Post by actors on May 23, 2003 22:42:46 GMT -5
Do not work with Renegade films based out of St Peteburg Florida
May 2003
The Light And Dark Sides Of Independent Film In Tampa Bay
"I saw your web site today" a whiney, hushed voice droned over the telephone, "and I'm a director that is interested in working with you guys. What do you have to bring to the table?"
The voice, from one director to another, was a deal in the making that was not meant to ever happen. As it turned out, the director making the call was a low rent horror film producer shopping for resources, and his target walked away after losing two naive, but talented, actresses to them. Today, after a couple of forgettable shorts and an unfinished vampire movie with all of the quality of watered down soft porn, this production company heads film festivals that feature the virtual bottom of the films produced in this market. It's a dump of independent film garbage.
"I will no longer work with either of them." The victimized director said about the two actresses, "They are damaged goods, and their careers have been tarnished from making bad films".
Harsh? Maybe not, as there are a lot of aspiring directors and independent film producers in this market who will do anything to make movies, but ultimately lack real talent. Undeterred, they resort to con tactics and exploit their talent in order to make "films that sell". In the process, they ruin the careers of the actors who are tricked into working with them. The independent actor who is serious about their acting career needs to evaluate each prospective project well before they type that cover letter and mail the so called casting director their head shot, especially since it seems to be the independent actors that audition the most for independent films.
The actor who wants to build, rather than undermine, their career needs to ask these three questions:
WHO are they?
Foremost, who are they associated with? Are they sponsored by unethical businesses and people? Are their backers into making porn? Are their people sleazy or unethical? You are who you associate with.
WHAT are they doing or plan to do?
Do they make lots of horror films? Do they plan on using things like nudity to sell their films? Are they going to exploit actors in order to make a film? Remember- look down the road. Just because a first project seems ok, future roles may be things that you may not normally go for. If they start making trashy films, you'll always be connected to their name because of that one film that you did long ago.
WHY are they making films?
If they are only doing it to make money, watch out.
The independent film company in question is more known for it's series of film festivals today than for doing films. Why are they doing this? Well, here's our take.
They are doing it to network in order to spread the cancer of exploitation into the Florida independent film market.
It makes sense business wise, but ultimately, this is not what the independent film industry in Florida needs. The real entertainment industry will never take independent film in Florida seriously if the only thing that it's known for is exploiting actresses and making horror films. Ironically, there is such a thing as a good horror film. We've just never seen one out of Florida, and 99% of the so called horror films out now exploit their talent in order to make a quick buck.
Fortunately, there are film companies out there that are doing the right thing. They are now forming alliances, and the serious actor only needs to take out the time and look for them to find them.
We here at Independent Acting just wish that the exploitive independent film companies <../features2/horror.html> would go away.
"Hey, if you're making soft porn, you need to call yourself a porn company and make whatever it is that you are making", the weary director stated, "You have no business claiming to be an independent film company, and you have no business trying to exploit real talent."
Actors, be careful out there. Actors, beware. If it's a film festival in the Tampa Bay area of Florida in the month of May, 2003, we recommend renting a video at Blockbuster and staying home. If you must go out, round up some friends and go see Matrix Reloaded. As for us, we will be wearing black armbands on that day as we stay away from the bottom feeder of independent film festivals. It's just not worth the professional risk, and our time is better spent doing anything else.
-The Editor
May 2003
The Light And Dark Sides Of Independent Film In Tampa Bay
"I saw your web site today" a whiney, hushed voice droned over the telephone, "and I'm a director that is interested in working with you guys. What do you have to bring to the table?"
The voice, from one director to another, was a deal in the making that was not meant to ever happen. As it turned out, the director making the call was a low rent horror film producer shopping for resources, and his target walked away after losing two naive, but talented, actresses to them. Today, after a couple of forgettable shorts and an unfinished vampire movie with all of the quality of watered down soft porn, this production company heads film festivals that feature the virtual bottom of the films produced in this market. It's a dump of independent film garbage.
"I will no longer work with either of them." The victimized director said about the two actresses, "They are damaged goods, and their careers have been tarnished from making bad films".
Harsh? Maybe not, as there are a lot of aspiring directors and independent film producers in this market who will do anything to make movies, but ultimately lack real talent. Undeterred, they resort to con tactics and exploit their talent in order to make "films that sell". In the process, they ruin the careers of the actors who are tricked into working with them. The independent actor who is serious about their acting career needs to evaluate each prospective project well before they type that cover letter and mail the so called casting director their head shot, especially since it seems to be the independent actors that audition the most for independent films.
The actor who wants to build, rather than undermine, their career needs to ask these three questions:
WHO are they?
Foremost, who are they associated with? Are they sponsored by unethical businesses and people? Are their backers into making porn? Are their people sleazy or unethical? You are who you associate with.
WHAT are they doing or plan to do?
Do they make lots of horror films? Do they plan on using things like nudity to sell their films? Are they going to exploit actors in order to make a film? Remember- look down the road. Just because a first project seems ok, future roles may be things that you may not normally go for. If they start making trashy films, you'll always be connected to their name because of that one film that you did long ago.
WHY are they making films?
If they are only doing it to make money, watch out.
The independent film company in question is more known for it's series of film festivals today than for doing films. Why are they doing this? Well, here's our take.
They are doing it to network in order to spread the cancer of exploitation into the Florida independent film market.
It makes sense business wise, but ultimately, this is not what the independent film industry in Florida needs. The real entertainment industry will never take independent film in Florida seriously if the only thing that it's known for is exploiting actresses and making horror films. Ironically, there is such a thing as a good horror film. We've just never seen one out of Florida, and 99% of the so called horror films out now exploit their talent in order to make a quick buck.
Fortunately, there are film companies out there that are doing the right thing. They are now forming alliances, and the serious actor only needs to take out the time and look for them to find them.
We here at Independent Acting just wish that the exploitive independent film companies <../features2/horror.html> would go away.
"Hey, if you're making soft porn, you need to call yourself a porn company and make whatever it is that you are making", the weary director stated, "You have no business claiming to be an independent film company, and you have no business trying to exploit real talent."
Actors, be careful out there. Actors, beware. If it's a film festival in the Tampa Bay area of Florida in the month of May, 2003, we recommend renting a video at Blockbuster and staying home. If you must go out, round up some friends and go see Matrix Reloaded. As for us, we will be wearing black armbands on that day as we stay away from the bottom feeder of independent film festivals. It's just not worth the professional risk, and our time is better spent doing anything else.
-The Editor
