[NEohioPAL]re: Pay/No Pay

Thu Mar 24 06:18:31 PST 2005

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I am one of the people involved in the discussion at the Got Pay? meeting.  I 
am one of the people who argued with Bill Johns about paying actors on indie  
film projects. I have a little more to say.

First, the distinction between working for a profitable company and doing  
nonprofit theater or independent film was made right away, as soon as the  
evening started. I don't think anyone wants actors to start demanding money from  
people who "don't have the budget", and aren't making money from the  project.

That said, I asked my questions to raise some distinctions between motives.  
I stand ready to help anyone with their first film. I'll make coffee, run  
errands, and I hold a mean mike boom. Ask around and you'll find several  
first-time filmmakers who will tell you that I was on their projects whenever  asked, 
and not paid. I'll act for anyone's short. A short film is a great way  for 
beginning filmmakers and actors to get noticed. There's a guy here in town  
who's an absolute genius with film, and I'll come act for him just to see him  
work any day.

What I won't do anymore - and I made this decision months before attending  
Got Pay? - is act in trailers or features for free. If your project is worth  
making a feature film, it is worth doing the legwork and finding investors,  
hiring professional crew, and paying everyone. I don't necessarily mean union  
scale, but something more than "Copy, credit, and meals".

Making a trailer to sell a movie is something I've never seen work. Anyone  
can make a trailer. I don't think producers, distributors, or investors are  
impressed by trailers. Making a trailer that isn't as good as the final movie  
project is sabotaging your own project. Make a trailer when you have a movie in 
 the can.

I've done 9 films in the past year and a half. I've been an extra, and a  
principal. I've had no lines, and over a hundred pages of dialogue. Most of the  
projects I've done aren't finished, but I'll bet.. well, my career! ...that I  
know which ones are going to make money. And guess what- they're the ones I 
was  paid to do. I know which projects I learned more working on.

I don't mean to suggest that everyone ask for pay on every job. But when  you 
aren't paid, you should watch out. When that trailer gets made into a  
feature, tell me whether you got your part again, or whether it was given to  
someone "worth" paying. Tell me if it even gets made.

Let's hear from people who make their living by acting -be honest- and see  
how many got a paying part being seen in a feature or trailer they did for  
free.

Wes Shofner
JWShofner at aol.com

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<DIV>I am one of the people involved in the discussion at the Got Pay? meeti=
ng.=20
I am one of the people who argued with Bill Johns about paying actors on ind=
ie=20
film projects. I have a little more to say.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>First, the distinction between working for a profitable company and doi=
ng=20
nonprofit theater or independent film was made right away, as soon as the=20
evening started. I don't think anyone wants actors to start demanding money=20=
from=20
people who "don't have the budget", and aren't making money from the=20
project.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>That said, I asked my questions to raise some distinctions between moti=
ves.=20
I stand ready to help anyone with their first film. I'll make coffee, run=20
errands, and I hold a mean mike boom. Ask around and you'll find several=20
first-time filmmakers who will tell you that I was on their projects wheneve=
r=20
asked, and not paid. I'll act for anyone's short. A short film is a great wa=
y=20
for beginning filmmakers and actors to get noticed. There's a guy here in to=
wn=20
who's an absolute genius with film, and I'll come act for him just to see hi=
m=20
work any day.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>What I won't do anymore - and I made this decision months before attend=
ing=20
Got Pay? - is act in trailers or features for free. If your project is worth=
=20
making a feature film, it is worth doing the legwork and finding investors,=20
hiring professional crew, and paying everyone. I don't necessarily mean unio=
n=20
scale, but something more than "Copy, credit, and meals".</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Making a trailer to sell a movie is something I've never seen work. Any=
one=20
can make a trailer. I don't think producers, distributors, or investors are=20
impressed by trailers. Making a trailer that isn't as good as the final movi=
e=20
project is sabotaging your own project. Make a trailer when you have a movie=
 in=20
the can.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>I've done 9 films in the past year and a half. I've been an extra, and=20=
a=20
principal. I've had no lines, and over a hundred pages of dialogue. Most of=20=
the=20
projects I've done aren't finished, but I'll bet.. well, my career! ...that=20=
I=20
know which ones are going to make money. And guess what- they're the ones I=20=
was=20
paid to do. I know which projects I learned more working on.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>I don't mean to suggest that everyone ask for pay on every job. But whe=
n=20
you aren't paid, you should watch out. When that trailer gets made into a=20
feature, tell me whether you got your part again, or whether it was given to=
=20
someone "worth" paying. Tell me if it even gets made.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Let's hear from people who make their living by acting -be honest- and=20=
see=20
how many got a paying part being seen in a feature or trailer they did for=20
free.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Wes Shofner</DIV>
<DIV>JWShofner at aol.com</DIV></FONT></BODY></HTML>

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