...saw a casting call on another site looking for 1 x male and 1 x female to appear in new feature film next summer. sent my details etc. off and have received an email back saying that it was actually a raffle to win two roles in said film, and that the money from the raffle tickets (£9 each) will be used to finance a film being made by the same film-maker this summer. anyone can enter and you can enter as many times as you like, paying £9 for each entry obviously. shoot dates have yet to be finalised for 2008's film, but the winners will be 'housed and fed' for the duration of it. i would absolutely love to know what people think of this as i have very mixed feelings. i am guessing that the roles will be written around the winning people as they can have no idea how those people will act if the only method of 'audition' is via raffle. although i am sure it could be said that a) because the ad was on a casting website, only actors would apply, and b) that the company could monitor who they send details of how to apply for the raffle to, depending on the inital submissions, there is something i can't quite put my finger on here...so what do all you other lovelies think of this?
Hi
I posted something along these lines yesterday and just got a message from admin to say that they were both waiting for approval to post but that another post was put on and I was free to reply to that one.
I think this raffle idea is appalling. I looked at the site they told me to and I've never heard of this 'famous' actor! It's a way of getting a load of money for nothing and the chances are the parts are already cast - cynic? Moi? Realist maybe.
It's horrid and immoral I think.
There we are, rant over.
Cheers
I did actually email them back saying
Sorry, I'm a serious actress and a member of Equity so doing something like this is a bit galling - I think my career is worth something more than a chance in a prize draw.
Needless to say, I've not had a reply from that :-))
Whenever you see a casting like this you should immediately let your local Equity area organiser know about it.
It is not only dishonest but a case of someone scamming actors. This can never be allowed to happen.
Just like the film casting that sent out an 'INvestment Return' chart with an audition date saying 'If you invest £1500 you will get 3 mins of screen time...etc'.
Not acceptable!
I knew I could count on people here to have some sense...I didn't quite believe it either! I haven't trained and worked hard for years now to pay £9 to win a role in a raffle...utterly bizarre that people will do it too.
Did IQS plummet overnight? Do not go near it.....whoever thinks they can con professional grizzled actors does not know what they are talking about.....
I completley understand, a few people feel this way. On the other hand it is a great opportunity to work with an amazing man, it is completley non-profit all fundraising for the film.
ANyway, I wish you the best of luck with your career and sincerely apologise if we have caused you any offence.
Kindest Regards
So of course I replied (tongue in cheek) no problem and that if there were any roles up for the normal route of audition and that I'd be suitable for, to please get in touch.
Tee Hee - as if I would touch them with a barge pole!
Cheers
I think it's just a further refelection of where the industry is heading after the last 20 years. 'Acting', if you still want to call it that has gradually morphed into an 'unqualified' profession. Anyone can have a crack at it these days. Dizzy blonde with big boobs and a penchant for talking dirty ? Brad Pitt lookalike with a negative IQ score ? Doesnt matter, climb aboard, the gravy train is this way ->
All in all however, whilst people are still tuning in to reality trash week in week out how can we can complain ? We can't, it's just a sign of the times... and I don't think it matters how much we bleet about it either, fact is (fact here being viewing figures) we're now in the vast un-majority. Quality is giving way to disposable quantity. Just have to adapt and get on with it or move on elsewhere :/
It could all be coming to an end though as this info on the BBC news site says:
the [Italian] state broadcaster Rai has taken an unprecedented decision to scrap them [reality shows] from next year. It's a decision winning popular support.
Fingers crossed the majority of people will get totally fed up with them and then they can be relegated to the little specialist channels.
Cheers
I agree, I think thats definately a step in the right direction. But culturaly speaking, the difference between british and italian terrestrial television is vast. On top of which, if I remember rightly, minus cable/sky services Italians and in fact most europens still pick up a lot more channels than we do over here. I think its a great step, but in the face of things ultimately fruitless.
I remember when there was a surge in digital services and there were mumblings all around the industry about the extra workflow that would be available after having so many extra channels to fill. Utter hogwash, it never happened. Theyre full of repeats repeats upon repeats, or extras, hollyoaks uncut anyone ? Post big brother big brother perhaps ?
Companies answer to their shareholders ultimately. And this business along with the rest of the world is money driven. I think films/movies/television/media in general will always closely parrallel the way society and culture works and functions as closely as possible in order to remain appealing and relevant. Were living in a time of a huge media/digital revolution. The competition nowadays is even more fierce. There's a billion and one ways to spend our spare time these days, even for the lazy and people are increasingly more fickle and less patient. The fight to capture your attention is fierce. Keep costs low. Take less risks. It's unfortunately a rule that will always be at the forefront of peoples minds when they sit down to fill a broadcasting slot unless there's another gradual cultural change.
I'm not aiming this specifically at reality tv, just the general nature of almost all media consumption around us. Celebrity is appealing and the moneymakers are more than aware of that. Nowadays there's more and more ways for anyone to get a foot in the door regardless of training or not.
I'm not entirely cynical, I think theres still groundbreaking creation going on around us. I just think you have to dig a little harder in order to find it now because unlike the glorydays of 70's american cinema, it isnt exploding blatantly in front of our eyes anymore.
I've just had an email from the person setting this up asking for my CV and photo! Well, I thought I might as well and we'll see what happens. I'll keep people posted but, as it's an American production, the chances are that they'll be totally disappointed that I'm not a) young b) gorgeous and c) glamorous
Be interesting to see their response though :-))
I think we can all see the cult of celebrity alive and well both on television and in the theatre. Producers are more interested in selling tickets than maintaining a quality of service to audiences. The West End is full of cr@p celebrities taking lead roles ahead of trained actors and actresses. The only solace is that their understudies will be kept very busy!? Utterly terrible that things like thsi raffle are allowed to go ahead uncensured.
As a professional actress I was quite shocked and disappointed that a fellow actor/director would ask me to 'pay' in order to be considered for a role in one of your upcoming films. I have worked hard to get where I am today through my own ability as an actor and not through my wallet. I feel that this approach is one that shows no respect for hard working actors. Obviously I can see your reasons for doing it financially, but I ask you to think back to when you were a struggling actor/director and ask yourself how you would feel if someone totally disregarded your hard work and talent and instead asked for money.
Well, aside from the obvious problem of yet another moneymaking scam around actors, the fact that he's raffling a role for money should mean he's governed by laws concerning lotteries.
(remember those competitions on bags of crisps that say "no purchase necessary"? that's to stop them being governed by the same lawas, you can enter for free).
I'm no lawyer, (any on here would be very handy) but it might be a good way to shut this sort of thing down- I think lotteries are very closely regulated.
Also think the Dept. for Work and Pensions would be interested- not really an ethical way of selecting employees.
And finally- he didn't make it clear that's what the casting was for, so actors couldn't steer clear (initially) that's very poor advertising. Whoever put the casting up should be made aware, I'm sure they wouldn't want to be associated.
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