I HATE USING FRIENDS FOR ACTORS

Carnage7p · Post by **Carnage7p** » Sun Aug 24, 2003 3:49 am

i get really sick of using my friends for actors. i do all the filming, writing, and editing, but when we film the movie they somehow seem to think that an actor has the same power of the director/producer. Most of them dont know the least bit about making a film in the first place but they still think they know what's best for my film. anyone else have this problem? anyone have any suggestions? It's even worse since i'm not paying them so i cant use that as a way to keep them in line.

SgtPadrino · Post by **SgtPadrino** » Sun Aug 24, 2003 4:22 am

It seems the only problem you have with using friends for actors is that you're stubborn as all hell, and absolutely nobody but you should ever be allowed to touch your precious projects. Lighten up. You probably don't know how to make a great, quality film that would wow audiences all over the world, but that doesn't stop you from making movies, does it? Just because your friends haven't been head of a film before doesn't mean you should completely shut out all suggestions. Yeah they're 'just actors', without them you wouldn't have a movie. You're not the only one working on a project, so my ultimate suggestion is to actually try out what your friends are attempting to tell you.

John Groshko · Post by **John Groshko** » Sun Aug 24, 2003 5:08 am

I allways take my friends advice into consideration.

We'll take or suggestions and then discuss them, making sure that or suggestion and ideas fit the film we are making.

Take your friend's advice into consideration, their ideas could be better than yours.
(Carnage7p; you sure have been creating many topics within the past day-or-two.)

foxwood · Post by **foxwood** » Sun Aug 24, 2003 5:51 am

Always lisson to other peoples ideas, because they could be cool I tend to when my friends get really stubern, and I know their idea is cr**, i shoot it anyway so they will shut up and then just leave it on the metaphorical cutting room floor.

Grant · Post by **Grant** » Sun Aug 24, 2003 9:49 am

My whole team is composed of friends, from a cameraman, technical advisors to actors. We all share ideas, but it is under a common leadership, that being myself. You should look at some good management books etc to help you understand project handling etc

tony agius · Post by **tony agius** » Sun Aug 24, 2003 11:58 am

I agree with the argument that friend tend to start directing your movie as they thing they are close to you. New ideas and also sugestiions do more harm to friendship. So the best way is to be frank with them at the audition stage. I stand up to inform all taking part that this is going to be a collective effort but everyone has his own field to take care of and please do not interfere with other fields. So our friendship will stay longer. But sometimes someone more prusintious may sugest even to change the location. So I had to change actors too.

Sayhi · Post by **Sayhi** » Sun Aug 24, 2003 12:06 pm

When you 're starting a big project you gotta know that YOU have ALL the respinsibilities. OK the problem is that not all of your friends are mad about making films. These are some of the types of friends-actors that I have met:

-The allways available. The guy who wants to play because he has nothing better to do. (this person probably has a lot of spare time and might actually help)

-The ''I was born for this sh!t''. The guy who shows great interest from day one and is allways excited about filming. (''if you want sth real bad, you're gonna have it'' they say. So he will find spare time, come up with ideas etc. etc.)

-The veteran (I started working on big projects with a cousin of mine. We both made short films and when we found out that we had the same interest we were allready very experienced)

-The clown (He just wants to see himself in the movie just to say he did sth. He starts destroying the scenes, creates trouble all the time and never arrives at the set on time. Don't work with him or just give him the smallest role you can think of. You know, just to show that you have a big cast)

-The reliable. Sth. like the ''I was born for this sh!t'', just not so crazy about film making. You can trust him, don't give him a huge role.

-The star. Allways late, can't find time for film making, does NOT have tallent.

-I have worked with 6 girls (except my sister) and the 5 of them were reliable, 1 of them was a ''star''. So if you find a female friend (I wrote it like that because I think you shouldn't use your girlfriend in the film*) that's interested in film making, don't be affraid to ask her to play in your film.

---------Auditions
When you know who to work with, make some auditions. Try long ones so that you see who is really ready to work hard.
Tallent is not everything without work.
----------------------------------------------------
*I put an asterisk next to what I wrote about not using a girlfriend in your film.
BUT WHY NOT???
That's because you probably have all the responsibilities, or most of them, which makes you anxious. Most of the actors have told you that they will leave the set at X o'clock but in film making nothing goes according to schedule. Everything works fine and your anxieety dosen't show if you can cooperate with the cast and crew. You have fun and everyone is satisfied in the end.
BUT WHAT IF YOU HAVE A ''CLOWN'' IN THE CREW??? The clown tries to ruin everybody's efforts by being a constant assh0le. Nobody is having fun anymore and you feel like bossing around all the time. This can create tension between you and your friends. But you don't want to be the ''BOSS'' of your own girlfriend, do you?
This is why you shouldn't work with ''clowns''. Nobody wants to be his friends' boss either...

My point is that you have to weed out the troublemakers and make the role distribution properly. Everyone should express their opinion. But if they know that you are sure about what you' re doing and that you're the veteran, they are going to listen to your ideas twice before they think that they don't like them.

Sayhi · Post by **Sayhi** » Sun Aug 24, 2003 12:11 pm

Hint: If your friends have an idea which is not good and they demand that you shoot a scene in their way, shoot both yours and their option and then edit both options and show them the video. If yours is better they will listen to you from now on.

ju88a · Post by **ju88a** » Sun Aug 24, 2003 12:14 pm

I have found that it is so damned hard to get all the actors/friends in one place together to film. They all say yea yea to filming then when ya actually neeed them all for a scene..can ya get them?NO. Im in two minds as to whether to scrap my project or do a complete re-write dropping two characters because I cannot get them together. I have a scene where all actors are featured and one of the actors cars, the bloke with the car seems to be the busiest. Anyone got any ideas how to intice them further ...maybe free jelly babies or something?

foxwood · Post by **foxwood** » Sun Aug 24, 2003 1:43 pm

Find somebody ealse with a car, be a b**ch and yell at him.

2nd_Recon · Post by **2nd_Recon** » Sun Aug 24, 2003 2:55 pm

I like the "Bag of free Jelly Beans" Idea, but don't let them tell you your bribing them, cause you are

Carnage7p · Post by **Carnage7p** » Sun Aug 24, 2003 3:24 pm

i dont think some of you understand my arguement. it isnt that im stubborn it's that my actors try to turn all my movies into comedies.

Carnage7p · Post by **Carnage7p** » Sun Aug 24, 2003 3:37 pm

for example they want adolph hitler to make a camio in our next movie and one the them likes to see how many times he can swear throughout the entire film.

2nd_Recon · Post by **2nd_Recon** » Sun Aug 24, 2003 3:45 pm

Get a bag of quarters and hit them over the head with it untill they straighten themselves out

foxwood · Post by **foxwood** » Sun Aug 24, 2003 4:12 pm

When I have this problem, people trying to be funny, when it is not a comady, what I tell them is Ok if you let me get one good serious shoot in the can, then we can do it once or twice, acting like f-ing morons, and put in in the DVD gag reel. And as for them wanting to curse a lot, just draw the line I guess, I wouldn't know as I tend to actualy write the profanifty into my scripts.

And for the people that say their friends try to take things over, what I do is know what my friends are good at and only pay atention to things they say in that area. Like me friend sean is good at fire and such, so if it involves fire I lission to him. And I had a friend that loved to adlib his lines, so I pulled him in during the writing, and that stoped his adlibing right fast.

[Edited on 24-8-2003 by foxwood]

El Brenty · Post by **El Brenty** » Sun Aug 24, 2003 4:41 pm

Most of them dont know the least bit about making a film in the first place but they still think they know what's best for my film. anyone else have this problem?

yep, that sounds very familiar! I actually posted a reply on your Storyline Problems thread, that was relevant to that, and I guess, also a bit relevant to this one.

Listen to what they have to say, agree to disagree if you have to, and explain to them the roles of director/producer, etc, hold onto that authority. You don't want to end up upsetting your actors where they walk out of the filming half-way through, but on the other hand, if it's your film, they need to respect this.

Do what I do with my cat! When they contribute something that is in line with your thinking, praise them and make out like it's a really good idea of theirs. When they do something that's against your thinking, make them feel stupid for suggesting it!

Sayhi · Post by **Sayhi** » Sun Aug 24, 2003 8:26 pm

So we are also talking about pre-production. I think things are much easier in pre-production. You just ask them if they wanna play in your new movie and then you present the script. Nobody must mess with YOUR script! The next time they tall you sth stupid tell them that this can be done only if they come up with a whole new script and give you the full Word version. That should make them stop.

Sayhi · Post by **Sayhi** » Sun Aug 24, 2003 8:28 pm

Oh and don't call everyone to your house to present the script. Just mail it. If everyone is at the same place when you present the script, you have lost the game.
The psychology of the mob you see...

Carnage7p · Post by **Carnage7p** » Sun Aug 24, 2003 8:36 pm

good idea. i'll try that.

bangoker · Post by **bangoker** » Sun Aug 24, 2003 10:22 pm

what the heck does "sth" means?

foxwood · Post by **foxwood** » Sun Aug 24, 2003 10:30 pm

I find that if you just have a small group of people it helps to get them togther in pre production, to if not write the script to work on it, so that they get there Ideas out there, and they can be debated about. It seems that people forget that film is a claberative art, not just the direcotr making all the choises.

Carnage7p · Post by **Carnage7p** » Mon Aug 25, 2003 4:27 am

what the heck does "sth" means?

sth means something

foxwood · Post by **foxwood** » Mon Aug 25, 2003 3:33 pm

I've noted that some of you guys are really pertective of your scripts, like they are mine and I'll kill you if you, the actor, change even a line. People lightne up, things get changed, remember a script is just a guide to the film, not the be all end all, must be this.

2nd_Recon · Post by **2nd_Recon** » Mon Aug 25, 2003 3:37 pm

Before you blow them away, consider if it's a good idea or not.

El Brenty · Post by **El Brenty** » Mon Aug 25, 2003 3:54 pm

I'd be prepared to make adjustments to the script, but if I've applied some poetic license to it, I'd want to keep to it like gospel!

MattHawkins Online - Film Making Forum

I HATE USING FRIENDS FOR ACTORS

I HATE USING FRIENDS FOR ACTORS

Friends as actors

Hmmm I found them to be unreliable