Which is why an outsider like a script consultant who analyzes scripts for writers to send to studios is a better judge than an actor or people new to film making.
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- Thread starter Modern Day Myth Prod. LLC
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Which is why an outsider like a script consultant who analyzes scripts for writers to send to studios is a better judge than an actor or people new to film making.
I'd fan and fave you if I could. That is a 110% accurate statement. You're a man after my own heart.
"Yes, I love your script. This is exactly the kind of role I have been waiting for. I would love for the opportunity to work with someone like you on project blah." I hadn't even sent her the bloody script. I was like "damn,... they've been lying to me all this time. Maybe I need to recheck my script."
@ModernMyth. Everybody has actors flake. We all flake. The way I do it is I try to determine if the actors are interested by scheduling rehearsals. I have like three rehearsals before my shoot (minimum two). If the actors show up for the rehearsals, I'm reasonably confident they'll show up on set.
I'm curious.
From all the posts I read here, most members here only do shorts with one or two actors.
How many have made a production with 20 actors?
My production is more ambitious. I need 20 actors to sell the idea of ET hunters who kidnap soldiers to hunt for game end up getting their butts kicked by the cyborg special forces of the soldiers' country of their home planet because the queen who is the head of their government sees the actions of the ET hunters as an act of war. So, she ops for a black ops military solution. And to add an original idea to stories about The Singularity, I have those who want to play god finding their creator knocking on their door.
Do you have any idea what it is like to hold 20 actors together for a 30 minute production when you have to factor in flakes?
From all the posts I read here, most members here only do shorts with one or two actors.
How many have made a production with 20 actors?
My production is more ambitious. I need 20 actors to sell the idea of ET hunters who kidnap soldiers to hunt for game end up getting their butts kicked by the cyborg special forces of the soldiers' country of their home planet because the queen who is the head of their government sees the actions of the ET hunters as an act of war. So, she ops for a black ops military solution. And to add an original idea to stories about The Singularity, I have those who want to play god finding their creator knocking on their door.
Do you have any idea what it is like to hold 20 actors together for a 30 minute production when you have to factor in flakes?
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I have a week of boot camp scheduled to rehearse them, give them a good feel for being in the military, and shooting some greenscreen and record VOs before a week of outdoor shooting.
My stunt coordinator wants more time to rehearse them.
BUDGET dictates otherwise.
You, Good Sir, are an excellent judge of character and one of the most perceptive filmmakers I have never met...
Mike, my first short film had about 30 actors, with about a dozen who were extras. I had about a dozen locations. I had two extras flake on me - everyone was paid $25 to be an extra. Every one of my actors showed up, on time, when scheduled, and they were all unpaid, except for gas money (also $25 each). Everyone got a copy of the DVD as soon as they were produced, including the extras. Everyone was invited to premieres and local film festivals we screened in, and everyone was kept up on the progress of the film in festivals, as we got on imdb, etc.
I found that if I made people feel like they were all an important part of the film, they were enthusiastic about participation and would promote it themselves. And this was before Facebook and MySpace became the rage.
gelder
I'm wrapped on a feature film and have only done half of a short in my lifetime. About 20 Cast + Extras, a mainstream vfx driven eighty minutes.
No set schedule, sporadic days when we could get locations.
Not a single Actor dropped out, even with scheduling conflicts, cancellations, etc.
So yeah, I'm coming from experience.
Good point. I have never made a movie with 20 actors. I think
my largest cast ever was 14 and never more than 8/9 on any
given day. Puts things in perspective.
I have no idea.
I am always amazed (and dismayed) at how difficult you have it. In
all my years - from a 14 year old with a super8 camera to making
10/14 short films a year to making 5/6 features a year - I have never
had the troubles with actors that you have. And I'm not including
the paying projects. I have never encountered so many actors who
flake - maybe 5 or 6 in all my years. I managed to keep 7 actors on
board over a four year period to complete a super 8 film I made when
I was 19 to 23.
I wonder if LA (and Orange County) actors are so much different than
NY actors.
I'm so sorry to hear this constant bad news.
Not me sir!
Absolutely no idea. In fact, I strongly believe that at this point, I would fail miserably if I tried to do it. So I tend to be a little less ambitious when I write my scripts. But hey, you don't really know what you're capable of unless you really try it. Maybe some of these other guys like gelder and kholi can tell us how they managed it. Would definitely be an interesting read.
Don't want to hijack the thread, but I'll share info if people are interested, in another thread.
I'm most definitely interested. Can't say no to production stories. They're all valuable, if I want to avoid mistakes.
Please tell the story in a new thread.
You, Good Sir, are an excellent judge of character and one of the most perceptive filmmakers I have never met...
Mike, my first short film had about 30 actors, with about a dozen who were extras. I had about a dozen locations. I had two extras flake on me - everyone was paid $25 to be an extra. Every one of my actors showed up, on time, when scheduled, and they were all unpaid, except for gas money (also $25 each). Everyone got a copy of the DVD as soon as they were produced, including the extras. Everyone was invited to premieres and local film festivals we screened in, and everyone was kept up on the progress of the film in festivals, as we got on imdb, etc.
I found that if I made people feel like they were all an important part of the film, they were enthusiastic about participation and would promote it themselves. And this was before Facebook and MySpace became the rage.
gelder
Years ago, it was easier to keep actors interested than today.
When I made VERY SPECIAL AGENTS 10 years ago, no one flaked and I had a 90% attendance rate at auditions.
My attendance rate for this new production is 25% to 50%, depending on the day.
I was warned by my AD making his own production that the flake rate has gotten much worse than years ago. He is right. My local theater group is booked this month. I had to find a new space. The owner of the new place asked me if I'm doing open auditions. Or, if I'm expecting actors every 5 minutes. He said too many filmmakers are. Why? To compensate for flakes.
I am permitted to hold auditions at the new place because I cast by appointment only with actors for specific roles.
That is saying something about the change in actors.
Why did I bring my script to a script consultant who analyzes script for writers who send their scripts to studios over this forum?
My market is NATPE, not a film festival. The stakes are higher because studio executives are a bigger market with people with deep pockets. So, I wanted the srcipt and story to be something that would interest a cable TV network.
What does the cast get out of this besides a better chance that we can all potentially get paid for the efforts?
The major talent agencies have their agents at NATPE scouting around.
The cast has the opportunity of being seen in the film by these agents.
So, they have something to gain from working in this production.
My market is NATPE, not a film festival. The stakes are higher because studio executives are a bigger market with people with deep pockets. So, I wanted the srcipt and story to be something that would interest a cable TV network.
What does the cast get out of this besides a better chance that we can all potentially get paid for the efforts?
The major talent agencies have their agents at NATPE scouting around.
The cast has the opportunity of being seen in the film by these agents.
So, they have something to gain from working in this production.
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I did lose one actress to New Line Cinema for an audition. Don't know if she got the part. But, she bailed.
I lost another to a TV network.
So, I have been losing good talent.
But, I've retained good ones and gotten better ones to replace those who have left.
I lost another to a TV network.
So, I have been losing good talent.
But, I've retained good ones and gotten better ones to replace those who have left.
You know what would be a good idea? How about a single production thread for I, Creator 2? I'm not trying to edit the number of threads you make, it's just hard keeping track of I, Creator's progress with so many different threads going.
When you made VSA 10 ten years ago, while filmmaking was easily more accessible than the previous 100 years of its' history, it still doesn't compare to the ease of production, today. I'm guessing that, as with any industry which marks such a huge influx of practitioners, peeps feel they can simple walk off a job because they see plenty of other opportunities.
When you made VSA 10 ten years ago, while filmmaking was easily more accessible than the previous 100 years of its' history, it still doesn't compare to the ease of production, today. I'm guessing that, as with any industry which marks such a huge influx of practitioners, peeps feel they can simple walk off a job because they see plenty of other opportunities.
Just out of curiosity, do you talk to the actors in person the way you talk about them here? Really, no offense intended, but it does sound like you're at war with actors instead of working with them.
Never had to manage 20 actors. A few shorts ago we did have 35 people on set between actors, crew and maybe 2 or 3 extras. There were only two people paid, and they were only paid $100 for two 18 hour shooting days and a rehearsal the week before, so I don't know if that really counts. We did feed everyone. Only had one guy not able to show up that day and he had a really legitimate excuse, and apologized profusely. I made sure throughout the project to let everyone know how much it meant and how thankful I was and how valuable the were. I've worked with most of them since, and everyone's asked to be on another project when there's a role for them.
Best of luck man, your project does sound ambitious.
Never had to manage 20 actors. A few shorts ago we did have 35 people on set between actors, crew and maybe 2 or 3 extras. There were only two people paid, and they were only paid $100 for two 18 hour shooting days and a rehearsal the week before, so I don't know if that really counts. We did feed everyone. Only had one guy not able to show up that day and he had a really legitimate excuse, and apologized profusely. I made sure throughout the project to let everyone know how much it meant and how thankful I was and how valuable the were. I've worked with most of them since, and everyone's asked to be on another project when there's a role for them.
Best of luck man, your project does sound ambitious.
Thank you, Paul.
Depends on the person and the personality of how I talk to them.
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Here is my solution around flakey extras.
I guarenttee that this extra WILL NOT flake:
Robotrix will be used as a background extra. I don't have to feed her or pay her. But, Robotrix will get a screen credit as an extra and a stunt performer.
The big budget productions are using CG for background extras now.
I guarenttee that this extra WILL NOT flake:
Robotrix will be used as a background extra. I don't have to feed her or pay her. But, Robotrix will get a screen credit as an extra and a stunt performer.
The big budget productions are using CG for background extras now.
Here is my solution around flakey extras.
I guarenttee that this extra WILL NOT flake:
Robotrix will be used as a background extra. I don't have to feed her or pay her. But, Robotrix will get a screen credit as an extra and a stunt performer.
The big budget productions are using CG for background extras now.
*ahem*
Just out of curiosity, how would I go about procuring one of these.....
BTW, did you make that, or buy it? Either way it's actually a pretty cool idea!