"Lost Privileges"

FPP wrote on 12/21/2013, 9:32 AM

Just wrapped up shooting of a self produced/written/directed Christmas script.
I will be posting with VP12 of course.
One of my actors revealed to me after 4 weeks of shooting that his parents raised him in the Jewish faith and that he wants me to bleep out any dialogue that refers to Jesus from his lines.. He did his lines according to the script almost verbatim but now has second thoughts... He was given the script 2 months ago to study and participated in round table rewrites and rehersals without ever expressing his concern about Christian celebrations.
This project will give me a healthy workout on my NLE and everybody else involved has no regrets about the script. I don't even plan to try and distribute it until next year after Thanksgiving.
I have a lot of FX and original music just to name a few things planned for post production.
One effect I don't know how to do is edit another face onto this actor's face without it making my video look like a joke.
I don't want to offend the Jewish people or the actor's family but I'm a Christian and an artist with a completed shoot that I may not be able to use unless I get a waiver or something.
How do I get myself in to these kind of messes?
Why can't I do my own thing without religion becoming the Executive Producer.
It would be next to impossible to reshoot the entire project in light of the fact that I can't afford too.
The actor mentioned is in some very important and revealing scenes and cutting him out would kill the story.
I am an American artist with no privileges or creative freedom?????

Back to post

Comments

Barry W. Hull wrote on 12/21/2013, 6:46 PM

Over the course of my business life I've learned a few absolutes. One of those applies here. Stop the speculation, schedule an appointment with an attorney, take your contract and get your questions answered. Everything else is blah blah blah. The little money you'll spend for a meeting or two will be well worth it.

vtxrocketeer wrote on 12/22/2013, 8:27 PM

Two options. Avoid a substantive discussion and simply implement a number of the excellent suggestions that nip this in the bud. Otherwise, have a sit down and reason.

If the latter, which I would personally avoid, perhaps you could couch his saying of lines along the historical. Would he seriously object to saying "Stalin" or "Adolf Hitler"? These people were born, they were real, they had names, and they appear in history books. People say their names. Period. A man named Jesus was born, walked the earth, His life was documented, and He also appears in a Book. What's the big deal? He's not saying anything that hasn't been said, written about, and sung for a few millenia, whether or not he believes it.

One of my very best colleagues is a devout Jew. We have terrific discussions about faith, law, and specifics. Never confrontational. I was asked recently if I had already gotten a tree. I took it as a tacit acknowledgment, however silly, of my Christian faith. No one got worked up. Now your actor willingly pole vaulted himself into a Christian production and only now has misgivings? Sorry, that doesn't pass the laugh test.

deusx wrote on 12/23/2013, 3:15 AM

Barbara says it's OK.

That should convince him. If he's gay even better, he'll be double convinced.

He may ask you to film him saying Jesus and Christmas 50 more times.

Really????? That word is censored? G.A.Y. Since when is that a dirty word?

FPP wrote on 12/23/2013, 1:02 PM

-vtxrocketeer-
When I posted this issue I wanted to be careful about what I say about Jewish people.. Mainly because I don't know much about their culture.
I have heard it said that Jewish lawyers had all the control in Hollywood and that was some kind of fact of life.. I have never reached a level in this business to find that out.
I would like to get in the loop whenever I produce a project worthy of Hollywood attention and if the person that helps me so happens to be Jewish, so what?
I'm a non-white person and no matter how good my projects are or will be I already have a strike against me in regards to the "Establishment".
Anyway.. I don't even know the religions of the rest of the cast and I never was concerned about that.
All I expected was for the cast to (ACT) and be proud of their work and get a real good workout on VP12.
I am seriously considering the ADR suggested here and move on with my creative life.
I appreciate this forum to the max.

vtxrocketeer wrote on 12/23/2013, 2:22 PM

FPP, I understand your practical concerns. I'd have a hard time if I were in your shoes, and it's certainly easy to dole out responses on the internet.

Perhaps spend a few hundred with an entertainment lawyer to draft a talent release agreement to avoid this in the future. Playing a [get me out of this] card is really unfair to you.

Best wishes and Merry Christmas.

FPP wrote on 12/23/2013, 2:31 PM

-vtxrocketeer-
Thanks for the "Merry Christmas"..I thought that term was also lost.
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you.

GeeBax wrote on 12/23/2013, 3:48 PM

Sadly, Merry Christmas is a term that seems to be lost only in the US, elsewhere in the world it is alive and well.

JohnnyRoy wrote on 12/23/2013, 4:40 PM

> "Sadly, Merry Christmas is a term that seems to be lost only in the US, elsewhere in the world it is alive and well."

It's only lost if you allow it to be...

MERRY CHRISTMAS and a HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! :-D

~jr

Geoff_Wood wrote on 12/23/2013, 4:48 PM

As religons are all pretty much simply folk-tales, your acting talent should not be so anally 'precious' about his particular one.

If the was gluten-intolerant would he want you to remove all references to bread ?!!

geoff

FPP wrote on 12/23/2013, 4:54 PM

JohnnyRoy
Merry Christmas.

FPP wrote on 12/23/2013, 4:55 PM

Geoff Wood
Merry Christmas

Gary James wrote on 12/23/2013, 11:34 PM

"It's only lost if you allow it to be."

To All My Politically Liberal Friends:
Please accept with no obligation, implied or implicit, my best wishes for an environmentally conscious, socially responsible, low-stress, non-addictive, gender-neutral celebration of the winter solstice holiday, practiced within the most enjoyable traditions of the religious persuasion of your choice, or secular practices of your choice, with respect for the religious/secular persuasion and/or traditions of others, or their choice not to practice religious or secular traditions at all.

I also wish you a fiscally successful, personally fulfilling and medically uncomplicated recognition of the onset of the generally accepted calendar year 2014, but not without due respect for the calendars of choice of other cultures whose contributions to society have helped make America great.

Not to imply that America is necessarily greater than any other countries nor the only "America" in the Western Hemisphere. Also, this wish is made without regard to the race, creed, color, age, physical ability, religious faith or sexual preference of the wishes.

To All My Politically Conservative Friends:
Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year.

DiDequ wrote on 12/24/2013, 2:22 AM

@ Gary James "Not to imply that America is necessarily greater than any other countries nor the only "America" in the Western Hemisphere. Also, this wish is made without regard to the race, creed, color, age, physical ability, religious faith or sexual preference of the wishes....

Of course, Gary. Only some Americans can think America is greater than any other countries. All people on earth are unique and "the best", with their diversity and knowledge of their environment. Without biodiversity, bye bye everyone.
But...
@ FPP : good luck for your film - please try to give us a link of it's trailer when available.

Didier.

ushere wrote on 12/24/2013, 3:02 AM

btw. happy hannuka...

Gary James wrote on 12/24/2013, 6:39 AM

@DiDequ, this post was expressing something called humor. A concept that seems to escape many of my liberal friends.

Hu·mor [hyoo-mer] to perceive and express a sense of the clever or amusing. Humor consists principally in the recognition and expression of incongruities or peculiarities present in a situation or character. It is frequently used to illustrate some fundamental absurdity in human nature or conduct, and is generally thought of as more kindly than wit.

willqen wrote on 12/24/2013, 2:24 PM

Dear FPP,

This seems obviously an attempt to stop your production for whatever reason.

It obviously has nothing to do with any religion.

I have seen a similar case go in front of a judge only to have the case and the plaintiff thrown out of court on his butt so to speak.

The bottom line is the all the production went to finish with no objection. Only after production was finished did any complaint surface. This won't fly legally.

Do yourself a favor. Go talk to an attorney. Find out the facts for yourself.

Buck up. You need to stand up to this person now, or you will forever be plagued by this issue, or type of issue, over and over till you do.

This comes with the territory. You have offended NO ONE! He is offending You!!

There are always flakes in this business. One thing for sure: a flake is a coward, a coward is a flake.

As soon as this person has to apply himself to back up his claim he will disappear.

Just my opinion. I hope you do the right thing for yourself. I wish you good luck.

Will

Dan Sherman wrote on 12/24/2013, 2:48 PM

Would this be a good time to wish all forum participants a Merry Christmas and a Happy 2014?

willqen wrote on 12/24/2013, 2:59 PM

Very Appropriate.

Thank you.

Same to you and all the others as well ....

Will

PS: Frohliche Weinachten zum alle

VidMus wrote on 12/24/2013, 9:56 PM

The sad part of all this is he is seriously hurting his future as an actor! Assuming he wants a future in acting.

If word of his actions gets out, no-one will ever want him in their production(s). They cannot afford the risks of dealing with him. And word WILL eventually get out no matter where he goes!

If he understands this then maybe he will reconsider?

I know the theater that I am working on a video for would never give a person who does this another chance!

He needs to think about his future...

Imagine what Hollywood would do if after a multi-million-dollar production a person said they want it changed because of their religious beliefs? They will NEVER work in this town again!

John222 wrote on 12/25/2013, 9:17 AM

Disagree, most people get away with it. My daughter is an actress so I'm pretty close to that crowd. We know of actors that sign promises to be available for a given number of rehersals per week knowing full well they would only show up once a week. Or quit a few week before opening night because they found a better part in another production. Or as the OP learned, not being truthfull up front about their religous problems. To some, it's lie, cheat or steal to get the part to put it on their resume. I've never seen it come back to bite them....