Persuading the Actors/Actresses

So now I have literally the biggest stars in the world interested in my film, so I am trying to PERSUADE them to do it by making it sound fun! I am studying each actor/actress and learning about their personalities/likes/dislikes/who they like to work with/what music they listen to, etc. and I am trying to sort of give them little perks that they might want...

I hope this works... I mean, if you are a superstar, wouldn't you want to do a film because it sounded like fun? If you could do any film for tons of money and you just didn't care, wouldn't you want to do a cool, fun film and enjoy it, and enjoy working with cool beautiful actors/actresses?

That's the way you should do, learn their personalities and morph them with your idea. Change some pieces if needed. Good luck ;) I hope I'l be able to say one thay that we posted on same board. :)

p.s. You stll didn't posted synopsis or something =\

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Originally Posted by OliX

That's the way you should do, learn their personalities and morph them with your idea. Change some pieces if needed. Good luck ;) I hope I'l be able to say one thay that we posted on same board. :)

p.s. You stll didn't posted synopsis or something =\

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Oh yes, I totally agree, I always tell them that they can change some pieces and change their lines or improvise, change the scenes...

Well it's a romance, kind of a dark romance. I think it might be sort of a chick flick, but maybe we can put in some more macho stuff!! HAH! I did put in a car chase though...

Just curious, but are you compromising your artistic intergrity and simply pandering to the likes of a well known celebrities just to have a 'name' in your film? I understand changing lines but changing scenes?

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Originally Posted by Toe Cutter

Just curious, but are you compromising your artistic intergrity and simply pandering to the likes of a well known celebrities just to have a 'name' in your film? I understand changing lines but changing scenes?

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A screenplay is not a novel though...it's simply a blueprint..or less then that...a newspaper...things change day to day or hour to hour on set in the hands of a director. A writer has ZERO power unless they are the actual director. So one can't look at a script as if it's "perfect"...it's part of a process and the final process is what is on screen not the page.

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Originally Posted by MistressJennifer

I hope this works... I mean, if you are a superstar, wouldn't you want to do a film because it sounded like fun? If you could do any film for tons of money and you just didn't care, wouldn't you want to do a cool, fun film and enjoy it, and enjoy working with cool beautiful actors/actresses?

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Yes and no..."fun" films rarely are fun for an audience. The chemistry actors have with one another and their director is what counts. Their are hundreds of films that should have worked based on their fun factor...the material has to be fun in the sense that it's both a challenge and something that could highlight either their talent or their untapped abilities.

Though few actors take such chances these days.

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Originally Posted by Toe Cutter

Just curious, but are you compromising your artistic intergrity and simply pandering to the likes of a well known celebrities just to have a 'name' in your film? I understand changing lines but changing scenes?

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Well I don't mind if they change it. I think it would be better if it were more spontaneous and natural. I want it to seem as if the actors are really saying the lines. It's almost impossible to do that, unless they improvise a bit. A lot of films do that.

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Originally Posted by Tequila Zaire

A screenplay is not a novel though...it's simply a blueprint..or less then that...a newspaper...things change day to day or hour to hour on set in the hands of a director. A writer has ZERO power unless they are the actual director. So one can't look at a script as if it's "perfect"...it's part of a process and the final process is what is on screen not the page.

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OH I totally agree. Did you know that in "Casablanca" they changed the script every day, and they had, what, about three different endings...I think they shot two different endings, and then tested the ending in front of an audience... But Casablanca was really up in the air, and none of the actors really knew what was going on. It's amazing that it came out so well.

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Originally Posted by Tequila Zaire

Yes and no..."fun" films rarely are fun for an audience. The chemistry actors have with one another and their director is what counts. Their are hundreds of films that should have worked based on their fun factor...the material has to be fun in the sense that it's both a challenge and something that could highlight either their talent or their untapped abilities.

Though few actors take such chances these days.

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Oh and I agree about the chemistry... The male and female lead chemistry is SO important in this film, that's why I am paying so much attention to the actors and actresses... It's funny though, a couple can have great chemistry on screen in one film, and then they do another film together, and there is not the same chemistry... SO what can you do??

Also, I have noticed that you can't be too NICE or gushy like a fan when you talk to their agents. I think it is a fine line, maybe it is OK to say that you loved them in their recent film, but anything more would be too much. I think...

But it's a fine line. I always try to be really polite, informative, to the point and NAME DROP < NAME DROP NAME DROP

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Originally Posted by MistressJennifer

OH I totally agree. Did you know that in "Casablanca" they changed the script every day, and they had, what, about three different endings...I think they shot two different endings, and then tested the ending in front of an audience... But Casablanca was really up in the air, and none of the actors really knew what was going on. It's amazing that it came out so well.

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Plus it was director Michael Curtiz's 60th(?) film at that point. So in the hands of a seasoned pro a script is but a guide. Plus you have a film with talent that is nothing short of legendary...you just don't have that today. It's not even sentimentality either...actors simply don't act like that anymore. This is the pre 50's acting revolution with guys liek Brando and James Dean leading the way and directors like Nicholas Ray, Elia Kazan, and Sam Fuller just bringing a whole new style of film to the screen. It's why Casablanca is such a gem...it's a product of it's own time in an era when the world was in the middle of the most brutal conflict it's ever fought. It's aged surprisingly well and it can be said it's due to the ending...I think that style of film is around but it's never quite as well handled. Though it's to be expected...what director working today has done 60 + films?

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Originally Posted by MistressJennifer

But it's a fine line. I always try to be really polite, informative, to the point and NAME DROP < NAME DROP NAME DROP

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True...many forget that name dropping can open far more doors than brutaly honest hard work. It's very much like riding on someones credibility and standing...if they will do business then you must be worth talking too. Too many forget that.

Big names get attention to a project and can turn it from a small little affair to a big time beast. It's not a formula for a winning film by any means since no names can and do surprise while big names crash and burn with great work and a great film (this summers B.O. Bomb Cinderella Man for example).

Getting the film made is only half the fun these days...the other is marketing the thing. You take each step and challenge as it comes though...hope you get the names you want or at least the talent needed to pull off your idea.

Today I am sending my song to this superstar actress for her to sing in the film. This is a perfect song for her voice, a Celtic ballad... She already has the script, but maybe she will fall in love with the song! Everyone loves this song! I could see this song being sort of the "theme song" for the film, even doing different instrumental version of it during the film...

Also, the actor for the male lead that I want is a HUGE David Bowie fan, (ME TOO!) so I just suggested that he pick out his favorite David Bowie songs to play in his nightclub scenes in the film, and even maybe have a David Bowie theme room or bar in "his" nightclub.... SO we will see if all this works!!! I think it's a nice idea at least.

OH, also one of the reasons I want them to improvise the script is just in case they hate it!! HAH!!! So if they hate the script, maybe they can improvise or say their own lines!!! It's worth a try. But really, if they hate the script, there is not a whole lot that I can do.... I am doing the best that I can!