'40 videos for RM500' - M'sian content creator criticises low rates offered by companies
Recently, a beauty content creator took to social media to voice her frustrations after being offered meagre rates for time-consuming and labour-intensive projects, sparking a conversation about the exploitation and undervaluation of creative professionals in the local industry.
'These rates and payments are getting more and more ridiculous.
'I'm dying. I have so many bills to pay. It's getting hard to breathe these days,' she wrote in a Threads post.
She claimed she was offered a shockingly low payment of RM500 for 40 videos, which works out to just RM12.50 per video.
In another instance, the beauty content creator alleged that a client offered her only RM100 for a job that required an on-site visit, immediate social media postings, and a shoutout before the event.
To make matters worse, another company allegedly offered her just RM50 for an 'urgent' talent shoot.
Many were taken aback by these rates, noting that such offers persist largely because there are always content creators willing to accept them. Others pointed out that these types of content are far from easy to produce, as they require substantial time, effort, and creativity.
'It's because the market is already oversaturated. Everyone wants to be an influencer because it seems like an easy way to make money. So companies lowball hard because they know there will always be someone desperate enough to accept,' one user remarked.
'The market for creatives in Malaysia was always awful, but this is just insane. Perhaps it's better to pursue this part-time,' another user commented.
'I feel you. A company once asked if I could make 25 videos per month—and it was only RM50 per video,' shared a fellow content creator.
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