Premium Members Tammy Jones Posted June 24, 2008 Premium Members Report Share Posted June 24, 2008 Dear Moral Dilemma, I have not worked very much this year. I have been offered 10 days on a feature, where the pay is good, the experience is great. The DP really wants me to do the job. But, he insists that I read the script. I have worked on some pretty sappy stuff in my carreer, and "sold out" long ago. However, once, I had accepted a job and wished I had read the script first because I would have said definitely NO. So, I started reading. Page one was great -funny, captivating. Then it got campy, but I thought; okay -same old-. Then it got racest. Then it got violent. Then it got racist and violent against women. I stopped reading after the scene where the cannibal chased the half naked Asian woman around the room, caught her, started chopping off her limbs, and refering the body parts to asian food. The cannibal character had a cellar full of ethnic groups to eat. I dunno. I didn't read to the end to see if there was a method to the madness. Don't get me wrong. I loved "Silence of the Lambs", and "Borat". I am pretty liberal. But I said no to the job. Tammy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Mike McGowan SOC Posted June 24, 2008 Premium Members Report Share Posted June 24, 2008 Wow! Well, first, throw my name in the hat, I have yet to do a slasher picture and I'd like to. Regarding the moral dilemma, here's how I look at it. I think that you must do some less than socially uplifting jobs in order to get the really great ones. Gerrit Dangremond did (as I look on IMDB) several lame action adventure flicks before he got to do The Shawshank Redemption. I think I'd happily do a year of nothing but porn if I got to do a movie like Shawshank. I've personally done some crap television, stupid features and a whole truck load of rap music videos........ But I've also got to do a few really kick ass jobs, the kind that make you feel all warm and fuzzy when your driving home each night. So, for my 2 cents, even if the subject matter is objectionable, in our business, you have to take the good with the (not so good). Also, it sounds like your movie was so bad it would probably be funny. Finally, do you have the script on PDF? It sounds like it might be an (interesting) read. mm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Mike McGowan SOC Posted June 24, 2008 Premium Members Report Share Posted June 24, 2008 Lol, another good one, Chris Haarhoff's first movie listing on IMDB as steadicam operator was for, "Howling IV: The Original Nightmare". He has since gone on to do, well, one or two decent movies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members BJMcDonnell SOC Posted June 24, 2008 Premium Members Report Share Posted June 24, 2008 Hey Tammy, I do a ton of Slasher flicks so after Mike send my info too. Ive done some pretty crazy films and some which I asked myself the same moral questions. I tend to just remind myself that it is all storytelling and go with that. I love doing horror films though. Always something crazy to see on set and makes the day go by faster. I think if it truely disturbs you then it is always best to pass on it. BJ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members chris fawcett Posted June 24, 2008 Premium Members Report Share Posted June 24, 2008 Hi Tammy, I'm with you. I wouldn't do it either. Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members JimBartell Posted June 24, 2008 Premium Members Report Share Posted June 24, 2008 I do a ton of Slasher flicks . Ive done some pretty crazy films and some which I asked myself the same moral questions. BJ, I'm not sure your home movies count....... Jim "locking my doors at night" Bartell Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members geoff shotz Posted June 25, 2008 Premium Members Report Share Posted June 25, 2008 tammy- i tend to keep reciting one mantra on those films- "no one's gonna see this!" you don't do those films to be rewarded in any other way than a paycheck and experience! i feel like if someone was dumb enough to front the money to make that crap, well, i oughta just be smart enough to collect some of it and work on my skills at the same time. make it a selfish gesture and work, work, work (if you can stomach it) and you never know who you might meet along the way. more power to you though for saying no! geoff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Brian Dzyak Posted June 25, 2008 Premium Members Report Share Posted June 25, 2008 Hmm, good question. It's all about how you feel about the work you do. There's the "work" (pushing equipment around, pulling focus, all the technical stuff, etc). Then there are the questions about the content you're doing all of that for. You have to feel good about that too. We all have our "issues" that we may feel strongly about one way or the other. For instance, if you just can't support the Republican agenda, then pulling focus for a McCain commercial just because it's work probably wouldn't be the best choice. The same standard can be applied to porn, violence, racism, sexism, or any other topic that could be considered marginal. Work is work and we all need money to survive. That's the unfortunate part of show "business." But you can't sell out your own beliefs either just for a quick buck if it's going to bother you on an emotional level while you're there and later when you're cashing the check. So do what's right for you. There are always more jobs out there, but you can never take back time you've spent on something you didn't want to do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members BJMcDonnell SOC Posted June 25, 2008 Premium Members Report Share Posted June 25, 2008 I do a ton of Slasher flicks . Ive done some pretty crazy films and some which I asked myself the same moral questions. BJ, I'm not sure your home movies count....... Jim "locking my doors at night" Bartell LOL nice Jim! You know me too well. BJ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members RonBaldwin Posted June 27, 2008 Premium Members Report Share Posted June 27, 2008 hmmm...if you think that flick is offensive, try working on tv. No nudity, f-bombs, or asian food, but the mindless crap that comes out of the writers' butts and onto the page is sometimes just as shockingly stupid and offensive. rb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Niall Chadwick Posted June 27, 2008 Report Share Posted June 27, 2008 hmmm...if you think that flick is offensive, try working on tv. No nudity, f-bombs, or asian food, but the mindless crap that comes out of the writers' butts and onto the page is sometimes just as shockingly stupid and offensive. rb How do you deal with shooting such "mindless crap" Ron? It must be a struggle to bite your tongue and just get on with your job? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Brad Grimmett Posted June 27, 2008 Premium Members Report Share Posted June 27, 2008 How do you deal with shooting such "mindless crap" Ron? He just rubs some 'gav on it and imagines he's in his happy place. Oh, and he drinks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members RonBaldwin Posted June 27, 2008 Premium Members Report Share Posted June 27, 2008 hmmm...if you think that flick is offensive, try working on tv. No nudity, f-bombs, or asian food, but the mindless crap that comes out of the writers' butts and onto the page is sometimes just as shockingly stupid and offensive. rb How do you deal with shooting such "mindless crap" Ron? It must be a struggle to bite your tongue and just get on with your job? It aint easy, the 'gav helps but you just power through it. Every so often you'll get a show that makes you smile and is alot of fun -- but for the most part, network tv's baaaad. Just keep your eye on the bubble level! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Lohengrin Zapiain Posted June 30, 2008 Premium Members Report Share Posted June 30, 2008 Dear Tammy, what did you get yourself into? anyway hope you are OK. I saw your reel and really enjoyed it!. Perhaps you should get the Front st. guys a call: I know they don't have anybody for Steadi now as I'm not really working for them anymore. cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Tammy Jones Posted July 4, 2008 Author Premium Members Report Share Posted July 4, 2008 Thanks for all your replies! The pay wasn't that great either.. $500/day (rig in). Guess that is "good money" for me right now. I am happy about my decision to say no. I have never done that based on a script! (that will probably get sold, ugh! -sex, violence, and rednecks-) Since, I have had a couple of days of "cheesy" Lifetime stuff. Back to the same old... Yes, keep your eye on the bubble. cheeers, T. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.