What would you give to get a movie star in your tiny indie film?

A lung? A kidney? Your spleen? All the above?

As filmmakers we’re taught that if we can get a recognizable actor in our film, you’re basically guaranteed success.

Wrong!

This week I want to talk about casting big name actors in your small film:

• How casting movie stars works
• Why there are no movie stars in Wild Boys
• What should you do when casting your film?

Casting some big name isn’t the golden ticket we’re led to believe. But once you understand the process and the pitfalls of casting a big name in your film, you’ll be way better equipped to make the right casting call for your film.

Let’s roll.

How to get a movie star for your tiny indie film

Let’s put ourselves in the actor’s shoes for a minute. Why should they consider spending their valuable time on your little film?

There are three main reasons:

• Money
• Artistic merit
• Personal

Let’s throw money out the window for now. If you've got movie star money, you’re not making a tiny indie.

Artistic merit is a big bucket. It can be anything from an actor loving the story and their character, they’ve seen your previous work and want to work with you. Or they’re often typecast in a certain trope, and you’re offering a different artistic outlet. The value lies in what they get out of the experience as artists.

You and I know our films are precious little unicorns, but how do you get that across to an actor who receives 10s, maybe 100s of scripts and offers a month?

Standing out is difficult, and you need to be extremely specific about what you can offer that particular actor.

Lastly we have personal reasons. This is where relationships come in to play. If you know a big name actor who’s looking to do some scrappy little film, or is willing to help you out for a couple of days, that’s fantastic.

If you have these kinds of relationships, go for it. But make sure you keep your relationship front and center when making this ask. You don’t want to burn a bridge by putting them in an awkward position where they feel like they can’t say no.

The number one thing to keep in mind if you want to cast an actor who’s “out of your league” is to find a way to provide them value in the process.

We actually tried

We did. We sent an inquiry to the representatives of a known actor who lives in the area where we were going to film.

The way these things work, is you have a role you’d like to offer to an actor (no auditions at this level.) Rarely can you get in touch with the actor directly, so you go through their representatives, an agent or a manager. Most actors have one or both, and they are the gatekeepers you need to get past.

If you can’t convince the agent and/or manager this is a great project for their client, there’s a high likelihood the actor will never even hear about your film.

If you can get past this first layer, the project is shared with the actor, and they decide whether they’re interested. If they are, the real negotiations start and you have an actual chance of landing the actor in your movie.

The truth is 99% of projects don’t make it past the first barrier.

We had the same experience as so many other filmmakers when we reached out to this actor’s representatives. Dead silence. After a few follow-ups we decided to move on.

This is where the big problem with trying to cast a big actor in your film arises. It’s common practice to only offer a role to one actor at a time. You send your inquiry to the representatives, and it can take anywhere from weeks to months before you hear back. Once you do, you’re most likely going to get a no. So you move on to the next actor on your list of “most wanted actors” for your film, and the cycle starts over.

This spiral of rejection can stall a movie for years.

We knew getting someone known, that we had no previous relationship with to be in our movie was a long shot. So we planned as though it wouldn’t happen. The biggest danger you’re facing at this stage is letting your project stall and lose momentum.

Waiting for actors you’ll never get is a great strategy for not making your film.

Be realistic about what you can offer

Even thought the path to landing a major talent for your film is difficult, the potential upsides are definitely there. A known name can help you attract other kinds of talent, financial interests and most importantly fans. If you’re determined to go down this route, here are a few things to keep in mind.

• Make it about them: Don’t come at them with “I need this” or “I’m offering you the opportunity of a lifetime.” Be honest and realistic about what kind of value your project can give them. Do your research, and find actors who’s interests and values align with the project you’re making.
• Give them something different: instead of trying to land an A-lister, look for great actors in the shows and movies you watch who are underappreciated. Offering a lead role to someone who’s trapped in the supporting actor/best friend category, is way more likely to be successful than enticing someone who usually plays those parts.
• Get them involved: if you’re truly committed, consider presenting the actor with an offer to be more than just the face of your movie. A lot of actors love expanding their influence of the projects they take on. If you can bring an actor into the fold as a producer as well, you’re providing something valuable that can actually help them in their careers. Be careful though. Don’t give up creative control of your film, just to get someone to star in your picture. If you’re considering giving someone a producing role, make sure you’re aligned on what kind of film you’re making and what each person brings to the table.

Casting a big name actor in your indie film is not impossible, but the road to getting there is often long, frustrating and full of dead ends.

We ultimately chose to forego the route of hunting talent, in favor of actually getting our film made. It’s a decision I stand by completely and I’d do the same if I had a do-over.

You have to chose what’s right for your film. Just promise me you won’t let a rejection from some agent or manager prevent you from making your film.