Pay/no pay and asking for help

citychik

citychik

Hello all,
Having a little personal dilemma lately, in two parts... Here's Part I: I need to ask some people to work on a video project for me for free. I know this is routine, and I've done it too, but that was when I did mostly everything and just needed a few hands to help. I have no problem indicating "no pay" in a casting notice or email but, with the economy the way it is, I dread saying to someone's face that I can't pay them to help me out for 2 or 3 days. I've been networking, so some people I want to ask are "new friends" - no history - but I'm hoping my script will entice them. How do I say it? I don't want to sound like I'm trying to take advantage of someone's talents (I'll help them out on their projects in exchange).

Part II: There will be some people in the cast (non-union) and probably just "dept. heads" in the crew whom I will have to pay. Can I pay them as contractors, or must they be employees? I'm talking actors, DP, sound, etc.

Thanks!
 
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Part of the "selling" the project I describe above is..

"I am shooting it on this camera... I already have person X on board as editor/DP/whatever and here are his credentials"

Many of the "upgraded" crew discussed above will be completely cool with "Part of the reason I can't pay you anything/much is because here is my budget for lighting, costumes, FX, whatever that is going to give this project a lot of production value"

Having a finished, or at least been through multiple rewrites screenplay you can let them read is a given.
 
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ATP said:
I think that even if you have established good connections or relations with those whom you would like to work with, and whom you have worked with in the past--be they crew OR cast-- getting the principals involved requires more than "selling" the project.

In relation to my own specific circumstances, despite my experience to date, for a number of people it seems that something more concrete is necessary in order to persuade them to 'come on board'. This could be in the form of placing a finished script in front of them, or actually possessing relevant equipment ie. a camera or camera and lights.
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Well, yes, I would never consider asking someone without having a script and showing it to them. And I would never even start this process without having rewritten the script to get it to the point of being really, really good and worth all the effort.

BTW, I have an update: A now have a DP who is happy to come on board for wa-a-ay less than her usual rate. Not free but affordable. She said the script gave her goosebumps, and she liked how I wrote my "Director's Vision" in the packet I presented to her.

Gonzo, FYI - your previous post was very helpful to me in approaching my discussion with her.

Now I am moving on to fill the other crew positions. So, there's been progress!

<3
 
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Gonzo_Entertainment said:
Part of the "selling" the project I describe above is..

"I am shooting it on this camera... I already have person X on board as editor/DP/whatever and here are his credentials"

Many of the "upgraded" crew discussed above will be completely cool with "Part of the reason I can't pay you anything/much is because here is my budget for lighting, costumes, FX, whatever that is going to give this project a lot of production value"

Having a finished, or at least been through multiple rewrites screenplay you can let them read is a given.
Click to expand...

My comments above were in relation to a specific context. Whereas I think most here are undertaking this as strictly film, my own situation was in relation to a collaboration with an artist from another field entirely.
 
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