how to control egoed actors

chapelgrovefilms said:
He's perfect for the role, and he's a vegetarian. Big deal. Craft service is an important part of taking care of your people -- especially if you're not paying them. "Meals, credit and copy" is all a lot of folks will ever get. So take good care of them, and they'll take good care of you.
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This is true, and important. On a low-budget project craft service is one of the few ways in which you're able to demonstrate to your cast and crew that while you don't have a lot of resources, you'll still look after them where and as you can. And that can definitely affect their performance.

Don't underestimate the psychological importance of food. Sounds silly, but it's not.

You want silly, try the time we had to tear every last scrap of meat off a roast chicken carcass, then build it back up into a chicken-shape using tofu 'meat,' because no one bothered to determine whether or not one of our leads was a vegetarian before it was time to set up the tears-apart-a-chicken-with-his-bare-hands-and-eats-it scene.
 
chapelgrovefilms said:
He's perfect for the role, and he's a vegetarian. Big deal. Craft service is an important part of taking care of your people -- especially if you're not paying them. "Meals, credit and copy" is all a lot of folks will ever get. So take good care of them, and they'll take good care of you.
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summed up pretty nicely.
 
Don't get me wrong. I will feed everyone with no complaints. However I will not have a fresh fruit plate and shrimp coctail (as requested). In other news he is now asking if we can wrap up 2 days earlier then the original 4 day shoot.
 
lairhair said:
Don't get me wrong. I will feed everyone with no complaints. However I will not have a fresh fruit plate and shrimp coctail (as requested). In other news he is now asking if we can wrap up 2 days earlier then the original 4 day shoot.
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Who is this clown? Hopefully you have a contract. Sizemore didn't even give me close to this much trouble and he's, well, Sizemore.
 
Well I dont have a contract yet because im debating on actors. I can go with this guy who is really good for the part but I would also have to deal with his B/S. The other actors are good. I think I will go with a different actor.
 
lairhair said:
Don't get me wrong. I will feed everyone with no complaints. However I will not have a fresh fruit plate and shrimp coctail (as requested). In other news he is now asking if we can wrap up 2 days earlier then the original 4 day shoot.
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First you say he 'demanded' special foods, now you say he's 'requested' it.

I'm sorry, but I don't find his requests absurd. He probably gave you a list of foods he'd prefer, expecting you'd choose from that list -- not expecting you to provide everything on the list.

Fresh fruit is an excellent thing to have on your craft services table. It provides energy without processed sugar, and it's a finger food that requires very little cleanup. It's hardly an outlandish request.

You certainly don't have to provide shrimp cocktail. But what exactly ARE you planning to provide?

And him 'asking' if the shoot can go shorter isn't a cardinal sin either. I'm confused again. In a previous post you said it was a "gorilla 2 day shoot", but now you say it's a 4-day shoot. Did you extend the shooting schedule?

My guess is this is an unpaid project. This actor's only real benefit from working for you for free is the possibility of having some decent footage for his reel -- that and whatever networking he can do among your cast and crew.

If you want your film to be the very best it can be, then cast the BEST actor for the role -- not the one whose personality you prefer. If all it takes to get this guy is some fresh fruit, you'd be crazy to balk at that.
 
Hopefully you have a producer - let him/her handle the issue of the food...

If not and you're wearing both the Director & Producer hats, then try to be open and listen to certain complaints - the crew likes certain things too (like hot coffee!!!), and that goes a long way.

Next, handle yourself. By that I mean, be clear and confident with your commands, and decisions. Often an actor needs to see they are good hands, that you know what you're doing so they can trust you. They want to "look good" and that'll go a long way to helping them to take a risk.

Don't allow yourself to be pushed around, though. Make sure there's a clear, definitive hierarchy in place - you're directing and ultimately if the film sucks...it's on you. So stick to your vision and make it known that though you may be open to listening, your say...is the final one.

Good luck, and have a great shoot!
 
I agree with everybody who said that good food makes a big difference. I usually try to surprise the cast/crew with unexpectedly good food, and they at least seem happy because of it.
 
I was at a private srenning last night for a feature that will be out in 9 months or so, they had no alcohol, the food was carrots, cheese & crackers and a very wonderfull roast beef (I ate it off the bone caveman style)... I thought they went WAY over board. Do you guy's know if I ever make a movie my premium guest (not the investors, they'll get nothing) will get pb&j's if thier lucky.

Happy Holidays and Festivus for the rest of us!
 
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You could always learn to cook.

It's not hard to make pasta salad or lay out a fruit platter, and if you do your planning right, you save money on craft services, get better food, and prove to the crew how much you love them. Plus, always a useful skill to have.
 
I dont know much, but I would say: treat the actor like he was one of your close friends. Sit down and disguss the situation in a calm environment, show that you have control and insight on the whole thing. Though I have to say that I would never go into collaboration with a person who is totally unadjustable with the uncertainty that films bring on during the process. But I know that is a luxury when working the business.
 
Sure it's been said before but actors often need their egos and directors are often quick to cut their legs right from underneath them. What's wrong with an ego if it doesn't cause problems. In our reality it's an issue but on set it's what gives some people the courage to stand in front of the camera as someone else.
 
that being their job, it's more expected than appriciated.
I've never found room for huge egos on sets. I se it as my job to detect them early and my failure should their be one on the set. My ego is big enouigh for an entire production. I've never had time for someone trying to compete with me in that cetegory.
I'm old school. One does not have to like what the director tells them to do... they just need to do it... right freakin now. If they have a problem with that, they should direct.
 
griiner

i am with you. directors ego should be the biggest on set cause he or she sets the tone. actors with huge ego's are not often that good because they trip on their own ego too much.

i say avoid actors with egos!!!

it is an actors job to take direction and redirect and unless you are talking cruise or clooney or pitt....who the heck are they to start making all kinds of demands. ok...got a serious health issue that requires no sugar or no salt...ok, that should be considered. but this guy asking for his shrimp coctail...threaten to give him beenie weenies and take him down a peg or hire someone else!

lol...i am so bad...but i meant it!
 
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