The filmmaker participated in the Dunhill conversation series opposite actor David Morrissey who elicited the following response with a simple inquiry about Greengrass's early days in documentary:
One of the problems we have in our industry is that young people in our industry are being exploited. There are companies in London, sadly, that are making very good livings on "work experience" -- which really means people being expected to work for nothing. And if we -- we in the industry who've had good livings think that we are creating a sustainable industry by raping and pillaging young people, then we're very, very sadly mistaken. And if I were to point to a single issue in our industry that is not being dealt with and offers the most profound threat to the regeneration of our industry, it is the way we exploit young people.
Preach it! Or... not? I think we all know the difference between low- or no-pay and pure exploitation -- the former offers exposure to professionals and actual work experience on a film or TV set, while the latter amounts to cleaning and coffee-fetching with little if any access to the happenings either behind or in front of the camera. Sometimes the job descriptions blur. But as someone who's worked an unpaid internship or gopher role on more than a few sets and offices over the years, opportunity is more often than not in the eye (and initiative) of the beholder, and making smart decisions about certain gratis duties and jobs and employers (especially employers) can entitle rookies to a little more experiential leverage than a paycheck gets them. And what's worth more?
That's up to you. In any case: "Raping and pillaging," Paul? That's probably a little much.
[via Dunhill]