How to not let actors flake.

CDCosta

CDCosta

Ever shoot a low/no budget film and have actors drop left and right, even the day before the shoot?

Well here are some tips to get your actors to stay, and what to do if they flake.


Auditions​
Holding Auditions is a huge plus to getting actors to stay. Auditions means your looking for the best talent, and when you select an actor from an audition, it shows them they are good, and your not choosing anyone. Even if they're only for 2 days with a handful of actors; Hold Auditions. It's professional, it's helpful, it'll get you better talent, and help your actors not flake.


Set your Dates​
Make sure you have set dates when you cast. Make sure they are available those days, and make sure its not months in advanced, or too close for comfort. Depending on your production, and how much pre-prod you'll be doing with your talent, 2-4 weeks is a good gap between casting and Principle photography.


Readings/Rehearsals​
Now that you've casted your desired talent, your going to want them to invest in the film. The best way to invest an actor into a film is to hold a Rehearsals, or even a reading. Pick out some of the harder scenes in your script and have those actors come in for a rehearsal. Having them put more time and effort into a project will make them more attached and invested. This will help add more professionalism, help you learn how your actors preform, save time on production days, give you a better performance, and help your actors not flake.


Updates​
Make sure you keep in touch with your talent. There is nothing worse then not knowing if you are still shooting next week, or if it's been canceled because no one has contacted them in 2 weeks. Send email updates on any progress related to the actors.; Change of locations, wardrobe changes, allergy information, etc. If you have a 1st/2nd AD, have them send a 'Hello' email out to the cast & crew.
Make sure you call them all a few days before the shoot and personally ask them if they have any questions, and that everything is confirmed. Make sure you confirm them all and not just leave them a message.

*Do not update them every single day, or annoy them and seem needy, just make sure to tell them what they need to hear.



Following these simple things will help lower the chance of having actors drop from your production. Hope this helped some of you.
 
Sort by date Sort by votes
Good bits of advice.

* Communication -- this is key as you said in your post. Make sure you are keeping your actors up to date on all shoot dates, times, and changes.

* Audition actors -- again, I'm echoing what you said Costa. If you properly audition actors, you'll get a much better idea if they are professional or not. You can gauge more accurately what their dedication level was on past projects, and thereby determining their overall level of commitment.

* Treat your actors with respect. Don't talk down to them, don't patronize them, don't boss them around...be friendly, professional and respectful and you'll keep your actors coming back.

* Feed your actors.

* Finish your projects. This isn't so much about having actors flake-out on you during a project, this is in regards to having actors want to come back. If you never finish your films (I don't care *what* your excuse is), actors won't want to work for you. And word gets around also...so if you have a habit of not finishing your films, actors that didn't even work for you will hear about it, and not audition for your stuff.
 
Last edited:
Upvote 0 Downvote
For my last feature, I flew in two of the lead actors from out of state. I put them in a guest room and they were champs for 3 weeks of shooting. Nothing like being trapped on a gig! I've had several lead actors flake, so this is an issue I think hard about. I will take an out of state actor over a local and feel more secure about it.

Of course, the small roles aren't as daunting to deal with. Easy to reshoot a day part. Try reshooting your leads and that becomes a serious challenge. I had one movie where the lead actor changed tree times, after shooting significant amounts of footage for each one!
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Hey, you can fly me in any day Scoopicman. :) I've had a lot of gigs in my time, but still haven't hit the 'flown in' gig yet...I'm hoping it happens soon. :) I want to feel extra special.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Zensteve said:
That's nuts! Got a story to go along with that?
Click to expand...

Yes, Steve, I do! Fortunately, it was on one of my short movies (and not a feature). It happened on DESTINY'S ROAD. Thankfully, I played the bad guy, so my footage with most of the effects was safe. It was a very ambitious movie - check out these pics of me ripping my face off and lighting myself on fire!


destiny.jpg


destiny2.jpg


destiny3.jpg


destiny4.jpg


destiny5.jpg




Anyway, this was my final film for Advanced Production class, in college. The movie was shot in 16mm. I shot 33 rolls of film, at 100' apiece, so times that by 2½ minutes each. My first actor had a cocaine problem. We were already 13 rolls into shooting, when he finally quit. That's a lot of footage and money to waste, so I tried to keep him on. I even had a pane of glass that he could line his coke on! Didn't work out.


The second actor was a stuntman at Old Tucson Studios. He ended up having a drinking problem! I shot 6 rolls of film with him. After that, I couldn't get a hold of him.

Now, that is 19 rolls of film, much of it gone to waste! Finally, a friend of mine had his job transfer him to Tucson and he needed a place to stay. I offered him my couch. I knew he couldn't go anywhere, so I offered him the lead role. He also liked to drink, but dammit, he started to flake, so........I picked up the couch and put it on top of my bed, so there was no place to sleep. He liked to go to bed at 8pm. Anyway, I pretty much forced him to finish the part. I wasn't going to waste any more film! Ha ha!

I learned then that there is nothing like having a "trapped" lead actor. Granted, this was in college, so I couldn't pay more than food. My last couple of actors were trapped, but they were also getting $100 per day, plus great meals from my wife, the chef, so they were happily trapped.

Anyway, that was a big reason that I starred in two of my features. I knew I would be there. Ha ha!
 
Last edited:
Upvote 0 Downvote
Good suggestions.
Pay is of course the best thing you can do, but not always possible.
Keep in contact, and require them to make appearances at table reads, rehearsals, etc... prior to shooting to test their comittment.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top