Favors for actors...

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Mickey Munday

Well-known member
question, is it an even exchange if an actor acted in your film where he was only there for 3 half days of work with small one liners - in exchange for you shooting and directing his short film that's about 30 pages long??
 
Do you like the script and is it something you feel that you could do justice? If you aren't interested in the project, I would be honest with the actor and tell him. You could possibly take on a producer's role and help him find a director.
 
Mickey Munday said:
question, is it an even exchange if an actor acted in your film where he was only there for 3 half days of work with small one liners - in exchange for you shooting and directing his short film that's about 30 pages long??
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That's a 1/3 of a feature. I'm assuming they want you to supply your equipment at their disposal also? Granted, as filmmakers we use free actors all the time (though I try to at least pay fuel) but the exchange seems a bit lopsided here. What else are they bringing to the table. A name? If they are not a name I would say you should be getting much more out of the exchange, but that's just my opinion.

I had a guy supposed to write a short for me for a DVX contest. It came down to the wire with me not getting a single word so I canceled it. He then (with me still not seeing one single word of what he may or may not have written) wanted me to supply all my equipment and help him shoot his feature on weekends because after all, he had tried to write this script for me. His base was also about 2 hours away from me. I considered it but opted out.
 
Depends...

If you like the guy and trust him, he may be able to come through for you again, in a bigger way. It is more experience and if the story is good, why not.

Is he making profit on this film? If he is and expects your services for free, your equipment for free, that doesn't seem all too fair. 30 pages is a long short and that could amount to a lot more work than he provided you with those half days.
 
In truth, if your starring actor who was there for every shooting day asks you to shoot/direct (and equip and support) a project, it should still come down to the quality and potential of the project he's asking you to join.

Unless of course you had a deal, exchanging his performance in your project for your support on his. Then you're pretty much committed.
 
yea, this guy was a minor supporting character in my last project. he's cool, but he's got the directing bug in addition to the acting bug and he's got that "hunger" a lot of us had when we first started and is rushing into this blindly. "man i just wanna get this done asap! i wanna get this done now! it's only gonna take a coupla days. it looks long but its really not!" i've done a feature and 3 short films, and explained to him this may not be as such a "breeze" as he thinks but my words are falling on deaf ears. he's convinced he knows what it will be like despite he's never actually done this before, only been on other people's set.

i hadnt read the script, but he's expecting to use my equipment and labor. i told him we could talk about it once i read the script, but i am thinking of going the route that one of you mentioned by either taking on a producers role or having him get together a crew with somebody else's equipment or something.

i want to help the actors out and all, but i dont feel like this is an even exchange, but the fact that he thinks it is made me question myself, lol. i'm like huh? a 30 page short in exchange for 2 and half or 3 days of reciting dialogue in the AC with no physical action taking place?

i think if this was a 1 day shoot i'd help him out, but he's kind of got in his head he knows what he's doing a little bit and he didn't even know what a grip or gaffer was until i explained it to him. it sounds like a train wreck, but i want to help the guy out without paying the price of wearing myself and my (uninsured) equipment out. if i can't figure out a way to help him out without burning myself out, i have no problem telling him nicely that i will have to pass. :)

always good to get a second opinion though from other filmmakers that KNOW what it's like to film and all the things that can go wrong.
 
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cost it out both ways, and let him see them. How much would his contribution have cost at union rates. Then do the same thing for what he wants. Then you can both see the real 'worth'. Mind you, if his idea can generate you income, then it's good business.
 
Perhaps you could offer to do whatever portion of it that seems like an even exchange, then charge him something reasonable for the rest.
 
From what you're telling us, I think his project might fall through. It doesn't sound like he's that reliable when it comes to holding up a movie. If the script is good, why not? While it might not be an even trade, it might be a movie you're interested in doing anyway.
 
yea, i agree, i'll have to read the script completely. the first 3 pages didnt look to interesting but i havent given it a fair shake yet. IF his script is good enough to make me want to do it then i'll probably just let him know he's gonna at least have to get an ample crew (i'd help him choose of course)....no more robert rodriguez sh*t for me as far as filmmaking. those days are over.
 
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