Broadcast Audio Internship - Scam?

[Peter Morgan]

Hello all,

 

I'm a postgrad audio student and as such am always looking for more experience and CV-able work. I saw this opening for an internship listed on Broadcast Freelancer and it really caught my eye:

 

http://www.broadcastfreelancer.com/jobs/view-job/1775205/

 

Another listing for it indicates that it is Bigfoot Studios who are offering this:

 

http://www.getfilmjobs.com/audio-internshi...m_campaign=Juju

 

Bigfoot:

 

http://www.bigfootstudios.com/index.php

 

The whole thing seems a little TOO good to be true to me, can anybody confirm whether this is legit or just a scam?

[Nick S]

The company seems reasonable legitimate, but you should make sure you understand the various problems and issues that can sometimes crop up when working with employers outside of the EU, particularly regarding getting the relevant visas (you'll more than likely have to pay for a comprehensive, and possibly invasive, medical), tax issues, and local labour law.

[Bobbsy]

I haven't been to the Philippines since the late 1990s but, even at that point, the federal government was putting in place tax laws (and even declaring some zones entirely tax free) to attract companies to locate facilities there. Fedex have made Subic Bay their SE Asia distribution base for this reason and the people I was meeting had set up a satellite teleport to do playout for broadcasters all over Asia.

 

It would be my guess that the Bigfoot studios in Cebu are probably an extension of this sort of policy.

 

As Nick S says, even if the job is real, make sure you know exactly what your are getting into in terms of visas, medical insurance, tax, etc. I note that they are requiring you to pay your own airfare which would worry me a bit--and I'd want a pretty cast iron contract enforceable outside the Philippines before I paid for a ticket.

 

Regarding the Philippines themselves, I really should dislike everything about them. They're hot, crowded and feature the worst drivers in the world. However, on my visits there I've always enjoyed the country and the people--there's constant hustle and bustle and a sense of life and vibrancy that I really enjoyed.

 

If it was me (and if I had no other commitments) I'd probably progress this to the next stage to see exactly what the offer is and what protections you would have. You can always say "no" if it seems to dodgy.

 

Bob

[Guest lightnix]

Hello Peter, welcome to the Blue Room :** laughs out loud **:

 

It certainly sounds interesting and *might* even provide valuable experience, but I'd definitely proceed with caution. The fact that they're advertising on trovit for interns in several departments (see here) and that (as Bobbsy says) you have to pay for your own ticket, does make me wonder a bit, how genuine these "internships" really are (see my post in this recent thread on low / unpaid work).

 

I think it's realistic to expect, that taking such a post would end up costing you money and if you're looking at this as a true investment, then you need to look at it from a business point of view. Don't be seduced by the exotic foreign location, try to identify exactly what it is - other than just general "experience" - that you expect to get out of this, that will move you further up the ladder and that you can't get elsewhere. Try also, to quantify the risk, that your expectations will not be met and that you'll wind up back at square one.

 

Research the cost of living out there and calculate a budget for the trip; overestimate the cost of everything by 10-15%. Having worked out what it will cost, see if any alternatives and what else you might be able to "get" for that kind of outlay - possibly closer to home, where any contacts you make may be more immediately usable ;) Try to find out how the Company are regarded by the wider industry and by their former interns; how working for them has benefitted the careers of ex-interns and what (if any) networking opportunities it has generated in the broadcast community.

 

As others have said, make sure you fully understand what you're getting into and what rights and protections you may (or may not) enjoy, as a British intern, working for a US company in a Far Eastern country. Make sure you know what would be expected of you, work-wise, what element of actual training is involved and the level of supervision you will receive in return. Check out what level of assistance they're able to offer in finding accommodation and what sort of support networks (e.g. social clubs) exist. Also ask what generally happens to their ex-interns, where they tend to go next and how working for them as an intern now, will increase your attractiveness to paying employers, once your tour of duty is over? ;)

 

6x $800 is (by itself) below the UK taxable income threshold, but you may still need to declare it, somehow. Get some professional advice about this and any other, HMRC-related issues.

 

If you're satisfied that this is a genuine internship (and I do have a couple of doubts TBH), which offers unique opportunities; then by all means start doing further research about being an expat in the Phillipines.

 

Just try to remain objective and don't rush into things :** laughs out loud **:

[Ron B.]

Hello everyone!

 

I am currently in the Philippines now... I mean, I live here (in Albay region to be exact). I sent an email to Bigfoot for the Audio Internship and I am still waiting for their response. The studio is located in Cebu City, which is like 45 minutes away from my location by plane... but there is no direct flight available here so I need to go to Manila first, which is another 45 minutes by plane then get a connecting flight to Cebu. If I will be invited for the internship then this will be my first time of going to Cebu.

 

With regards to your worry about the credibility of the ads, I think they are credible because it is also posted on their main website:

 

http://www.bigfoot.com/jobs/jobsinternship.php

 

I have dug in deeper by looking at some blog posts and I found this link:

 

http://dreamlovegrow.blogspot.com/2010/01/...n-position.html

 

I am sure that this isn't a hoax . Hopefully we'll be able to see each other there. It's always been my dream of working in this industry. By the way, just follow the instructions on what to send so that you will be accepted.

 

Do not worry about the place and the people, because we don't bite. ;) Moving around is easy because English is our second official language. So good luck to both of us!

 

 

You can reach me here: http://www.facebook.com/rbanzagales

[rico]

Hi, I don’t want kill any dreams that you might have but there is an old saying that if it sounds too good to be true then it probably is.

Bigfoot is a real company that has a real studio, if they still make commercial feature films at Cebu is a good question.

To the best of my knowledge not much in the way of commercial production is going on there and if you look at the success of their last few productions you might find it not very impressive, some might call them failures.

I believe Bigfoot gets tax breaks in the Philippines and is maintaining an image of busy professional out put, but I believe not much is realy going on there.

So why not apply for an internship but don’t hold your breath and don’t be surprised if you spend 6 months in a hot and humid climate answering the phone

or running errands or don’t even get a reply.

[Tow]

I drove (was driven!) by the studios a few times last month, while in Cebu. I am fairly sure they were not there or they were building them on my last visit about 3 years ago. They are on Mactan Island, which is where the Cebu airport is, which started out life as an US air strip. Lapu Lapu is what the main city is called (read main street and it's surrounds). The place it's self seems to consist what looks like a multi story office building and a large dormitory building. Mactan Island is 'Coral rock' about 5 meters above sea level connected to the mainland by two large bridges. It is hot, crowed, narrow roads, dirty and had not rained for over a month before we visited. There are a number of resorts on the island, but if you want to see the real Philippines there are far nicer places to visit. There two large tax free industrial estates on the Island (MEPZ 1 and 2), so like a previous poster said they probably have tax exempt status. They (the MEPZ) also have their own power station which comes in useful as the power cuts for the rest of the area are almost weekly. To answer the OPs (if he/she is not already there) question, yes the place exists and if you are young free and single it would be eye opening experience. The locals are friendly (watch out for those too friendly), money goes about 4 times as far if you don't go wild.

[MichaelGleissner]

Bigfoot studios is a scam. Private mail any of the interns there, and they'll confirm it.

No feature films are really produced or recognised by the film industry.

If you are tempted to work abroad, then do it because you'll meet other people from all over the world in the same boat - for networking only.

But don't count on the job lasting long.

Many are fired within days if not weeks of getting there, after selling up/setting up to leave for 6 months, leaving them in a pickle to get back home with.

The company has the most bizarre inertia of beauraucratic procedings I have ever come across that flout the normal rules of engagement for any other respectable job. Expect every unfair rule in your contract that works against your favour. Do not expect any notice period - no one gets it, if you get two weeks notice for being fired, that means you have to work two weeks to finish a project, but no guarantee of being paid for it, and no guarantee of even two weeks notice, expect to be fired on the spot. a 6 month contract actually means nothing.

The system is set up in order to get your final pay, every department has to sign off your 'clearance' - a practice never used in any other industry! If there is a political difference of opinion, you are unlikely to get that last signature to clear your final pay if you are fired on bad terms.

You could end up being unfairly treated with final pay owed docked for no reason.

A string of production designers are being sued after leaving the studios for bizarre reasons.

The company is well known to be litigious to try to protect it's image. Ex-employees are cautious to share their real experience because everyone has to sign a non disclosure agreement upon leaving to protect Bigfoot Studios from being exposed as a scam.

They have employed and fired too many people now, and sure enough they are spilling back into the real world and sharing their bad experiences privately.

Many talented people work there from all over the world, but the studio is just a PR image for a multimillionaire to attract women 'model' interns to play with.

Remember - there is a reason why this company operated from the Philippines! Bigfoot studios is a scam and wouldn't survive in Hollywood.

Everything stated here is the truth, and the opinions do not reflect the site owners, but are provided to protect individuals to make a fair choice before investing on their plane ticket abroad.

[thom88]

Bigfoot studios is a scam. Private mail any of the interns there, and they'll confirm it.

No feature films are really produced or recognised by the film industry.

If you are tempted to work abroad, then do it because you'll meet other people from all over the world in the same boat - for networking only.

But don't count on the job lasting long.

Many are fired within days if not weeks of getting there, after selling up/setting up to leave for 6 months, leaving them in a pickle to get back home with.

The company has the most bizarre inertia of beauraucratic procedings I have ever come across that flout the normal rules of engagement for any other respectable job. Expect every unfair rule in your contract that works against your favour. Do not expect any notice period - no one gets it, if you get two weeks notice for being fired, that means you have to work two weeks to finish a project, but no guarantee of being paid for it, and no guarantee of even two weeks notice, expect to be fired on the spot. a 6 month contract actually means nothing.

The system is set up in order to get your final pay, every department has to sign off your 'clearance' - a practice never used in any other industry! If there is a political difference of opinion, you are unlikely to get that last signature to clear your final pay if you are fired on bad terms.

You could end up being unfairly treated with final pay owed docked for no reason.

A string of production designers are being sued after leaving the studios for bizarre reasons.

The company is well known to be litigious to try to protect it's image. Ex-employees are cautious to share their real experience because everyone has to sign a non disclosure agreement upon leaving to protect Bigfoot Studios from being exposed as a scam.

They have employed and fired too many people now, and sure enough they are spilling back into the real world and sharing their bad experiences privately.

Many talented people work there from all over the world, but the studio is just a PR image for a multimillionaire to attract women 'model' interns to play with.

Remember - there is a reason why this company operated from the Philippines! Bigfoot studios is a scam and wouldn't survive in Hollywood.

Everything stated here is the truth, and the opinions do not reflect the site owners, but are provided to protect individuals to make a fair choice before investing on their plane ticket abroad.

 

I want to say thank you to Michael. I was recently tempted by this offer and after applying I was shortly accepted into the program. However I remained cautious. After I received a phone call from one of the representatives I felt good about it but still unsure. After reading what you have to say has pretty much confirmed my fears and am glad I read what you posted. As you mentioned, it is extremely difficult to find any reviews of the place, which of course made me even more skeptical. I guess I will have to keep searching for a good opportunity to come along. Thankyou though.

[mickg]

I totally agree with what "Michael Gleissner" says. Bigfoot Studios is a joke and the films/TV they make are pure straight-to-late-night-cable-at-3am if they were ever seen in the west (Their "Deep Gold" film is probably the worst movie ever made. 4 years of post production and counting).

 

When applicants reply to the internship ads, they are basically told bare-faced lies to lure them to Cebu and when they arrive, most of the production work is making Behind the Scenes videos of the owner/director looking important and "creative" while he "directs" the films or photoshoots (he also fancies himself as an underwater photographer, and the resulting pictures are TERRIBLE).

 

The studio also has a fashion satellite channel, which is basically non-stop catwalk footage, usually at worse than youtube quality. Occasionally they screen "reality" shows featuring interns acting as the contestants...

 

Quite a few hollywood veterans work there, but their advice and expertise is often ignored due the irrational whims of the owner. The models are the only aspect the owner really cares about, and will drop major projects just so he can pursue the girls he likes that week.

 

AVOID THIS PLACE. I barely survived with my sanity intact.