Finding A or B actors? Hunt them down on IMBD best method? Call agencies?

DOGDAY: Thanks for asking...no plans as yet for dvd but I would like to sell this to a cable network...it would be seen by more... meantime it can only be seen at festivals...

Cheers,
Stan The Man
 
STAN: It looks outrageously funny and informative I am sure it will be a classic with time...all the right ingreidients...I will keep an eye out for it...would love to see it when the opportunity presents itself.


Break a Leg!!!

DogDay
 
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stan harrington said:
DOGDAY: Thanks for asking...no plans as yet for dvd but I would like to sell this to a cable network...it would be seen by more... meantime it can only be seen at festivals...

Cheers,
Stan The Man
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Awesome concept, Stan, and the trailer was great. Hope to see it somewhere, someday... (probably when it eventually becomes a DVD, hopefully with a director's cut).

Cudos, Michael
 
DogDay said:
Hey Stan your film looks like a lot of fun and really interesting how can we get a copy or where and when will it be released on dvd?

Also for anyone out there who might know the answer. What does a decent casting director cost? someone who can just pick up the phone and get to the A & B`s without a hitch. Do they charge an hourly rate or do they charge by the head? Do they want % for their work & contribution or whats the way they want to be compensated?

Lastly is the size of the budget the determining factor to their fee and do they make contracts that stipulate some sort of back end depending on profits or simply forecasts of potention profits?

Why I ask is because I am also in the process of putting something together and am poised and on the brink of head hunting talent for my cast and I havent decided whether to go through personal contacts and friends in the biz or to dish out to a proffesional casting director.

Thanks one and all for any feedback.
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If you hire a producer for your shoot, there would be a correlation between how much he gets paid and the actors he gets. the more actors, the more likely investors will put down money. the more money put down, the more the producer gets paid.
 
Thanks Egypt for responding!

It Makes sence but out of his cut ( The Producer ) in terms of % and relation to his wages etc what would he then have to dish out for a pro casting director? How is that number arrived at for their ( Casting Directors ) fee?
 
Hey Dog, I know I'm not an expert at this but I'm about to embark on my first film in a few months, one of the things I was reading up on was casting directors..the pro's and con's and things like that. Like Egypt said, they can get to the actors, they usually know the agents (if you get a good CD that is) and they can usually get deals cut with the actors..which in turn gets investors because you have recognizeable faces..it was said that for a low budget film..say around 4-500k..a CD will get anywhere from 20k to 75k...but I think 30k for a casting director to provide you with names sure to recoup your 4-500k aint so bad lol.

Most important thing with them is to see which movies they recently cast, try to get casting directors who have hired some of your target actors before (especially more than once).

On the subject of getting A or B list actors.......scratch that...kid, I highly doubt anyone here is getting any A listers anytime soon unless it's adam...and that's still slim because that "A" list is REALLY small.

But to get B or C list actors, find people who's names or faces you instantly recognize..then see what the last film they worked on was, and check the budget, that will give you an indication of how low they're willing to go. Most actors don't make a million dollars a year for their whole career, especially if they never hit the A list. The best thing to do is to find a familiar actor who hasn't worked in a while, and try to get them on board. I think having a few pictures of actors and asking people who AREN'T movie buffs if they know who this person or that person is, is a good indication of which B listers or C listers you should go for. If a person recognizes the face but not the name, you're pretty much in there...on a low budget film that's what you want, these actors "legitimize" your low budget film as apposed to the other low budget films while probably not costing you an arm and a leg at the same time.

Another good way to do it, is to have a small part written in, where a good name cameo could fit..like I'm working on a horror script right now (hopefully with someone from this board)...and one of the minor roles I really want to pitch to a horror icon...a part where they might have to be on set maybe 4 days...

Most B-list/C-List actors won't turn down 10k for that..especially if they haven't worked in a while, can get in and get out..and they don't have to re-arrange their whole schedule...like they would for a lead part..then you can use their image for posters/trailers and things.

The most important thing with doing a low budget film man, is to get people that can play the parts you want them to play, if the part is good, the movie will be good, don't think Tom Cruise and Ben Affleck can save your story if it sucks...

as far as paying 100 bucks a day.........no, the minimum I think is like 2500 a week for SAG..and most actors who aren't getting that are still gonna want atleast 500 a day..and remember, you get what you pay for..
 
CRProductions said:
Hey Dog, I know I'm not an expert at this
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Me neither

...a part where they might have to be on set maybe 4 days...

Most B-list/C-List actors won't turn down 10k for that..especially if they haven't worked in a while, can get in and get out..and they don't have to re-arrange their whole schedule...l
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It's my impression that $10K a *day* would be a very tough sell for these types of actors unless they're pretty far down in the "C" list category. In his filmmaking course Dov Simens pegs it at about $30K for one day under the kinds of circumstances you're describing. I believe Adam (Corrado) Cultraro's original deal with Tom Sizemore was for something like $50K or so for maybe 3 days, and given Sizemore's recent past (notably, in jail on drug charges) that would seem reasonably consistent with Simens' numbers.

Of course, if the actor has some other reason for wanting to do it aside from a normal job offer situation, like he advocates a cause that the film deals with for example, then it could be a whole other ball game.
 
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Yea I'm doing a horror film I meant someone famous in the "horror" circle say a Sid Haig...I don't think (atleast I hope) that Sid isn't charging Tom Sizemore prices for 3 days..however even if he was that's still a bargain because Sid can almost guarantee distribution amongst horror films..

In any event if you spend 50k on an actor for 3 days, I'm pretty sure they are a recognizable face..so it's well worth it
 
I won't post their rates... but I've worked with David Keith, Vivica Fox, Brad Dourif, and even Gary Busey (all I can say is we sent him home after 4 hours)... amoung others.... but know way at these guys or gal getting $30k a day...
 
GaryinCalifornia said:
I won't post there rates... but I've worked with David Keith, Vivica Fox, Brad Dourif, and even Gary Busey (all I can say is we sent him home after 4 hours)... amoung others.... but know way at these guys or gal getting $30k a day...
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You mean they accepted less, right?

I think Dov Simens was referencing slightly more prominent actors than those you list, except for Busey, who has fallen back out of star status again, perhaps for reasons such as you infer re: 4 hours... It's really a shame - he's a very talented guy who rode a really big comeback train for a while. Too bad he couldn't sustain it the way someone like Travolta has.
 
For 30k a day you're getting a big name...like I said I read some sag agreement that said that actors can get 2500 a week as a minimum for a film..(of course these aren't like, NAME actors)..but adam said he spent like 130k on actors and if 50 of that was Tom then that only leave 80k for everyone else and Johnny Messner is a recognizable face if nothing else..add to that Frank Stallone..that's a nice cast, I mean it really adds legitimacy to the project, and you can't tell me these guys got 10k a day because Johnny was on set for I believe 14 days (sorry that thread is REALLY long at this point)..I assume maybe 2k a day, which is nearly 30k in 14 days. I mean you have to understand that most of these actors aren't making a million a year..alot of them are happy making 200k a year.

There are way too many talented undiscovered talents out there for a person who isn't a BIG name that can guarantee theatrical distribution to be getting 30k a day. I mean when I see these 400k films being made I just don't think the actors in it are getting that much (straight to DVD).

To Gary, can I ask even though you won't post a specific actors rate, can you post a ballpark you usually pay for talent per day? No names or examples needed, could just be.."Substancial B-actor: 10k" "Lesser known B-actor: 5k" "C-Actor: 2k"...

If that's not too much, it would be greatly appreciated my friend..
 
CR=can you do a simple break down of what your version of a recoup scenario would be? I mean after CD fee, Cast fee, Team Fee, add infinitum where and how is it possible to recoup and from who? Yes I know I know "The Distribs" but which ones and which tier so to speak, If you have bigger fish buying at festivals or through presales then they are turning around and selling to the next link down the line in the chain right? The Licensing rights to other smaller "Distribs" in other Territories.

So if thats the route ;

1. What can possibly be left realistically to "Recoup" even with really low production costs and high profile cast for bullet proofing a deal.

2. WHats the gap in % if you would go directly to the Territories yourself and shop your product there to them eliminating the middle man?

Is it the Advertising Budget we are going after with the bigger fish which justifies that proceedure? And if so isn`t alot of the genre films sold in bulk and bundles at these markets without a big marketing campaign besides grafics and some names direct to DVD or to Foreign Cable and TV?
 
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CRProductions said:
To Gary, can I ask even though you won't post a specific actors rate, can you post a ballpark you usually pay for talent per day? No names or examples needed, could just be.."Substancial B-actor: 10k" "Lesser known B-actor: 5k" "C-Actor: 2k"...
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Let's say around or between your ball park figures for B actors...
 
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Ted Spencer said:
You mean they accepted less, right?

I think Dov Simens was referencing slightly more prominent actors than those you list, except for Busey, who has fallen back out of star status again, perhaps for reasons such as you infer re: 4 hours... It's really a shame - he's a very talented guy who rode a really big comeback train for a while. Too bad he couldn't sustain it the way someone like Travolta has.
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Yes of course bigger names I think yes... but A list people... would be hard to get...

A project that I'm talking to some people now about for funding... I'm thinking of a few names or would like to get them... but I'm thinking of 2 - $500k a week actors... and then maybe 2 - $250k week people...

Then a few $30k a week actors to round out the cast... and the rest just good unknown SAG actors at a normal rate..
 
DogDay said:
CR=can you do a simple break down of what your version of a recoup scenario would be? I mean after CD fee, Cast fee, Team Fee, add infinitum where and how is it possible to recoup and from who? Yes I know I know "The Distribs" but which ones and which tier so to speak, If you have bigger fish buying at festivals or through presales then they are turning around and selling to the next link down the line in the chain right? The Licensing rights to other smaller "Distribs" in other Territories.

So if thats the route ;

1. What can possibly be left realistically to "Recoup" even with really low production costs and high profile cast for bullet proofing a deal.

2. WHats the gap in % if you would go directly to the Territories yourself and shop your product there to them eliminating the middle man?

Is it the Advertising Budget we are going after with the bigger fish which justifies that proceedure? And if so isn`t alot of the genre films sold in bulk and bundles at these markets without a big marketing campaign besides grafics and some names direct to DVD or to Foreign Cable and TV?
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Bro, as I'm still new to this world and still working on my first feature film script to be produced early next year...I don't know how qualified I am to answer these questions (in fact I know I'm not very qualified). I can speak on the thigns I've learned and on what I've been told by someone who is helping me along the way...but I can't speak from experience, not yet anyway :-D.

Dog thanks for that answer, it's good to know I was in the right ballpark as now I can see that my planning was pretty accurate. I was planning to pay a name that big about 10k a day for 3 or 4 days so that's a good feeling, other than that, I want SAG no/low names with amazing talent..it is, a horror film after all..I like not knowing who the people are in the horror films I watch, that way I don't feel like I know them before I see the film, and I also can't pre-determine who will more than likely live or die..I hate that about horror movies!!
 
I'm with CR on that. If you have a 'name' in a major role in a horror movie, it's a safe bet he or she isn't going to be killed off -- at least not until the very end. But with unknowns, anything can happen.

I also tend to identify more with unknowns -- no matter how great an actor the 'name' might be, there's still always that knowledge in the back of my head that he/she was SO great in some other movie.

But that's just me. :)
 
chapelgrovefilms said:
I'm with CR on that. If you have a 'name' in a major role in a horror movie, it's a safe bet he or she isn't going to be killed off -- at least not until the very end. But with unknowns, anything can happen.

I also tend to identify more with unknowns -- no matter how great an actor the 'name' might be, there's still always that knowledge in the back of my head that he/she was SO great in some other movie.

But that's just me. :)
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same here, now message me back! lol
 
Slightly off topic....Can`t find the thread about Entertainment laywers anyone got the link?
Also do they sometimes act as go betweens connecting producer/directors to the Talent?
 
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