Richard,
After reading your post with interest I have to say I am inclined to agree on most of what you said, but then, and I hate crossing discussions here, but by your own merit you are bringing to the fold reality tv shows aren't professional, which I tend to agree, yet while you go on with passion regarding the stemming of freebie film-makers, not one word was said about the growing epidemic of crap cheap tv shows. Did everyone on "How do you solve a problem like Maria" get paid? No is the firm answer, it was all for exposure feeding the countries interest and bring even more cheap reality (or should I say freebie) television.
I think that was what Drew was trying to get across in his last post, though I could be wrong. But to blanket ban this culture of freebie films then you should include freebie tv also, and this is only my personal opinion here, but I feel the tv genre of free tv is far, far worse.
The argument here would be that it was a competition, and the prize of the role was the ultimate goal, but then with a free film the product is the ultimate goal. I would sanction free film over free tv any day of the week.
However, there are far too many film-makers filling their own pockets by producing free films and nothing else. Now? To make one or two then bringing in a budget is fair play and good luck to them, it's this popular commodity which needs trashing, but how to do it?
There's the closed shop that Alex mentioned, bring back union control but then only those who were fortunate to attend accredited film and acting schools like Rada, Lamda and the likes would get the work. Not everyone has the financial background to enrol in these schools, ok there're scholarships to be attained but then 8 times out of 10 the placement is given to the child/student whose family links would be of benefit to that establishment. You seem to forget how hard it was to get into Equity, you needed an armful of work under your belt which you could really only get through these schools unless you'd made a name on the variety circuit, but even that was tough because the general workload you needed was doubled and was generally frowned upon.
The USA was just as bad with the Screen Actors Guild, you couldn't get a job in the industry without professional working experience, and you couldn't get pro work experience without being a member to be able to get a job, it's a vicious circle. Most of the American stars we all know and love started out in Porn flicks because it was classed as pro work experience, some directors too, I won't mention names, but it's easy to figure out who starred in "The Italian Stallion", so to create a closed shop will only fuel more freebies in order to get the work experience needed to become a member.
Not that it really concerns the majority of us who are lucky to have experience to carry the card but think of all the genuinely talent youngsters that would never have the chance to shine, so for me that's not the answer.
I think the foolproof answer would be, if no contract is offered with at least a deferred payment then don't do it. These companies and film-makers should need to be registered with a full portfolio of their work, their should be a government legislation allowing on 4 maybe 5 films as "free from profit", and this should start from student level. I think the Kaibosh needs to be on the growing trend of Guerilla filming and these companies that run freebies again and again and again. That's what's ruining the business in my mind. I personally have never been involved with a film where I didn't get something, even if it was just expenses and each one held a contract.
I made my own which, by the way is still in production, I wanted to produce a film so badly as a showcase for the talent who couldn't get noticed because quite honestly Reality took over. The reason it's shelved is simply because I want a budget for it, and I want the guys involved to be paid, it'll take a major rewrite because filming started 3 years ago, if it takes another 10years I'll still make sure those involved then and in future will get something out of it, but that's just me.
If more was done to promote British Films, the low budget would be only low in comparison to the blockbusters and epics, but minimum wage would be in place, in an ideal world that is! Grants, industry loans and financial companies set in place from the government as they do in most other countries, ok there are a few UK grants for film-making, but have you tried to get one? Blood and stone spring to mind!
For now, a compulsory registry of film-makers and their work would be a good start, but please bear in mind, not all lowbies are a bad thing, some great films have been made on a shoestring with deferred monies in place, Halloween, Crocodile Dundee and Rocky to name but 3. Some of the actors in these films were paid upfront, some did it for nothing more than exposure but the majority got expenses only, then a small percentage of the profits.
Sorry this is so long, but there were so many issues running through this debate, there could be more positive moves to restrict these freebie tv and film projects but to stop them completely? We'd be cutting our noses off to spite our faces.
Thanks for reading
Kenny
