craigbowman
Veteran
Anyone ever go through the process of hiring a name actor and dealing with their agent?
Hiring Name Actors
- Thread starter craigbowman
- Start date
Martay
Veteran
Yes. It's fairly straightforward. The agents and managers like to grill you but if the talent is interested in the project there's not much they can really do to derail them. Although they'll likely try to get you to raise your $ offer constantly...I'd just stick to it and most likely they'll cave in if the actor really wants to do the project and is free.
-M
-M
Chris Adler
Veteran
Depending on who you're talking about they may require a "pay or play" deal, meaning you will pay them $xx even if you don't shoot. Again, depending on who it is, this can be negotiated down to maybe 10% of the actual rate, but is paid up-front. So you'd need development funding that would secure attachment of one or more big names, and using those attachments you can raise funding for production, etc.
If you don't know what you're doing you should do this all through a casting agent that has a history of casting star talent.
If you don't know what you're doing you should do this all through a casting agent that has a history of casting star talent.
Rippie
Veteran
When talking about real NAME actors (not just someone whos been in a few big films with a bit part) do they have set day rates always?
Or do you just blindly throw out a number you're willing to pay?
I'm interested to know the process as this is a side of the biz I don't dabble much in.
Or do you just blindly throw out a number you're willing to pay?
I'm interested to know the process as this is a side of the biz I don't dabble much in.
JonathanLB
Carbonite Member
Not hard
Not hard
It's not hard if you're going through the actor directly too, or basically bypassing the agent in the initial dialogue I mean. If you can get to the actor and they are interested, as was mentioned, the agent can't do anything about it really. It just depends on the situation, but you still talk to the agent, sure.
If you're working with actors without agents, btw, you're not working with professionals at all. Any professional actor has an agent, even the small ones who haven't made it. They ALL have agents. The only people who don't aren't worth working with at all because they're not professionals, unless they're just between agents or something, so you will be dealing with agents one way or another.
And no there are no set rates or quotes, you can get any actor for any price as long as it is ok with SAG and their CBA and whatnot. I mean it really just depends, how available the actor is, how well you know them, how much they like the project, etc.
Not hard
It's not hard if you're going through the actor directly too, or basically bypassing the agent in the initial dialogue I mean. If you can get to the actor and they are interested, as was mentioned, the agent can't do anything about it really. It just depends on the situation, but you still talk to the agent, sure.
If you're working with actors without agents, btw, you're not working with professionals at all. Any professional actor has an agent, even the small ones who haven't made it. They ALL have agents. The only people who don't aren't worth working with at all because they're not professionals, unless they're just between agents or something, so you will be dealing with agents one way or another.
And no there are no set rates or quotes, you can get any actor for any price as long as it is ok with SAG and their CBA and whatnot. I mean it really just depends, how available the actor is, how well you know them, how much they like the project, etc.
Richard J. Johnson
Joystick Member
Like the others have said it's not that hard. We have one name attached to my next project and the other actor we want already said she will do it. So we just need the L.O.I signed from her and we are good.
We are working on numbers right now and you would be suprised on the people you can get for not a lot of money. I know I was.
We are working on numbers right now and you would be suprised on the people you can get for not a lot of money. I know I was.
craigbowman
Veteran
A letter of intent is completely useless as it doesn't legally commit anyone to anything. Only a signed contract where money changed hands, even if its only a buck, would allow you to pass due diligence on substantiating that an actor is properly attached to a project.
Drew Ott
Wish I were banned.
That's true, but a LOI is what you need to tell investors that the actor is attached.
Having a reputable casting director is very helpful for getting name actors. Having a wonderful script is a necessity for getting name actors for a low budget film. Having a great role that plays against an actor's "type" can be enough to convince a name actor to get on board.
Don't try to go around an agent's back to talk to the actor. It seems like if you want to convince the actor to work with you for artistic reasons, the agent will only get in the way, but you're going to have to deal with them eventually.