When you first get here, you are like a puppy. Excited and happy about any opportunity you can get. Regardless of field...actor, writer, filmmaker...whatever. This enthusiasm is your suit of armor.
IF you become established, you now have become a professional. In this "business" it's cruel tightrope we all have to cross with friendships. Reason why a lot of people with divorced, abusive or non-present parents thrive here. They can move forward with no attachments.
That said, there are a few who attempt to manipulate you into their work. Specifically writers and directors. They are so focused on their "vision" they forget the people they are speaking to are working professionals. Big mistake. I've done it myself and feel embarrassed now the attempts I've made to get people to do things practically free. OR dangled a carrot in front of them only to pull the project to another facility that is cheaper. This dance has gone on for YEARS. Someone will always do it cheaper. If you ever wonder why named actors get chippy on set, it's because they know they can't be replaced. Named actors got the movie greenlit to begin with. They know it.
So, in my world, we play this shit all the time. I got called out on it, once. Because this place was in West Virginia.
It was for this creepy old abandoned carnival I wanted to film in. Asked him many questions, told him my budget was low. That's when he hit me with it...
"Why does everyone from Hollywood first say that they don't have any money?"
I got sick to my stomach. Laughed it off. And then...the reality hit...I am STILL that hustler who thinks their project is the first to attempt this. Not that this guy was savvy, but he wasn't a dummy. What he was essentially telling me is...my project was a piece of shit no one will want to watch. If real money people cared, there would be real money behind it (which isn't really the truth). I had to backpedal and think it through that even the most successful franchises cut the budget after the success of the first one. Doesn't make sense to you? It does if you think that they realize we'll go to a movie for the title alone "Friday The 13th" for example survives because of it. Budgets go down because producers know that it doesn't take much to get us to a theater if it's already established the first one was a hit. By the way, a few companies went under BECAUSE it started sinking more money into sequels. Cannon Group imploded for that very reason. Smarter than we realize.
Flash forward to yesterday where a guy had approached me about renting a camera. Same story: no money, desperate to get made. The earnestness was very familiar because it sounded like me. And it was embarrassing because I understood the ruse. Build to the person's ego, pretend to offer a deal, then whine about there isn't a budget. Send a script to entice the person to the project (camera rental places do these things). Then see how close to free you can get.
When you send a very generous compromise, there is radio silence. They are offended their genius project isn't seen as genius and certainly not one where vendors would throw the doors open for them. The reality soaks them. As does your disdain for strategy like this.
This is the dance that never ends. First you are the manipulator than people try to manipulate you.
This is also VERY true in business, specifically service driven business that require manpower and negotiating final bill. Why would Hollywood be any different?
This is especially grating to actors who will need to eventually live by the work they do. So tread wisely. Stand your ground if you can.
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