No doubt that anyone in search of a film or TV career as an actor eventually gets tired of waiting for the right role, at the right time, with the right opportunity. Even many of my friends in Daytime TV with contracts eventually get tired of the day-to-day production schedule that does sacrifice quality for quantity. Many times, actors don’t get another ‘take’ to fine-tune their scene because the show must turn out a certain amount of episodes to remain profitable.
Here’s my point: no matter how successful you are, have been, or will become – it is human to always want something more, or something better. Many would kill for a contract role on a Daytime Serial, and those that have had them for 3 years or more often dream of getting into films where they can improve the quality of their performance and the power of their screen time.
Here’s the answer: make a film yourself. How? Funny you should ask – I went to college for TV production (but became an actor/business owner instead) and I when I found out about Dov Simen’s DVD course, I thought, “Ya right, like I am going to learn what I need to know to make a film from a DVD course.” Ladies and gentleman – I stand corrected.
You can thank me later, or actually thank Dov. No – I have no affiliation with him whatsoever and he has no idea who I am. But YES, I watched the DVD’s and I instantly realized that there is now no excuse. Every single thing you need to know, from buying film, to raising money, to directing, negotiating, to scripting is in this course. Check it out: www.webfilmschool.com
It is no surprise that this guy has taught many incredible filmmakers. Here is a quote from the site:
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Called the “Champion of Independent Filmmaking,” Dov’s Grads – which include the likes of Quentin Tarantino (“Reservoir Dogs,” “Kill Bill”), Chris Nolan (Director of “Batman Begins,” “Memento”), Guy Ritchie (“Snatch,” “Revolver”), Will Smith, Kirk Jones (Director of “Waking Ned Devine,” “Nanny McPhee”), Paul Brooks (Producer of “My Big Fat Greek Wedding,” “White Noise”), the makers of “The Blair Witch Project,” “The Matrix” trilogy and many others – have gone on to shoot, produce and direct films that have grossed over $8 BILLION at the box office.
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So there it is. So whether you are a soap star, or an aspiring actor – you now know where to find the information you need to make your own film. In the meantime, you can continue your auditions – but now you can create your own film, and hopefully a quality reel to come out of it.
One tip; the first thing you need to make a great film is an excellent script. Not a decent script. Not a good script. An excellent script – Dov will tell you that in the DVD. The other thing to consider is your budget. If you have none – you should look to shoot a one-location film, like a court drama or a horror film. That’s exactly why you see so many horrible horror films out there – because they are so cheap to make.
In fact, an acquaintance of mine just had a horror film release in Blockbuster last month. While it would be mean of me to name the film – let’s just say that if the horrid acting in that production can make it into Blockbuster = anything can. While I agree that sometimes performances are subjective – most of the cast in the film are friends and family with no training whatsoever, so you can draw your own conclusions as to the quality of acting in the project. It was done so/so on the production quality side, which is why it cleared the doorway. This is just one example of how making your own project and executing it effectively can further your career, without someone else casting you. Even Tom Selleck (Magnum P.I. for those of you that remember that far back!) has been making his own projects, now available at Blockbuster.
Blockbuster knows that even if a small percentage of people pull it off the shelf – it was so cheap to buy – they will make money no matter what. So imagine if you could pull of a film with great acting? One location, great script, script performers. I hope to see you on the shelf someday!
PS. the DVD set has almost tripled in price over the last 2 years – it’s not cheap, but why not go in on it with a friend or two and make it a cooperative production?
Thanks for stopping by!
Jason Small
Business Development Manager
Actor Artist Design, a division of Great Young Minds, LLC
*Jason has worked as an actor in New York City for seven years appearing on All My Children, As The World Turns, Guiding Light, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Good Morning America, at Radio City Music Hall, in the New York Fringe Festival, and in many more productions. He has more than 15 independent films to his credit, and has managed an acting studio for a celebrity in NYC, and served as Marketing Director for one of the top casting websites in the New York market. Jason owns and operates Great Young Minds, LLC, a graphic and web design company servicing the entertainment industry, with offices in New York City.
