Do you think this actress is wasting my time?

S

sb2012

Member
I made my first short film earlier this year with a somewhat experienced actress. Not everything went as planned but it was pretty admirable effort in the end, overall, despite some technical flaws. I sent her a copy of the DVD via mail, waited a week for her feedback. Heard nothing, called her back, she said "Yeah so I saw it and I thought........ it was ok" and I awaited something a bit more detailed but that was all she had to say. I was beginning to sense that she's withholding her true thoughts. So I began telling her what some other people told me and she began to open up a little more, she said there's great things about it but it was somewhat rushed overall and she would love to sit down with me and watch it, make a list of the things we like, and redo it again.... this time with her as the producer.

I kinda thought would be interesting if she's gonna help produce because I really don't have the money to spare to take 10 steps backwards and redo something I went through so much trouble to do. But I thought hey if she wants to help with the money, why not? So she said she would call me back in a week. That was like 3 weeks ago. So now I'm thinking she was probably just mentioning the producing thing just to pull my leg and get me out of her hair, I don't know. I'm kinda sensing she's not into the project and just doesn't have the guts to hurt my feelings (which I really don't care, if something sucks, just tell me why so I can fix it).

Some of you may say yeah maybe her schedule is backed up, that thought crossed my mind, but considering that long pause before she said "....... it was ok" on the phone, I'm thinking otherwise. I don't wanna be the one "chasing" the actor so to speak so if she's not interested in my project then I'm just gonna move on. I don't need to be chasing someone who doesn't feel like I'm worth their time just because they're more experienced and getting more work than I am.


Any advice? Am I being too naive about this perhaps? Has anyone dealt with an actor related situation like this?
 
+1 on too naive.

She wants to be a producer so she can be the boss and remake the film with her in control. That's the fun part of producing.

You mentioned the money, not her. She wanted the control, with you paying for it. Now that you want her to come up with money, she's not returning your call.

Move on to your next project. Don't wait for her. If she comes back to you with money, you can always pick it up again.


As a general rule, don't wait for any producer/money person. If they need time to get things lined up, go work on another project, or continue raising money without them. If they don't have you tied up, they'll have more urgency to perform.

As a filmmaker, you should never sit around waiting for the phone to ring. Always be working on something that your have complete control over.

IMHO. YMMV.
 
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PopcornFlix said:
+1 on too naive.

She wants to be a producer so she can be the boss and remake the film with her in control. That's the fun part of producing.

You mentioned the money, not her. She wanted the control, with you paying for it. Now that you want her to come up with money, she's not returning your call.

Move on to your next proejct. Don't wait for her. If she comes back to you with money, you can always pick it up again.


As a general rule, don't wait for any producer/money person. If they need time to get things lined up, go work on another project, or continue raising money without them. If they don't have you tied up, they'll have more urgency to perform.

As a filmmaker, you should never sit around waiting for the phone to ring. Always be working on something that your have complete control over.

IMHO. YMMV.
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Actually, I never mentioned the money bit to her, I just assumed that must have something to do with money because that is also part of a producer's job -- helping coming up with the money. But the creative control aspect makes sense though. Now I see what she may have been trying to do. But the reason I figured she never returned my call is because she figures why bother when she has sooooo many better opportunities in front of her with more experienced people compared to me.
 
A) I think your assumption that she might be willing to put money into it is probably incorrect.

B) Until that unlikelihood, I'd move on.

C) It's all a learning experience, which is good.
 
craigbowman said:
The ONLY thing that ever really matters is what YOU think about your stuff.
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That's only true if you are happy making things by yourself that nobody will see. If you care about progressing to bigger projects with more resources and collaborators, then you need to make something that somebody other than you wants to see.

To sb2012: time to move on.
 
Producing does not mean they come with the money. That's usually executive producer. A producer is a paid position that sometimes may include some points in the production. The different producer roles is pretty well defined by the Producers Guild of America. http://www.producersguild.org/?page=code_of_credits

A good producer will put the entire package together, ensure it stays on budget while maintaining the creative vision of the director (in features), In television series, the producer has more control over the creative intent and direction of the program than the director.

When you get to smaller productions, the producer "may" also be responsible for finding investors or funding themselves, but that is not the correct assumption to make overall.

Michael
 
Why did you even ask her? Maybe their opinion is helpful, but many actors are very blinkered about their own performance, yet hyper critical about everyone else's. If you ask for opinions, it much depends who you ask and what their own skill set and experience is. As for her 'redoing' it? Does it need it? If it does - is your actress a producer?

I expect they've already moved on and forgotten about it. Never ask actors for an opinion on anything is my motto!
 
Actors can be hypercritical of themselves too. I think it can be useful to post mortem a production with the cast and crew with intent of everyone learning things to make their next performance/production better. Doesn't mean you should resurrect the corpse for a redo if there is decent audience reaction to it. No film is ever perfect. No one else's vision of what the film should be will be the same as the film maker who created it in the first place.

Performance post mortems are a very common teaching tool in theater and acting classes.
 
nothing said:
That's only true if you are happy making things by yourself that nobody will see. If you care about progressing to bigger projects with more resources and collaborators, then you need to make something that somebody other than you wants to see.

To sb2012: time to move on.
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Just because anyone thinks what I make is fine doesn't mean I have to be satisfied with it at all. I set the standards for myself NOT YOU.
 
Ok heres a tidbit that Ive learned along the way.

Someone may say something to make you believe something is going to happen. Ive learned that saying "that's fantastic - cant wait to hear back from you", and then moving forward on whatever else is on is then the best course of action. Never wait for anyone else or else you'll be .... waiting. Just keep on moving.
 
Noel Evans said:
Ok heres a tidbit that Ive learned along the way.

Someone may say something to make you believe something is going to happen. Ive learned that saying "that's fantastic - cant wait to hear back from you", and then moving forward on whatever else is on is then the best course of action. Never wait for anyone else or else you'll be .... waiting. Just keep on moving.
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That is a great advice I have used as well. Thanks for the reminder.

Michael
 
Performance post mortems are a very common teaching tool in theater and acting classes.
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Indeed they are - but that's an educational tool, and unless you are attempting to teach your actors - why would you consider it necessary, at your expense. Your production is presumably taking place to either make money, or further your own career - NOT spend your money making their next productions better. During the production period you give notes to get performances better and solve problems, but when it is over - the contract finishes. Indeed, as soon as each person's work is complete, they are released - to start their next job, or just to cut down on your own production costs by not having to feed and house them? If the product has gone badly wrong - then while the actors can no doubt provide input on the reasons, they'll want more money and need re-contracting, so asking them can be very expensive. When you are their teacher, then your job is to further their education so they can gain skills and experience - but even in education, once they have left, you don't get them back to ask how it went? During is fine - but if leave - they have left!

Let's be honest here - it sounds in the original post as if you went to the actress, and sent her a DVD. She obviously wasn't that bothered if she didn't ask to see it, and as an experienced actress, she finished her job and moved on. She may have been surprised you even wanted to talk to her to seek her opinion. It doesn't usually work that way. I've lost my Director who has flown back to the US to finish a movie that had to stop because of the hurricane. Without it complete, we were working on his next project - the contract for the first having finished. So I'm now directing for a few days until he can fly back in and resume this one - a real pain! My production manager contract being amended to AD, with a fee, of course - but the point I'm making is that when it's work, when it is done, it's done!
 
paulears said:
Let's be honest here - it sounds in the original post as if you went to the actress, and sent her a DVD. She obviously wasn't that bothered if she didn't ask to see it, and as an experienced actress, she finished her job and moved on. She may have been surprised you even wanted to talk to her to seek her opinion.
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I got that impression too. It seems like you got bent out of shape because she didn't think your movie was amazing. Not sure why her opinion is so important to you that she has to like the short.
 
Okay, my market over here is probably different from your's but: There are indeed actors who may play, juggle and tinker with the idea of being "producer - of sorts". It may tickle their ego. And usually this idea has the live span of a mayfly as it seems to have been in your case. And you should be very, very happy about it.

Why? Because sometimes the mayfly lives just long enough to only die when the real hard work of a producer would start to begin and then you may be in real trouble and your project, in which you proably have invested work or money already heavily, may fall apart. And you are minced meat. So: Don't wake and invite the wolf. And especially not if it's really only a poodle and runs off when things start to become tough.

On the other hand: Are there actors who can become real producers? Yes, clearly, sometimes this happens and you will see it the moment you meet such a person and it may become a great working relationship.

In your case I think: You ship is in the harbour. Look for the next one. Don't look back. Only questions remaining: What did you learn from your film and what is you next one about?
 
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