Going once, twice...SOLD! James auctions days of his life to highest bidder
James Hamer-Morton is selling days of his life to the highest bidder - Credit: Archant
A HUNTINGDONSHIRE actor and film-maker is selling days of his life to the highest bidder as part of a social experiment.
For 22 days in April, James Hamer-Morton is putting himself at the mercy of the highest bidder, who can purchase one of his days and dictate what he must do – provided it is legal.
The 30-year-old has sold 10 days with requests requiring him to JET OFF to Dallas in Texas, to CLIMB Andrew Gannel Hill in Scotland and to SERVE TEA dressed as a French maid.
A big part of the project will be the challenges of travelling from the production office in High Street, Alconbury Weston, to whatever destination a bidder decides.
The experiment, to be filmed for a documentary called Bid for My Life, aims to determine the value of a day’s work as well as the level of demands people will put on someone with almost no limitations in place, said Mr Hamer-Morton, who has done voiceover work for Disney.
“I’m an actor and because of the nature of the job I have this feeling of being unaware of my own value,” he said.
“Sometimes I’ll travel a long way and work long hours for no money at all and don’t even get my expenses paid, and then there are other days where I do virtually nothing at all and get paid quite a lot.
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“I wanted to know what my own worth was and it developed into a social experiment.”
About £6,000 has been raised by Mr Hamer-Morton and his producer Helen White through crowd funding – offering incentives such as a digital copy of the documentary to those who supported the project.
The money will help fund some of the more adventurous requests people are making – such as the trip to the USA.
Mr Hamer-Morton said: “At the moment the days seem to be going for around £50 but expectations are very different.
“Someone from Dallas is expecting me to travel out there and I’m not sure what she wants me to do yet.”
A pilot of the idea was broadcast online last month and included a 17-hour live stream in which the actor would take online requests in return for money.
Some of the requests included eating a spoonful of cinnamon for £20 and a £50 donation for Mr Hamer-Morton and his producer to swap clothes.
Mr Hamer-Morton said: “The offer I’m making is basically my best attempt at hatever they will pay me to do.
“The aim is a social experiment to see what people expect of me.”
He is looking for people in the area to bid for him so that he has some local jobs.
