The Film Business is a DIY Business.
I really like guys and gals that believe in themselves and pursue their dreams… and do whatever it takes. I saw the film THE TOWN over the weekend. It’s another good example of Ben Affleck, a guy I’ve been a fan of since the first time I saw Good Will Hunting, and yes, I saw that film AFTER the Oscar win. Sure… Matt Damon was involved too, but I’m gonna reference Affleck based on the Directing he’s pulled off recently with Gone Baby Gone and The Town.
I’ve been on the Actor/Producer/Director/Screenwriter journey now about 10 “official” years. I’m also closing in on 30. I used to preach this make your own movie philosophy to my friends in Oklahoma when they said - “Andy, your just gonna be another fly on the wall in Hollywood.” Well - has it worked yet for me? In some capacity it has… but it’s definitely worked for Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, Vin Diesel, George Lucas, Christopher Nolan, Robert Rodriguez, and a lot more…
I like it when people become successful in Hollywood, I really do. With most of my recent work being in New Media and Web Series related productions, I really gotta hand it to Jesse Warren & Mark Gantt for their THE BANNEN WAY project. I remember first hearing about that show from Brian Hammers when it was only a trailer and a vision… I watched the trailer, checked out the web site, and thought to myself “Check out these guys!” - that being said I should have hit them up then and maybe I would have been “in” The Bannen Way hahaha.
Other notable new media projects from scratch were SAM HAS 7 FRIENDS from Big Fantastic; SATACRACY 88 from Brad Winderbaum, Marc Cittadino, Diahnna Baxter, and myself; AFTER JUDGMENT from Taryn O’Neill, Michael Davies Jr., and Stephanie Thorpe; and LONELYGIRL15 by Greg Goodfried and Miles Beckett.
I have had a lot of conversations over the recent years that I’ve been the one answering the all powerful “what should I do” question to other actors, directors, writers, about their own careers… well the only answer I can give is the one that I practice. Do It Yourself. I’m not saying everyone has the talent to write a good screenplay, or direct, or produce, or act even… they don’t… but since when has that stopped anyone from having a career in this town? It really just takes that belief in yourself that you CAN do this thing. Collaboration is key, become friends with people that want to be in all facets of this business, don’t just drink with the actors from acting class, or talk shit about Michael Bay with your fellow directing friends, or stay hidden away in your writing cave drinking bottles of wine and smoking joints. You have to network, know people in all areas of production! Some of my best friends are in Sound, Make Up, Hair, Cinematography, and Editing! I’m glad to be friends with them all, and I’m glad that when I have budgets I can pay my friends to work on movies, and I’m glad that when I don’t have budgets all my friends like to make movies still. It’s a collaborative art, even in the smallest of forms… and, by the way, if you need a good Cinematographer, Make Up Artist, Sound Guy, Hair Stylist, or other crew members, I know a lot of good ones!
I also recently had a discussion with another actor about talent agents. He and I both have had recent meetings with top agencies here, and we both didn’t get signed based on the “We can’t take on developing actors” clause. That basically means actors that aren’t working all the time. I laugh at this, because this basically means exactly what I’m saying… I have to get myself to this place before any of these big places are gonna help me. So I can go out there and book a few shows on my own, and THEN I can get signed, alright… I’m glad I can write and produce then, cause now I’m officially a working actor. It isn’t a walk in the park, the journey of a working actor… it takes more unpaid work to get paid work than any business I’ve ever witnessed in my life - probably a big reason why we ask for such big paychecks when we finally make it!
Luckily we live in a time now where it’s a lot easier to get ourselves out there than ever before! Keep at it! That’s what I believe. Keep the dream, it’s worked for people we love to watch, like Ben Affleck… and go see The Town, it’s a great film.
