English: The main entrance to the Sony Picture...

English: The main entrance to the Sony Pictures Entertainment studio lot in Culver City. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

***(Updated, Incredible!)***

Hello fellow artists, filmmakers and photographers.It seems like big companies have decided to take their exploitation on us to a higher level.Here are some examples:If you apply for a job at Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) you automatically give the company the rights to use any material you submit (demos, drawings, etc.) http://mayersononanimation.blogspot.com/2012/11/more-artist-exploitation.htmlAll photo and video contests come with a fine print that gives companies all the rights to use your material upon its submission.

Intel had their “Momentary Lapse” photo and video competition last year and they ended up with thousands of free photos and hundreds of minutes of video footage that they can use for commercial purposes whenever they want.

The Smithsonian Institute and Sesame Street currently have new contests under the same conditions.

Do you really think that Sony Pictures, Intel, The Smithsonian and Sesame Street don’t have enough money to pay artists for the material they submit when it’s used?

If we don’t boycott these blood-sucking practices nobody will do it for us.

And did you hear what Jay Leno recently said?
“Well, you know, the whole legend of St. Patrick, right?” Leno said. “St. Patrick drove all the snakes out of Ireland, and then they came to the United States and became NBC executives.”

*** Update ***
The latest is a grant contest by Burn Magazine that will give $15,000 to whom they consider the best “emerging” photographer. They say the money will be given by “anonymous” sponsors but guess what? They are charging $25 to apply. If you do the math 600 applicants X $25 = $15,000. This is just incredible.

 @MagnumPhotos @Burn_Magazine applications for a grant should be free, especially when the call is for emerging photographers.