So a quite well-known and great sound designer has reached out so I would work without compensation on one small project, but with said promise of something else coming soon with "some" budget. He/She stormed in with very quick and vague information and I got a not so nice answer when I proposed some assurance such as a contract, or how he/she would do in these situations.
If it would have been anyone else, I would be laughing about it and already forgotten, but being this person in particular bugs me a little. Fortunately I have work constantly and make a decent living out of audio work, sometimes in really good national productions, other times not as exciting - but I am lucky that I haven´t had to take other jobs in recent times, and find no big reason to work for free.
Would I like to do that work and work for that person? Absolutely.
But the feeling that he/she regards me as a free asset almost hurts me a little. Does the fact that the person has a fantastic IMDB page makes it a reason all in itself for me to go in? Or does it become even more of a serious ethic issue when it comes from a nice place in the chain?
Is the argument that "the only way to know one´s work is to work for free" acceptable?