a most unprofessional director/producer

Just a Warning

I have recently had the miss fortune to work with The Most Unprofessional Director I have ever found.

I admit it was not theater, but one has to eat.

My agent found me work with Emma Green for a film Leadfoot

My agent told me there woud be
1) contracts,but no payment if no sales
2) a costume department
3) a professional make up artist
4) propper support
5) a professional production and crew

what there was :
1) no contract ( I was doing it for the exposure any way)
2) I had to provide my own costume
3) I had to do my own makeup, with my own stuff, and do other people as well, again with my gear
4) no support, little help
5) times very loose, shots scheduled for 6.00 often did not start untill 9.00 or 10.00
6) Props were often not there, and had to be improvised

I have heard of other problems like members of the producton team getting "Sacked" and techies not getting paid for things like gear rental and stuff.

Jion Actors equity - it can make a differance or at least give some smarts - but like all things, it is always good experiance? (learnt the hardway !) In most cases they are here to day (grabbed the cash) and gone to your sorrow.

Get a new agent asap - if they are not prepared to do something about it - make them feel guilty, after all they are not doing it for nothing, you might get a gig to shut you up - or don't do anymore than you are doing now, accept and move on - if it was me I would ensure their names were burnt into my memory, because one day it may be turned around.
This is the nature of the biz and it is frought with users and abusers.

I hope you don't let it get at you - because they would have acheived more than their goals.

Joe McCabe

Good advice Joe,

But what exists for a techo, does Actors equity also look after techo's?

I have done a bit of pyro work for stage and theater, and some for Leadfoot, and I am one of the Techo's Mike is talking about, Emma has failed to pay for pyros I have used.

And I have to agree with Mike and I will never work with Emma again

Ta
Ron Birch

Hiya Ron,
Dan "revenge!!" Walls here. How are you? Well, I guess if you had a similar experience at the hands of Emma Greene as I did, not too well. I was in it for a brief period, but after turning up at the time designated for shooting (10pm on a Friday night), only to be called at 10:05 and told that I wouldn't be needed as they had 'fallen behind' whilst waiting at the Vic Park Hotel, stone cold sober in a suit, I got a bad feeling about the whole thing. THEN my next shoot was arranged for Kings Park at 9pm. By pure dumb luck (my favourite kind), I found out through another cast member that shooting had been cancelled that night. Emma never actually called and told me herself.
After further scheduling debacles, I told her that I was leaving for Melbourne in three weeks time, three weeks after the whole "movie" was supposed to have finished shooting in the first place. Nothing happened. So I told her I had to pull out, thank Christ. Of course Emma likes to say that she 'sacked' me and if that's how she recalls it, fine. At least I never actually had to appear in it. To be fair, she had a lot on her plate. Writing, producing, directing and starring in your own movie can be very time consuming. Just ask Yahoo Serious.

Pyro Ron

You need to call the Media, Entertainment & Arts Alliance (MEAA). They have a variety of unions for people involved in the entertainment and arts industries (even journalists, which shouldn't count as either!!!).
Good luck.

Melissa

"To be fair, she had a lot on her plate. Writing, producing, directing and starring in your own movie can be very time consuming."

Yes! Lets all be fair about this! Perhaps we could also be generous... I am not currently associated with Emma Green but have worked with her as a technician in the past - on more than one occassion.

Emma puts herself out there every time to offer opportunities for up and coming actors/practicianers often at great personal expense and hardship.

I don't know the full details of the complaints but can I just suggest that it isn't easy to produce theatre or film outside of the big funding. The fact that peopel like Emma continue to do so is an admirable thing in itself.

If you want professional treatment then go and work with a professional company. Chances are you can't until you've had a history of working on shows put up by hard slogging people like Emma Green.

Every opportunity contains risks. The adult world can be tough.

Can I humbly request that this personal demolition stops right now???

I get very cross when people say" If you want professional treatment go work for a professional company"
Professionalism should not be confined to the professional arena!!!
Everybody understands that things go wrong. It is an unavoidable fact of life. However if you can maintain a professional attitude towards both your work and your co-workers you will probably find that you won't get bagged out a public web site.
Hmmm... just my opinion
INDI

It seems to me, Malcolm, that you are accusing young Dan of not being qualified to judge the situation he found himself in and the person who put him in it. I would saying that being an awarding winning film maker; a writer, director and producer of a show that toured three cities in this wide brown land of ours and an actor of repute and experience puts him in the same boat as Emma in terms of "offering opportunities for up and coming actors/practicioners". He IS qualified to judge the professionalism of others, and I beleive well within his rights to do so given what he and others went through.

Also to quote you, no you DON'T know the full story, all you know is what Ron, Mike and Dan have told you. And while this may not be the proper forum for "personal demolition", don't we, unprofessional though we may be, have the right to know before we commit to a project if the person we are doing all this work for is going to endlessly mess us around and then stiff us on promises (small and large), particularly when our own money is involved?

Dear Leah,

You really must be reading between my lines to conclude that I was accusing anyone of anything. My point was that the arts world is a difficult one in which to prosper. And to make any progress we inevitably have to accept available opportunities often created by others of dubious or unknown credentials. Each of these opportunities involve risks.

I would guess that shooting a feature film on a shoestring budget is a major risk. I doubt that anyone would take on such a project expecting it to be an easy run. So we take on the opportunities with the risk. Sometimes the risk is inconvenience. Other times it is financial.

And yes, I've been there. Many, many times. And I know that Dan has too. But I think we need to be grateful even for dud opportunities - how else are we to make investments in our future professional practises? Some of my own biggest learning experiences have come from the worst experiences. And that hasn't stopped me putting myself on the line again and again often with the same people. I personally would hate to have to work with arts practitioners unprepared to take risks.

To survive in the arts we need to cultivate a certain generosity of spirit and move on from each gig enriched by skills and insights that often have very little to do with convenience or cash...

And now can I talk to you about Jesus...

Yours faithfully
Malcolm

Malcolm, I'd like you to talk to me about Jesus. In fact I'd like you to tell me all you know because I love really short conversations.

Dear Malcolm,
In the seemy and cruel "adult world" of performing arts, I tip my hat to those brave and devil-may-care souls who mount their own productions. But in this theatrical "adult world" of tough knocks and hard suprises, I beleive people have a right to know a little of what they can expect. Especially when they are also contributing THEIR time and talents to help realise a writer/directors vision.
I understand things don't always go smoothly, but as you can see from the people who bothered to post ( and I know of other disgruntled people involved in the project), there's a difference between logistical errors and unprofessionalism. And like Indi, I don't think you need to be paid or paying huge wads of cash to expect some professionalism and common freakin' courtesy. And slagging off actors involved in your past and present shows, also, isn't a very good idea.
Like you say, it's all a learning curve. Perhaps Emma, who is an extremely talented and dynamic person, could learn to show more consideration for those involved in her future endeavours.

I don’t know any of the players and what production this is about -but, attempting to read between the lines I get a feeling of ‘been there…’ Having run a number of tours and productions on a shoestring, while attempting to get up enough resources and performers to mount it, (Dan touched on it) honesty and attitude is what will pull IT off.
Most thespians I know, while they have to live, arenÂ’t just in it for how many greens they can get, although there are a few who leave me shivering, if you are up front and explain the situation they will be only too willing and you will receive handsomely - but if you have the arrogance to use, confuse and abuse those willing to put their heart into it for your ambitions - your a fool.
Sure you can excuse yourself because you have been overworked are super talented and a very nice person - don’t kid yourself! - this is only ego that allows you to think you are the end all and sum the of the total. watch out because you will have trouble with a capital ‘T’ and that won’t rhyme with ‘I’ but does stand for Idiot! not only to yourself but all associated with IT.
If you believe in a venture and that fire in the gut wants to achieve and succeed especially in this biz - "Get a Manager and stop handling yourself" - as ‘WEE’ Geordie Woods (a once famous performer cum stage manager) said to me once "Eeh kidaa if ya gaana waak doon waar road wi us, well what we are aboot 'n what coonts amounts 'ti 80% attitude ‘n falin alaang b’heend is experience ‘n aptitude in that order".
I know and sure, what would this black duck from behind the pro know - as I donÂ’t know much anyway and least of all anyone concerned, I should stay right out of it and go back to polishing my equipment, but being an idiot as well! - I could not help myself-sorry!

I only hope for everyone sakes that the film is a success and even for all who have been caught, it will lead to bigger and better things, even if it is only every time it is shown or a name comes up it will always remind you to ‘idiot check’ first next time.

Chookas

Joe McCabe


Melissa Merchant wrote:
-------------------------------
Pyro Ron

You need to call the Media, Entertainment & Arts Alliance (MEAA). They have a variety of unions for people involved in the entertainment and arts industries (even journalists, which shouldn't count as either!!!).
Good luck.

Melissa

Well.

Isn't this interesting.

I have a few words to say on this subject, having only recently discovered that whilst I was spending hours in the editing suite, (the movie's coming along extremely nicely, thank you for asking), those of us with far too much time on our hands were indulging in a prolonged discussion over the nature of my professionalism and personality.

To "Mike" (whose real name is not Mike, and who was foolish enough to make his identity clear in his spurious complaint), I am curious as to why you would choose the name on of a personal friend of mine, and someone who was happily and heavily involved in the shoot, to conceal your little bitch session with. If you haven't got the balls to sign your own name, preferring of course to manifest yourself as a friend to my face, then I suggest that you at least choose a psuedonym that is less unlikely. I also suggest that you save your complaints about contracts until the point where a contract becomes relevant, (which, if you knew anything at all about the industry, you would realise is not at this point in procceedings), as you will very soon discover that the contracts are being handled in the manner appropriate to this project. Had you been issued with a contract previous to now, you would have just talked yourself out of money which may later be forthcoming. And as for your complaints..well. Sorry. If you were so damn unsatisfied, why not walk?

To Dan. Well, at least you had the guts to use your own name. I will say this much. I am sorry that you felt you were so badly inconvenienced by something which happens on every film set everywhere around the world regardless of the budget, that you had to come onto this website and have a bitch about it. With regards to my supposedly slagging off people I have worked with, the only comments I have made about you, (as I am sure you have no alturistic concern other than your own person), the only remarks I have made were to the effect that you pulled out of the project three days before your first shoot. And that IS what occurred. I am also sorry that you felt the need to enlist the help of someone who knows only your side of the story to chuck in their two cents worth. Errm...Leah, is it?...have we met?..No?..didn't @!#$ think so. Jolly Good. Let's keep it that way.

And as for the complaints of Ron the Pyro person, speaking about proffesionalism???? Pardon my mirth. When someone who spent three quarters of an hour convincing me that he could achieve what I have since learnt is a very simple gunshot effect, and then couldn't produce the goods starts talking about proffesionalism, I think I have to allow myself a few moments of.."Excuse me?". Oh, and by the way, I suggest that anyone who wants to be plagued with demands for money in the early hours of the morning, when they have not replied to concerns regarding their inflated bill, go right ahead and work with this person.

As for the rest of you who have for some bizarre reason felt the need to throw in your opinions, might I reccomend that before you jump on here and start throwing words around with gay abandon, that you remember that you actually don't know what is being discussed. You weren't involved. You don't know me. You don't know anything about the project. End of story.

To Malcolm...well, it's nice to know that there are some people who present the same face in person as they actually wear the rest of the time. You're an honourable man, Malcolm, and I appreciate you saying what you think.

This last of all. The film is completed, and about to be released. Ninety percent of those involved can't wait to see it. The other ten percent..and I now know exactly who they are, thanks to their lack of even the most miniscule thread of tact or ability to make like they have tact...will not be receiving an invitation to the premiere. I'll think of you all while I'm watching the credits roll.

And while you're all wasting your time and energy complaining here, I've been busily writing my next feature and securing funding for it. Please don't expect an invitation to audition. If anyone has anything further to say, please do feel free to say it to my face. If you've got the balls. Oh, and before you think you have, please do go out and make a feature film in Perth on no budget. Otherwise, don't waste my @!#$ time.

Have a pleasant bitch session, won't you?

Emma Green

Well.

Isn't this interesting.

I have a few words to say on this subject, having only recently discovered that whilst I was spending hours in the editing suite, (the movie's coming along extremely nicely, thank you for asking), those of us with far too much time on our hands were indulging in a prolonged discussion over the nature of my professionalism and personality.

To "Mike" (whose real name is not Mike, and who was foolish enough to make his identity clear in his spurious complaint), I am curious as to why you would choose the name on of a personal friend of mine, and someone who was happily and heavily involved in the shoot, to conceal your little bitch session with. If you haven't got the balls to sign your own name, preferring of course to manifest yourself as a friend to my face, then I suggest that you at least choose a psuedonym that is less unlikely. I also suggest that you save your complaints about contracts until the point where a contract becomes relevant, (which, if you knew anything at all about the industry, you would realise is not at this point in procceedings), as you will very soon discover that the contracts are being handled in the manner appropriate to this project. Had you been issued with a contract previous to now, you would have just talked yourself out of money which may later be forthcoming. And as for your complaints..well. Sorry. If you were so damn unsatisfied, why not walk?

To Dan. Well, at least you had the guts to use your own name. I will say this much. I am sorry that you felt you were so badly inconvenienced by something which happens on every film set everywhere around the world regardless of the budget, that you had to come onto this website and have a bitch about it. With regards to my supposedly slagging off people I have worked with, the only comments I have made about you, (as I am sure you have no alturistic concern other than your own person), the only remarks I have made were to the effect that you pulled out of the project three days before your first shoot. And that IS what occurred. I am also sorry that you felt the need to enlist the help of someone who knows only your side of the story to chuck in their two cents worth. Errm...Leah, is it?...have we met?..No?..didn't @!#$ think so. Jolly Good. Let's keep it that way.

And as for the complaints of Ron the Pyro person, speaking about proffesionalism???? Pardon my mirth. When someone who spent three quarters of an hour convincing me that he could achieve what I have since learnt is a very simple gunshot effect, and then couldn't produce the goods starts talking about proffesionalism, I think I have to allow myself a few moments of.."Excuse me?". Oh, and by the way, I suggest that anyone who wants to be plagued with demands for money in the early hours of the morning, when they have not replied to concerns regarding their inflated bill, go right ahead and work with this person.

As for the rest of you who have for some bizarre reason felt the need to throw in your opinions, might I reccomend that before you jump on here and start throwing words around with gay abandon, that you remember that you actually don't know what is being discussed. You weren't involved. You don't know me. You don't know anything about the project. End of story.

To Malcolm...well, it's nice to know that there are some people who present the same face in person as they actually wear the rest of the time. You're an honourable man, Malcolm, and I appreciate you saying what you think.

This last of all. The film is completed, and about to be released. Ninety percent of those involved can't wait to see it. The other ten percent..and I now know exactly who they are, thanks to their lack of even the most miniscule thread of tact or ability to make like they have tact...will not be receiving an invitation to the premiere. I'll think of you all while I'm watching the credits roll.

And while you're all wasting your time and energy complaining here, I've been busily writing my next feature and securing funding for it. Please don't expect an invitation to audition. If anyone has anything further to say, please do feel free to say it to my face. If you've got the balls. Oh, and before you think you have, please do go out and make a feature film in Perth on no budget. Otherwise, don't waste my @!#$ time.

Have a pleasant bitch session, won't you?

Emma Green

Why don't you ALL stop this childish bitching session on air. This is meant to be a forum for the expression of views and ideas NOT a tit for tat. Conduct your private feuds where they should be, in private

oh, the voice of reason at last.......speaking at last as I am I would just like to add that Bedroom Farce closes at the Garrick on Saturday 28 October 2000 and if you hurry you might just be able to catch a glimpse of this incredibly funny play.

I of course am in it including Jarrad West, Sarah House, John Lobb, Max Harvey, Dale Watts, Peter Shaw and Fiona Forster, all of which are turning in amazing performances if I do say so myself.

come along for a giggle or an embarrasingly loud laugh whichever you prefer.

thank you

that is all