One of the most difficult challenges we face as a small studio is getting talented actors and actresses for our videos.

Everyone thinks they can do it, everyone believes the can be the next Will Smith or Nicolas Cage.

Bad talent not only costs you a load of money, it is distracting, hurts crew moral and just tires out everyone who at some point just want to get the shoot over and leave it to the editor to fix.

If we are making content for a client, they are paying for the wasted time and likely getting a crappy result if we cannot hire the right talent.

Sometimes the talent comes with a job. The owner of a company wants us to use their daughter who is an aspiring actress in acting school. So you are forced to work with what you have.

So what do we do?
  1. Know your talents capabilities
  2. Script around strengths
  3. Be flexible and have contingency shots
  4. Use supporting actors to elevate the weak talent

Know Your Talents Capabilities

This is literally a walk and chew bubble gum moment.

If your talent has poor coordination or looks weird moving and talking at the same time, choose only one.

Have the actor/actress moving and use a narrator or music to sell the shot as opposed to the actor themselves.

Script Around Strengths

Common problem, actress is beautiful, but can't remember a line to save her own ass. Or she laughs and it sounds like a flock of baby pigs.

Use her as your establishing shot, have her read lines that can be added over the video so she does not have to worry about what she looks like when speaking.

Be Flexible and Have Contingency Shots Planned

You start shooting and pow, it's not working, the talent sucks. Crew is paid, everything is set up and this is a disaster.

You need to be able to bring in other ideas, other shots, other concepts that might work with your talent. Having multiple directions for a shoot will insure that no matter how bad the talent is, you can make it work.

Use Supporting Actors to Elevate Weak Talent

Obviously, if your talent is bad you are screwed, unless you can change direction and try something new.

For example, we have a beautiful girl but she cannot say lines. Have someone else say them from a different perspective.

If the model is doing a lipstick commercial and can't put on lipstick and articulate the line "It's glossy like the morning dew", have someone else in the shot that tells her "It's glossy like the morning dew". This gets the line in the video and the supporting actor's reaction sells the product as we all watch it sliding onto her beautiful lips.

Everyone wins, the girl is in the video, the lines are in the video and the end result is better because you had better talent supporting the talent you wanted on screen.

It is critical that any shoot have contingencies for crappy talent.

Be prepared to make changes when you realize it is not working and do it before your crew gets tired and grumpy.

The worst thing you could do is go home after spending money and have nothing to show for it.
Contact Us
  • Mr Dog Poop Studios
  • 8502 LaDue Lane
  • Tampa FL 33614
  • production@mrdogpoopstudios.com