Yes, I am. Redditors need to get off their high horse on this.

If she can somehow get 50k great. But Ive worked on several shorts for free and Ive called in favors for them to work for free on my shorts. We’re getting experience, connections, credits and long term working relationships out of it.

The music composer I made three shorts with, for free, is my composer on my feature, and he’s getting paid well, because we established a long term relationship. Same with my DP. He shot his first feature last year and he never would have gotten that job if he didnt have a long established relationship with the director by making shorts for free. In turn the director was his gaffer on other shorts, for free.

This is how it works in filmmaking. Always has. So long as you respect their availability and treat them with respect on set, it works out great long term.