There was a time, in the very distant past, when film and TV companies thought nothing of taking on workers and not paying them a penny for their labour.

Admittedly that was before the government declared such behaviour to be illegal (the National Minimum Wage was introduced in 1998). Since then, companies who might have considered doing it quickly realised that not only was it illegal, but that such behaviour was thoroughly frowned upon by decent thinking folk, being both socially divisive and - well not to put too fine a point on it - a pretty shitty thing to do.

So where was Steve Reynolds (“Film Director at Screen Crush Productions”) these past 25 years, while everyone else was learning to behave like decent human beings? Hiding under a rock it seems, if this advert is anything to go by.

Because Steve was apparently in need of a French speaking researcher for his documentary, The Spiderman of Paris. The only catch is, he didn’t want to pay for one:

“You will work with 2 of the company directors and be tasked with researching French news and social media and then setting up phone interviews with the story's protagonists.

Please note that we will pay all expenses only for the first month and then negotiate an hourly wage for ongoing work”.

The film - about a thief “who defied the law for his passion” - clearly has strong parallels to real life then, given that Steve himself is happy to do much the same to make his documentary, funding it with the pay of his unfortunate recruit.

A modern day conman to avoid then: Stephen Reynolds, Screen Crush Productions: Méfiez-vous, travailleurs indépendants!