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| Topic: Rant - I Wish Clients would make their ruddy mind up! | ||
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| Not getting at agents or casting directors in this rant, just the clients. I attended a casting recently in Birmingham, for me, over a 200 mile trip. When I got there, I was told we would be paired up with another actor and become a father and son. The Dad was proud of his son, but one day, the son "comes out" to his dad. We acted it in two ways, one where dad was furious and another where he was more understanding. We weren't told what the product was due to commercial confidentiality. A few days later, I got a call and was told I was on a pencil. A few days later still, the dates were changed and my pencil still stood. I got an email on Tuesday from my agent stating I was still on a pencil but there was a re-write to the script and recalls are likely to be Friday. Obviously, I was quite optimistic and feeling hopeful. Today, another actor who I met at the original casting rang me to ask if I was going to London tomorrow. He had a call today, out of the blue for the recall tomorrow. Needless to say, I hadn't been contacted. I called my agent to ask what the state of play was, and was told, they've changed it to now to two young lads and not a father and son scenario. At the casting, there must have been 20 or 30 actors for the Dad role. It cost me alone £50 to go there and back, plus loss of earnings for taking time off from work. Why the heck can't they stick to their plans and stop treating actors like a piece of meat. They'd be the first to complain if we weren't professional and messed them about. I know the product now and if I wasn't a professional, it would be all over facebook by now. Grrr Ah, that's better. | ||
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| Reply #1 | |
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| Posted : 18/12/09 | |
| yeah its rotten innit something similar happened to me earlier on in the year, luckily i wasn't traveling so far to it. but it does give you a negative feeling towards the said product, every-time you see it in the supermarket it just reminds you of the wasted days etc. i think we just have to accept that casting directors may not make their minds up as quickly as we would like, and not all get back in touch to keep us informed. its just good that there are a few out there who do treat applicants with a "No thanks" instead of keeping them hooked on a "you're penciled in, we'll be in touch". but as its approaching 2010, i must say that even though its been a slack year for me (workwise) i have worked on some fantastic projects and some amazing companies/teams, i just wanna throw that out there (so i ain't all grumps over my career! haha). | |
| Reply #2 | |
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| Posted : 19/12/09 | |
| Pity this wasn't at the recall stage, of course, as you'd have been able to claim the £50 back you spent on travel to THAT one! | |
| Reply #3 | |
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| Posted : 20/12/09 | |
| I know, that's my point. There must have been twenty or thirty of us in the same boat, some who spent a lot more on me to get there, then the client moves the goal posts without a thought for anyone concerned. | |
| Reply #4 | |
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| Posted : 20/12/09 | |
| Sorry to hear about your experience Tim. Something similar happened to me earlier this year but it was an advert for Royal Bank of Scotland so I wasn't TOO surprised when it was postponed!! I think it just highlights the attitude that many clients have... that they are doing us a huge favour and we should be grateful for the opportunity (so much so we should be prepared to work for free too). That the travelling and auditions and working for peanuts is just part of the bohemian lifestyle of the actor. :) Well I am grateful when I get a role but still feel I deserve to be treated as you would any other service provider. | |
| Reply #5 | |
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| Posted : 20/12/09 | |
| I've had this happen on a few occasions. ("They want a Mum, not a Dad now" or, a great one I had a couple months back, just a couple of days before the shoot, "They're recasting the whole advert".) Pencils are just a tease! Oh, and there have been numerous jobs I've been on where the client is on set, making changes as we go! Gotta love this job! :) Merry Christmas to all, even (some) clients! | |
| Reply #6 | |
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| Posted : 23/12/09 | |
| I do often wonder whether the combined expenses of all the actors auditioning for a role exceed the payment that is on offer so making it that the profession as a whole actually loses money on each of those kinds of jobs? | |
| Reply #7 | |
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| Posted : 24/12/09 | |
| Not going to attempt to make you feel better but yeah that sucks I now what you mean I have attended so many castings and not got them and the money you spend getting there seems like dead money really! | |
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