Are actors willing to work only on weekends over a few months time for $0?

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Filmkid2003

Well-known member
Hey everyone, I'm gearing up to shoot an hour long short and I was wondering if anyone has had any experience casting actors/actresses to work on an ultra low budget indie film where the shooting was only done on weekends over a few months time and the actors could only be paid in food/copy/credit? That's the situation I'll be getting into as the director and I'm trying to decide if I should even try casting professional actors or use friends I know I can count on to stick it out for 6 months of filming for $0. I spent all my money on buying professional equipment so I don't have any money to pay the cast/crew and I still work full time as a courier during the week so, I can only shoot on weekends. I'm just afraid of casting actual actors who can act and then 3 months into filming they quit because they're not getting paid and they're giving up their weekends. Has anyone shot a movie this way and if you had professional actors, where is a good place to cast them? Thanks. I live in the Los Angeles area, by the way. Santa Clarita, CA to be exact.
 
I have done it and it came out pretty well. We shot with actors, not friends weekends only for 4 months. And everyone came out every time. "Torn" just got released by Rsquared films on December the 8th. http://www.rsquaredfilms.com/ right on the main page. We did almost all of our casting on exploretalent and craigslist. We had a huge turn out and we picked a great cast. Just make sure you don't treat them like Sh!t, you feed them and that you actually finish the project. If they are not happy they will bolt on you, because the only thing that is really keeping them there is you.
 
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Aspiring actors very frequently take offers like this to build their reels and gain experience. Some of them are quite talented, and will give you good performances. However, particularly given a six month time-frame (and such time frames almost always get extended as they play out), you will stand a very high probability of losing certain actors as filming progresses. Two features I acted in under similar circumstances lost key actors (although being features, they had somewhat lengthier projected time frames). In one case, the actor in question was a co-star, and the departure caused a huge disruption of the film including a massive rewrite of the script and heavy financial setbacks. In the other, it was very early in the filming, but even so, a lot of effort was required in rewriting, recasting and re-editing. I was about to say "buyer beware", but of course...when you're not paying, you're not 'buying'. I don't mean to be too discouraging, but the longer the project takes, and the less you're paying, the better your chances are of having similar issues sooner or later.

Regarding casting, I'm a big advocate of actorsaccess.com and other similar, reputable casting sites, particularly since you're in CA, although I don't know how close to LA you are, which would be good. Some here will disagree about these sites, but here in NYC I've found them to be very effective for me both on the actor's side and the casting side.

Best of luck with your film.
 
Ted Spencer said:
Aspiring actors very frequently take offers like this to build their reels and gain experience. Some of them are quite talented, and will give you good performances. However, particularly given a six month time-frame (and such time frames almost always get extended as they play out), you will stand a very high probability of losing certain actors as filming progresses. Two features I acted in under similar circumstances lost key actors (although being features, they had somewhat lengthier projected time frames). In one case, the actor in question was a co-star, and the departure caused a huge disruption of the film including a massive rewrite of the script and heavy financial setbacks. In the other, it was very early in the filming, but even so, a lot of effort was required in rewriting, recasting and re-editing. I was about to say "buyer beware", but of course...when you're not paying, you're not 'buying'. I don't mean to be too discouraging, but the longer the project takes, and the less you're paying, the better your chances are of having similar issues sooner or later.

Regarding casting, I'm a big advocate of actorsaccess.com and other similar, reputable casting sites, particularly since you're in CA, although I don't know how close to LA you are, which would be good. Some here will disagree about these sites, but here in NYC I've found them to be very effective for me both on the actor's side and the casting side.

Best of luck with your film.
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Yeah, I'd definitely do whatever you can to film actors in the shortest amount of time. Obviously if you have two actors for the entire short, that won't be a possibility. But if your film has Diane and John interacting a lot, and then Bob and Jane interacting a lot, you might consider shooting Diane and John's stuff, then shooting all of Diane, John, Bob and Jane's stuff, and then just Bob and Jane's stuff.

I think a precise, non-linear shooting schedule will work out best. I've been doing a ton of shooting on my project (year long) and I haven't even finished casting it yet! lol But since a lot of the characters never interact and I'm having the animation dubbed in post (opposed to the more traditional way of recording first), there's not a lot of cross-over between actors.

I think you'll be fine, though. Most actors have day jobs. Many, many theatre productions are run this way (with maybe a thursday and friday night rehearsal schedule), and lots of theatre engagements can run for 6 weeks (plus another 2-4 for rehearsals). I wouldn't worry too much about. Just make sure you hire people who you personally have an affinity for, people who you feel you'll be able to trust based on their excitement for the piece and their commitment to the craft.
 
I have 26 roles in my film, which is a feature not a short. All of them are working for free, but will be up for payment if the film makes money. We are working completely off a budget of donations/out of pocket. I've promised them copy/credit/meals and a fun time! over the next (ever how many weekends it takes). I've had no issues so far, fingers crossed.
 
Azmyth said:
I have 26 roles in my film, which is a feature not a short. All of them are working for free, but will be up for payment if the film makes money. We are working completely off a budget of donations/out of pocket. I've promised them copy/credit/meals and a fun time! over the next (ever how many weekends it takes). I've had no issues so far, fingers crossed.
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I remember you making a post about your project a while back and was wondering how it's been going.

Let us know more progress! :Drogar-Happy(DBG):
 
I would always recommend having the actors sign a contract before filming begins. Like everyone else said, treat them great but that adds a lot of pressure to the actor to keep their word and show up.
 
It's kind of ridiculous to expect anyone to work for free, much less to expect them to commit every weekend of their lives for six months, and then on top of that try to get them to sign a contract to that effect?

Beggars can't be choosers. If you're asking for favors from people you can only ask so much.
 
Barry_Green said:
It's kind of ridiculous to expect anyone to work for free, much less to expect them to commit every weekend of their lives for six months, and then on top of that try to get them to sign a contract to that effect?

Beggars can't be choosers. If you're asking for favors from people you can only ask so much.
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I agree, but at the same time.. They should understand what they are agreeing to in the beginning. If they aren't prepared to give up that kind of time for free.. Its as easy as saying "no thanks" before anyone's time gets wasted.

The funny thing is It doesn't matter how many times you ask someone if they are "OK" with what the project will entail, they won't tell you no until its screwed up the production.

I'd rather you tell me straight up that you won't do what is asked, way ahead of time.

My actors will be signing waivers, but a contract will do little to keep them there with no money involved. The best way to keep my actors in check is to give them a fun working environment, and keep them in the know on the project so that they can see that its worth their time. Thats about the best you can do.

I'd rather pay my actors, but Its not feasible to do so up front. If we are able to pay them, then they will most certainly get paid. But, they understand (or should) this before they ever sign on. A simple "no" will take care of any confusion they might have.
 
The actors on my films did not sign anything. I just made them believe in me and the project. Some will do it, some won't but you most certainly can get your project done. "Difficult takes a day, Impossible takes a week"
 
So much work goes into a production.One person who chooses to sleep in or not show up can ruin the day or week or month of many others.
You'd have to put a realistic time period in the contract say... Shoot dates between July 10th and August 31st Possibly every weekend.
You bet your a$$ If I'm casting an amateur actor (someone who doesn't have a proven track record to see through a project) He'll be agreeing (with more than a handshake) to show up when we need him.

Case by case basis as always but I think a contract is semi-standard non-union hollywood and a viable option to be considered.

Richard said it best. If someone believes in the project and wants to be there... It's a MOVIE of course people want to be involved, they'll bend over backwards to help out. So the lesson for us... Do our jobs right and prepare an awesome working environment for our cast and crew.
 
Also, you can't get mad at them when they decide they want to cut or dye their hair, which if you're working with females, will most likely come up.
 
El Director said:
Also, you can't get mad at them when they decide they want to cut or dye their hair, which if you're working with females, will most likely come up.
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We covered this at the audition hopefully.
We asked if they planned to change their appearance in the next.. <insert months>
or if they minded slightly altering their appearance for the film itself.

We didn't have anyone with issues, but you know how people are.
 
Wow! Thanks everyone for the valuable information! This is actually my second film. I actually shot my first film on weekends and it was a full length low budget indie feature and that one took me two years to film and of course, halfway through, one of my actor's dad decided him and his son (my actor) needed to move to Florida! That's a problem when you're living and shooting the film in Pennsylvania. Anyway, that film was shot on a simple VHS-C camcorder and my friends were the actors and I didn't do any lighting (no lighting equipment) and I didn't have any sound equipment, just the camcorder and a will to succeed! The movie I'm gearing up to shoot soon will be on a HPX170 and I'll have lighting equipment, sound equipment, a green screen, and most importantly, people who can actually act... while, most of the cast, anyway. Now I'm thinking I should take everyone's advice and write up a simple contract.
 
go to filmmakeriq.com They have a list of production forms you can download and modify. You can probably find a contract there.
 
Having people working for free = lost of money on your part.

Even if you only invest a few thousands dollars in this production most likely the setbacks cause by many of the factors mentioned above will cost you that money and bring you nothing but bad experiences. Why not raise the extra few thousands and do it the right way by paying people some nominal rate?
 
If I could afford to pay my actors. I would, and will if it turns out that I can. They KNOW up front they aren't getting paid. Its no mystery. So, its their choice to work with me already knowing that. It would be different if it was some secret being kept from them and then later on they find out they aren't after having worked the entire shoot for you.

I've had plenty of actors turn down my project because of not getting paid up front, but there are plenty out there who want to have a reel and experience. I had to do the same with every other form of entertainment I've done.. its called paying your dues.

When I used to wrestle professionally. I didn't get paid for the first 30 or so matches I did, and even after that I didn't get paid much.. until MUCH later on. When I used to be in a band, we rarely got paid for alot of the shows we played when we first started... and again.. it wasn't very much when we did.

I want to pay my actors, but it will not happen until "I" make money. Its like a job, if the company doesn't make money.. you don't get paid do you? If they don't make money, they can't afford to pay you and the company shuts down.
 
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