FAQs - Creators
How do I submit my work to be featured by FREE THE WORK?
Whenever you have new releases to be considered for promotion, we encourage you to submit directly to our Culture Team Submission Form.
I saw that the FTW application process is currently closed. What are my next steps?
Our application process is temporarily paused as we work on some exciting updates to our platform. In the application pause message window, please make sure to note that you’d like to be contacted with updates from our team.
While applications are paused, there are still lots of ways that you can be involved in our community:
- Fill out your creator profile by heading to your dashboard and completing all relevant information.
- Submit any new work that you would like to be featured directly to our Culture team here.
- Check out our job board to learn about job opportunities from our business partners
- View the incredible content created by our Culture team (here's our Playlist Directory for starters)
- Don't sleep on our social media accounts ( twitter and instagram) where we post about upcoming events, such as artist roundtables and creative workshops
Are FTW profiles available to creators free of charge?
Yes.There is no fee to appear on our platform. While optional membership subscriptions are available, which are tax-deductible donations to support our nonprofit’s mission, a paid subscription is NOT a requirement in order to be included on the FREE THE WORK database.
From time to time, as it is our mission to highlight and celebrate the work of talented creators, we may include creators who are recommended to us from other FTW members, or from market research reviewing sources relevant to the industries we serve. Therefore, inclusion on our website's database does not necessarily imply a creator's official affiliation with FREE THE WORK.
What are the benefits of providing demographic information?
At FREE THE WORK’s core, we are driven by our mission to dismantle systemic oppression, which leads to lack of opportunity, and address injustice head-on.
Part of this mission is to uplift creative voices who are telling their own stories, and to ensure that they're fairly considered for opportunities to do so.
We work with brands, agencies, TV & film studios who visit our database when searching for talent to tell stories through lenses informed by their own lived experience. By self-identifying demographic information that most accurately describes who you are, you will expand your eligibility for discovery by those looking to showcase your authentic voice. You’ll also be eligible to be considered for community-specific showcases put together by our team, which boost creator visibility.
We recognize the sensitive, complex, and personal nature of identity, and are aware that each creator may feel differently about how much they are willing to share. While all demographic information is entirely optional, we at FTW strongly encourage you to fill out as much as you are comfortable sharing.
I was included on the Free The Bid database. Is my profile now on FREE THE WORK?
We love our OG Free The Bid fam!
When FREE THE WORK launched, all profiles from Free The Bid were migrated over, as the start of our FREE THE WORK talent database. Hopefully, you should have received an email from FREE THE WORK upon the site’s launch in 2019, inviting you to claim your profile. If you didn’t, hit us up on our site chat (in the bottom right corner) and we’ll be happy to help get you all set up.
How can I customize and add videos to my profile?
To make edits to your profile, you can start by visiting your account dashboard - this is your one stop shop for profile updates.
Head to your “About You” page to edit your bio, your point of contact, tags (used to inform search results) and other important profile fields. Creators who have completed these fields are able to get the most value out of their experience on FREE THE WORK.
To edit your videos, visit the “Videos” tab of your dashboard. All creator profiles can host up to 5 videos, but Professional Creators who decide to pay for an optional Professional Creator Plus membership can host up to 10 videos of their work on their profile.
All uploaded videos must be publicly viewable Vimeo or Youtube URLs with fully public permissions - once you’ve added new videos, double check them on your profile to make sure they’re working properly. Please also be sure to use a JPEG thumbnail. Be sure to select 3-5 accurate video tags for each video, so that your work appears in relevant search results. Over-tagging and under-tagging can both cause problems, so we recommend sticking to only a handful of the most accurate terms.
How should I tag my profile?
We recommend tagging your profile and your videos with around 3-5 of the most accurate genres and skill sets. Our platform’s algorithm uses these tags to recommend content based on each member’s interests and activity, as well as to include your work and your profile within appropriate searches.
Tags work most effectively when they’re concise and accurate. Over-tagged profiles can be overlooked by hirers looking for directly relevant talent on specific opportunities, while under-tagged profiles will not show up in search results.
Tags are always editable! When you’ve completed a new project, you can edit your profile tags to reflect your expanded experience.
Do I have to have any videos? Do all profile fields need to be filled out?
We, too, can get into the cryptic enigma vibe. However, on FREE THE WORK, you’ll need to include at least ONE video example of your work to be eligible for inclusion in our database. If full-length examples of your work are not available to share publicly, you can use publicly available trailers or clips, or a reel to showcase your experience.
Not all profile fields are required, but profiles without a bio, headshot, accurate tags, and point of contact, are much less likely to be discovered. We encourage you to build your profile out and make it a full celebration of your creativity. Visit the “About You” and “Videos” tabs of your account dashboard to get started.
What if I no longer want my profile to appear on FREE THE WORK?
If you would like your information removed from our platform, please contact us at support@freethework.com and we will assist you with your request ASAP.
I’m not based in the US - is there a way to connect with users in my country/city?
Definitely — FREE THE WORK’s mission has always been a global one. We have creators from over 100+ global territories included on our platform, and our network of business users is on the hunt for talent across the world. Search our database by location in order to find like-minded creators active in your territory.
We currently have over 20 ambassadors representing FREE THE WORK globally, each one a talented, high level filmmaker in their own territory. Keep an eye out for local updates from the ambassador in your region. If your country doesn’t yet have an official ambassador, don’t worry - we’re constantly expanding.
I’m a Professional Creator too, but I work in a role that’s not yet included on the site. What should I do?
We hear you - we know how important it is to expand equal opportunities across film and media production. It’s a top priority for us to keep growing to include additional roles than those currently offered on the platform. The process of expansion takes time — our team makes sure to do our due diligence when undertaking the research and outreach required for opening up a new category.
In the meantime, we encourage you to use our platform to discover collaborators to connect with!