3 Reasons Why It Sucks to Do Student Films

By Webmaster

  • 3 Reasons Why It Sucks to Do Student Films

    Yep. Sometimes they really do suck!

    (by Carmichael Phillips)


    Alright. Let’s light this candle!

    We’ve already given you the lowdown on how student films can be beneficial to the development of your acting career. You can gain things like quality footage for your demo reel and needed credits for your acting résumé.

  • But there is a darker side to pursuing roles in student films. Indeed, the process doesn’t always work as it should.

    Here are several ways that student films can go wrong for actors; several ways it sometimes sucks to do student films:

    #1: You Don’t Always Get Your Damned Footage!

    And, there it is! Right out the gate. The student film arrangement is sometimes a sham!

    The student film arrangement is supposed to work on the barter system. It’s supposed to go something like this: You, the actor, donate your acting services to their project and, in return, you get a boost to your acting career in the form of experience, credit and, most importantly, high-quality footage for your demo reel.


    RELATED
    5 Good Reasons to Do Student Films
    What is a Student Film?


    At least, that’s the way it is supposed to work. In reality, all too often, the student filmmaker reneges on the deal. The actor donates their time and talent – usually for free — and works hard to make the project a success. But when it comes time for the student to hold up their end of the bargain – delivering to the actor their footage – they decide it’s not important.

  • When the project is over, most student filmmakers are diligent about delivering you your footage. Others, however, rather than making a good faith effort, disappear into the night.

    Those bastards!

    The actor is left to wonder if they’ll ever get their footage and whether or not their hard work will be rewarded. After several attempts to get in contact with the student, most actors give up.

    Even if you get your footage…
    By the way, even if you do get your footage, what are the chances that the quality of the footage will be worthy to go on to your demo reel?

    You might end up with worthless, unusable footage at the end of the day. What a waste!

  • #2: Most Student Films Don’t Pay

    Most student films don’t pay. Of course, you knew that when you signed-on to do the role. Your goal was not necessarily to earn a big paycheck. It was to build your reel and résumé today so you can be more competitive for paying roles elsewhere tomorrow.

    But how likely is it that the student film you work on today will help you in the future? What if the days you spend auditioning for a student film, preparing for the role and filming the project were spent elsewhere?

    You could have, for example, used the time to pursue relationships with casting directors or to find a new agent or to film your own project.

    There’s an opportunity cost to consider here. The time you spend on a student film takes away from the time you could have spent on something else that might have better aided you in the development of your career.

    In this case, not only are you losing real dollars by working for free, but you’re also losing out on critical opportunities.

  • #3: Student Filmmakers Aren’t Always Professional!

    If you are a professional actor who is used to working on professional sets, working with students can be a step-down. A BIG step-down!

    These are kids after all. The phrase “young adults” is still a little bit of a stretch to describe many of them. For some of them, a student film is just not that serious. Some of them don’t even want to be filmmakers at all! And for that reason, they don’t always run a professional, taut ship.

    Problems! Problems!
    Problems with acting in student films can include:

    *disorganized film schedules

    *disorganized sets

    *problems with scripts, including excessive grammatical errors

    *wasting time on set

    *not being respectful of the actor’s time

    *not being appropriately appreciative of the actor’s contribution

    In other words, you can’t expect students to be anything more than students.

    Working on student films is largely beneficial, especially for actors who are not well-established, working actors. But it doesn’t always come up roses. Sometimes, it’s just a total and complete graveyard!

    It sucks!


  • You Might Also Like:
    What are Student Films


     

    Recommended Posts

  • Ad

  • 20 Good Acting Tips

    20 Good Acting Tips Important advice and tips every actor should know (By AM Staff) (Photo: Emre | Pexels) 1. You don’t have to make your acting performance “bigger” to make it memorable….

    10 Tips for Making Bold Choices in Acting

    10 Tips for Making Bold Choices in Acting What it means to make acting choices (By AM Staff) (Photo: Klaus Nielsen | Pexels) Your character is screaming at her father who abandoned her…

    QUESTION: Should I Shoot My Own Headshots?

    QUESTION: Should I Shoot My Own Headshots? (By Carmichael Phillips) (Photo: Min An | Pexels) QUESTION: Should I Shoot My Own Headshots? ANSWER: No! Do not shoot your own headshots. Leave the photography…

    13 Words of Encouragement After a Bad Audition

    13 Words of Encouragement After a Bad Audition How to bounce back after a bad audition (By AM Staff) (Photo: Yan Krukau | Pexels) So, you had a bad audition? So, what!?!? You…

    How Do You Use Lighting for an Audition Self-Tape?

    How Do You Use Lighting for an Audition Self-Tape? Which kind of lighting is best for self-tapes (By Tonya Tannenbaum) (Photo: Ivan Samkov | Pexels) No matter how good your performance is, if…

  • Ad

  • How Do You Network for Your Acting Career?

    How Do You Network for Your Acting Career? 5 tips for networking in the film industry (By Jim Webb) (Photo: Jopwell | Pexels) The best acting jobs don’t always go to the best…

    What Should You NOT Do in a Demo Reel?

    What Should You NOT Do in a Demo Reel? 10 things to avoid when putting together your show reel (By Tonya Tannenbaum) (Photo: Ali Pazani | Pexels) Don’t do these 10 things when…

    10 Tips for Submitting Your Self-Tape Audition

    10 Tips for Submitting Your Self-Tape Audition What is a self-tape submission and how do I do it? (By AM Staff) (Photo: Beci Harmony | Unsplash) What should you do when you’re finally…

  • Ad

  • 20 Things You Should Never Do in an Audition

    20 Things You Should Never Do in an Audition Follow these 20 important rules during your next audition (By Jim Webb) (Photo: Cottonbro | Pexels) There’s a million books and articles out there…

    Headshot Do’s and Don’ts

    Headshot Do’s and Don’ts 9 tips for acting headshot success (By AM Staff) (Photo: Andrea Piacquadio | Pexels) Should I smile when I take my headshots? Yes, if it’s a headshot to be…

    QUICK TIPS | How to Create a Convincing Character

    QUICK TIPS How to Create a Convincing Character 11 steps for building your character (By AM Staff) (Photo: Cottonbro | Pexels) What is it called when an actor is in character? It is…

    10 Self-Tape Mistakes You Should Avoid

    10 Self-Tape Mistakes You Should Avoid Get your self-tape game rockin’, by avoiding these common mistakes! (By Carmichael Phillips) (Photo: Anna Shvets | Pexels) Casting directors are going to go through hundreds of…

    3 Easy Ways to Market Yourself to Casting Directors

    3 Easy Ways to Market Yourself to Casting Directors How to reach out without being pesky (By Tonya Tannenbaum) (Photo: Andrea Piacquadio | Pexels) When you’re swimming in a sea of actors, you…

  • Ad

  • 5 Things Every Actor Should Have

    5 Things Every Actor Should Have If you want to be considered a professional actor, get these 5 things asap! (By Javier Guerra) It’s ok to not have all your sh-t together when…

    22 Easy Things You Can Do to Prepare for Your Audition

    22 Easy Things You Can Do to Prepare for Your Audition Read this list and act accordingly! (By Jim Webb) (Photo: Cottonbro | Pexels) #1: Celebrate Celebrate getting the audition. Get excited! A…

    QUESTION: Can I get an agent without a reel?

    QUESTION: Can I get an agent without a reel? (By AM Staff) ANSWER: Yes, it’s possible. But you’d be better off pursuing a reel before pursuing an agent! If you’re a beginning actor,…

  • Ad

  • How Do I Know If Acting is Right For Me? 

    How Do I Know If Acting is Right For Me? Ask yourself these 5 questions (By Javier Guerra) (Photo: Tima Miroshnichenko | Pexels) Are you thinking about becoming an actor? Are you considering…

    The 10 Most Important Questions You Should Know About Your Character 

    The 10 Most Important Questions You Should Know About Your Character They’re the same questions you would ask a stranger whom you were trying to get to know (By Jim Webb) (Photo: Pixabay…

    7 Ways to Be Less Nervous and More Confident During Auditions 

    7 Ways to Be Less Nervous and More Confident During Auditions Confidence is the magic ingredient for an actor entering an audition (By Tonya Tannenbaum) (Photo: Christian Buehner | Unsplash) Go ask any…

    5 Essential Items You Need for Self-Tapes

    5 Essential Items You Need for Self-Tapes Make sure you have the proper equipment for your self-tape studio (By Tonya Tannenbaum) (Photo: Karolina Grabowska | Pexels) What equipment do you need for self-tapes?…

    ACTING TECHNIQUE | Identify the Moments

    ACTING TECHNIQUE Identify the Moments Knowing where the moments are will give you a form and structure for your acting choices (By Jim Webb) (Photo: Alex Green | Pexels) Every scene will have…

  • Ad