Star Quality ?

As a guy who used to work in a video store - and who shall work in one again - I can tell you that it doesn't matter.

You simply do not need stars.

I'm going to share with you a dose of reality:

All males will rent something that has a sexi-sexi girl on the box. Doesn't matter if they know it's Cathy Zeta Jones or some chick that looks vaguely like her.

Your proposed film is, as you say, not mega budget - and if it's an indie, it's more than likely not even union. Forego the notion of paying some A- to B+ guy - or some has-been - to be in your flick, and just do it with who can do things right.

Right now, I'm in seriously considering mounting a feature. The plot is standard-issue Spam-in-a-House fare, but the film will - let's face it - be elevated above the cliches by what will be well-written dialogue, excellent shots, and an interesting look in regards to location (it helps to live near a national treasure - the Dunes National Lakeshore.

It will also feature what I feel will be the coolest and strangest villainous entity since The Creeper.

It will be INSANELY low budget, and we're planning on shooting Super 16.

The film, if we do what we need to do, will play like Brotherhood of the Wolf meets The Thing.

Not that there's an arctic outpost or a snarling French monster - but we're hoping to lay on the same kind of visual intensity and actiony stuff.

So - how should I cast this thing?

Well, me and my pal Jackie could take 100% of the nearly nonexistant budget and hire Olivier Gruner as the martial arts military hard-ass...

Or we can obtain - for free - the aid of my buddy Tomasz - who has a physique that makes women and men weep (for completely different reasons), a strong jaw, an intense gaze, and nine years of HAPKIDO.

No one knows Tomasz from anyone - but put him on the box throwing a heel kick - and he looks like the Baddest Man Alive.

So - onto the female lead.

Do we hire some model/actress who's only claim to fame was that she was in Maxim, hoping that in the eight months to a year it'll take for our flick to reach theaters (or vid shelves) she'll end up in some Neal Moritz-produced teen thing that makes fat cake and makes her a star so I can take advantage of the situation...?

Or do we get Jackie's sexi pub-crawl sidekick and my ridiculously attractive girlfriend to be in the thing?

No one knows who they are, but my girlfriend has eyes to make you cry, a perfect smile, and 34 D's.

Not to mention she was way into drama in school, and has sharp comic timing.

Jack's cutie looks like Nelly Furtado, is posessed of a devillish wit, a little hardbody, and a willingness to disrobe.

SO...what say we take the hunky guy and the two hotties for free, and spend the cake on making a creaturey creeture that freaks the holy fuck out of everyone who sees the flick, and on another 80 gig hard drive to store the digitized film, and on Bryce, Poser, Maya, and After Effects to do post with...?

So that when the flick hits, people say it's looks awesome and boasts a talented cast of newcomers...

Then you get more work...maybe some studio work...and eventually, you get the big names.

Sound good?

I was going to say something like "no you don't need them, there is talent waiting to be discovered anywhere"

But I think Jason got it all done in his post.

Two words for ye'.

EVIL.

DEAD.

The Raimi Camp put together a limited partnership in 1978 and raised $87,000 to begin photography.

They cast locally, for little money - and the two leads were friends that did it for nothing.

They didn't self-finance (and while I didn't want to get into particulars on the boards, neither will we), but they chose not to spend their budget on a special performance by some character actor or B type who would have asked for much money and special treatment - but would have offered not much in return.

Fact is, I'm going to go shoot on the side of a massive sea of sand dunes in the dead of winter. It should be pretty grueling.

There will be one Winnebago for all. The heat may work.

Were I to hire some name that would fit in my budget - he/she would want to be put up in a fine hotel (in this case, the swanky Indian Oak Inn - minutes away from the Dunes National Park), would want meals to be catered (and lemme' tell you, our catering will amount to buying Frank Castles by the sack), and make many inane requests to slow down filming.

Don't have the money, don't have the time. No pussies allowed.

Now - if some financier wanted to kick me nearly a quarter of a mil - with the stip that I hire on Joe Estevez and Dick Gabai, well, fine - but adhere to the budget, you know?

Hit the community theatrical productions...hang around after the shows and chat up the actors. These cats would likely sell their grandmothers adrenal gland to work on a film regardless of budget.

In my case the potential financier is me...and I would go the untapped talent route. Now, if your big break comes in the form of directing Lorenzo Lamas in Snakeeater 5...well, you might have to buckle a bit.

Better than 'good'.

I would also agree about going with unknowns. They will more than likely be more into the project and that helps keep the enthusiasm level up. If your actors are good and fit the part, then that is what is important. Remember that if they show a great quality in their acting, then they may get noticed from your film and get more work and eventually become stars. Then your film will have a star's name attached and you did not sacrifice the project's quality.

[quote]The Champions League WhickerMan:
OHHHHH...

Well, that pretty much changes your question.

I thought you were saying that as filmmakers, we had a choice.

If someone wanted to finance my movie and said to me, "I'm gonna' give you $300,000 - but you need to cast my close personal friend Lorenzo Lamas in the film."...

Then I'd say - "FAN-TAS-TIC!"

Then you get ahold of as many films as you can that feature Lorenzo, watch them all, and re-tool a role in your film to play to whatever strengths he has...

...or have him play a character he's never played before...

And if you're lucky, he'll get the best notices of his career when he dances with Uma Thurman at Jack Rabbit Slim's.

Take the negative and turn it into a positive. I'd give it a try.

Still, in the low budget arena - best to work with the unknowns, I'd reckon.

Because 50% of your budget entitles you to one week of Mickey Roarke - and we all deserve better than that.