'Black Swan' Unpaid Interns File Lawsuit

Two former interns who worked on Black Swan are suing Fox Searchlight and are looking to end what they say is the studio’s improper use of unpaid interns, according to The New York Times. The plaintiffs, Alex Footman and Eric Glatt, claim the studio violated federal and state wage laws and are seeking back pay for work that they say should have been done by paid Searchlight employees. The U.S. Department of Labor requires companies that use unpaid interns to provide training similar to that of an educational institution, among other criteria. Footman said that as a production intern, he made coffee, cleaned, and took lunch orders for the staff. He said he learned only “how to be more picky in choosing employment opportunities,” according to The Times. The plaintiffs are far from the only college graduates who took an unpaid internship to try to get a foot in the door in the film industry. Their lawsuit is seeking class action status on behalf of more than 100 unpaid interns on Searchlight film productions.