I was about to purchase the webinar about securing A list talent for your projects. Is there really a certain strategy you can that will guarantee you access to A list talent?
Filmmaking / Directing : Securing A list taletn by John Watson
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The decision on whether or not to take the webinar is a personal one. IMO, the teacher's experience appears to be limited to higher budget films. If you're planning on shooting low micro-budgets, you could probably do just as well going through a Casting Director that your target actors/agents know and respect. A secret strategy? Nope. But don't start the process until you have a definite start date for the actor, a great script/role for them, and a fat bank account to meet their escrow/advance payment demand. But let's be honest, unless you're a name producer/director with an enviable track record, you won't even get an A-lister's agent on the phone. If you do, first question will be "Is your movie financed?"
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This is were personal contacts really pays off. I have about half a dozen working actor's personal phone numbers and they all will speak with me and at my age, most of the actors I've known haves passed on. The few contacts I still have, I guard religiously. The upshot is that you must reach out and make the personal contacts. Filmmaking is a very small tight knit community. The internet just ain't gonna cut it.
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Only way to attract A-List talent: Have undeniably strong material, have a filmmaker attached, and have a preliminary schedule and some money to offer. Even well-known actors will do a small film on a SAG Ultra-Low contract if the required days are minimal and you can offer even $100/day plus pay into SAG P&H.
The first two questions you will be asked by reps (and going Manager before Agent is advisable) is what's the schedule and what's the budget?
Good luck with your project.
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Moonlight didnt have an A List cast but every adult actor in the movie is a rising Star.
The script is your bait. You gotta write something that Actors and Producers want to do. They have to believe in you!
Reservoir Dogs, a cheap indie movie with 1 known actor- Harvey Keitel. Tarantino was a nobody then.
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Just like almost anything in life, there are no guarantees.
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Nope. The best connections are usually made through personal contact. For one, they no longer think you are a stalker, creep, or nut case - unless you prove them otherwise. Six degrees of separation. That's a strategy you can use that may not cost you any more than a cup of coffee or their favorite cocktail. A-List people love 'free shit' - they expect it all the time. ;)