Frequently Asked Questions - General
What is FREE THE WORK?
FREE THE WORK is a non-profit organization committed to making equity actionable in media and to creating opportunities for a global workforce of underrepresented creators behind the lens in TV, film, and marketing.
Our organization strives to be the most innovative, effective, and action-driven resource possible until industry-wide equality becomes a reality. We accomplish this goal through our FREE THE WORK pledge, global talent database, community, DEI guidance, impact & insights reporting, and educational tools that help creators to demystify the media industries. FREE THE WORK exists to empower a creative revolution, led by the world’s underrepresented creators.
What’s the difference between FREE THE WORK and Free The Bid?
FREE THE WORK is the current iteration of the nonprofit initiative Free The Bid, which was previously founded in 2016 by director Alma Har’el. Free The Bid’s website has been retired since the 2019 launch of FREE THE WORK, and is no longer actively updated.
What do you mean by "underrepresented creators”?
As Free The Bid, we started out advocating for the work of all directors who identified as women. However, as FREE THE WORK, we’ve expanded this mission to include additional roles (DPs, editors, colorists, composers, and screenwriters), and identities.
The word “creator” is our way of paying tribute to the fluid creativity of the talent on our site, and our expectation to continue expanding our database to include additional roles.
“Underrepresented” refers to all creators from backgrounds and identities that have historically been decentered within the film, television, advertising, and media industries — both onscreen and behind the scenes. Here are statistics of historically underrepresented communities recorded by the most recent U.S. Census; percentages are from the total US Population.
- Veterans 6.90%
- Disability 12.70%
- Black/African American 12.80%
- American Indian & Alaska Native 0.90%
- Asian 5.70%
- Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander 0.20%
- Multiracial 3.40%
- Hispanic/Latino 18.40%
- Jewish 2.2%
While the language that FREE THE WORK uses is always subject to change as we adapt to meet the needs of an ever-changing world and ever-evolving community, our use of the term “underrepresented creators” currently refers to:
- All those who identify as women, including cis & trans women
- All of those that identify as non-binary, gender non-conforming, or at some point along the trans spectrum
- People of color of all genders, including cisgender male creators of color
- Indigenous creators
- All creators under the LGBTQIA+ umbrella
- Creators of all genders living with disabilities
- Creators who are military veterans
- Creators who are Jewish, regardless of practice
Word choice is subjective and sensitive. We know that our choice of the word “underrepresented” might not feel perfect for everyone, and that the discussion of systemic inequality is inherently fraught for those whose needs and whose stories have consistently been sidelined.
We are committed to listening, learning, growing, and changing together, and are always interested in evolving the language we use to best suit the needs of our community. Please reach out and contact us to continue the dialogue further..
Is the database free to access?
Yes. FREE THE WORK’s database is accessible, free of charge, to all those interested in discovering underrepresented talent.
In order to jump in and begin browsing, all you’ll need to do is to create a free account - it’s as simple as that. If you’re an underrepresented creator (working within one or more of the following roles: Director, DP, Editor, Colorist, Composer, or Screenwriter), you can sign up for a “Creator” account. All others can select “Here To Discover Talent” to build an account as a “Business” user.