters. This account isn't just rent money. It's power. You know that producer who always lowballs you? The one who calls last minute, expects you to work 16-hour days for half your rate, and treats crew like they're disposable? Your phone rings and you see their name, and instead of that familiar pit in your stomach that says, "I need this gig. I can't afford to say no," you feel nothing. You answer the phone and politely decline.
