Hi all, I'm new to the forum but have been involved in low/no budget filmmaking for a few years now and I've always shot (and prefered to shoot) using talented, but non-unionized actors. However, I know I'll keep hearing the need for 'star power' until I one day turn a profit, and I've recently seen some local films of similar stature and budget grab the bull by the horns and dedicate almost all of their shoestring budgets to big-name cameos.
However, at least here in Canada where we have ACTRA (instead of SAG), you're not technically allowed to employ any ACTRA actor (read: established/famous) unless ALL your actors are ACTRA. To do that would mean paying all our actors 5-6 times MORE than our crew for less hours, plus thousands of dollars in extra legal/admin/insurance/overtime fees that we can't afford. The more I research, the more I wonder 'how do they do it?' of other sub-$20k productions with name cast. Writing condensed/cheap roles for big-name actors is the easy part..the hard part is the cost of all the other (non-famous) actors...
I know there's certain exceptions and loopholes. I've worked with actors who have left/excused themselves from unions just to act on non-union shoots. I know in the US that some SAG actors have exemption from the usual rules. I know that musical performances are exempt, and then of course there are celebrities that aren't actually actors. Any other creative ideas or solutions for someone in my positions?
I would love to dedicate even 50% of my next budget to working with a name actor, but the extra ACTRA requirements would swallow any remaining dough, no matter how I calculate it. And while I respect the role of unions and understand the value of great talent, I can't bring myself to throw 100% of funding at actors who are then guaranteed post-launch profits while myself and my crew pick up any crumbs left months after release.
Last but not least, I can think of a number of Canadian films that claim to feature 'non-actors' or 'new actors' but at the same time include known celebrities (especially for native/Northern cinema where the actors are speaking regional dialects that professional actors wouldn't know). How do they get away with it?
Stories/words of wisdom greatly appreciated.
However, at least here in Canada where we have ACTRA (instead of SAG), you're not technically allowed to employ any ACTRA actor (read: established/famous) unless ALL your actors are ACTRA. To do that would mean paying all our actors 5-6 times MORE than our crew for less hours, plus thousands of dollars in extra legal/admin/insurance/overtime fees that we can't afford. The more I research, the more I wonder 'how do they do it?' of other sub-$20k productions with name cast. Writing condensed/cheap roles for big-name actors is the easy part..the hard part is the cost of all the other (non-famous) actors...
I know there's certain exceptions and loopholes. I've worked with actors who have left/excused themselves from unions just to act on non-union shoots. I know in the US that some SAG actors have exemption from the usual rules. I know that musical performances are exempt, and then of course there are celebrities that aren't actually actors. Any other creative ideas or solutions for someone in my positions?
I would love to dedicate even 50% of my next budget to working with a name actor, but the extra ACTRA requirements would swallow any remaining dough, no matter how I calculate it. And while I respect the role of unions and understand the value of great talent, I can't bring myself to throw 100% of funding at actors who are then guaranteed post-launch profits while myself and my crew pick up any crumbs left months after release.
Last but not least, I can think of a number of Canadian films that claim to feature 'non-actors' or 'new actors' but at the same time include known celebrities (especially for native/Northern cinema where the actors are speaking regional dialects that professional actors wouldn't know). How do they get away with it?
Stories/words of wisdom greatly appreciated.