Finding actors who will work for free
- Thread starter grahamcracker
- Start date
SingingAndComedyOfSC
New member
I need actors for my short movie its about 1 hour long. I am planing to put it up on youtube. I am really busy with finding locations and finalizing my script. Can someone help me cast it. I don't have any money at all. The script has around 10 big parts and many extras and small parts too. Ages range from 13 to 40, Male and female. Can anyone help? I am located in South Carolina, pleas E-Mail me at brandon_m@windstream.net if you can help me.
thisisapocalypse
Well-known member
You're so much better off paying your actors *something* even if it's not much - it's very hard to hold people accountable when they aren't being paid. Most of the actors I know work multiple part time jobs so that they can work them around acting gigs, but when money is tight they may very well *have* to take a shift at the job that pays them rather than work for you for free - even if you're paying $20-40/day, it's something and it shows that you value/respect them and their time - you didn't get your gear for free, the whole "it's super low budget" thing is largely BS - go with a less expensive piece of gear in some area of production and pay your talent something. Besides, if you're serious about producing something of reasonably good content, you don't want actors who will work for free to build their reel, you want people with some experience and who have spent time developing their craft - typically these people will understand if you have a low budget and you can't pay high per-day rates, but they do deserve to be paid something for the kind of time they are going to put into your project. If you're serious about what you are doing, you have to put your resources on the line - whatever they are - and be fair about it, if you've got a camera/sound/lighting gear then obviously some money, somewhere is going into this production, it must be allocated properly and just as you can't shoot a film without a camera, you can't make a film without talent. Talent + Script = absolute most important part of the production - camera/sound/lights are way off in the distance.
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SingingAndComedyOfSC
New member
Thank You
Cliff Wildman
WildMember
I've found a lot of success in the theater scene. I live in Austin and there are a ton of stage actors. These are the folks that a) have experience b) often work on-stage for nothing or next to it c) love to act d) understand punctuality, and preparedness. That being said it's nice these days to at least try to cover folks cost of travel and make sure they're fed on set.
On the film acting side of it, I've found that contacting local talent agencies can get a lot of solid leads, often with people who have a lot of film experience. The agency will send notice of the project (and on the indie level, the lack of pay) and interested actors contact you. I recently produced a short and we got some solid responses from it.
Any actor I've decided to use more than once I'll keep in contact with to ask for references for other roles. Good actors generally won't refer bad actors. If you like what they bring, you'll probably like people they suggest.
On the film acting side of it, I've found that contacting local talent agencies can get a lot of solid leads, often with people who have a lot of film experience. The agency will send notice of the project (and on the indie level, the lack of pay) and interested actors contact you. I recently produced a short and we got some solid responses from it.
Any actor I've decided to use more than once I'll keep in contact with to ask for references for other roles. Good actors generally won't refer bad actors. If you like what they bring, you'll probably like people they suggest.
Cliff Wildman
WildMember
Thanks Lambert - I haven't seen austin actors net, so I will check them out next time we are casting!
ShipofFools
New member
Hey alex, was wondering if you still know of any actors who would be willing to take part in a short film for free? .. In the London area!