Can't believe this

[frisbee]

http://www.ricklwinters.com/the-end-is- ... sting.html

Anybody rushing for their wallet? Think this is one my mummy warned me about!
Make sure you watch the right hand video it's a doosie(as they say in America Germany or Great Britain).

[riverdancefan]

I know !!
it's not making me want to reach for the mastercard.... I have seen a few of these around, I wonder if there are an successful collaborations of group funding for projects that anyone knows about? - a project where people have made money and produced a great film as well?


be interested if anyone has an examples?




RDF

[riverdancefan]

PS

have missed you Frisbee, glad to see you back



x

[pg]

Hahahaha! Oh dear.

There's so much wrong with it, it's hard to know where to start! Thanks for posting though - it's certainly entertaining!

[frisbee]

Thank you riverdancefan sending virtual hug.
xxx
D

[termdriven]

Hi,

[pg]

termdriven:

It's because this is NOT the way to cast anything or to get a film made! There doesn't seem to be a budget for most of the production (just have a look at all the things he wants the crew to provide for themselves! ) The video casting is ok, up to a point, but once the implication is there (which it is) that investment in the film is going to help your chances, it's a signal to run a mile! You shouldn't have to invest in a production in order to be considered - any suggestion of having to pay money in order to be considered for a commercial production of any kind absolutely reeks of scam. It's hard to to take this person seriously because he is obviously wanting to make money out of people who want to be "in a film". I know that the kickstart site is asking for backers - and that's fine - but he is clearly wanting those who want to act in the film to contribute too.

And there is no suggestion anywhere that ANYONE will get actually get paid a wage for their involvement.

Someone who wants to make the very best film they can, will try to find the very best actors they can - or at least the most bankable. I certainly wouldn't trust this person to make a good film, because if it really is being financed in this way then the artistic integrity is bound to be compromised. If they don't have the money to film in several cities/countries then they should make their ambitions more modest. If you want to employ actors from around the world (and why on earth do they NEED to?), then you need to budget for this. If you don't have enough money for accommodation, you almost certainly don't have enough money to make a film. It's just a nonsense.

I don't know what the total budget is for the film - if it is only the $100,000 they have as a total on the the kickstart site (it may be more than this of course), then they certainly shouldn't be planning to fly actors all round the place and film in more than one city.

If you don't want to be caught out and you want to protect your DD, I would just make it a rule of thumb never, ever to pay to audition or to appear in a film and never to get involved in anything that suggests your chances will be improved if you part with money. There is every probability that the film would never get made or finished in any case. Since they only have a couple of weeks to raise $100,000 and so far they have one backer and they've raised the grand total of $50, I somehow doubt this one will get made.

I would also be very wary about investing in any artistic endeavour unless I knew a lot about the team behind it, knew what I hoped to get out of it and had everything in writing.

The question riverdancefan raises is interesting: I do know of various artistic/financial collaborations in theatre (especially low budget/fringe), but I haven't really come across any genuine profit share (of everyone involved) in films (not, of course that this venture is anything like genuine profit share!!!). I think it is much harder to divide the work/reward in film making and it may take years for any investment in film to see a reward.

[termdriven]

Yes you are right and thanks for telling me all about this. I have never been directly asked to pay for anything before for dd and yes tthat is always an added worry even time and money spent on travel can be wasted if the
people behind the film never finish because they are too ambitious/greedy/unrealistic with the project. It's very hard, not in this case, but sometimes to decide what is good. I usually try to look at past work on their website
and unless its for a student group expect some payment even if only travel, but preferably a day rate. Any other tips?

[pg]

Red flags for me include:
1.Looking for "newcomers" or welcoming those with "no experience" - this sometimes translates as "we would like to see naive people so that we can rip them off". Not always of course, but if this includes looking for adult actors with no experience then I would certainly suspect a scam.

2.Any suggestion that it will cost you money.

3. If there is no track record of any kind, especially if they are claiming that it's big budget or that "star names" are attached. Everyone has to start somewhere, but lots of unsubstantiated hyperbole makes me very suspicious. It's usually very hard to find out any information about casting for genuine big budget films, but there's not usually any problem about finding out about the production team and what experience they have - the internet is a fantastic tool for this.

4. Anything that claims to be high profile or big budget that is advertised on a casting website where the only criteria is that you have to pay to get your profile on there. There will sometimes be genuine castings, but it is rare for the big budget opportunities to appear in the public domain - I would do as much careful checking as I possibly could.

To be honest, any casting that has to encourage people to apply makes me suspicious! There are so many people out there desperate for the chance to be "in a show" or "on TV" or "in a film". The genuine opportunities are usually straightforward and business like and quite often have riders like "do not apply if you do not fit the brief". If you have something vague like "actors needed for exciting project", you can bet your bottom dollar that this has not come from an experienced Casting Director!

[termdriven]

Thanks pg, it is interesting to know all these facts. I have been doing styling and location finding for films for a while. Before this I was a drama and art teacher. So in drama productions at school I have had many years
casting experience for school plays etc but of course this is limited as the cast has to only come from a set of people, though sometimes we did go to another school to get boys. Interestingly enough the boy who often came is now 21 and
has made it in film, by being cast in a well known bbc drama and now 2 major films! When she was 14(just turned 15) my daughter decided she wanted to be an actress and so I have had to try to learn from her side of things too. She goes to drama school on sats and has an agent. Of course my experience is with theatre but a few years ago decided to change tack and study filmaking. I have just been asked to help cast a paid short film with an indi director. It is a very fascinating process and sooo many people have applied, so you are right I don't think you have to offer any incentive, people just want to be part of it. For this small film I am talking about 1,000 people applying for one part, so goodness knows how many people apply for tv series and major films. And the Director already has funding, so no won't be asking for any actors contributions! So I continue to learn from the 'other side' and thanks to dd, you and others from the actors side too. Its all very absorbing.

[mathsmum]

$50 pledged so far against a total of $100,000 required in 15 days' time - hmm!!

[paulears]

wannabe film maker with good web designer! I'm not sure if people here are aware, but over the past two years, prices have come down on really good camera equipment and there are now thousands of wannabe directors, with visions and no experience - so a bit like performing arts but 20 years later once we have settled down. I frequently tell them that good actors are very unlikely to want to work for nothing for an unknown director because of the costs and sometimes risk. They just cannot see it. They have heard thousands of actors of all ages are dying to be in their movies, despite having no experience in making films. They can't understand people's wariness. Very, very few ever make it because in all honestly, most are very badly made. Buying a clever camera does not make you cameron or spielberg!