Acting : What would you give up for a Starring role in a film. by Marc Morgenstern

I personally wouldn't pay my way into a project for various reasons. It's a red flag that the production company doesn't have the funds to make the film in the first place as It tells me they are ill prepared for one (no Vitriol,no vitriol,no vitriol), of THE most basic element of film making .It's a flag that whoever has the funds to invest so as to acquire top billing, might be playing a lead role regardless of acting ability, in my eyes a sure way to deliver sub par performances and end product thereby jeopardizing the film's selling /distribution potential. It's another red flag that I was told 'The Role would be 'perfect' for me' seeing as we have never met before. It screams 'help me' . If I had a great idea for a film, I would first raise enough money to produce a teaser introducing a pivotal piece of dialogue (Look at the 3 minute examples for the 'Project greenlight' ). I'd make sure the talent was the BEST I could get to shoot it. I'd then take the trailer and create an indie go-go/Kickstarter buzz in order to create a shorter version of the scripted feature and from there, I'd enter it in to festivals in hopes of garnering interest and hopefully some funding for the feature. By that point I'd have Equipment and projected shoot dates and location examples along with budget plans so as best to be prepared for the inevitable questions of how much $ to produce the feature All that being said I don't know shit,I'm just an actor who looks for red flags before jumping into a project even if it's a paid one. All the best

Finding spare money is not easy especially in London where I live. If I had links to 15k to invest in a film witch I am acting in then yes I would definitely invest as long as I truly love the script and character I am playing ! Cheers Rosie

Personally for me to consider doing this, the script would have to be so awesome that I was convinced it would find a large audience or you would have to show some kind of distribution that is lined up or has a high likelihood of being lined up. e.g. if your last film got onto Netflix or screened at a big festival. I wouldn't want to pay $15,000 and then have the movie be seen by cast, crew, their families and a couple indie-film bloggers and that's it, know what I mean?!

I have to agree with Mark on this one. I think buying one's way into a role is the one of the worst things you can allow for quality of production. It's a sure fire way to get inexperienced actors and develop a sub-par film. I have had production companies ask me for money (in one way or another) and I turned around running and am very glad I did.

Determination goes a long way!

As an actor, I don't have $15 to throw around let alone 15k , haha. What would I do? Well first I'd make sure the script was something I loved, I'd look at past work of the crew, prod, and other cast if available. Then I'd work like crazy to develop character. But pay? No ☺

Not to be mean or anything, but I can into this business as an actor to earn money and not to pay for a role. I'm already putting enough money on the table for acting classes, travel to film shoots and a lot of other things, so I can actually get that role, that earns me money. Why would I pay for it? I agree with all other answers on here, that go into the "don't pay"-direction.

Not 15 grand but, if it was a part that I was really interested in, it was Union and if all other funds were raised, I might consider acting with a co-producing credit. My wife and I are writing a psycho-sexual thriller and plan to raise $ and produce in CT.

Never unless I were the executive producer with the power to hire my own director.

I don't know that I'd actually "pay to play" because it would seem the cast would consist of who had the funds much more than who had the talent to carry a film. I would, however, assist in fundraising for such a film and would draw on my extensive social media reach to help secure funding. I think talent should come first, though. It takes good actors, good crew, and a good script to make a good movie, not just someone with cash. That's just my opinion.

Well I agree with having to read the script first. As creator, writer, co-director and producer of a TV pilot currently doing the festival circuit, that was how I was able to lure well known TV and film actors to the project. I was also EP and they knew I had very little money to make the 30 min pilot, which is why they all agreed to do it for next to nothing. So 2/3 of my budget went into crew, post and food. I managed to get all my locations for FREE. I also play the main character, and it was a dream come true to see people you've admired as actors working because they believed in you and in the project. I have a lot of knowledge and experience with the casting process, having worked in casting for serveral years. I can attach name actors, as long as the project is SAG-AFTRA, and there is "some" real money on the table, with a director they trust. Any actor wouldn't only be stupid, but mainly desperate to give money without reading the killer script first. Even stupider if they didn't have a written agreement with terms an conditions.

I NEVER pay to act....I get paid...a lot! 15 films later and counting

For that amount I could produce my own project(s). There is value in every cast & crew member on a project. Asking anyone to fund the project besides the project owner or investors is devaluing their talents & abilities. Happy crew, happy cast, happy project.

I once had an audition for what turned out to a kickstarter campaign. This group of people were holding auditions for parts, when they hadn't even raised the money yet and said to me at the audition that of course I contributed that would show how serious I was about getting the film made and of course then I would probably get cast. They didn't tell me a dollar amount that they would appreciate but I left wondering, "well what would be acceptable to them? If I contribute $50 are they going to want more?" It made me feel really uncomfortable and left a terrible taste in my mouth. I will not go on anymore auditions for films that have yet to raise funds. If they were really serious filmmakers, they would know asking me to basically pay my own salary is unethical #1 and #2 rude, since I am an actress and probably having a hardtime making ends meet. As a matter of fact, at the time of the audition, I was homeless, so they are lucky I didn't punch them in the face.

I don't contribute to productions...I get paid SAG fees for being in them

Thank you Dan. A couple of times when I lived in Los Angeles I acted for free at the Globe Theatre and at the Callboard, but I certainly never paid for the privilege

Absolutely NOT.....

WOW! Great Question! I am an actor, and I'm essentially doing that right now only I'm putting everything together to make it happen myself. I absolutely would put that amount, IF and only IF the qualify of the production was up to par. Distribution was substantial, the other actors were more credited than myself and everybody involved was one step higher or more established in their career than me. And there was some potential opportunity to make back my money on the backend. I think the only way to be come a starring actor in a film is to have been a starring actor in a film. Great post!!!! : )

I won't. I may not have much work under my belt thus far but I want to be cast by the effort I put into an audition & the realism I hope to put into a character or how I fit what they look for.. not for how much I paid them. Someone once told me "never pay to be in a film.Be hired for you." A director/producer can cast me for me.. but I won't beg.