Do I tend to overthink things in filmmaking?

[Ryan Elder]

There is one script I wanted to direct, where the it's a kidnapping hostage type thriller, and the whole story is set in a hideout. However, since I haven't been able to find a location owner that is okay with shooting an entire script there, I was advised to just look for an abandoned building, that no one owns, and just shoot there.

But I haven't been able to find any. I was told I was not looking hard enough, but does anyone have any advice, on where to most likely find abandoned buildings, that would be free to shoot in possibly?

[Brian Drysdale]

Estate agents have all kinds of property.

I don't think there's such a thing as an abandoned building that no one owns. There are usually buildings that are sale for redevelopment, again estate agents usually know.

The local film commission may have a list of properties that are available as locations.

[Greg Miller]

I think Brian is correct. Even if a building appears to be "abandoned" (i.e. nobody presently living there or otherwise using it) it still belongs to someone. If the owner stops paying real estate tax, the municipality may take ownership (but it does not become ownerless). The municipality may then try to rehab it and resell it, or sell it really cheap (to a new owner who optimistically wants to rehab it), or they may just demolish it (to remove the eyesore) and turn that land parcel into a community park. But some person or legal entity will own it.

I can't help thinking about insurance and liability issues. If I abandon a house and board it up to keep squatters out, I might also stop paying insurance. If you are then using it for a shoot, and someone is hurt, will you sue me? If your lighting burns down the house, will I sue you? Therefore, would I let you use it for a shoot? Not likely. And BTW if a building is truly abandoned, most likely the utilities are turned off. No electricity, no plumbing (no restrooms), no heat, etc. But plenty of rodents.

[Pete Cofrancesco]

Abandon buildings. What could go wrong? I'm sure we'll find out.

[Ryan Elder]

Yeah that's true, about using an empty building, good points.

Another thing I am thinking about is being told to hire much more experienced actors... There are directors who have directed non-actors successfully in movies before, such as in the movies El Mariachi, and The Battle of Algiers, where it seems that a lot of the actors are non-actors.

How did those directors do a good job of getting good performances out of them, if they had very little acting experience, if anyone knows more about that?

[Greg Miller]

Originally Posted by Ryan Elder

How did those directors do a good job of getting good performances out of them, if they had very little acting experience?

Perhaps they were good directors.

[Ryan Elder]

So when others tell me to hire good actors, maybe it's something I need to do compared to other directors who are able to turn non-actors into good actors?

Plus another thing is, when you listen to what Robert Rodriguez has to say, he didn't have the luxury, of having to shoot for 12 hour days to keep making the peformances better. He had to work on an extremely tight schedule, with very few takes, so I am wondering how do you do that and still get good performances, if he was in the same boat as me and could not shoot for long days like that?

[Josh Bass]

If you read the whole book I swear he also says he made a movie a day, every day of his life, since he was about 12, learned to edit by dubbing between two vcrs. Have you made a movie every day of your life since you were 12?

[Ryan Elder]

No I haven't done that so I will have to learn to direct non-actors differently than him of course. However, I don't recall him ever talking about how he gets the performances out, as he always seemed to talk about all the technical side of things more so, rather than the drama.

[Josh Bass]

I haven't seen El Mariachi in a long long time but I don't think it's known for particularly great acting. Maybe serviceable or barely serviceable at best.

My point was you were asking about tight schedules...he had like 10+ years of daily filmmaking to teach him about what shots he needs, what works, what doesn't, etc. which probably enabled him to shoot that fast.

[Ryan Elder]

Yeah actually my friend said he couldn't stand the acting in the movie and it ruined it for him and I myself never thought the acting was that great. However, the movie was a cult classic, so it must have had something in it, that caused the audience to overlook the acting?

But there is also The Battle of Algiers, where the acting I didn't think was that good, accept for the one actor who is a real actor... but that movie also became a huge hit, inspite of such mediocre or less acting.

[Josh Bass]

I don't know about Algiers, haven't seen it, but again, in Rodriguez's book he talks about how despite his movie being a scrappy low budget affair, it blew anything Spanish language distributors had seen at that time out of the water especially given the budget, cause THOSE movies were even crappier. And then went on to festival success for whatever reason. But remember, that was also early or mid 90s. The standard's kinda higher now.

[Ryan Elder]

Oh okay. So I guess in this day and age, I really have to sell a movie I make on the acting and drama, because there isn't really much to sell it on otherwise?

[Paul R Johnson]

The awards ceremonies when we had them always had categories for best new actor/actress, so you'd get somebody green but capable do a brilliant job. You can have terrible actors who have worked solidly for years out acted by younger people with no formal training. Some people can act in real life. The blaggers. Those people who go to an interview and act the part of the brilliant talented person with bags of skill and experience. They get the job because they have acting ability. The skilled, experienced and probably talented failed interviewee lost their job because they couldn't act! The story is everything. Was Arnold Schwarzenegger ever a brilliant actor? No. How about Anthony Hopkins? Some are obvious, some are not. Hugh Lawrie is one of the really good word who nobody notices. He played for us Brits, a comedy character in Black Adder, yet many Americans don't even know he's British. I just discovered Brigit Jones is not English. Clearly, she's a good actress!

Are you in a position to hire people? This involves money. You never seem to have any?

Months ago I suggested doing a skills audit. You avoided it. You still blast on with your projects with no thought as to what you do best, and you are always surprised when they go wrong.

At some point in your life you will look back and review your track record before you waste huge amounts of money, time and lost happiness.

[Josh Bass]

He said months ago that he DID do the skills audit and it said he was good at planning.

As for Bridget Jones I’m gonna have to go against you there. From what I recall at the time many people hated Renee Zellweger in that movie/that casting decision. Maybe I’m wrong and it was just the loud, vocal, stupid minority.