Learning the differences between high quality, low budget and no budget actors is essential if you want to create a successful film. Any film maker should take their time when choosing actors for their project.
The Hollywood system has numerous similarities with a factory line. The studios are not in the business of making movies, they are in the business of making money and they need a guaranteed formula to make sure they turn a profit on each movie they release.
They have decided that big names sell tickets, and big names cost money, so big names will get hired, regardless of whether they are right for the part or not. After all, what’s important is that the studio can sell their movie to everyone and anyone; momentum is everything. Any producer worth their salt knows this doesn’t always produce the best results.
Of course there are exceptions; Tom Cruise has made many different movies and pulled off each role exceptionally well. But how many times have we seen Tom Hanks play essentially the same character? How many times has Sandra Bullock played essentially the same character? It’s because the studios know what sells.
Dedicated to helping quality actors, low budget actors, and no budget actors learn the difference.
The biggest question I get from actors asking for advice is “How do I know if I’m ever going to make it?”
I get this question from all actors at all levels of experience. Some are just starting out and haven’t landed their first paying gig, some are up and coming but can’t seem to land a regular paying job and some have been at it for years working regularly on local commercial gigs but don’t see the financial stability of moving to LA or NY even though they are “working” consistently.
The truth is you’ll never know until you try. But there are a few things you can look for in yourself that will help you decide whether or not its time to move on.
The biggest thing that separates high quality actors, low budget actors and no budget actors is their ability to push through adversity. Whether its the constant barrage of rejection or the inability to consistently land a good paying job, you have got to be able to push through all the negativity that comes with being an actor in order to make it.
There are many actors out there trying to make it. Some put in the time and effort required, some don’t. You can spot a no budget actor from a mile away. How? Well, No budget actors may have a ton of training and education, but they lack the essential quality that makes them stick out above the rest. No budget actors are people who never take advantage of any opportunity to grow their careers. No budget actors are people who don’t know how to stand out against the thousands of other people auditioning for the same role. A lot of actors go through years of training and classes, but never actually utilize what they learn. Like I said, you can spot a no budget actor from a mile away because they simply do not take advantage of opportunities to grow their career and get better as an actor.
On the other hand you have low budget actors or “Budget Actors”. Being a budget actor is not all bad. You can still become very successful with enough hard work and dedication, however you will have to work even harder than your competitors because you’re competing with high quality actors who learn quickly and excel at everything they do rather quickly because they stay open to learning new things and applying what they learn in order to become better.
These are
I have worked with many actors over the years. Some fantastic, some good, some bad, and a handful of really bad. Most actors want to be great. They want to be known as the best actor in their class, or the best actor in their area. Many actors don’t realize that there are levels to the acting game.
The first level is No Budget Actors. These are actors that do not charge to work on projects, or they are completely unaware of how much they should be charging for their services. They will typically work on anything just to get experience and build a resume. No budget actors can be good, but they can also be very bad if they’re not careful. They should always try to get paid at least something for their time and effort. Survival jobs are okay for a little while, but you never want to make it a long-term thing or your passion will fade quickly.
The next level is Low Budget Actors. These are actors that typically have an idea of what they should be getting paid on set of a production, but don’t know how to properly negotiate in order to get what they’re worth or what’s fair for their talent and experience level. A low budget actor will work on projects from $25 up to
I did a blog post last year about the differences between “good actors” and “bad actors.” I think I should have titled that blog post, “the differences between quality actors and low budget actors.” The reason I feel this way is because every actor out there has talent. It’s just that some are trained and some are not. And you can’t blame the ones that are not trained. How could they be trained when they don’t even know what training is?
One thing to understand is that acting training is not a one size fits all program. When someone takes acting lessons, they should be tailored to fit their acting needs. For example, a young actor might need help with memorization while an older actor might need help with character development. A comedian might need help with timing while a dramatic actress might just need help getting grounded in her body.
You also can’t expect to train all of your actors at once. You’re going to find that some actors will gravitate towards drama while others will gravitate towards comedy. This is okay, as long as you have enough time to work on all of your different types of actors. Just make sure you have enough time for each type of actor!
Casting Directors, Talent Agents and Producers are always looking for High Quality Actors to cast in their projects. These actors might not always be the biggest names in the business, but they do have a reputation for being great to work with, easy to direct and they are usually very talented actors as well. These actors understand how important it is to be professional on set, how important it is to get along with other cast members and crew, and they understand that getting the job done quickly and efficiently is a key component of success.
So what qualities make an actor High Quality? They are:
1. Professional – An actor who shows up on time, prepared, ready to work and gets along with everyone on set is considered High Quality by casting directors, talent agents and producers. This means showing up with all of your own wardrobe and appearing exactly as you did during your audition or callback. You should also bring all of your props (unless notified otherwise) and makeup (if needed) along with you to set. It’s a good idea to have your hair done before arriving on set as well.
2. Talented – A talented actor is one who can take direction well and can transform themselves into the character they are playing on screen. Being able to
I have been in the business of acting for almost a decade now. I have gone through various stages of acting and have shot with a plethora of actors. The first few years I would say that I was considered an amateur actor, but I really didn’t feel like one until the last couple of years when I started to work with other amateur actors and low budget actors.
The difference between an actor and a no budget actor is pretty straight forward, so lets start there. A no budget actor is all show and tell. They are very good at looking the part, but if you need them to deliver lines convincingly, don’t count on it. No budget actors may make great extras, they may even be in smaller roles, but they usually require more takes than professional actors because they just can’t pull it off.
Next we move onto amateur or low budget actors. These are your friends who are probably good at acting from time to time, but their skills can only go so far when you need the performance to be convincing. You may not even know what it is about them that doesn’t seem right or believable. It could be that the dialog doesn’t fit their character perfectly or maybe their delivery isn’t what it should be or perhaps their body
