Auditioning for Indies: Are you wasting your time? (Updated)

[CoachDalton]

This is an old post I felt the need to re-post. It has been re-written a little.

There are plenty of independent films sprouting up this year and actors are salivating at the thought of landing a role; whether or not it pays, may not matter. Whether or not the film will be of decent production quality may not matter, either. If they can get the film into a film festival, an actor can still get that ever-so-coveted Imdb credit. If it doesn't even get any attention at all, it may still not matter; you might get some decent footage for your demo reel. Heck, it may not even matter if it gets finished ..or it even gets made, "Hey, still it's work ...right?"

Well, I am not going to lecture you on what you should or should not do; it's your choice. You may need audition experience or on-set experience, or maybe you just want to practice your craft with other actors. Maybe you have to fulfill that burning desire to play "dress up" and "make believe". But if you come to me and tell me your stories of woe regarding an "indie gone bad", "the indie shoot from hell", or even the old "they didn't tell me I had to be naked" story, then prepare to get "the lecture".

Okay, I lied. Here's the lecture.

No matter what indie you're auditioning for, there's never any guarantee it will be successful, nor is there any guarantee it (or you) will be any good. But there are red flags you can look for and questions to ask before auditioning for any indie.

Audition Notices:
- Any audition posted on craigslist warrants careful scrutiny.

- If the notice asks for your pic to be sent electronically along with your birth date and home address, especially if they ask for your SS#, pass on it!

- If they spend more time boasting about themselves or their "big connections" to celebrities or industry leaders than the actual casting breakdown, then pass on it!

- If they present a long written treatment of the story, yet give no character breakdowns, they may not even have the characters or even the script written yet. So ...Pass on it!

-Generally, if the notice appears trying to sell you on doing the project, that's a red flag. Pass on it!

I'll give you a little industry "hint" here; casting (auditioning) is one of the last stages of pre-production; the exception is the starring roles that were negotiated before the pre-production even started or actors who may have to start early on special training, i.e. stunt work, etc.
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If a project is auditioning actors, it should already have most of the other major elements in place ready to go.

What are the major elements? Hmmm, let's see. There's the script, the director, the locations, the crew, the camera and all that other equipment, the wardrobe considerations, etc. Oh boy, I'll have to watch the ending credits of a movie to remember all of them. Wait ...there's another one ...what is it? Ohhhh, that's right, MONEY!!!
It doesn't matter if you're willing to work for free, if they don't have any money to actually make the film, then why bother?

The Question to ask:

-Is the project financed?
The answer you're looking for is "YES". However, if they're honest and tell you that they are still seeking financing, then proceed with caution, HOWEVER, if they do not have financing and they ask you to sign a contract, DON'T DO IT!!!! (yes, this has happened before and it stinks)

-If the answer is "yes", then ask if they have their "pre-pro" done, (that's producer talk for pre-production). If they say "yes" or "most of it", then you can go on to the next question. If they say,"No" or "Pee-po wha?", then pass on it.

-If they ask you to pay to be in it, you may consider getting a lawyer to negotiate a financial investment contract ...or better yet, PASS ON IT!

Now you may have been told it would be impolite or even boldly rude to ask a director/producer such a question. Hellooo, we're talkin' indies here.

I don't know what it is exactly. There seems to be some folks who are popping up and luring our actors into a false sense of productivity. There could be some actual film makers who believe "if we cast it, the money will come".

Yes, indie film makers shoot trailers, teasers and short versions of their feature in order to get financial interest. I'm fine with that, AS LONG AS THEY TELL THE ACTOR what the deal is!

Let's say the indie film maker has been straight with you regarding their low budget. You can still ask more questions.

More questions:
- What medium are you shooting this on? Now I'm not technically savoy, but I know enough to consult some bright CASA techies if I need to. If they say film, HD, or on the "RED", then it has a chance of looking decent (depending on how they answer the next question). Even if they say mini DV (it can still look decent), then you can go to the next question. If they say something like "My grandpa's pin hole camera" ...pass on it.

-What crew do you have? I've been on some of the lowest budget films ever made and I know you have to have (at the very least), someone to operate the camera, handle lighting, handle sound and someone to remember all the things they are supposed to handle. Now you may have an ambitious director who will boast he can do it all, but the biggest RED FLAG in the tech department are the words, "I'll handle all that". if they don't have a crew in place, then tell them politely to call you when they actually have a crew. If they don't have the basic crew or they don't know what they're supposed to have ...pass on it.

NOTE: If you decided to take the role and you're working on set and you hear the words "We'll fix it in post" more than once (and no one is joking) than you have likely committed yourself to a piece of poop.

-If there are stunts involved in the film, do they have insurance? Is there a trained stunt coordinator?
Really, think about it. If a lot of other RED FLAGS have popped up before this question, do you really think you want to get involved with a questionable production that has guns, knives, swords, explosives and other things that can physically hurt you?


What about student films?
Go for it! At least you know the film maker is learning as they go and has a staff of teachers for guidance, people to answer to.

TO SUM IT UP!
Not every Indie film maker is out to screw the actor, but there are some who just don't know any better. The trend I have been seeing lately is folks with a lot of money or connections to money who can afford to produce or to buy a "nice camera" who are trying to make a movie but have absolutely no clue how to do it ...and don't think to ask or hire someone who does. GET TO THE TRUTH BEFORE COMMITTING TO ANY PROJECT. Most indie film makers here in CO are honest and upfront about their situation and are worth working with, but please, BE SMART about your pursuits.

Please understand, I have made my share of mistakes and I don't want to see actors waste their time by acting out of desperation.

I know there's NOT a lot of professional work out there right now, but that's no reason to get involved in something that could actually hurt you.

-Coach Dalton

[Jay Wyss]

Great advice David, just remember even if doing a low budget or student film or anything for free they should have some type of catering for the actors and crew, at the very least some water. I would add one thing to that, are they using weapons or prop guns and then make sure they have notified the proper people for permits. A few years ago, they had some people shooting a hostage scene at Carter lake and were pistol whipping a girl and they did not bother telling anyone and the swat team almost shot the entire crew, actors included.

[Ken Hendricks]

Words of wisdom from one who knows!

I actually had someone wanting to attach me and use my name to get funding... that's good for $1.50 maybe.

There are so many projects out there. Everyone has to start somewhere but it's not worth your time, energy, blood, sweat and tears to work on a "film" that will never see the light of day. You can usually tell pretty quickly if the filmmakers have a clue or not. They'll tell you that they have a guaranteed "in" to Sundance or that they have multiple projects lined up, the "next" one being well funded and on and on. It won't hurt you to be picky about what you work on.

If they tell you that Ken Hendricks is attached and funding is imminent, go for it. Their budget is at least $1.50 which is way higher than some of the budgets I've worked with!

Ken Hendricks
Director of Photography
REDRUM Digital Cinema Production

[CoachDalton]

Thanks, Jay.
Yes, I remember that incident at Carter lake and share that story often. I know the Colorado Film School requires their student directors to feed the actors. Besides, if a production can't afford to feed their actors, then they can't afford to be doing a film.

I did a short a few years ago in Commerce City where I had guns involved. I was required to have a Denver County cop on sight and I even had a licensed gun handler for safety. It cost a little cash, but worth it.

-D

[PJ Ross]

Thanks for the great advice and obvious warning signs. During my very short go at this, I've already learned a hard lesson: If the production company doesn't care enough about its cast and crew to provide at least coffee and water, my time is better spent elsewhere. Even the student films I've worked on have made sure their free labor is well fed. Not so with some idie companies. Being "creative" does not negate a lack of Civility.

[CoachDalton]

In fairness, I should add this; I've worked on ultra-low and no-budget films that could only afford to feed the actors pizza and soda and they turned out pretty decent. So, an ultra-low, low or no-budget film doesn't mean it's going to suck.

[CoachDalton]

Thanks, David.
Others have pointed out "it's a two-way street", and I agree. I have an old article that addresses that, as well. I will republish it (if I can't find it, I write a new one).
-D

[CoachDalton]

This is a copy n' paste from my Facebook profile, which apparently has struck a nerve or two.

DAVID:
No one has to follow any checklist when they audition. But when it comes to burning bridges, that is also a two-way street. I know some indie film makers actors will never work with again.

I never said ALL film makers are out to exploit actors. The points I had listed are from the "horror stories" I have heard from actors. If every actor had the ability to sense or "feel" something hinky, I wouldn't hear those stories. A list of questions to ask and points to consider is the best way to develop a sensibility.

When I hear anyone say "this is not LA, it's Denver", I cringe. As a Casting Director (primarily commercial), I know first hand the perception of out of state producers and directors have of Colorado. Many see it as a place you can get actors (and other elements) for cheap, but many also perceive talent pool as unprofessional. ...

However, LA casting directors who have visited and worked with our actors are usually surprised at the level of talent here, BUT they also see the actors lack professional audition skills (mostly because they just don't have the practice).

So, when it comes to actors developing standards and skills, it's not just about indie film makers, it's about raising and maintaining standards for the entire state. And if the majority of "film" auditioning experience actors are getting comes from the indies film makers, then they better develop sensibility.

The article is for actors. If I ruffled any feathers from indie film makers, sorry. It's the actors I'm looking out for.

[Jim Brennan]

Great points. It's tough to navigate when you are new. You assume that everybody knows more than you do. But the one thing they don't have is your "gut". Trust it. Auditioning is like dating. If you find yourself making excuses for the other person, that should tell you something.

I shot my first "real" movie for less than 500 bucks. It was 40 minutes long, and it turned out pretty well. Every actor I worked with has been willing to work with me again. I think the one one thing I did right was to be perfectly honest with them. Transparency is really helpful. You want people to have confidence in you and your abilities. But as soon as you start flinging the BS around, people will notice.

And I fed them...often and well.

Really. Trust your gut. If they act like they are doing you a favor (on either side of the table) it's probably a bad fit. Just because you aren't getting paid, doesn't mean your time isn't valuable. You need to feel like you are getting something out of the project. And that should be something that matters to you, not something that they tell you should matter.

Most indies in this town have no connections. Most have little experience. That's not a bad thing. We all start somewhere. But if they act like they are the second coming of...well, anyone, then call it a day. There are plenty of other projects in this town that you can work on for free. Invest your time in relationships with other people who are both aspiring to a level of professionalism, and who have a shared value system. I'm not talking about morality, I'm talking about a match where what matters to you, matters to them.

[PJ Ross]

Coach Dalton and Jim Brennan - very good advice. I appreicate you sharing your experience and perceptions with us newbies.

[Scott Swaggart]

Thanks, David. Another red-flag for me is, "It's a vampire or zombie movie with lots of really cool 'special effects'". Oh boy. Or there are more than two miss-spelling in the notice.