Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Can we talk about actors for a minute.

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Can we talk about actors for a minute.

    I will first off explain that we haven't opened yet. But we did have a dress rehearsal last Saturday, complete with a live audience of friends and family, and a local tv station came by to film a spot for an upcoming show they're doing. This is our first year as a pro-haunt. I knew we would have our issues, but boy, I certainly didn't expect this. To put it bluntly, some of these actors are total jerks. They don't LISTEN to directions and FOLLOW them. If I had a dime for every actor who had a "great idea" 10 minutes before opening Saturday, I wouldn't have to open because I'd be FILTHY RICH. They don't read the damn handbooks and even if they do, they don't follow the rules anyways. Literally 1 minute before I sent the first group in they were all standing in the actor hallway asking me questions and at least half of them had some kind of issue that MUST be solved RIGHT NOW!!!! All the hours of labor and hard work and thousands of dollars that my husband and I have put into this place over the past year means nothing at all to them. They act like its their show! I am ready to lose my mind. I have a few actors that I can count on and that's it. One guy showed up high, or drunk or something. He was completely normal the last time we saw him and then Saturday he was a total mess. I think he took too many pain meds. Anyways, our handbook states that if we suspect you're on drugs or drunk then you're out! So we need to find a replacement for him before Friday. It was hard enough to get the actors we do have, I have no idea how at this point we are going to get anyone new. I'm ready to bang my head into the wall because what good is a haunt if you don't have quality actors? You could have the best props, sets, lighting, sound systems, it doesn't matter. You need the TALENT, and I can't seem to find it here and it's simply maddening. I think this is mostly just a rant because I know many of you are probably nodding your heads as you're reading this. But if anyone has any good advice please pitch it my way before I go completely psycho on these folks.
    ~nail in the coffin~

    **Crawford School of Terror**
    Connellsville, PA

  • #2
    One word that is infinitely easier to say than exercise: patience.

    I seriously doubt any haunt starts day one with the all star actor squad. I know we didn't. But remember: 80% of life is showing up. These guys showed up. You really have to change your mindset to be very grateful they showed up. We tell our actors every year "We will take reliability over talent every time". Talent that doesn't show up is wasted. You will learn to love these people if they continue to show up... idiots and all. They are your Uber drivers on your ride to your dreams.

    I can look back to our first and remember wanting to punch their faces. I wanted to scream, "you idiot!" I wanted to fire them. But that was my inexperience talking. If I wanted great actors... I had to mold them. They don't grow on trees. I had to put in the time. And it will take time and pain. Many letdowns. Instead of focusing on their failures I try to focus on mine. Their failure is my failure. Their success is my success. Some of the actors I had the hardest time with the first year are now our greatest asset because I opted to be patient in their presence. (Now when it was just my wife and I alone, I ranted like a banshee.)

    Treat them like your children and they will become your family.

    Good luck!

    Comment


    • #3
      Without trying to shamelessly promote myself, hire an actor trainer to come in and do a workshop at your haunt a few weeks before opening. A lot of the exercises I do (and others who do this) are meant to weed out so-called 'jerks' and those who only go through the motions. It also says a lot to the actors that you have taken the time to bring in someone not associated with the haunt.

      Stay in contact with your best actors throughout the year and plan get-togethers to forge friendships and build up a great core. There are many haunts that do mini-training seminars throughout the year. It takes a while to build up a great group but as mrfoos says 'patience' is key.

      Let me know if you have any questions. Best of luck...
      http://www.bigscaryshow.com
      http://www.rabidbadger.org

      Comment


      • #4
        Domino casting

        I completely understand the frustration.
        As each person has said, it takes patience but drugged or drunk is not ok, they're gone. Can't/won't take direction replace them asap.
        I don't have a huge cast so if I have to replace someone it is very difficult. It seems not many people want to be substitute actors. So, I usually have a plan in my head for how I will cope with a no show or a firing. There is usually one or two places in the show that if pressed I could do without and this is where the domino effect starts. That actor goes here, then that actor goes there, and so on.

        I still freak out at the thought of being short staffed but at least I have a plan if I remember where I put it.

        As far as everyone has an idea of how your show should be, just smile, tell them you'll think about that, and do whatever you were gonna do anyway.
        greyhousehaunts.com

        Comment

        Working...
        X