Larry Garrison - Breaking into Acting For Dummies

As an actor, you strive for speaking roles to have the ability to either get in the union or receive residuals for every time it’s shown as per union rules.

Films can go through as many as six stages of distribution, which we outline in the following list. Some films are designed specifically for distribution in the pay-per-view, television (often called a made-for-TV movie ), video and digital video disc (DVD) markets, or Internet streaming only.

Stage 1 — Initial release or first-run: The film appears in major movie theaters across the country. Studios often release a film near a major holiday weekend, such as the Memorial Day weekend, to take advantage of the holiday crowds to maximize profits.

Stage 2 — Secondary release or second-run: The film appears in smaller theaters.

Stage 3 — Overseas release: During a film’s first- or second-run, the studio may also release the film to overseas markets.

Stage 4 — Cable networks: When the film is no longer showing in theatres, it may be sold to a cable network.

Stage 5 — Rental: The film becomes available to rent on DVD.

Stage 6 — Television broadcast: The film may be sold and broadcast over one of the major television networks and streaming.

Right before a film appears in theaters, the film’s major actors often appear (at the studio’s expense) on local and national radio and television shows to promote the film. Studios also compile short previews, called trailers, to run before movies in theaters to generate interest in the upcoming film. Studios often make deals or tie-ins with book publishers, toy companies, and fast food restaurants. The book publishers sell a novelization of a screenplay, the toy companies sell action figures of the major characters, and the fast food restaurants give away plastic cups or toys related to a film. By licensing out a film’s characters, a studio can reduce its financial risk and earn back as much money as possible before a film is even released. Many actors may also earn extra money by licensing their likeness to action figures, comic books, or video games as part of any tie-ins that studios may have made with other companies.

By the time a film finally appears in the theaters, many of the actors could already be busy working on other projects.

Television shows follow a different distribution cycle from films. TV shows are usually broadcast once and then rerun one or more times. If a television show is popular, it may be sold into syndication, which means that it may be broadcast in a local or regional market. Each time a syndicated show appears on the air, the principal actors receive residuals.

Special distribution circumstances apply to theatrical productions as well. For example, if a stage play is particularly popular, it can run for several years, providing long-term employment for all the actors involved. During this time, the play may travel around the country or even the world.

In rare cases, a film may be shot, edited, and made ready for distribution only to find that the studio never releases it at all due to legal or other obscure reasons.

The real secret of show business is that nobody can predict the next blockbuster hit. Even the most experienced and talented directors and actors have had their share of horrendous flops in projects that initially looked like sure-fire hits. Likewise, every year an unknown actor or director suddenly breaks through with a blockbuster hit that nobody thought had much of a chance.

So when dealing with agents, casting directors, producers, managers, and other actors, always remember that no one knows for sure what will sell in the future. Everyone can give you advice and tips for succeeding as an actor, but nobody knows for sure who will succeed and who won’t. The actor rejected today may turn out to be the superstar of tomorrow. Don’t ever close any doors, because the person you antagonize today may be the one who might hire you tomorrow.

Chapter 3

IN THIS CHAPTER

Knowing who’s boss (the producer)

Knowing who’s boss on the set (the director)

Working with the writers

Getting in good with the casting directors

Realizing your agent’s role

Hiring other people to manage your life and your finances

Knowing your role as an actor

Utilizing unions

You may have heard the old saying: It’s not what you know; it’s who you know. Show business, like any business, depends on people.

This chapter introduces you to the different people in the world of show business and what they do so you can better understand how your own role as an actor fits into the chaotic world of show business.

Show business is full of great ideas, but nothing happens until a producer takes the initiative to turn a good idea into a finished product. Producers are responsible for guiding a project from a raw idea or script to a finished film, play, TV show, or commercial and often risk losing money or their reputation if the project never gets completed (or gets completed poorly). So the overriding goal of a producer is to create a quality product that’s both marketable and profitable as quickly and inexpensively as possible.

Basically, producers do the following:

Search for and obtain the rights to a story or script that has the potential to be both interesting and profitable.

Get money to finance the project. (The money can come from a studio, a production company, individual investors, the producer’s own bank account, or wherever the producer can get it.)

Hire a director and writer to work on the project.

With the help of a casting director, audition actors and ultimately suggest which actors to cast.

Oversee the filming, taping, or rehearsals of a film, TV show, play, or commercial.

Supervise the editing of the project.

Work with studios or distribution companies to market and distribute a project.