NYU thesis film — $0/day, but the crew was genuinely impressive

Did a 2-day thesis film for a NYU grad student. No pay, obviously. But honestly? This was one of the better set experiences I've had this year. The director had a complete shot list, storyboards for key scenes, and actually rehearsed with us for an hour before we started rolling. The DP was using the school's RED camera and knew what she was doing. Craft services was homemade (someone's mom made food) but better than some paid gigs. 8-hour days, both days. They wrapped on time. Nobody was rude. Nobody tried to extend the day without asking. The footage looks incredible — the DP sent me a rough cut and it's going in my reel for sure. Would I recommend working for free? Generally no. But if the crew is talented and respectful, the footage is good, and the time commitment is short, there are worse ways to spend a weekend.