Part 1: The Client Who 'Pays in Exposure' - A Horror Story for Modern Times

A cautionary tale for creatives.

Prologue: A Dark and Stormy DM

Wherein Our Tale of Terror Begins

Like stepping into an old attic full of unlabeled boxes, our protagonist opened their inbox, blissfully unaware of the horrors lurking inside. ‘Hey hun! 🌟 Love your work! I have an amazing opportunity…’. The message had that same uneasy charm as a realtor calling a place “cozy” while pretending not to notice the ominous stain spreading across the ceiling.

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Chapter I: The First Contact

In Which Our Hero Receives a Promising Message

The notification popped up, looking harmless enough - just another little blue bubble, full of possibility. But behind the cheerful emojis and exclamation points lurked something far more devious. It promised “incredible exposure,” boasted of a “massive following,” and, of course, delivered the dreaded phrase every creative fears: “It’s great for your portfolio!”

Let’s get a little real here first. While it’s hard to find proper numbers that will show us how many creatives actually works for exposure or was asked to, I did find some interesting tidbits.

According to the Musicians Union, a staggering 71% of artists have been asked to work for free. 54% were asked to for for exposure. This high percentage indicates that the practice of requesting unpaid work is commonplace in the music industry. More than half of these artists reported being told that exposure gained from a gig should be considered acceptable compensation.

Now this data is a bit old but brace yourself: