I would like any actor who has done a student film and did not receive the a DVD to send me the name of the Uni/College plus the name of the director. I will start a data base of offenders and use it to build a campaign to get all teaching establishments to force their students to use Equity Guidelines. You can do this via Facebook, via this site, or e mail me on andrewmacbean@talktalk.net.
Come on - lets challenge this obscene practice! Contact me and spread the word to your mates.
Good work Andrew, you should not have to do it....but it's a very good idea!
I've always been led to believe there is supposed to be an Equity contract for student films...although I have never seen it or managed to find it? However, if there is one...surely there should be a paragraph protecting the actor against NOT getting his/her DVD?
If you do one of these films, and you are concerned, get the student director/producer to
a) sign a mini contract of your own confirming expenses and amounts agreed, if any etc
b) that you will receive your work/footage as soon as the film has been screened at the college, or within (agreed time scale) after the shoot.
You could also add in another clause:
Failure to provide footage shot or and edit of the footage, will result in a payment to the artiste named: of £75 per filming day on set....etc (it's very likley the student won't release any footage till the film has been screened)
Anyone not willing to sign such a simple document ....I would not touch the film with a barge pole!
Finally: If you are still having a struggle: Contact the college principle in good time ...def before the year finishes and the student buggers off in any case! Hassling the actual Principle always works I have found....trying to get hold of the student, or his/her mates, the college admin officer is not worth it....just hassle the principle and keep doing so till you get what was agreed. Keep a log of all calls and emails, and keep doing this every 3 days.....never let them off the hook, which is what I suspect most actors do in the end!
It's quite disgusting that we even have to think like this....and the blame is with the colleges for allowing it!
Hi Andrew,
I did a student film this winter for the uni film school in harrow.
Bloody snowing and they wanted me in just a tshirt no cup of tea or anything .
They said i would get some footage no matter what and after a couple of months of me nagging .
They emailed back saying they never used footage .
Name and Shame i say.
GOOD JOB MATEY.
Steve .
I would just like to say what a great experience I had on a Student film I recently did. I don't know if it's the same place as you Steve as it was in Harrow! But they treated us like the professionals that we are. Continuously asking if we needed anything.
Also I finished filming two weeks ago and they emailed me yesterday to let me kno how it's all going and that I'll have my DVD by June 11th! Less than 1 month!!!!
Just thought I'd share my experience as I always hear bad things about student films but these guys were absolutely brilliant! Very professional!
Hana
You just have to get a sense of what to expect at the audition I think. Ask them the questions you need answering, and always bear in mind, it's their first job a lot of the time!
I've not done too many of them, and usually they are fine, in fact, the students rely on you helping them along too. The trouble is you remember the really bad ones….like I went all the way to Finchley from Surrey, and nobody turned up to even do the audition I was booked in for….or the audition I went to Guildford for, only to find the audition was in London, but the "assistant" producer had forgotten to call me to let me know!! Etc etc.
As I say….I only do one or two….but try and gauge the general organisation level from the first call onwards! If I sense its going to be trouble…I walk away.
Also…always get a script first too….just in case your "main role integral to the film" ….is just one line!
13 years ago
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