The person who wrote the IMDB posting yesterday seems pretty upset at my response. Like I said before, I don't want to get into a debate. Both of us have our opinions. I believe "after further review," you should come up with your own. There are exceptions to every rule. Research and gut feelings are important.
I was accused of not posting his response. In my defense the Blogging Company hasn't notified me as of this morning. I saw his response posted on IMDB and have copied all but some self serving advertisements.
COPY
"I posted a response on Bob Cook's blog and just in case he doesn't post it, I will post it here for everyone to read and it is as follows: I'm the one that is being referenced in this blog, I posted the post on IMDB entitled Stop Working for Free. And I stand by that, all of you that say you want the credit on the resume well that in my opinion is just foolish. I don't care who you are, if you provide sweat equity then you need to be paid for your work period, and I do have to agree with Bob Cook on one point, Scam artist are Scam artist, I don't think that the word artist should be in the confines of the same sentence as scam or con, as ripping people off shouldn't be considered an art form. Bob made mention of SAG's contract well I for one do not care about SAG's contract allowing actors to work for free on a project under 40 minutes and under $50,000.00, point being I will never ask anyone to work for free period. My philosophy is if I can't raise the funds to pay everyone I need on my production, I had rather shelf the project until I can raise the funds to pay everyone period, everyone has to keep a roof over their head and everyone has to eat, and provide for themselves and family period."
My philosophy is if I can't raise the funds to pay everyone I need on my production, I had rather shelf the project until I can raise the funds to pay everyone period, everyone has to keep a roof over their head and everyone has to eat, and provide for themselves and family period. On my productions I will even pay the non-union extras $100.00 per day for a base of 8. When I say that there is no such thing as a no budget film that means somebody is getting paid, producer, director etc somebody is getting paid trust me, I guarantee it. The only one's not getting paid are those cast and crew members that agree to work for free, and that is something that no one should ever agree to period, if you want to provide your services for a cut rate that is fine but get paid something I'll say it again stop working for free.
MY RETORT
Again, I'm not disagreeing, I'm just stating if you do have an offer to work for free or feel the need --- make sure you think about it and/or research it first. If you can get a good paying gig without experience --- by all means, go for it. There's about ten years between MR. IMDB and myself and times are a changin' every year. We're both obviously passionate about the industry and both have our own practices and opinions. We're both published authors and producers. Experts? Probably not. But experienced players and teachers, agreed, we're both saying the same thing just a generation apart.
......and cut!
Monday, April 19, 2010
Sunday, April 18, 2010
IMDB Postings!
They've just raised the pricing on my IMDB-pro. An increase of twenty-five percent (25%) and they sent a notice that it's going to start being paid out of the credit card I have on file at Amazon. That's not the reason for this blog, I actually endorse IMDB-pro if you are in the business and need to reference actors and agents. It's also a good place to post pictures of your accomplishments and/or resume. One of the new perks is they allow up to one hundred pictures posted on your IMDB site. I've got to admit, I took advantage and it makes my site more impressive.
I also like to read the postings on the message boards. There's a job site posting where scam artists and wannabees hang out and bitch about the lack of work and beg for money to make a project. There was a posting today entitled "Stop working for free." He goes on to mention all the horror stories you can find when working for a copy, a meal, and a credit. I've been doing low budget a long time (26 years) and there are horror stories no matter what you're paid. On rare occasion the fee matches the headache. When I first started out in film I told a producer I would work for free. It was the only way to start to build up a resume. To his credit he did offer a nominal salary and to mine I saved him up to five times my salary during my term of employment. I eventually moved up and started receiving more per project and even a piece on the back end. Most people on IMDB frown on back end deals. I say, it all depends on the person you are making the deal with. If you can learn something or believe this person is trustworthy or you are passionate about the project do what you need to do. Scam artist are scam artists.
I've had a few people tell me they will work for free on my projects. They never have any credits or experience. I allow them a place where they believe they will gain experience. They work with someone who has experience and are not the front line person. If they are good they are offered a position or they can at least attach a distributed film to their resume. I believe this is a good practice. I've even had people that started out with my production team and when I went back to them a few years later their day rate had gone way up. Yes, you get what you pay for! But sometimes you can find a diamond in the rough. Talk to the producer or director and see if he's someone you want to work with. Find out the budget, is there money for you to at least make expenses.
If it wasn't okay to work for free, the Screen Actors Guild wouldn't have come up with the SAG contract allowing their actors to work in shorts under forty minutes with no pay if the production budget is under $50K. The actors make their own choice. If they like the role, they take it. They don't, they pass. It's the same for crew. No professional likes to work for free. It doesn't pay the bills. In most cases we've already been there and done that. Checks bounce too and most of us have had that happen in low budget films as well. Hell, I've had a producer of a major film bounce a check on me. When I think about it, I didn't really trust him and it was my fault because I wanted the credit for my resume.
The person on the IMDB posting made some comparisons to electricians, plumbers and other laborers working for a credit which was just stupid. It was like comparing a doctor handing you a bill for his fee after he saves your life when you have a heart attack in the stands at a baseball game or at a traffic accident. You either want to do it or you don't. It's your choice. Just make sure you're not exploited. Be smart, research the director, producer, production company and use an additional resource other than IMDB.
.....and cut!
I also like to read the postings on the message boards. There's a job site posting where scam artists and wannabees hang out and bitch about the lack of work and beg for money to make a project. There was a posting today entitled "Stop working for free." He goes on to mention all the horror stories you can find when working for a copy, a meal, and a credit. I've been doing low budget a long time (26 years) and there are horror stories no matter what you're paid. On rare occasion the fee matches the headache. When I first started out in film I told a producer I would work for free. It was the only way to start to build up a resume. To his credit he did offer a nominal salary and to mine I saved him up to five times my salary during my term of employment. I eventually moved up and started receiving more per project and even a piece on the back end. Most people on IMDB frown on back end deals. I say, it all depends on the person you are making the deal with. If you can learn something or believe this person is trustworthy or you are passionate about the project do what you need to do. Scam artist are scam artists.
I've had a few people tell me they will work for free on my projects. They never have any credits or experience. I allow them a place where they believe they will gain experience. They work with someone who has experience and are not the front line person. If they are good they are offered a position or they can at least attach a distributed film to their resume. I believe this is a good practice. I've even had people that started out with my production team and when I went back to them a few years later their day rate had gone way up. Yes, you get what you pay for! But sometimes you can find a diamond in the rough. Talk to the producer or director and see if he's someone you want to work with. Find out the budget, is there money for you to at least make expenses.
If it wasn't okay to work for free, the Screen Actors Guild wouldn't have come up with the SAG contract allowing their actors to work in shorts under forty minutes with no pay if the production budget is under $50K. The actors make their own choice. If they like the role, they take it. They don't, they pass. It's the same for crew. No professional likes to work for free. It doesn't pay the bills. In most cases we've already been there and done that. Checks bounce too and most of us have had that happen in low budget films as well. Hell, I've had a producer of a major film bounce a check on me. When I think about it, I didn't really trust him and it was my fault because I wanted the credit for my resume.
The person on the IMDB posting made some comparisons to electricians, plumbers and other laborers working for a credit which was just stupid. It was like comparing a doctor handing you a bill for his fee after he saves your life when you have a heart attack in the stands at a baseball game or at a traffic accident. You either want to do it or you don't. It's your choice. Just make sure you're not exploited. Be smart, research the director, producer, production company and use an additional resource other than IMDB.
.....and cut!
Monday, April 12, 2010
Sounds of Silence
Got a call from Los Angeles on Saturday from Greg Valtierra's wife, Anna. Greg was my first sound mixer at the B.C. Entertainment Group, Inc. and one of the producer's of my film "Blood, Sweat & Bullets." Anna told me Greg passed. Greg was eighty-eight. I worked with him for the first time twenty-three years ago on "Rock-A-Die Baby." He was a sound mixer that could hear grass grow. He will be missed by not only his wife and children but all production people that came in contact with him.
My fondest memory of Greg was his calm demeanor. We were in Colombia, South America in 1989 shooting an army commando film for a Cine Trust/Cine Colombia production company. One morning the Cartel blew up the bank across the street from our hotel. Greg was a producer for Cine Colombia. I ran and banged on his hotel room door frantic. He answered and quietly listened as I ranted about the bank blowing up down the block. Greg looked at me and smiled, "It's okay, Bob," he said, "it wasn't our bank." He had that way of keeping a level head no matter what the problem. I learned a lot from him.
In addition to my films and films from his native Colombia, he worked on "Funny Lady," Hot Lead and Cold Feet" and "Disney's: Wonderful World of Color."
At the end of the titles of my early films it's Greg's voice who says "It's a wrap! It's a wrap!
My fondest memory of Greg was his calm demeanor. We were in Colombia, South America in 1989 shooting an army commando film for a Cine Trust/Cine Colombia production company. One morning the Cartel blew up the bank across the street from our hotel. Greg was a producer for Cine Colombia. I ran and banged on his hotel room door frantic. He answered and quietly listened as I ranted about the bank blowing up down the block. Greg looked at me and smiled, "It's okay, Bob," he said, "it wasn't our bank." He had that way of keeping a level head no matter what the problem. I learned a lot from him.
In addition to my films and films from his native Colombia, he worked on "Funny Lady," Hot Lead and Cold Feet" and "Disney's: Wonderful World of Color."
At the end of the titles of my early films it's Greg's voice who says "It's a wrap! It's a wrap!
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