Actors.
I had a boss once who said all actors were prostitutes and that they were there to be mistreated. That it was then, when pushed, when they performed at their best. You can argue that’s why most of the bigger names will stick to the same directors more often than not.
That’s why directors are so important to getting cast for a big project. (Whatever your definition of “Big Project” is).
If you have a strong script that you fiercely believe in, if you have a good production team behind it and potential funding or at least sources, your first call should be to a director, not to cast. One will bring the other. Trust me. I’m living it now. If this happens to be YOUR directing gig and you’re not, let’s say, Bennett Miller, then your first job as director, before even pre-production is attaching the best name possible for your film. One that meets (sorry purists) artistic AND commercial viability to your project. That is the commitment one has to have with their work.
I’m going through this process now on our thriller as we changed directors, went with a “bigger name” director to attract talent and the talent we’re out to are still being tepid at best with their reaction. As a producer one asks then:
-Are we going to the wrong talent? (As in to big for our project)
-Is the script not as strong as we thought? (Coverage indicates otherwise)
-Is it a money thing? (It can be…)
-Is our director, though bigger, not big enough
-How patient is PATIENT?
Time is the real luxury in this town I must say. If you can afford time then persistence will pay off. A lot of people however, can’t afford it. We, we get by.
