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Post by Gg on Nov 19, 2011 6:51:12 GMT 8
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Post by lynette on Nov 21, 2011 17:59:07 GMT 8
So anything.   |
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Post by Gg on Feb 6, 2012 5:25:57 GMT 8
Just in a lesson in "why aren't there any movies"... it is worth realizing that nothing is certain, and particularly with a nearly global recession at hand, even GETTING a film role does not guarantee getting the film into production and further into release. It is far more complicated than getting the role - and getting the part is a labyrinth to begin with. All the patience in the world didn't bring "Bathory" to the screens and it is true, in the current environment, even for the studio films. Case in point, the long discussed "Arthur and Lancelot" due for release in March 2013, casted and crewed... is off the release calendar. www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/arthur-lancelot-jack-giant-killer-rock-ages-bryan-singer-283468 |
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Post by Laura2102 on Feb 6, 2012 8:32:34 GMT 8
Wow, I feel for actors in this current recession. It's pretty much the same for theatres in London and touring come to that, so as much as I'm sure we'd all love to see Hans on stage, with the way the West End is, it wouldn't be likely. The poor actors who already have jobs are told they have twelve weeks left in a show because it's closing. Short of being a lead in a long running show like Phantom or Les Mis etc, these actors just aren't getting the work.
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Post by lynette on Feb 9, 2012 20:16:06 GMT 8
Just in a lesson in "why aren't there any movies"... it is worth realizing that nothing is certain, and particularly with a nearly global recession at hand, even GETTING a film role does not guarantee getting the film into production and further into release. It is far more complicated than getting the role - and getting the part is a labyrinth to begin with. All the patience in the world didn't bring "Bathory" to the screens and it is true, in the current environment, even for the studio films. Case in point, the long discussed "Arthur and Lancelot" due for release in March 2013, casted and crewed... is off the release calendar. www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/arthur-lancelot-jack-giant-killer-rock-ages-bryan-singer-283468That is unfortunate. This work is quite unpredictable and uncertain. |
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Post by littlepaperstars on Feb 16, 2012 6:56:12 GMT 8
Wow, I feel for actors in this current recession. It's pretty much the same for theatres in London and touring come to that, so as much as I'm sure we'd all love to see Hans on stage, with the way the West End is, it wouldn't be likely. The poor actors who already have jobs are told they have twelve weeks left in a show because it's closing. Short of being a lead in a long running show like Phantom or Les Mis etc, these actors just aren't getting the work. I have to disagree I'm afraid. In 2011, Londons theatre box office hit a record high increasing by over 3% from the year before in both takings and attendance. In fact, London theatres took in the region of £500 million. Plays have actually had the most success with an increase over 10%. The National, RSC, Donmar, Royal Court have had numerous sold out productions (Frankenstein, One Man Two Guvnors, Richard II) Whilst the likes of the Old Vic, Almeida and Arcola are also producing many critical smashes. The Globe has a huge summer planned, Matilda the musical has been a huge success and Ghost transfers to Broadway (along with One Man, Two Guvnors) later this season. Over all theatre is actually a safer place for an actor right now than film, which is struggling to get projects off the ground. TV is hit or miss but ITV and the BBC are investing alot of time and money into their dramas right now, producing some quality shows that are being sold the world over. It's absolutely not all doom and gloom. |
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Post by Gg on Feb 16, 2012 7:46:33 GMT 8
I can see your point littlepaperstars, but I think there may be a caveat. I would have to guess that our friend Laura has generated half of those West End ticket sales herself, and I must say, I have not met many non-industry people who can call as many theater actors by name and have them repy "Laura...BABY"... most dedicated nonprofessional theatre goer I have ever met. A picture with the lovely Eddie Redmayne stage door of Richard II as demonstration somewhere on this board. Laura definitely identifies herself with the many actors she has dedicated herself to and met in theatre. I'll let you two debate it because my knowledge at this point is via Variety, since making my own move to indy film, though I might offer that ticket sales, and that translating to job stability for an actor, in this case, who hasn't been onstage for a legit run since the late 90's are slightly different issues. Job stability isn't generally something any working actor can take for granted, and with the juggling that has been going on, even at the studios, I am ever reticient when we get our hopes up, in this case for Arthur and Landelot, particularly mid casting, because even this buzzed about project can be so easily shelved. I remember Michael Caine saying, "when I was younger I was so so paranoid that what ever the offer was, it would be my last... so I made a lot of films... and a lot of crap..." Performance will never, even in the best of times, be an easy profession, and the idea of "safety" almost seems a foreign ideal for the majority of we guild card holding working stiffs. The Lord Coward, after all, evaporated.. I think the idea of "safety" seems, perhaps, a stifling illusion, to some artists. In these last years it has been those of us with relationships already in hand with production companies, with theaters, who haven't been just scrapping by on residuals alone. We made it through the WGA strike and all those threatened after and here we remain. And we are lucky amongst those in our rank. Extremely lucky. Extremely lucky, anyway, if what we are doing is at least in pursuit of what we love. As long as we remain so, and don't get bogged down by the difficulties and insecurities that come along with it. But you are both right, in my mind. Just depends on the actor in question. We are talking about an actor with his resume steeped and relationships primarily in film and television. That would be the caveat. According to the Society of London Theatre it was the big BIG film names that tentpoled the receipts in 2010. Keira, Damien, Kim Cattrel brought people in when advance sales were low, though new musicals were relatively scarce. Programs to introduce kids to theatre was also a revenue builder, apparently. Although the telegraph seemed to say the opposite. Variety is here regarding 2010 www.variety.com/article/VR1118040497?refCatId=15and a point is made here that revenue and attendance may be mutually exclusive, to some extent, for 2011. www.variety.com/article/VR1118049496and I like what is said about the contrast between Broadway (NY being my stomping ground before 2000) and the West End and holds insight -- our shows are flipping astronomical and the reflective ticket prices in the US make theater cost prohibitive for many potential ticket holders. Personally, I have been comped in both countries, my last show on Broadway in December, but if we're going to talk quality theatre that represents a "bang for your dramatic buck" I may be a frecking turncoat but the London Theatre District is hard to deny. How many Hail Mary's do I have to say now? |
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Post by Laura2102 on Feb 17, 2012 0:16:42 GMT 8
Wow, I feel for actors in this current recession. It's pretty much the same for theatres in London and touring come to that, so as much as I'm sure we'd all love to see Hans on stage, with the way the West End is, it wouldn't be likely. The poor actors who already have jobs are told they have twelve weeks left in a show because it's closing. Short of being a lead in a long running show like Phantom or Les Mis etc, these actors just aren't getting the work. I have to disagree I'm afraid. In 2011, Londons theatre box office hit a record high increasing by over 3% from the year before in both takings and attendance. In fact, London theatres took in the region of £500 million. Plays have actually had the most success with an increase over 10%. The National, RSC, Donmar, Royal Court have had numerous sold out productions (Frankenstein, One Man Two Guvnors, Richard II) Whilst the likes of the Old Vic, Almeida and Arcola are also producing many critical smashes. The Globe has a huge summer planned, Matilda the musical has been a huge success and Ghost transfers to Broadway (along with One Man, Two Guvnors) later this season. Over all theatre is actually a safer place for an actor right now than film, which is struggling to get projects off the ground. TV is hit or miss but ITV and the BBC are investing alot of time and money into their dramas right now, producing some quality shows that are being sold the world over. It's absolutely not all doom and gloom. I completely get your point, but sadly the whole thing about the percentages rising just doesn't cut it with me. I've spent an awful lot of time in the theatres in London and my local theatres to see touring productions and bums just aren't on seats. Ghost transferring has been a huge success for the West End, completely agree, and thankfully one of our very own young British actors is getting to play the role he originated in his Broadway debut, that's always a good thing. As Gg said I've become quite friendly with a lot of musical theatre actors, as well as Celia Imrie who is currently in a West End play, Noises Off and I know a lot of the people who left Wicked at cast change in December are struggling to get work, these are actors who have shown their commitment to the theatre and have put the hours in, what hope has someone who has not done theatre for many years got? Someone could be the most talented person in the world but if you don't look right, you don't get it. One of the actors who was in Wicked and is now the lead in Ghost (West End) said something along the lines of, if you're going for principal parts you have to be prepared to hear no a lot of the time, because you're either too big, too small, too tall, too short, your hair is too dark, your teeth aren't white enough etc etc. Sadly the whole Legally Blonde debacle a few weeks ago gave people who don't go to the theatre, a bad impression of what the theatre is all about. Someone having to leave the show eight weeks before it closes, it hitting the papers and this poor woman who is one of the sweetest people I know of is left wondering if she will ever get hired again because of how she's been portrayed. Sadly it's more than just percentages rising, it's what actually happening to the actors when they leave shows, worrying about paying their rent and will they ever get to do what they love again? I also can't help but wonder if the fact takings are so high is not something to do with the extortionate ticket prices. I mean unless you know where you can get away with a cheap seat (for example, if you head over to the left hand side of the stalls in Wicked you can get a £15 seat) two seats along it shoots up to £66.50. I had this discussion with my mum that if they were to lower prices just a bit more people would go, add to the ticket price the price of a programme (averaging between £5-£8), a bag of sweets (around £2-£3), a glass of wine (anywhere up to £6) and your transport there and back. It works out a very dear 'do'. I fear I've rambled on too much now! Apologies! |
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Post by littlepaperstars on Feb 18, 2012 17:38:56 GMT 8
Oh I understand what you're saying. Nothing is ever a sure thing and there's certainly a discrepancy between the numbers and the seats being filled for sure. I agree that seat prices need to be looked at because to the wider public it seems extortionate. Smashes are always a fluke. Well done you for keeping up with the theatre going though. That wasn't meant to sounds as patronising as it did lol!
I've worked in theatre for the last eight years in a few of Londons major producing houses, I'm now down on the South Bank in a theatre that is enjoying a considerable run of success, such a happy place atm, it's taken time for the tide to shift in favour of theatre again. But sure, it's far from being a certain place. I think in the global financial climate very few things are actually.
My boyfriend is an actor, doing a lot of theatre in comparison to his film and TV work, but it's a huge stress when he is out of work, and although (touch wood) it's not very often these days, we do have to think long and hard about whether he takes a smaller TV or film role with a better wage packet than doing a stage production that has an element of uncertainty to it, you know, you get the show that goes from hit, to WE to Broadway or the one that closes a week after the reviews are out .
My place in theatre thankfully has some job stability but I have many close friends who are actors and to see them lose jobs and struggle is hard. Actually, a friend of mine who was a prolific stage actor for many years, awards the whole deal, and he took time out from that to go to Hollywood to make the big movies and you really can't blame him but in his own words, 'one movie means I can take six months out to do a play next year'. While we miss him doing theatre now, the upside of this is that when he comes back to the stage he'll bring with him a whole new audience. In the words of Terrence Mann “Movies will make you famous; Television will make you rich; But theatre will make you good.”
We've got a good split at the moment, we're doing some incredible plays while Broadway seems to be inching ahead when it comes to musicals. They may not always run, but they're putting an abundance of new material out there. There will always be a certain amount of excitement for the Americans coming here to do theatre and we will always get just a little giddy about the words 'Broadway transfer' it's just the way the theatre community is.
I just woke up, so I would put good money on nearly all of that making no sense at all, but hey, you get my meaning! lol
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Post by Laura2102 on Feb 18, 2012 23:22:52 GMT 8
Made perfect sense to me! I think there's a big difference in musicals and plays at the moment. The West End isn't doing too great for musicals IMHO, but the plays have been great. Richard II was amazing, and I was elated to hear Noises Off was transferring to the Novello and Celia Imrie was heading with it, as I've not had a chance to see it yet. I can only go on what I know from actors I'm familiar with and sadly a lot of the actors I'm friendly with are struggling right now. Maybe I'm a jinx! It's great that your job offers stability when so many are struggling.  |
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Post by Gg on Feb 19, 2012 1:19:54 GMT 8
Littlepaperstars, you didn't sound at all patronizing. You sound passionate and hopeful, someone who believes in London theater, and your thoughts are very welcome. All the more so because you are walking the walk, or as I keep hearing around here "living the dream" -- making your life in theater. We are lucky, those of us who can make our lives in pursuit of what we love. A discussion based on different perspectives, particularly a civil one (not to be taken for granted) is, after all, what a discussion form SHOULD encourage!!!
That said -- it would be great if you are willing to post in the "introduce yourself" thread so we know a little bit more about you! NO names are necessary, and we don't do kiss and tell here, so if you find anyone asking questions that are too probing about your personal relationships or "who was that actor" don't you worry, I will back you up in your right to privacy. Rather to have you here and comfortable and sharing than scared off, worrying if you talk too freely you will be pushed to full exposure (and a feeling of betrayal) and feel your only recourse it to leave.
And I'm with your other friend in Hollywood. Even the move from New York, and primarily live performance, to LA, is a transition, but doing on camera work is so efficient, financially, and can justify going back to my old theater in NY for a run, or working on a premiere staging, or a low-budget indy. Though I am firmly planted in "working actor" status. We've had an Emmy winner here (she's touring now) as well as a couple other award winners, back around the time of Dr Zhivago, so I do hope you feel comfortable around here, as they did until career took over again. SO thanks for following up in this thread and it would be lovely to see you around here again. When you posted about John Lewis and we didn't see you again I was worried you'd be a one hit wonder! Really glad you returned!
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Post by Gg on Mar 19, 2012 9:34:30 GMT 8
A&L seems to be trying a come back, has dropped their leads (not famous enough is the rumor) and is in negotiations with Collin Farrell now. Or so the buzz goes.
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Post by Camille on Oct 20, 2012 0:20:05 GMT 8
Hi guys, just found this news on Hans page on IMDB : 300 Follow-Up Confirmed As The "Rise of an Empire" Frank Miller’s 300 graphic novel prequel ‘Xerxes‘, has seen production on the film go through problems and changes over the last year. A number of actors were offered the lead role but passed on the project (including Joel Edgerton) before the studio settled on relatively unknown fellow Aussie Sullivan Stapleton (whose currently headlining hit show STRIKE FORCE and will soon be seen in GANGSTER SQUAD). It’s also expected the plot that was originally a prequel, then changed to a sequel will now set the story as a side-quel companion piece to the original Gerard Butler-led sword-swinging actioner. The events to be depicted in the same time frame, but different view point, something that is becoming more popular in Hollywood. The title of the film has also changed a number of times with the original moniker of XERXES, soon giving way to capitalise on Zack Snyder’s visually-stunning epic and changed to 300: BATTLE OF ARTEMESIA and NOW it has been confirmed as 300: RISE OF AN EMPIRE. Anyone else got a feeling this will probably change again before it’s out? Shooting will begin later this year for a planned for release on 2nd August 2013 and Noam Murro directs. Eva Green, ;D Hans Matheson ;D, Igal Naor, Callan Mulvey, Jack O’Connell and Andrew Tiernan co-star alongside returnees Rodrigo Santoro and Lena Headey.Source: WarnerBros. Sooooooooooooooooo happy he's going to be in a film again!!!!!!!!! Can't wait    |
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Post by Gg on Oct 20, 2012 3:28:14 GMT 8
Yes, we are collecting all the articles and imagery and will create a page when we have enough press material, that we are allowed to share, for development. No worries we will leave nothing out that we ar permitted to share. To date none of thee cast or crew are allowed to publish anything from their time on set, but we are getting everything together and by next year at this time, everything WB releases will be here! WB is keeping a pretty tight lid on it, particularly imagery and plot, and even the set photographer had to sign a pretty ironclad non disclosure. BUT Jack O'Connell was nice enough to share the cast photo (though the full cast is hardly included), but asked for nothing else to be shared or "WB will kill me". So patience, but made easier knowing there should be more to come!
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Post by Camille on Nov 6, 2012 5:17:25 GMT 8
Oh my gosh, i had no idea they were already filming!!!I found out about this film on that day i posted. WB is playing hard to get. But I LOVED the picture of the cast with Hans on it. ;D
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