Correspondence With An Actor

This last week I received a string of e-mails from a New York based actor. While nothing surprises me anymore, the level of disconnect between "reality" and "the business" was so striking I am reprinting the e-mails, only changing details out of respect to the privacy of the actor.

(Photo: courtesy Columbia Pictures)





In a message dated 08/26/10 10:47:43 Pacific Daylight Time, the actor writes:

Hello,
I am a young NY actor starting out and I am looking for any way I can into indy films? Right now I am literally being evicted and eating canned beans it sucks!, so I have to make any attempt I can to make my passion work, please understand. You never know if you don't try.

I love the look, story, and feeling of alot of the indy films and I would do anything to play a part of one of them. Can you possibly offer me any advice in how to get into one of these films? Or any help whatsoever(maybe even forwarding this to a friend, life is a chain reaction), it would mean the world to me because my future is at steak right now. Have a great day!

Thanks,

The Actor

BLOCK'S RESPONSE

Hi,

Acting in film (or theater) is not a profession.

It's a hobby.

My advice, get an education and training and work at something you love and do acting as a hobby until it can become a career.

Until your name can raise money or sell tickets it can only be a hobby. There is no reason to hire you.

I say this as a producer. It's not personal, it's just reality.

Actors until they can sell tickets are interchangeable.

Even if you're "great" it still is a haul to be a "star."

It also requires a bit of luck. Being in the right place at the right time. Being part of a television show that works (season after season), etc.

Even actors who have been in multiple seasons of a show can't get work regularly.

I don't mean to be discouraging but this approach (your letter) suggests a fundamental disconnect from a sense of reality in terms of how the business works.

I can't even open your head shot? Why wasn't it sent as a PDF? or a JPEG?

Independent films are struggling because there is no "there" there. How do you get paying parts?

Get breakdowns and go to hundreds of auditions for parts that call for your physical type. (I have no idea what that is.)

Hope this is helpful.

Mitchell


The Actor's Response

Hello,

My passion is to deep in my bones to ever consider it a hobby, even if that is what it is by definition.

I studied for two years full time at (an acting program) and I finished this June.

I don't take your comments personally, I know exactly who I am. (don't take that the wrong way, I mean no offense)

No reason to hire me though? Are you NUTS! I am a talented actor, writer, and producer, and I use to kill in all the comedy clubs in NYC(and more, but I wont bore you.)- but i want to do drama and film now. I am in the process of filming my second short film- I can shake and move with the best of them. I just have no money, I am doing my damnedest to make connections (I'm a fighter), you should admire that! But who am I to tell a producer what think, I'm just an actor right LOL.

I never said anything about being a "Star", I don't care about stardom, I just want to work with like minded individuals to make art that inspires the people who see it. (thats me)

You say it takes luck, I say everyone who is persistent gets lucky.

Look I realize I had no resume, perhaps I should have, but I am just starting out, as I just mentioned above, and my resume is weak (I was afraid people might see it and just automatically dismiss me)

My heroes like (Dennis Hopper) started out with very very small parts on TV, hell James Dean did a Pepsi add for 30 dollars.

The fact is that someone helped them at some point, they were not stars!

They didn't care about that I believe, they were storytellers.

I've been out of school for 2 months and I have been on as many auditions as I could, and I continue, its tough as hell, so thought I need to make more of an effort. Even if that means emailing people like yourself. Cause someone will make the connection and help me. I believe.

I'm not limiting myself to Indy film, but I thought that would be a good place to start.

Personally I think you should be the one to help me, don't you remember how hard it was starting out?

If you don't, I'm probably talking to the wrong guy.

The Actor

p.s. just calling it like a see it, just like you did, and what you said was very fair and appreciated.

p.p.s. I'm an actor, not an English major.

Block's Response (Bold and Italics)

Hello,
My passion is to deep in my bones to ever consider it a hobby, even if that is what it is by definition.

I am not suggesting that your desire to succeed is wrong, your drive or ambition.
ALL of that is fine.

What you're missing is that the business of being an actor is being between work, between jobs.

In order to support yourself you should see acting as a serious hobby and not a business. Get a well paying job that will allow you to go to auditions.

This will allow you to pursue your craft and dream.

When you are cast, they should allow you to take a day off or more to do the part.

Then while you're building a career you can make a nice living.


I studied for two years full time at (an acting program) and I finished this June.

I don't take your comments personally, I know exactly who I am. (don't take that the wrong way, I mean no offense)

No reason to hire me though? Are you NUTS! I am a talented actor, writer, and producer, and I use to kill in all the comedy clubs in NYC(and more, but I wont bore you.)- but i want to do drama and film now. I am in the process of filming my second short film- I can shake and move with the best of them. I just have no money, I am doing my damnedest to make connections (I'm a fighter), you should admire that! But who am I to tell a producer what think, I'm just an actor right LOL.

Again, there is a fundamental misunderstand about the business. I am a producer. I don't hire actors, I don't pick actors.

I work with a director, a studio, a network, a casting director. I do select the "star" if the "star" working on my picture will get it made. I don't ever get involved with casting the roles. It's inappropriate. That's the director's job.

I never said anything about being a "Star", I don't care about stardom, I just want to work with like minded individuals to make art that inspires the people who see it. (thats me)

I am only using the term "star" to refer to an actor that by agreeing to "star" in my project will enable me to make a sale to a studio or network.


You say it takes luck, I say everyone who is persistent gets lucky.

The luck, is that you not only need a great role, you need to be part of a work that will be a solid work. Most films are terrible.

Being is a terrible film but being a great actor does not provide a lot of help for moving a career.

Look I realize I had no resume, perhaps I should have, but I am just starting out, as I just mentioned above, and my resume is weak (I was afraid people might see it and just automatically dismiss me)

Your resume is fine. You are starting out. That's the point I am trying to make.

Since I can't raise funds with your being attached to my project--I can't cast you.

I can only cast actors that will enable me to make a deal.

Neither good not bad. Not connected to you at all.

That's just the way it is.

My heroes like (Dennis hopper) started out with very very small parts on TV, hell James Dean did a Pepsi add for 30 dollars.

The fact is that someone helped them at some point, they were not stars!

Hopper was in over 200 parts (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000454/)
This started in 1954.

Two Oscar nominations (writing and acting)

Perhaps 8 projects won awards (for writing, directing and even some acting)

Despite these wonderful parts, filmmaking, etc. he was not all that financially successful as an actor.

Judging from the parts, the credits etc. he struggled a lot for parts and opportunities.

They didn't care about that I believe, they were storytellers.

I've been out of school for 2 months and I have been on as many auditions as I could, and I continue, its tough as hell, so thought I need to make more of an effort. Even if that means emailing people like yourself. Cause someone will make the connection and help me. I believe.

I'm not limiting myself to Indy film, but I thought that would be a good place to start.

Personally I think you should be the one to help me, don't you remember how hard it was starting out?

If you don't, I'm probably talking to the wrong guy.

Again, I don't hire actors--I am a producer. Mostly focus on doc series.

SO while I can't hire you I am trying to encourage you and provide some useful info.

Good luck to you.

I feel confident that if you're given an opportunity you'll be fine.

My next few projects are docs.

Best
The Actor

p.s. just calling it like a see it, just like you did, and what you said was very fair and appreciated.

p.p.s. I'm an actor, not an English major

A Filmmakers' Guide to Capitol Hill by Will Jenkins

Will Jenkins Guide was originally published in International Documentary which is the publication of the International Documentary Association. Follows is a link:
http://www.documentary.org/magazine/filmmakers-guide-capitol-hill

Mr. Jenkins is allowing this story to be reprinted in Docunomics. I think it's a really helpful story.


A Filmmakers' Guide to Capitol Hill by Will Jenkins

Many documentary filmmakers are driven by a desire not only to tell compelling stories but also to have an impact on public policies and laws. When such filmmakers see an injustice or abuse, they may make great sacrifices to bring the truth to light in hopes that change will come. The journey often brings them to the doors of Congress, where so many policies are made and amended.

This can lead to an awkward interaction with policymakers, who at times are part of the problem, yet whose leadership is needed to be part of the solution.

Having worked in communications for over a decade with social change organizations and on Capitol Hill, I have heard frustrations vented from both sides--certain politicians may seem too risk-averse, too beholden to powerful interest groups, while certain activists may appear too idealistic, too dogmatic to accept any compromise. And if you see a kid coming at you with a videocamera...

However, filmmakers and policymakers have much to gain by trying to understand each other better and by finding ways to work together more productively, when appropriate. After all, many policymakers, like many filmmakers, are doing this because they want to make a difference, to save the world--or at least some piece of it.

To put it another way, filmmakers create compelling stories that need action, while lawmakers take actions that need compelling stories, in order for the public to understand and support these actions. For example, Congresswoman Louise Slaughter is an outspoken advocate for food safety. Last year she introduced the Preservation of Antibiotics for Medical Treatment Act to make sure antibiotics used in farm animals do not harm humans. However, as she told Reuters news service, "We're up against a pretty strong lobby. It will really come down to whether members of Congress want to protect their constituents or agribusiness."

Fortuitously, the documentary film Food, Inc. was released around the same time. According to Sonny Sinha, one of her staffers, Rep. Slaughter established a relationship with filmmakers Robert Kenner and Elise Pearlstein and then hosted a special screening for policymakers in Washington, DC. This high-profile screening increased the film's national exposure, which brought food-safety issues to the forefront of public discussion. Rep. Slaughter followed the screening with a Congressional hearing on the same topic. By the end of the year, her bill had 100 co-sponsors and a related food safety bill was passed in the House of Representatives.


This is one example of how filmmaking can have a positive, synergistic relationship with policymaking.

The Policymaking Process

If you want your film to impact policy, it is important to have a clear strategy of where in the policymaking process it can have maximum impact.

Here are some potential entry points in that process:

1) Raising Awareness--Determine your target audience (the public, lawmakers, agency officials, staff, etc.) and find a message or story that will motivate them to action.

2) Building/Promoting a Coalition--Your film may raise the profile of a coalition already doing good work on the issue or inspire a new coalition to form when people realize they share a common cause.

3) Introducing a Bill--A powerful film can inspire lawmakers or their staff to work on new legislation to remedy the problem. The introduction of a bill helps raise the profile of an issue.

4) Holding a Hearing/Investigation--As noted in the example above, films can raise the profile of otherwise routine hearings and help build momentum.

5) Passing a Bill (House, Senate, Conference, President)--A bill's passage usually requires grassroots support. A film can help mobilize the public engagement needed to achieve the passage of a bill.

6) Enforcing Current Law--Sometimes the right laws are already in place but are not properly enforced. A film can raise awareness and pressure officials to do their jobs correctly.

Even if you don't see results right away, films can play an important role in keeping an issue alive until there is sufficient momentum to achieve a solution. It may take years to achieve success. Even if you succeed in making changes, vigilance is required to make sure that the new policies are correctly carried out.

There is also the campaign side of politics--supporting or opposing votes for candidates, ballot measures, etc.--which I won't focus on here, but on which films can have a significant effect.

Building Relationships

Politics is all about relationships and trust. If you want your film to have an impact in Washington, it's important to partner early with like-minded advocacy groups as well as policymakers and their staff. Including interviews with policymakers themselves can raise the profile of your film, as well as encourage investment in the issue from the policymaker down the road. Lining up the right interviews can be a frustrating process, so what follows are a few pointers.

1) Finding the Right Policymaker--You may want to look beyond the famous or high-profile personalities, whose agendas are already crowded, to find someone more knowledgeable on, or with a personal connection to, your topic. Building a relationship with a policymaker who is actually invested will make a big difference. Newly-elected members may be more open to taking a lead on a breaking issue and to investing time and energy to advocate for change.

2) Develop Relationships with Nonprofit and Advocacy Groups who support the issues in your film. Such groups often have established relationships with members of Congress and can help steer you in the right direction.

3) Be Aware of the Constituents That an Elected Official Represents--It can be counterproductive to ask a politician to publicly advocate for an issue that may go against the best interests of his or her constituents. It is better to identify allies who can freely associate with your message. For this reason, it is important to be honest about your agenda from the start.

4) Work Closely with the Policymaker's Staff to prepare for the interview. Staffers on Capitol Hill can help in many ways beyond basic logistics, such as giving you valuable advice and even potential anecdotes to bring up during your interview.

5) Be Persistent in Your Efforts to Schedule an Interview--Even if a policymaker supports your agenda, there are thousands of other responsibilities to manage. Don't take it personally if the schedule changes at the last minute. Capitol Hill is an unpredictable place where crises are a normal occurrence and schedules are in constant flux.

6) Prepare Some Selling points Beforehand to Make Your Case--Lawmakers always look for good stories to tell that support their policy agendas. Many times, filmmakers can discover and develop powerful stories that traditional news media and policymakers don't have time to find. Lawmakers also want their story to be told, particularly when they are fighting for a cause they believe in. So it is helpful to research their values and priorities and how your film may be able to give voice to these.

7) Establish Truth with Your Interview Subject--While guerilla-style documentaries have their place, in most cases you do not want to blindside or otherwise make your subject feel attacked during the interview. Again, trust is important and you probably don't want to develop a reputation for misleading policymakers. Even if you disagree with a policymaker, it will benefit your film and your chances for future interviews on Capitol Hill if you let them fully explain their position rather than taking their words out of context. Presenting these deep disagreements honestly will increase public understanding and hopefully encourage progress.

Promoting Solutions

When portraying politics in films and documentaries, as well as in the news media, it's easy to take shortcuts, oversimplify or fall back on old stereotypes. For the sake of your audiences and the democratic process, please take time to understand and to educate. Documentaries actually have a greater chance of doing this well than cable news, with its short segments and real-time analysis. Congress is complicated, but citizens need to grasp how and why policies are the way they are, so they can engage effectively.

While there are many easy targets to attack (i.e., bills are long, the federal government is big, corporations are greedy, etc.), identifying practical answers can be much harder. Try to show workable solutions. If audiences later demand solutions based on faulty evidence or unrealistic proposals, it only makes the process more difficult.

Nothing is ever final in Washington: Bills may pass but not be signed; laws may not be enforced or may be changed. So there is always an opportunity to make a difference if you are prepared.

Will Jenkins has worked in media production, social action and political communications for the last decade. He currently works in the United States Congress. This essay is drawn from a panel presentation at the 2010 AFI-Discovery Channel Silverdocs Documentary Festival. For questions or further information, he can be contacted at 202-228-5258.

Why Microbudget FIlmmaking Sucks

Crafty on a makeshift table--a trash bin.
(Photo: Anton Delfino's Craft Disservice)
Posted Thursday, May 13, 2010 by Mynette Louie
http://mynettelouie.com/


Note: I am repeatedly asked about Microbudget filmmaking. I respond and say that feature filmmaking is for professionals, Microbudget filmmaking is really what I consider home movie making.

I think it's critical that filmmakers and their casts (if working with actors) are paid for time and work. If one wants to make an independent feature, one should do it professionally and not expect people to work for free in violation of state and federal labor laws. Filmmaking is a busines, making a product for mass distribution. Home movie making is a hobby that is best done as such. Have a good time, make a film.

Ask people to "work" on your film, treat them as professionals and pay them. Provide safe working conditions, insurance to cover injuries, work days that reflect overtime compensation, etc.

I found Mynette Louie's blog by accident. It's wonderful and relates to her experience making a fiction film that screened at Sundance in 2009 called "Children of Invention." I like both her positive and negative points of making a microbudget film. It's a good point of view even if I don't agree with it...


By Mynette Louie


Microbudget filmmaking is all the rage right now--it's the new paradigm b/c it MUST be. The old system is bloated and fiscally irresponsible.

This is what everyone's saying these days. But many of those doing the talking have never even made a microbudget feature. While it's true that we all need to squeeze down our budgets now, I rarely hear the pundits and panelists talk about why microbudget sucks.

As someone who's made 3 microbudget features and a bunch of microbudget shorts, and will (must) continue to do so in the foreseeable future, I'd like to tell you why microbudget sucks:

1. The wages can't pay your rent. This relegates filmmaking to a "hobby"--but one that necessitates your 24/7 engagement. Paradox!

2. Tough to get experienced crew, so you have to hire and train newbies. Training takes time. A lot of it. As if my job weren't hard enough.

3. Hard to do more elaborate stuff like period pieces, night exteriors, car scenes, fantastical elements, guns, blood, dolly, steadicam, aerial, underwater, etc.

4. Hard to get A-list talent, which in turn, makes microbudget films harder to sell.

5. Craft service is often lacking (see above). Thankfully, this isn't true on my shoots (though I did have to nix the Red Bulls on Day 3 of CHILDREN OF INVENTION to preserve some dough for music).

6. You have to wear a lot of hats. This can be a "good" thing if you get bored easily, but it can also be exhausting. Also, there can be confusion as to who's responsible for which task.

7. The economically disadvantaged rarely apply to work on microbudgets. They can't afford to! This limits crew diversity and keeps the film industry insular and homogeneous.

And to counterbalance the above, here's why microbudget is good (from a producer's perspective):

1. It's financially sound and investors recoup faster. This is the reason cited by all the pundits, and they're right.

2. Creativity stems from poverty, or: necessity is the mother of invention!

3. You really learn how to cut the fat. Every single shot must have a purpose and be worth our time and money.

4. The fact that it's hard to do effects means that you make pure cinema. You focus on the writing and acting because you can't hide behind effects.

5. The "circus" is contained--there's often not a ton of crew and equipment to distract the actors and director, and the leaner and meaner company can move more efficiently.

6. You get to wear lots of hats. Yes, per above, this could be a "bad" thing, but not if you like variety.

7. Most of the cast/crew are doing it for the love of art, learning, and community...because they sure ain't doin' it for the dough!