Most Entertainers Don’t Get Paid for a Fair Days Work

MELBOURNE, Australia - Dec. 17, 2013 - PRLog -- I met with amazing artist, singer/songwriter Milandra today to discuss her career and the challenges of making a living in the music industry. The efforts and expense she and other artists put into their careers would deter most. It is no wonder that so many artists are taking the gamble on popular crowdfunding sites like Kickstarter and Indiegogo.

Milandra’s launched her Kickstarter project recently and only has days remaining to raise $16,000 so she can fund the creation of her next music video. She made her goals very apparent during our interview, she wants to provide entertainment industry professionals with a fair days pay for a fair days work and crowdfunding looked like a viable option, if not the only option.

Milandra’s dedication to paying artists, entertainers and crew real money is inspiring. The music industry in Australia is all but dead. Reality TV shows promising fame and fortune have consumed the industry making everything a popularity competition. Most of them expect you to sing a song that everyone knows and the contents are often ridiculed if the attempt to sing their own material. Originality is held at bay, not only are the viewers missing out on an opportunity to witness new and original material but artists who have new and original material can’t be heard.

Milandra would like to see more creative projects instead of competitions, “We are too busy trying to be better than everyone else instead of just being ourselves. I don't want to be better than anyone as there are plenty of better singers than me out there, I just want to be myself and sing and tell stories"

So she stopped focusing on trying to be "the best" and worked on being "her best" this action in turn helped Milandra to turn her energy inward and enabled her to tell her truth.

The internet has basically become the only option for artists. They upload their music video to YouTube and hope someone will discover them and give them their lucky break.

Something needs to change and it must start with the artists, artists need to negotiate better terms for themselves, they need to unite as a group with one purpose… a fair days work for a fair days pay! Milandra’s frustration with the lack of paid jobs for talented entertainment industry professionals has forced her to refuse gigs and postpone production, she stated “Most of the industry people I know have to supplement their income by working outside of the entertainment industry. I want to pay the actors/dancers cast and crew what they deserve… these talented people should not have to work for free."

The entertainment industry is one of the biggest industries in the world yet these talented people often work for little or no pay.

Milandra has placed her hopes and dreams in the hands of her Kickstarter in the hope that friends, family and fans would get behind her and help her realise her dreams.

Her Kickstarter project was plagued with tragedy the first attempt to run the fundraiser in August was put on hold when one of her closest uncles (Frank Dinino aged 63) passed away unexpectedly. The second launch date was set and an even greater tragedy struck when she lost her cousin and best friend Leonard Del Mastro age 34.

She knew her family and friends were mourning their loss and she could not bring herself to run a music video fundraiser at that time. Running out of time, and keeping her cast and crew waiting she decided to take her chances on a pre christmas fundraiser. It is the season of giving but even still she couldn’t believe the generosity of some people. One of her Make Up Artists/Wig Specialist  from her Moment music video donated a painting from her son child prodigy Vinnie Macris. Her personal trainer Carolyn McMillan of In 2 Life Fitness in Point Cook was one of the first people to pledge over $900 for Milandra to write her a song and numerous other people gave money asking for no reward at all.

Milandra is hopeful that her friends and family are waiting for the last minute to pitch in and grab one of the great rewards from her Kickstarter so her project will get funded and her actors, dancers, cast and crew will get paid for a fair days work.

If you believe entertainment industry professionals should get paid fairly for what they do (not just the famous ones) then head over to http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/milandramusic/impatient-girl-music-video?ref=live and pick up one of the great rewards Milandra has on offer.