What to pay an actor...

capel

capel

Active member
I'm gonna be shooting a short film soon and I'm wondering how much an actor who hasn't done any real professional stuff, but is still good, would expect to be paid for two weekends worth of shooting.

Thanks for any help.
 
Depends on your budget, how much you need them and what they want. You can take a look at SAG standards to see what the baseline is.
 
Many union talent will take $100 a day IF you get a low budget SAG modified agreement. If you don't get one...I suggest paying more to lure better talent. However...if you are in a Non Union state, you may be able to get all kinds of talent if you offer $100-200 a day.

There are too many factors here to give you a solid answer. The union talent are getting around $800 a day...and some won't take less.

Are you in a union or non union state?
Are there film schools in your area with actors trying to build resumes?
Why use non'pros if you can get pro's?

Do you already know what talent you want to use? Do you know if they are union or not?

And once more...do you live in a union or non-union state?

PS...this would also be good to post in the directors board where you will find a lot of folks who have done exactly what you are doing. They may give you better insights and know where all the forms you would need to get a SAG agreement.
 
Thanks for the response. I'm in California, which I'm assuming is a union state.

I wonder if it'd be worth it to go to some of the film schools here and try to recruit someone. I'd really like to try and find two guys who'd be willing to do it without pay, since I feel the movie is gonna turn out pretty great and give them some nice looking footage for their reels.

Michele, do you think there'd be students that would go for that? Putting myself in their place, I'd definitely do it. Why not, if I don't have any credits yet...

Another quick question. If I wanted to make this short film and shop it around to as many festivals as possible, do the actors need to be in a union? Does that apply to only some festivals? I'm assuming since it's independent, that wouldn't be the case. Yes?

I'll repost this in the director's forums as well. Thanks for the response!
 
before you start asking people with no prior investment in your film to work for free, be honest with yourself. if I asked you to shoot my wedding video by saying "I'd like you to shoot and edit it for no pay because my wedding is going to be awesome and it will be great for your reel", would you do it?

paying someone on a low or no budget film shows them that yes, this film is worth putting money toward. it's worth paying you for. we believe in it so much and have a plan to recoup the investment because we've already identified its audience and know who 200 people will come to our theatrical premiere, we know who will buy DVDs and iTunes downloads because the lead actress has 50,000 Twitter followers -- that kind of thing.

okay, that being said, for a short film you can use the SAG Short Film Agreement.

http://www.sagindie.com/resources/contracts/

...where all actor salaries may be deferred. There is no $100 minimum like there is with the SAG Ultra Low Budget Agreement for features. It is a mountain worth climbing to learn the ins and outs of SAG. No one outside of SAG requires actors to be in the guild (SAG is not actually a union although many use the word freely. it's a guild). So no, festivals won't ask for that.
 
It might save you some time and buy some coffee for a couple of actors and have them do a table reading of your script in front of you. You will hear the strengths and weakness of the script and it may save you from making a bad film. If you've got a kick-butt script,
actors for the right part or to get experience will work for free (within reason)(dps for their reel, good soundmixer not a chance usually). Many great directors have not paid their actors in their first few films. It doesn't mean you don't have just as much of a commitment to the project. Is it ideal, no, but sometimes the reality is you need to make the movie.

Big difference in doing a nice little narrative short that they can find a scene to stick on a reel and filming a wedding or commercial. I'm sag eligible and I've done lots of films for no pay (usually friends projects but not always).
With sag you won't be able to shoot your film next week, it will require insurance and at least three weeks, sometimes much longer. Not a bad way to go but not the only option.
Whatever you decide to do always be as accurate as possible about the production before hand.
If your treat everyone on a set with respect and dignity thats sometimes worth more than cash.
 
Thanks for the great replies.

Zak, in all honesty, if i were trying to get into the wedding video business and needed my first official video to use as a demo, I'd do it for free for sure.

That being said, i see what you're getting at. And yeah, I kind of expect most people to be a little wary of working for free.

I wonder if it'd be worth it to say, "Look, there is a budget for this film but it's mostly going toward equipment, props, makeup effects, etc. I can pay you $100 to be in this film. It'll shoot over two weekends." I guess it depends on who I'm asking. Of course I'd pay for food, travel expenses and everything else.

I don't know that any investment will ever be recouped. It's gonna be like a 15 to 20 minute film and my main purpose is to get it in the festival circuit and get my name out there.

I figured a draw for an actor would be that I have great equipment and the final image quality will be really nice and look great on their reel.

I guess I'll try to find some people, maybe at schools around LA or do a casting call.

lambert, you're saying that if i have an actor in my film that's a SAG member, i have to have the insurance and the three weeks notice, etc. Even if I'm not paying them?

Thanks again guys for the feedback and the link, Zak. This is all really helpful stuff. Can't wait to shoot this thing and see what you guys think.
 
"you're saying that if i have an actor in my film that's a SAG member, i have to have the insurance and the three weeks notice, etc. Even if I'm not paying them?" yes, you need insurance and you file paperwork with sag and it may take longer than three weeks. It can be a very worthwhile route but it takes a little bit of work and planning. You can find people who are ficore or nonunion in LA who may be very good actors. I wrote a screenplay for a friend who is a SAG working actor he shot the film and no one was paid. He didn't use sag actors and he had dozens of actors (some amazing) audition for each part. The dp worked for free (he liked the screenplay and knew of the actors I'd written screenplays for in the past). The director worked around schedules and was able to supply food. The music/scoring was supplied by a singer songwriter who was with a major label and is fairly well known. I like the film some others hate it. You could make thirty plus films like Rodriguez or a couple of features like Linklater without paying anyone. The main draw for the actor will be the part and you. If you write a great script you can shoot it on a flip camera and the actor will be happy. If the script is lame you could shoot it on a Red and its still gonna smell like ass. Good luck capel.
 
The ULB contract is not that hard to work with...many aren't aware that you only have to pay the SAG actors with the ULB contract so in effect you can hire many talented non union actors as well that you are not required to pay. Bear in mind, actors will work for free and good ones too if they feel you have something worthwhile. It is difficult to ask actors to work for free if you are a filmmaker with no kind of track record. I work for free and so do many actors I know if we believe in the product. It only sucks if its someone who obviously has the means to pay and is just cheap.

Good Luck,
Stan The Man
 
with this in mind..

is 600.00 + air/hotel sound reasonable for a 1 day shoot for a B horror name actress? She wouldn't have but 2-3 lines and its more of a cameo than anything (she'd be hosting a big halloween party)

Here's her IMDB page.

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0791898/
 
Tiffany is a cool actress from what I know. She does a lot of work for my friend Rolfe Kanefsky. I don't know her rate but if you have a great project I think you should definitely send it. Make sure to include as many details about the project as possible and not in long form...keep it brief and informative...I would say its best to send her a synopsis or a snapshot (brief description) of the role and the project and not the entire script...if she's interested she'll request it...

Tiffany is very well known in the genre so good luck!!!

Cheers,
Stan The Man
 
I contacted her agent a few weeks ago, and Tiffany herself actually responded which was really cool (I'm a big fan of her work). She was really nice in her emails, and said she liked the project. All I was condering her for this go round was a cameo, where'd she'd be hosting a big halloween bash the main characters are putting on. When I have a bigger budget I'd like to cast her in a lead because she's great. She lowered her rate a bit after I told her what I was looking at her doing. It would cost us about a grand total to get her here to do that. Thats her rate + air/hotel. I'm just considering if its worth it for such a small part. I also didn't want to put myself in a position where she's getting paid, but other actors who are busting their tails for nothing.. don't, at least not up front. But, they also aren't "names" like she is. Most of the people I have asked said "Do it, because that can only help everyone out as a whole by having someone well known in the movie in any facet". I want to think thats true.. but 1000.00 is still alot of money for a tiny cameo. What do you think?
 
Well, she has a base which is something that's hard to put a figure on...you have to decide for yourself if you think it will create enough buzz to justify the cost...to have her in the film is a boon because it will help sell the dvd which your main cast will not do...paying her ahead of the others is really a separate issue...logically, she is the marketing for the film so the others should be glad that she brings cache to the project and attention and puts them on the map sort of...not all actors think this way though and a reason why Ruffalo and other big stars prefer the directing to the acting... because actors, in many cases, tend to be myopic...

So, in deciding whether to hire her or not, determine if it's what's best for the film...if it is, then and all will benefit.

Cheers,
Stan The Man
 
capel said:
Thanks for the great replies.

Zak, in all honesty, if i were trying to get into the wedding video business and needed my first official video to use as a demo, I'd do it for free for sure.
Click to expand...

I'm doing a bit of model photography. I did two for free as a demo and landed my first pay gig today. It's not a lot but it will help a lot.

-Nate
 
Azmyth said:
Most of the people I have asked said "Do it, because that can only help everyone out as a whole by having someone well known in the movie in any facet". I want to think thats true.. but 1000.00 is still alot of money for a tiny cameo. What do you think?
Click to expand...

Talk to Joe Estevez. He's not expensive, might cut you a deal too. Get them in a film together, that could be box office (or DVD) gold if the project is good. He's got a following and his involvement can get you some press.

-Nate
 
Yeah Joe Estevez is one I have been thinking about for a while in my next film. I don't really have a spot for him this go round, but he's def. one I am thinking about.
 
well...seems I don't have to answer anything else...Zak, Stan, Azmyth, lambert and Nathyn all got you covered!

love these people!!!

guys glad you all jumped in on this one!
 
Nathyn said:
Talk to Joe Estevez. He's not expensive, might cut you a deal too. Get them in a film together, that could be box office (or DVD) gold if the project is good. He's got a following and his involvement can get you some press.

-Nate
Click to expand...

Tiffany Shepis and Joe Estevez have done 60 movies between them in the last 18 months. Anyone seen any of them?
 
I've seen most of them.

They are all indie horror flix, some lower some higher budget than others.. you'd have to be an indie horror fan to see most of their stuff.
 
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