Tuesday, January 6, 2015

Why I'm retiring...

While doing my first feature film, when many of you were playing in the sandbox and eating paste, I discovered a way to use the AVID to online our DAT and Nagra sound files.

The process was quickly adopted by pretty much everybody. I even went in to show the editors of SHOWGIRLS how to do it.

In the late 1990s, I went to Sundance and witnessed a demo of Sony's new Digital Betacam cameras. I immediately ran home to tell all of my friends that we could now make inexpensive feature films without any film.

Within a few years I had feature films, shot on video, airing on major broadcast networks.

After witnessing a demo of the RED camera at NAB, I knew that film was dead and that RED had something special.

After my friend secured one of the first RED cameras, we shot one of the first RED features to be commercially released.

Now, I'm not saying that I'm the only person who figures this stuff out. Clearly, everyone knew that RED was ushering in a new era of image acquisition. But, I'm always one who jumps on the far end of the curve. I believe that I am what they call an "early adopter".

Which is why I want to make the following announcement. After viewing the landscape, analyzing the marketplace and really looking inside and determining what interests me as a person and an artist, I've come to the following conclusion.

Leigh Scott isn't going to make movies anymore.

At least not in the traditional sense.

Everything is changing. The way movies are made. Audience attention spans. Economics. Formats. Delivery methods. You name it.

So the idea that the artists who make movies wouldn't change is simply ridiculous.

The earliest films were quite short because of technology. Edwin Porter's "The Great Train Robbery" was only twelve minutes long. As the technology expanded, filmmakers moved to mimic the other thing people were accustomed to sitting in a theater to watch; stage plays.

12 Minutes. Still longer than a youtube video


Movies ran roughly the same duration as stage plays until the advent of television. Then it became all about scheduling blocks and advertising space.

An episode of "Seinfeld" runs at twenty-two minutes for commercials, not because it's the optimum duration to tell a story.

The Greatest Character in the History of Television


I'm fascinated by the potential of audience interaction with the film and filmmakers. Not in some boring, Communist sense of "let's allow the audience to tweet the plot or ending", but by creating fan bases and allowing the audience to expand upon what the artist has created. I like the idea of blurring the lines between fact and reality. What's real and what isn't anymore? Do we know who people really are via social media? I mean, you don't really know who anyone is when you talk to them face to face, or share a bed with them (sorry, I couldn't resist) let alone in a few text messages and photos.

All exciting stuff.

Plus, there is a great potential now to mix and match various formats and styles. Music, visual effects, still photography, poetry, animation etc. All can be blended into narrative projects that bend genres and formats and can provide the audience and the creator with a better experience. 

So yes, as a filmmaker, the guy who writes, produces, edits, color corrects does audio etc. I'm pretty positive that "Extracurricular Activities" is the last traditional feature film that I will make. I've fought, for a long time, my own short attention span and desire to always be "making stuff". It's just too much and too exhausting to spend the time living in the same cycle. Raise money, make film, deal with nonsense, sell film, get ripped off, call lawyers. Rinse. Repeat. It's time to take what many may consider a personal weakness and turn it into a strength. To dive, full speed, into the future.

I'm going to stay involved with typical film projects in other capacities and I wouldn't be surprised if some of the future stuff "feels" like a traditional feature in many ways. But it can no longer be business as usual.

This industry is a dinosaur business. Full of tiny armed T-Rexes who can't reach their food. So they have to steal the food of others in order to survive. It's no place for people who actually care about their work, care about people and love what they do. And that's not the only reason. The business is just a part of it. The restrictions and expectations in general have become creatively stifling.

I'm a little, fast mammal. With big ideas and scary teeth and claws. Teeth and claws that I don't want to have to use all the freaking time. I've got some neat ideas and I hope I can get people as excited as I am about them.

Happy New Year!
Leigh Scott
Former Independent Filmmaker

Saturday, June 14, 2014

The Last Article You Will Ever Need to Read About Men and Women


When it comes to modern day relationships, people are unhappy. Scanning the social media feed, there are far more posts ranting and raving about the opposite sex than there are “wow, I love my husband of fifteen years” entries. I think I’ve figured out why. Why it is so treacherous these days for relationships to work and for people to find each other. 

Don't we all just want what Sandra and Ryan found in "The Proposal"?


My analysis comes not merely by reviewing my failures in this realm, but more importantly my successes. I'm also a patient listener with many friends of both sexes. I've examined their "wins" and "loses" too. Looking at just one side of that equation doesn’t yield a complete formula. Similarly, this article isn’t aimed at one sex or the other. It’s a global view that  hopefully everyone will find insightful and helpful. We are all “in this together” so writing something aimed at males or females exclusively seems counterproductive. Actually, those types of articles and advice are part of the problem as I will explain.

Two qualifiers. One, I am a romantic and an artist. So, while some of this seems dry and based on biology and sociology, I firmly believe in “outliers”. That’s why we have music, movies, and poetry. But, and this is a big “but”, one that Sir Mix-A-Lot would endorse; too many people attribute their absolute typicalness and banality to being unique and “special”. This, of course, is yet another problem as we will explore. Your story isn’t that special, or magic, or part of some Jane Austen novel if you can easily find a similar story, with similar circumstances on answers.com. We all desperately want to believe that our experiences are unique, and by definition since we are all individuals, they are. Yet, we are all slaves to biology and the society in which we were raised. So, we can only take the individual concept so far before patterns emerge, and things become quantifiable and predictable. 

Two, this is aimed solely at the heterosexual audience. However, I’m sure much of what I am saying will resonate with people in the LGBT community. We are examining global personality types that may shift in gender based on the circumstances and community, but are no less relevant.

Ok, we have males and females. Simple enough. Within those two groups we have four distinct personality types: Men, Women, Girls, and Boys. Let’s take a look at each shall we?

Men are natural leaders. The have a firm grasp of responsibility, morals and principles. They are actually the most emotional of the four groups, but know that they have to control the display of their emotions for the benefit of those they protect, support and inspire. Men build cities and empires. Men are intelligent and capable. They are forceful and unwavering in their convictions. Men are aggressive, competitive and often ruthless. Men love their mothers, but understand that in the natural flow of the world, their mother must eventually come second to their wives and girlfriends, especially in terms of taking advice, guidance and determining major life decisions.

He kills people for a living. Of course he's a Man.


Women are also natural leaders. Strong and confident with a good self-esteem and self-awareness. They have emotions, but are not emotional. They know how to organize and segment aspects of their lives to be efficient and care for the ones that they love. They are nurturers, be it with family, business, art or any other pursuit that they undertake. Like Men, they have an inherent lack of selflessness, being confident in themselves to constantly support and give to others.

Running an Empire. All in a Woman's day at the office.


Girls are natural followers. They are more concerned with themselves than anyone else. They often have self-esteem issues and focus on shallow and frivolous things like looks, money, status etc. They do not merely have emotions, they are emotional; they are slaves to their whims and the ever changing tides of life. They are unreliable and do not understand commitment. They rarely accomplish things because most things in life worth doing require a level of collaboration and selflessness of which, they are incapable. They engage in situational morality, making excuses for their actions rather than living by a code.

Yeah. You're super hot. Yawn.


Boys are the antithesis to Men. Selfish, frivolous and ignorant. Everything in the world is a playground to them, including people’s emotions, money and time. They are prone to exaggerate things in the course of all relationships; business and personal. They are overly emotional, wearing everything on their sleeves and broadcasting to the world all of their hardships and foibles. Most importantly, Boys consider themselves to be completely unaccountable for anything. The government, women, their friends, GMOS, the mailman etc. are more responsible than they are for their actions and issues. They are often close to their mothers (as they often lack strong male role models) and often defer decisions and parts of their relationships to their mothers rather than their spouses or significant others. They too are situational moralists and lack firm principles. They often decry competition and aggressiveness, pretending to be more laid back, zen or hippie. This, of course, is a rouse since they are completely selfish and lack real empathy. 

Feel free to print and use as a dartboard.


Simple enough. I’m sure everyone reading this chuckled and instantly thought of a person in their lives who perfectly fits these little groups. Of course, humans are not that easy, and many people have traits and quirks that overlap this oversimplification. But, for the purpose of this discussion, let’s assume that everyone eventually falls into one of these four categories based on their predominant characteristics.

The natural order of things is for Men to be with Women. This match up works professionally, sexually, emotionally and provides for the creation of things like art, families, businesses etc. The roles of Girls and Boys have traditionally been transitory. If a Girl wanted all of the things associated with partnering with a Man, they had to change their ways, mature and adapt. Similarly, if a Boy wanted to get laid or find a spouse, they would also have to evolve.

Society had been kinder to the Girls who never grew up than the Boys. We all have those older relatives, Spinsters and weird Uncles who never found love. The Spinsters often lived it up, and were involved in dead-end relationships like being a mistress to a married man etc. So at least they have experiences, if not good choices, to reflect upon. Those weird, lonely uncles who were always more concerned with building ships in a bottle or watching television than they were with finding a mate often led sad, unfulfilled lives.

"He's going to leave his wife. Any day now. I just know it!"


But social dynamics have changed. Rather than reflect the natural order of things, these societal pressures have worked against the natural order of things. A combined double whammy of misguided feminism and the “pick up” culture have, in economic language, distorted the marketplace.

Boys are not pressured to become Men anymore. In order to get the things that Men inherently want and need, Boys no longer need to “grow up”. In fact, Feminism has instructed everyone, that Men are a problem and that being a Man is not something to which one should aspire. This actually places a premium on Boy behavior, making them more socially desirable than Men to both Women and Girls. Further, the PUA (pick up artist) culture has taught these Boys how to convey the trappings of being a Man without actually being one so they can appeal better to the inherent, natural instincts of women. 

"Get a job? When I look THIS good? Whatever."


Feminism has also preached the “you can have it all” concept to females. And, this is true. You can. But it has seeded the misguided notion that you can achieve and possess all of these things without transitioning from a Girl to a Woman, or even worse, that Girls are Women. Which they clearly are not.

It would be easy to stop here and say “Women and Girls, stop dating Boys” or “Men stop dating Girls” and all would be better. But it’s not that simple. This perversion in the market has been going on long enough that it has caused other, more complex repercussions. On the show Mad Men actor Jon Hamm plays Don Draper. Don Draper is a Man. Up until the 80s, there were lots and lots of males who were not only Men, but looked like Jon Hamm. Not the case currently. Because it’s easier, and society not only allows but encourages males to remain in this wussified, selfish state, many males who are genetically good looking simply opt to remain Boys. And why wouldn’t they? 

They don't make them like they used to...


Now, many Girls and Women are forced to choose between the deeper, more compatible relationships with Men, and the physical attraction and biological urges associated with Boys. This is where the whole “Friendzone” dynamic enters the fray. It’s a curiosity of the modern era. That’s why there are no L.M. Montgomery books about a woman who traps a man in the “Friendzone”. Either the male characters are hideously undesirable on any level, unavailable, or the romantic foil. I suspect that if I asked most of my single, female friends about their ideal lifestyle they would give high marks to one where they had a close male friend who occupied the role of nurturer, supporter, provider and confidant and another who was a frivolous boy toy used for sex and recreation. It’s a curiosity of the female mindset that they will attempt to compensate in the men they deal with. If a male is both emotionally and sexually attractive, they call them a boyfriend. If a male is sexually attractive, yet lacking in terms of intellect or emotion...they call them boyfriend. If a male is emotionally attractive but not sexually, they call him a friend. 

"Sex was great. Go play while I read and call my Man friend for intellectually stimulating conversation."


Men traditionally never adopted this sort of dynamic, because our expectations and needs are biologically different. So, Men would often have both a Woman and Girl in their lives at the same time. One would be a wife, the other a mistress. We don't regulate sex, but ideally have sex with everyone. The movie Goodfellas demonstrates this perfectly. Ray Liotta has a Woman, his wife played by Lorraine Bracco, and a Girl, his mistress played by Debi Mazar. The Woman lies to the Feds for you. The Girl has sex with you on a table and helps you weigh your cocaine. When the hammer comes down, it’s the Woman who stands by your side while the Girl is long gone.

"Wait, you mean when the money is gone so are you?"

Of course, this sort of dynamic is dramatically unfair and not to be praised. But, the pendulum has swung so far in the opposite direction that Men have now taken to the completely unnatural act of "Friendzoning" Women.  Not Girls, Women. Since romantic advances from Men of success and power can now be interpreted as "predatory", most Men who encounter Women that they find attractive and of value often avoid making advances all together, especially in the workplace. It's seen as MORE respectful to avoid, what should be, a much higher compliment than merely supporting them and befriending them. Men never fear rejection, because, in our minds it's the female's "bad" if they aren't interested. But, the thought of having a tarnished reputation, conveying disrespect towards those we respect, or even legal liability is of concern.  In the past, this was a natural way for Men and Women to find each other and build relationships, through workplace environments and collaborative efforts. Now, the Boys have an advantage, as they are deemed by society as "harmless" in this context because they purposely lack power. Again, edge to the Boys in the dating arena. By vilifying Men in all sorts of ways, societal structures impede the precedent established by ten thousand years of evolution.

The pernicious cult of Boyhood permeates everything. Even when used for comedic effect, being an ignorant and frivolous Boy carries weight in our society. Take the show Parks and Recreation for example. On the show Ann (Rashida Jones) dated Andy (Chris Pratt). Ann is a Woman, Andy is a Boy. In the beginning episodes this relationship was played for comedic effect, demonstrating how ridiculous it was for a seemingly intelligent woman to be with a child. After they broke up however, the show focused on Ann’s difficulty in dating, while Andy found true love and a model relationship with a Girl, April (Aubrey Plaza). To the show’s credit, there were episodes where the issue of maturity was addressed. But still, making incredibly likable characters, who narratively find happiness superior to their more mature counterparts is rather nefarious.

"We can't feed ourselves, but we have LOVE."


The changes in culture and business landscapes have further convoluted the structure by allowing Boys to appear even more like Men. Just keep in mind, these lowered entry ways into culture and business allow real Men to build empires, not just a small sole proprietorship or allow them to be the proud owner of a business card. How many Boys have skateboard companies? Record labels? Film production deals? Again, in past social structures, these grown babies would have been eaten alive, but our culture places a premium on behavior that allows a thirty something year old man to skateboard to work. 

"I'm all for young at heart...but come on!"


Both Feminism and PUA culture were engineered by the weakest elements of society in an attempt to bring down the strongest. Feminists are just Girls who want what Women had without the effort and discipline. PUA culture is the same thing from the other side. “How can a socially inept douche pretend to be a player to get laid?” Unfortunately, the strongest of our society are forced to play by idiot rules because few of us have the courage, or lack of regard for personal reputation, to call them out on it.


Ah, yes. Alpha Males. I'm sure.


So, what is to be done? Everyone seems frustrated by a lack of maturity and accountability from the opposite sex. This is because society, and by default, all of us, have actually placed a premium on the very thing that stands between us and our happiness. Here are some simple suggestions:

First, know who YOU are. Accept it and deal with it. Don’t try and fit the description you aspire to, but really analyze yourself and act accordingly. Don’t put expectations on others without first placing them on yourself. Be confident and happy with who you are, or work to change. As I said, we are talking about transitory states. Everyone can evolve and undergo some level of self-improvement, just don’t be surprised if your relationship landscape changes as a result. If you are a Boy, becoming a Man will rule out many of the reasons people found you attractive in the first place, so you have to cultivate new, and superior attributes to attract members of the opposite sex. And don't act like a Girl and then be furious when a Man treats you as such. It goes with the turf. 

Second, know who you are dealing with. It’s very attractive to both Women and Girls to try and transition a Boy into a Man, but know that you are probably attempting the impossible. Not only is society against you, but there is a line of other, unenlightened Women and Girls waiting to give your special project a shot.  Identify the other person and their type and deal with it. Don’t treat Women like Girls and vice versa. Don’t treat Men like Boys and vice versa. 

There are benefits to dealing with all kinds of people. And it can be healthy, enriching and most of all, fun. Just don’t get carried away by not being honest about the other person or yourself. You will forever be disappointed if you expect your Boy to act like a Man. You are in for a world of hurt if you extend the level of intimacy, support, trust and respect that you would naturally give to a Woman, to a Girl. But treating a Boy like a Boy? Or a Girl like a Girl? All good. No worries. 

For Men? Never sacrifice a Woman for a Girl. To make yourself more attractive and have more fun, don’t take yourself as seriously. You know the stakes, you know what you’re all about and what is needed to kick the world’s ass, but just know that those traits are both intimidating and, in some circles, evil. Society is against you. But hey, you like a challenge. Fuck them.

For Women? Don’t be afraid of Men. It’s what you really want. Unlearn what you have learned from your peers, media and older women in your life. You don’t need to fabricate a Man in your own image like Dr. Frankenstein, there are plenty of them out there and they want you too. Play with the Boys when need be, but never choose a Boy over a Man. And never, ever, let a Boy shake your confidence or self-esteem. By definition, it’s about them, not you, in the first place.


"I work hard everyday on his self-improvement..with no results. Why?"


For Girls? Live it up while you are young. Take all of the things that you think you want while you can get them. But, seriously, you need to start cultivating the deeper aspects of your personality if you don’t want to end up alone. Because you will end up alone. It is the way of things. You are what we call in business a “depreciating asset”, so you need to find ways to raise your stock. If you find yourself lucky enough to actually snare a Man for a longer term commitment, YOU should find ways to change rather than lose him. And for the love of God and all things that are holy don't ever, ever try to make an actual Man change to meet your immature expectations. Every day that passes places you further and further away from ever finding long term happiness.


"2k an hour? I don't know, I can do a lot in an hour..."


For Boys? Grow the fuck up. You are what is wrong with the world right now. Everything negative in the world and this country can be traced back to your entitled, weak, wussy ass. It’s not about you. Grow a pair. Stop pretending that you’re cool when you’re not. You are fucking up the whole system. Stop being a Mama’s boy. Stop pretending that you compete with Men, because you don’t. You are frivolous and disposable. And while you may think that nothing is ever your fault, everything actually is. 

99.9% of people's "relationship problems" come down to simply not understanding what type the person sitting across the the table or lying in the bed really is.

So there you have it. A simple explanation of the current landscape and how to navigate it. Good luck and happy dating!


"Oh, did I hurt your feelings? Cry it out. Bitch."

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Leigh Scott on...Leigh Scott

I've gained a bit of a rep for striking back at people online who mock, talk trash, or are general trolls about my films and filmmaking skills. It's fun, funny, and slightly therapeutic. Additionally, my online antics have actually led to several online friendships and expanded my fan base. All in all, not a bad strategy and one that I do not regret.

An uber fan recently sent me a photo of himself posing with a DVD copy of every film I've ever made (he even had a German version of my first movie, BEACH HOUSE, which has never been released in the US). He asked me to sign a DVD, which I did, and then asked a simple question: "You don't really like all of your movies do you?".

Of course, he was responding to the fact that I've defended much of my work online. As a fan, and one of the few people who has seen them all, he can judge the strengths and weaknesses of the works, individually and as a whole.

So, here is my answer, no Todd, I don't like them all. Not in the least. If you comb through the IMDB and other assorted sites, you will see that I only defend certain films while I've never commented on others.

In watching Leigh Scott movies, you have to understand that I don't take everything very seriously. If you're watching something and it could either be a joke or simply a stupid mistake, it's probably a joke. I'm a big fan of Joss Wheedon and love inside humor. My first two movies were comedies. Of my past films, I'd say only two or three are deadly serious. The others should be viewed in an "Army of Darkness" sort of fun way.

So here are my thoughts, movie by movie. The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly.

THE GOOD


Art House
-My second film and an official selection of the US Comedy Arts Fest in Aspen, Colorado. Notable for its Adam Carolla cameo and hilarious performance by Chris Hardwick.

Frankenstein Reborn
-A well received and inventive film. Like all low-budget films, it has its flaws, but the acting is solid, effects are good and the story puts a modern spin on the old story. And, fyi, the drug and sex thing was a reference to Shelley's real life and the era in which she lived. They're not there just to get in some lesbianism and shocks.

The Beast of Bray Road
-It's a comedy. I was never happy that the film was re-edited to move around some of the deaths. I felt it worked better as more of a mystery that led up to a savage reign of terror. Jeff Denton is great in it.

Dracula's Curse
-A personal favorite. I love the complexity of the world and the colorful characters. Eliza Swenson, Rhett Giles, Sarah Hall and Tom Downey are great in it. Again, budget kills you, but you do your best. I just watched it the other day and I still enjoy it.

The 9/11 Commission Report
-One of my few "serious" films. It's slightly conservative bent turns some people off, but again, I'm very proud of it.

Chrome Angels
-You haven't seen it yet...but you will.

The Dunwich Horror
-Another film you will soon see on the Sci-fi channel, this one is tough. Lovecraft is a beast, and the purists are relentless. But, as with Frankenstein, you read the work and try to capture the "essence" of the story more than obsess about the details. The acting in this film rocks, and the cinematography and locations are a huge step up from my previous work.

Exorcism: The Possession Of Gail Bowers
-My cheapest film (budget wise) but one of the best. Simple, straightforward, and creepy. The 20 minute exorcism at the end was one of my favorite shooting experiences.

The Hitchhiker
-A dark, dark movie. I'm still not comfortable watching it. I guess that means I did a good job. Oh, and watch for the Jay Ferris death scene, one of the best effects EVAH.

THE BAD
Something got lost in the translation on these movies. They started off with good ideas....and then went somewhere else.

Transmorphers
-Call it Robot Wars, fix the CGI and fix the audio, then come talk to me. And hey, if it came out in 1987 I would have won an Oscar

Flu Bird Horror
-Well executed, but its just silly. It was a great experience making it though!

Dragon
-Needed more locations...and a decent Dragon. Eliza's witch character and Matt Wolf are great though...they just deserved a better movie.

THE UGLY

Ok, no excuses...I fucked up.

Hillside Cannibals
-What is this movie? Ok, I'll admit it, I was prepping Dracula's Curse and didn't really care. There really wasn't a script. We sort of made it up as we went along. I've never actually seen it all the way through. I didn't edit it and I feel asleep during the mix. Sorry. I know, I'm a schmuck.

Pirates of Treasure Island
-Ok, this one pissed me off. We started off making a "fun" pirate movie that slowly decended into comedy. The producers didn't watch the dailies until day 10 of 12. They called me and said "Oh, um, hey, this can't be a comedy...fix it!" Oh, and they wanted giant CGI bugs in the movie. I give up!!! One day I will find a way to release my edit of the COMEDY that we made so people can watch that instead of the bizzare, cheap, non-sensical film that you can rent today.

King of the Lost World
-So close, but so far.... This movie is sunk by more lame CGI and a script that alternates stupidity with boredom. A lot of fun making it though! And the actors really did try their best. It was just far too ambitious for the time constraints and budget (which could be said for a lot of these movies).

So, there you have it. My honest feelings about what I've done....Do you agree?

Friday, February 13, 2009

Hey, this guy proves my point!!!

Check out this video by a SAG actor...



This guy is the middle actor that I described in my prior post that details the three levels of actors in Hollywood. The point of his video is that the entire entertainment industry is moving towards the internet. Since the other guilds have allowed non-union work on "webisodes", he claims that webisode production has boomed as a way to avoid the guilds.

Maybe. But the internet is not a proven market. I was recently discussing a project that would be a web based series based on one of my films. The amount of money to do 20 3 minute webisodes did not translate to the amount of money we spend on Sci-fi channel originals and their ilk (about 20k per minute for network TV versus 3k per minute for the webisode). How can one define the cost of labor, or the value of the product when the marketplace has yet to shape up and define a profit? Making a webisode, of any budget is a huge, huge, risk. So to say that someone is getting ripped off here is pretty naive and myopic.

I don't blame the guy. This thought process, or lack thereof, is spreading around the country like wildfire. Look, he's an actor, not an accountant and certainly not an entrepreneur. He doesn't understand the business, nor the fundamental structure of capitalism and risk of investment. For many independent films and webisodes, the sad reality is that these union members who are bitching about their rates and residuals are the only people who DO get paid. The investors, producers, and other creative folks who pour much more time and effort into a project to make it happen often walk away with nothing. And sure, sometimes these films and shows hit the jackpot. Sometimes a bunch of kids from New Jersey make a movie in the 7-11 where they work for 20k and it makes 20 million. But those stories are needles in haystacks. More often than not, it's a couple hundred thousand dollars thrown down the money hole, with actors, grips, camera guys, prop guys etc. being the only ones to walk away with a few measly bucks. Trust me, I know. Before I got smart and sold out doing genre films I made two independent comedies that still haunt me to this day. I can't count the thousands of dollars and countless YEARS of my life spent with these projects. The net result for me was experience and a bit of exposure. But every actor, on both projects was paid at least SAG scale with their pension and welfare, OT, etc.

And here is the other dirty little secret the socialists and unionists don't want to tell you. What would happen if the unions did all go away? Would actors be paid like Walmart Employees? Well, if they we working for me, the answer would be yes. No, kidding. Here's what would happen, and I know this because I have real world experience to prove it.

Actors as a whole, on average, would be paid much less. But individual actors would be paid exponentially MORE. Why? Because right now there is no bottom line incentive for producers to hire no name actors and pay them any more than we have to. The buyers across the board don't really care who your cast is outside of the "names". We, as producers, feel like we are getting ripped off by having to pay someone to be the bartender $500 for eight hours of work to deliver two lines (and in many cases, producers ask us writers to cut out parts to save money, which creates EVEN FEWER ACTING ROLES). So, how good you are or how aggressive your agent or manager is becomes irrelevant. Unless you have a name, I'm paying you scale. BUT, if there was no scale, if I could pay people whatever I want (within federal and state minimum wage laws mind you), it would free up a ton of cash. We would have more parts and, if an actor that blew us away came in and we really like them, we would negotiate and pay them more to do the show. Remember, just because a breakdown says the pay is $25 a day doesn't mean you have to do it. I routinely turn down directing gigs because the money isn't what I want it to be. Should the Leigh Scott market enter a downturn, I would change my tune and work for less if I needed to.

What's more troubling about this video is the notion that somehow the unions "allowed" these productions to exist. Webisodes are booming because a lot of the other markets are drying up and people are looking to be the first to stake out some online real estate. They would exist regardless of what SAG, IATSE, WGA etc. say or want. The notion that one private entity can dictate terms to another private entity is un-American and wrong. I hire SAG actors because the name actors stand in solidarity with the union. There would be no other reason for me to deal with the incompetent and ineffectual organization known as the Screen Actors Guild without this caveat. Unless you are in a similar situation, or have a predisposition to support organized labor, the choice to go union or not should rest 100% in the hands of the people taking the financial risk.

Payment, residuals etc. must be based on the market and by determined by the people putting up the money. Period. After all, why stop at scale being $500/day? Why not make it $1000/day? Maybe $10,000/day? Hey, if the rates get good enough, a lot of us producers might just pack it in and become actors.

And when we all do, who's going to be left to produce the movies and cut the checks? This my friends, is the core principal of capitalism. THE FREE MARKET. It's what made our country great!

Sunday, February 1, 2009

Actors...Now is Your Chance!

The Screen Actor's Guild is in a bit of turmoil these days. They recently pulled some legislative maneuver to fire their chief negotiator. Additionally, I keep getting emails from different "factions" in the union. One is led by the guy who looks like Anthony LePaglia and the other is the bad guy from Highlander. Or at least I think that's how it shakes down. They might be on the same side. I don't know.

Problem is that the whole argument comes down to money. That's it. And that, my friends, is counter-intuitive to the hopes and dreams of individual actors.

Unions for creative things are a bit strange. The UAW, as an example, guarantees certain benefits for employees based on their job classification and experience. They know that the UAW isn't going to pay wild amounts for a single employee based on their performance. The employees are widgets. That's why it makes sense for them all to stand and negotiate together.

Actors, directors, and writers are different. While the WGA minimum for a screenplay may be 40k, many, many writers are paid hundreds of thousands of dollars for their scripts. It doesn't make much sense for the guy who writes Schindler's List to stand side by side with the guy who writes Sci-Fi channel movies. Ok, ok, I know all about the touchy feely concepts behind this, but in a pure economic sense the logic falls apart.

SAG was started in 1933 to combat the Studio System and protect the rights of actors. Back then, actors would sign contracts with the studios. There were no rules governing their hours, pay, conditions etc. For contract actors, the bulk of working actors at the time, it made sense to band together and fight for better pay and better conditions.

As time progressed, the studio system gave way to the system we have today. Agents and managers and casting directors now serve as the gateway between actors and their jobs. It's now a freelance system, and not a monolithic operation controlled by the five or six major studios.

I have lots of friends who are actors. They fall into three basic categories...

1)The waiter/waitress, bartender, editor, sales agent, temp, substitute teacher who books a handful of movies, shorts, and commercials each year.

2)The actor who makes a living doing commercials, guest spots, and bit player movie roles.

3)Actors with "name value" who never work for SAG scale. They do a variety of television and film jobs and make six or seven figures per year.

Now, groups 1 and 2 benefit greatly from SAG minimums and from residual payments. But group 1 can't make a living at it, so they end up, invariably working on non-union and freebie projects.

Group 3 isn't really effected by the SAG rules. They negotiate everything for themselves through their agents. They could care less what the "standard" rules are because they are above them.

So only Group 2 really lives and dies by what SAG does.

But, the huge majority of the 120,000 or so members of SAG are in Group 1. They pay dues, have a vote, and often loose out to work because they are SAG members (actors are terrified by SAG. I've never seen a group of people so afraid of something that exists to "help" them)

With all of this in mind, actors should band together to force their union to negotiate for things that will help them achieve their ultimate goal i.e. not working at PF Chang's. To do that, more actors need to move from category one to category two and three. But this is tough because the industry (despite the union) prevents much of this mobility due to its complex and nepotistic structure.

Here's what SAG can do to help actors get more jobs. THIS is what SAG should be doing, not threatening a work stoppage over DVD residuals (especially when DVD sales are down 30%!!!!)

1) All SAG signatories must submit casting data that shows a set amount of SAG auditions per role. This quota should be based on the number of roles and the budget of the films. This would ensure that casting directors aren't lazy and that producers and directors get to see more talent. I once did a show where the part was described as "Female. All ethnicities. 18-25, hot, slutty type. Quick wit. No nudity." After seeing about 20 actresses and unhappy with all of them, I asked the casting director to see more. She said that that was it. No one else responded to the breakdown!!!! Really? In LA? I see more than 20 at the bar on Friday night.

2)Cap the number of roles per show that can be cast from the same agent or manager. This stops "packaging" which provides for bad actors to get bigger roles because they know somebody at an agency. Again, this opens it up for more actors to get parts and get auditions.

3)Require SAG signatories to accept submissions from SAG members WITHOUT an agent or manager. Each SAG member has a number. This goes on the front of the envelope along with a description of the actor and the role that they are interested in. I can hear it now "That's chaos!" We will get millions of submissions. Not really. Let's go back to my hot chick example above. If there are 120,000 actors, maybe 30,000 think that they fit the part. Of the 30,000, 10-15,000 have representation already. Of the remaining actors, less than 10% have the resources and motivation to submit themselves so we are talking about 1,000 submissions per role, tops...Big deal. And think of all the jobs created. Extra casting assistants, more postal delivery, head shot photographers and printers. Damn, I just created more jobs than the Nancy Pelosi "stimulus" bill.

4)Create SAG training programs that are free to members. Why should producers go SAG? Well, because that's the only way to get "name" actors in your show. That's shitty. If I'm going to pay someone a minimum of 30/hr (and that's on low budget movies) they better know how to read a call sheet, show up on time, hit a mark, act to an eye line etc. If SAG actors represented a more technically proficient bunch, producers would feel like they are getting their monies worth. I hate to break it to you, but I've worked with many a non-SAG actor who smokes SAG actors. This is especially the case in regions outside Los Angeles.

5)Create tougher regulations to get into the union. There are simply too many SAG actors. Period. Do away with the voucher thing for extra work. Require three or four Taft-Hartleys, not one. BUT, do create a program where non-union days count towards your SAG card. Just like the other unions do. I know that a union editor has more experience than a non-union one. They have to put in the hours to get their card (unless the union pulls the unethical "show flip" thing, *cough, cough*). Actors, not so much. If you have to do five Asylum movies to get into SAG, you know you are serious and dedicated to the craft!

6)Adopt a residual system like the one musicians have through ASCAP and BMI. Instead of attacking just the studios and producers, lower the amounts, but spread the payments out over many people. If a restaurant or bar has a TV, they should pay $50/month to SAG. If a website, like Youtube, features SAG actors on its clips, they should pay a nominal fee. Sure, it's harder to monitor and collect, but it will translate to more fairness and more money at the end of the day.

All of the above would greatly help the rank and file actor. By changing the royalty structure, you will see more independent production and all actors will make more money. By opening the gates to more talent, the more talented actors will rise to the top which will create more compelling films and television shows. That in turn will create more demand for SAG programming, so reality shows can go back to their little hole in the ground. The onus for picking talent will once again rest with producers, casting directors, and directors and NOT agents, managers and PR people.

But, SAG really isn't interested in helping YOU. Everything I mentioned would make more work for them and casting directors. It would cost agents and managers a lot in lost revenue and diminished power. The only people who would really benefit are actors, directors and to a lesser degree producers.

Hmmmm. Makes you think. At the end of the day, who's side is SAG really on?

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

There's No Rhyme or Reason to Hollywood....

Let me spin for you a tale. Some may call it a cautionary tale. To do so, however, would place a moral judgment on individuals that I would not make. Instead, let's just call this story an example of the odd, bizarre, unpredictable and downright crazy world of the entertainment industry.

As many of you know, I made my first feature film when I was 22 years old. I graduated USC on May 6 and begin full prep on May 8th. The film was called BEACH HOUSE. It was a throwback to my second favorite genre of film: the John Hughes teen comedy. It was full of Star Wars references, hot girls, and heady comedy. Unfortunately, it was before its time. It was very glossy and high budget looking. Not good for the era of CLERKS and SWINGERS. The film went nowhere. It was an adventure in filmmaking, lawsuits, broken promises and dreams put on hold.

I've kept in touch with some of the cast. With the exception of Chris Hardwick and Brooke Langton, few of the actors found the success of which they all dreamed. It has taken me fifteen years to reach a level where I can live comfortably and call myself a filmmaker; not a bartender who has some great ideas, but an honest to god industry professional.

One of the actors who I would sporadically run into in Los Angeles was Kelli McCarty. She was Miss USA a few years before the shoot and was an exceptional actress. She is very attractive, smart, and had actual acting chops (which can tend to be a rarity in the low budget world). Although her part was small, working with her stuck with me. When I was casting for my second film ART HOUSE, I instantly offered her a part. She passed on the project.

A couple of years later she found her way into the bar I owned in Westwood. We had drinks, talked about the film and the industry in general. She stayed after closing to continue the chat and we parted with plans of meeting up again. We never did.

Kelli ended up with a recurring role on the soap opera Passions. A few years later I caught a late night Cinemax movie with her in it. They don't call it Skinimax for nothing if you know what I mean. I was a little bummed. In my mind, Kelli was a better actress than that. As I watch morons fumble through roles in big films, I am always amazed that my friends and occasional collaborators don't fare better.

Today, I was doing the rounds of movie and Hollywood gossip sites. The trailer for my film CHROME ANGELS was picked up and spread like a virus in Paris Hilton's panties. Low and behold, I found an article about Keli. She is now starring in Vivid Video's latest XXX feature film.

I said earlier that this isn't a post about morality. It's easy to assume that pornography is some final stop on the express train to nowhere. Is she into drugs? Has she gone crazy? Abusive boyfriend/husband? Is she broke? Those are the easy questions. I am not in a position to assume that any of them apply to this actress who crossed my path nearly fifteen years ago. Nor am I the type of person who sees pornography as evil or immoral. There are far more evil or immoral things done by people in our industry without ever taking their clothes off. Besides, there are far worse stories of sexuality in Hollywood that don't involve porn. My actor friend who slept with a casting director to get on a network show. An actress who gave a handjob to an AD to get her SAG card. Just because cameras aren't rolling doesn't mean it ain't dirty.

If this is what she wants to do, if this makes her happy, then so be it. As someone who enjoyed working with her and respected her work as an actress and comedienne, I wish her the best of luck. Sincerely.

The point is that this is a strange industry, a daunting career path. It is not for the squeamish. Choose your moves wisely. Who knows, both of the actresses that did accept roles in Art House (Rebecca McFarland and Amy Weber) have enjoyed rather successful careers. Was my little movie a turning point in their careers in some way? Would Kelli have ended up a WWE girl instead of Amy Weber? Would she have gotten a sitcom? Who knows?

I couldn't get to where I am without every success I've enjoyed and without every failure I've endured. That's life. That's show biz. The best we can all do is do what we think is right, follow our hearts, and have fun!

Monday, December 22, 2008

Japanese Key Art and the Dream of 3D


Just got an email from The Foywonder. I guess that the Asylum has ditched the idea of the 3D Transmorphers 2. That is a lump of coal in my Christmas stocking. Not only did the title have an awesome ring to it, but my heart raced with the thoughts of Z Bots reaching out of the screen and right at the audience. Oh well. Here's hoping that Transmorphers 3...D will be a reality.

On the Foywonder's blog you can see a selection of Asylum films and Sci-fi channel originals, Japanese style. American DVD marketing people just don't get it. Our entire entertainment culture is moving towards this international model. These DVD covers are not just appealing to Asian markets, but to everyone who grew up on MTV and graphic novels.

If only an American company were to make films that were marketed like this....hmmmm.