The Film Industry Thread

[sjankis630]

I have a question about the "industry." I had at one time come across a forum that was for the discussion of those people that star as extras in the movies. It was basically an indepth first person discussion of what these people's experiences were on a particular set. I don't remember what the name of the site was now, but what struck me was the following:
Essentially a lot of these people were not trying to break into the biz. They were trying to find an easy way to get some short term work and to complain/critique the food services and the condition of the facilities. These folks couldn't have cared less, on the whole, about the quality of the movie they were working on. Is this snobbishness an accurate example of what can go on in the movie business environment?
Again these people weren't ogres or anything, they just were extremely picky about the least important - i would think - parts of movie making.

[twodollars]

I think this is right place to ask this: Now that Cruise and Gibson have had meltdowns, who are the remaining A-List Actors and Actresses? By, A-List I mean Actors/Actresses who can still command top salaries and get their pet projects greenlit.

My List -
A-List Actors-
Johnny Depp
Brad Pitt
Tom Hanks

A-List Actresses-
Reese Witherspoon
Nicole Kidman

Are there any others?

[spider]

Extras don't give a shit about the movies they work on and it's not like they read the scripts or anything before taking the jobs. No one breaks into acting that way or even tries to. It's mostly retired folks, stay at home moms and students. They do care about being provided with food, water and shelter, talked to like grown adults and not being made to wear corsets for 800 million hours in a row. I don't know if I'd call that snobbishness exactly, more pragmatism.

[marywebgirl]

Jenna Fisher, aka Pam from "The Office," posted an excellent blog about being an actor, and this is what she had to say about being an extra:
Work as an extra. If you are new in town this is a very good way to learn how a movie or television set operates. I did this my first year and I'm glad I did. No one gets treated worse than an extra (or as they are called now, background artists) but since I went through it myself I know how to be gracious now that I'm more successful. It's a great boot camp. You learn the set terminology and etiquette from a safe distance. That way, when you book your first acting gig you will know what it means to "hit your mark" or how to clear for "second team". The top extras casting agency is Central Casting. If you work enough you can earn your SAG card. That's how I did it.

[Coffeecakes]

How would one go about becoming an assistant or working in a talent agency?

[FotoStoreSheila]

twodollars said:

I think this is right place to ask this: Now that Cruise and Gibson have had meltdowns, who are the remaining A-List Actors and Actresses? By, A-List I mean Actors/Actresses who can still command top salaries and get their pet projects greenlit.

My List -
A-List Actors-
Johnny Depp
Brad Pitt
Tom Hanks

A-List Actresses-
Reese Witherspoon
Nicole Kidman

Are there any others?

I would add both Jodie Foster and Julia Roberts even if the latter's popularity is waning. I would also add Russell Crowe and George Clooney.

[Deleted]

fotostoresheila said:

twodollars said:

I think this is right place to ask this: Now that Cruise and Gibson have had meltdowns, who are the remaining A-List Actors and Actresses? By, A-List I mean Actors/Actresses who can still command top salaries and get their pet projects greenlit.

My List -
A-List Actors-
Johnny Depp
Brad Pitt
Tom Hanks

A-List Actresses-
Reese Witherspoon
Nicole Kidman

Are there any others?

I would add both Jodie Foster and Julia Roberts even if the latter's popularity is waning. I would also add Russell Crowe and George Clooney.

Denzel Washington.

Morgan Freeman? maybe?

Will Smith??? perhaps?

[twodollars]

Definitely Denzel Washington and Will Smith and Julia Roberts and Jodie Foster. I am not sure about Russell Crowe and George Clooney. George definitely gets his pet projects greenlit, but can he command a big salary? And Russell gets a big salary, but has had his two pet projects cancelled (I believe)?

[heyalice]

Doesn't most of Brad Pitt's box office come from overseas rather than domestic?

[Deleted]

I was just thinking what an interesting concept it is to eliminate the writer from the artistic process. If we could just get rid of these actors and directors, maybe we've got something here.

I love this Griffin Mill.