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You're (proverbially) a sweet kid... :-) The production community both
theatrical and cinematic would do well to infuse their creative
priorities with your idealism. I'm on your side. <br>
<br>
But I've learned by trial and error what the acting community rarely
even sees or likes to admit of itself... that it's all a business, and
an actor's commodity is less their talent, and more their time.
"Putting the fear of God" into them only works when the actors see
value in the production (I'm not saying yours lacks value). I don't
mean creative or artistic merit, but
pocketbook value, and when in their mind, correct or not, the value is
higher to be involved in a different production, they will go follow
it, the same way we might walk out of a store if we remember that the
store next door has the same item for half the price, without regard to
the salesperson who may have been helping us and talking to us for the
last 15 minutes. <br>
<br>
I would like to think that I as a producer have value. I am one of the
longest standing producers in Northeast Ohio, my films are consistent
national
and international film festival official selections AND award winners.
Many actors have gone directly from my films straight into roles for
Robert Zemeckis and Disney Channel and the like. In an industry
magazine, I was named one of the top 100 producers for the year 2000,
and most importantly, when a production wraps, I know how to throw a
party... :-) But along will come Spider Man XI or another producer
like myself, and they will claim to have Sundance waiting for them to
wrap production (BTW actors, anybody who tells you that is delusional
or lying, no festival works that way) so they can screen it and make
everybody an indie film star. They perceive value correct or not,
compare it to what they think they know and make judgments we may not
like. Actors put themselves first, and producers who know how to
dangle the carrot, bank on it. <br>
<br>
I've been left dangling by actors who will disappear to do someone
else's film, leaving me with hours, sometimes days worth of footage
that I have to recast, reassemble the existing cast and shoot all over
again. Sometimes I can't get that location back and have to
renegotiate a new location, one that isn't half of what I originally
had, but my hands are tied, thousands of man hours are wasted and money
is spent on nothing. It would be nice to think that if an actor wrongs
you, the value of your production would give you the credibility to
blacklist them until they come back begging you for a part. But the
production community (both theatrical and cinematic) is a community of
businesses, not a commune of
artists. They are just as happy that the actor they want, quit your
production to be in theirs as the actor is to be a part of theirs.
Nobody wants to admit it because it bursts the bubble of the whole
"we're all in this together" ethos we all want to believe makes up a
creative community. It's amazing how cutthroat this business is since
none of us are making any money... that's maybe the problem. <br>
<br>
I don't like it anymore than you do, but the truth is, the majority of
actors are not in it to "be a part of something special." They may
hope to be, they may give lipservice to it, but it makes up at best 20%
of the reason they are doing it. They're in it to advance their
careers, and the only way to keep 90% of actors in any region loyal is
to actually have something that they don't want to lose, like hard
cash. It would be nice to be able to shame them into doing what we
think is the right thing, but it gets down to the question, the right
thing for who? The answer isn't always one I want to hear, or think is
right. <br>
<br>
I say this less to discourage you from calling for solidarity from
other productions on this issue and more to allow other readers to see
themselves in this little verbal portrait. It would be nice to be able
to appeal to the artistic values they believe they have, but those
values are easily (and whether I like it or not, understandably)
corruptible by a bottom line. It's easy to not give credit to a
community as relatively small as NE Ohio's for having jaded themselves
into this kind of value system, but turning a blind eye to this reality
would be a very costly mistake. <br>
<br>
Christopher K. Young, <br>
Shallow Focus Entertainment<br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://www.shallowfocus.com">http://www.shallowfocus.com</a><br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:DVangaasbe@aol.com">DVangaasbe@aol.com</a> wrote:
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<div>I have received several e-mails from other directors who have
worse stories than what I had happen. One director running a weekly
mystery theatre discovered much to his shock two days before a
performance that one of his actors had a major role in a production
somewhere else. It seems that the young man could not figure out that
the Opening Night conflicted with the performance at the mystery
theatre. Ipso facto, a massive scramble to get someone in at the last
minute occurred. The young man knew about this particular opening
night for two months and failed to tell the mystery theatre. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>Another director wrote me and stated that a leading actor
dropped out of the play only one week before Opening Night. It was
soon discovered that he had accepted a part with another
playhouse because he wanted to play that part. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>A student director had to find two actors two days before her
class project was presented to the professor because the leading actor
felt that the particular drama being presented did not meet his
specifications. It seemed odd that he had no problem with the drama
for weeks. It was soon discovered that he took a part at another
playhouse. The other actor seemed unable to function without the first
actor and dropped out as well. There's backbone.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Frankly, I have three weeks to correct the damage. Already the
cast and crew are pulling together to make this play work. Junior who
left us in the lurch did not get the part he wanted and is a member of
the ensemble with the other playhouse. I understand that he is happy
as a lark. Frankly, he does not know how many bridges he burned behind
him. I received notice from another playhouse who figured out who it
was stating that he is no longer welcome there either.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>I do believe that we as directors and producers should take a
very high road here. That is we should put the fear of God in these
rather talented but rude actors and actresses who believe they can walk
out whenever they feel like it. That means you sit Junior down and
tell him or her that he or she will never act again in the area until
he or she cleans up the act. That is you finish what you start. I
have two children. They are both highly talented and are in demand.
However, they were both told you finish what you start. Both are no
nonsense type people. Coaches, directors and teachers loved them
because they took the responsibility of honoring a commitment. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>I had a bad feeling two months ago about an actress when I was
casting <em>Once Upon a Mattress</em>. This young talented actress
came running in about one and one half hours after auditions started.
She claimed she could not be at the beginning of the auditions because
she was in rehearsal for another play. I allowed her to audition since
she was there but I told her that the part she wanted was going to be
given to another actress who had shown up on time and in my opinion had
more talent. I did state that I would offer her another part but that
I would have to talk to her director in the other play. When I asked
for the name of the director who was in the other production so I could
coordinate schedules, she balked. I withdrew the offer. I later
discovered that there was no way that she could have done this play and
that play. Frankly, my instincts clearly showed that she was not happy
with the part in the other play. Unfortunately, she accepted the
part. In my opinion, that means you play the part. If you are that
talented an actor or actress, then it should be a snap to make it
work. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>I did have another actress who was involved in another play when
she auditioned. She was up front about it and gave me her schedule. I
saw that I could use her in Once Upon a Mattress and the part I had for
her could accommodate her schedule. She went to every rehearsal of the
other play and when she was not scheduled for rehearsal she came to
us. That is a good actress because she was honest and she was willing
to work with everyone. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>I am asking all directors and producers to honor other
playhouses productions. The playhouse that cast Junior has had several
of their actors come to my playhouse for major parts. When I see that
there is no way we can coordinate a schedule so the actor or actress
can play both, I do not cast. That other director has invested time
and energy in directing that actor or actress. He or she should not
have the rug pulled out because Junior who has talent cannot figure out
that commitment means to the end of the production. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>David Van Gaasbeek, Director and Producer, Canal Fulton Players</div>
<div> </div>
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