HOLLYWOOD ACTOR PREP by Dana Kaminski

Pete Hammond And Tom O’Neil Discuss The History Of Oscar® Acting Awards, And Deserving…

Two Oscar Pundits discuss a long history of actors winning Academy Awards for movie performances that were really because of earlier performances, in previous film,  or for longevity of acting career.

There is something to be said for longevity of career. Especially if an actor gives great performance after great performance. That, to me, says that is maestro level acting chops. Very high-level, to be held in high esteem. Longevity of acting career, with repeated  high-level acting, bears a message that the great acting that the actor did in one movie wasn’t a fluke, or because of a great director, or even a good casting fit.

I think there should be another Oscar for that. Separate from an individual acting Oscar, and in addition to the Lifetime Achievement Oscar for Acting.

Seriously. An Oscar  can be awarded to show that we do respect and revere our accomplished and high-level actors. To Actors, that show, repeatedly, a great artistry.

Should we also have an Oscar for being lovable? I am serious about this too. George Clooney and Sandra Bullock are so loved by the public. I love them too. Her a bit more than him, but that is just a personal thing because I think she’s a bit more real than him, more authentic.I think she works hard, very hard.  Movie star status is important to the movie business. The Academy Awards are a movie-star-affair. Maybe there should be an additional movie star award, at the Oscars.

That way, the great acting performances will be the only criteria that gets rewarded by the Best Actor and Best Actress awards, and the Supporting acting categories as well. Not get all muddied up with these other categories or past performances.

I find this video interesting, and I love the history. When I started Oscar Prep, I used vintage footage from past Academy Awards, but then they put the Academy kabosh on that.

This video goes Oscar Vintage, so I dig it. Pete Hammond and Tom O’Neil really know their stuff, their Oscar® history…

(By the way, I disagree a bit with what they say about Sandra Bullock’s acting choices. That, later in another post.)

You can find these two Oscarologists, Tom O’Neil and Pete Hammond at the LA Times.

Enjoy

Dana

SAG Indie Was Created So That SAG Actors Can Work In Low-Budget Movies

And…So Independent Films Can Use Professional Actors.

Remember Melissa Leo’s acting nomination, at last year’s Oscars?  Frozen River was a SAG Indie film.  I’ve seen her in at least 3 indies, this year.  Big acting roles, and smaller ones.

Here’s a video with Tom Bower, an actor who has been active in SAG for years. I filmed him at the end of an event at AFI. Tom helped create SAG Indie, at SAG; and shares all about it.

Indie Filmmakers Can Download The SAG Contracts From SAG Indie’s Website

SAG tailored SAG Indie, specifically, to the needs and ease-of-utilization; for low-budget, novice, or smaller films.

SAG even has incentives for low-budget films that use SAG Indie contracts. They also have incentives when for casting diversified talent.

Here’s the website address to the SAG Indie site. http://www.sagindie.com.  Here is a direct link to their PDF contracts page which includes contracts for short films, ultra low-budget, modified low-budget,  low-budget, theatrical and film agreement, and the SAG Basic Agreement. There are monthly informational meetings, as well, to teach filmmakers, and actors, how to utilize the contracts.

It seems like a great thing.  If anyone has experiential information, or an opinion on SAG Indie, I welcome it.  Let me know…

Best,

;~Dana

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