Video production companies are constantly making decisions that will impact their projects, and it’s important to weigh every single option if you want to ensure that your next production turns out how you want it to. One of the most important (as well as most common) decisions you’ll ever have to make when working with a video production company is hiring the right actors for your project. Of course, if you’re involved in the world of video production, you know that actors, good ones at least, don’t come cheap. This forces companies to make a crucial decision that could ultimately decide the fate of their video production project: do we hire professional actors or use unpaid actors?
While it might sound financially beneficial to hire unpaid actors to feature in your next video, you also have to take a step back and compare the two options to really see if your decision will be worth it. Here is the difference between pads and unpaid actors.
THE BENEFITS OF PAID ACTORS
Unpaid Actors Practice as Much as They Can; Paid Actors Don’t Stop
Practicing your role and memorizing scripts is crucial for actors if they want to play the part professionally and avoid filming multiple takes. An unpaid actor will have less pressure but also less motivation, making them less likely to practice adequately, while a professional actor knows that he is being paid to not only play the part, but submerse himself in the character entirely. If you want to be sure that your talent is going to deliver, you’re going to have to cough up some change.
Unpaid Actors Lack Professional Acting Experience; Acting is Second Nature to Pros
Say that your unpaid actors are practicing their lines as much as possible and are committed to your production, they still might not deliver a great performance. Why? Because they lack the experience that a professional has been collecting for years. If you choose to hire unpaid actors, keep in mind that they might not pull off a convincing performance, no matter how much practice they put in.
Professional actors may be expensive, but you’re not only paying them for their time, but also for their unique skillset.
Unpaid Actors May Not Look as Professional as Paid Actors
While paid actors are referred to video production companies through an agency that showcases them in the most professional manner, unpaid actors have to represent themselves, so how they present themselves to your agency is completely up to the individual.
BENEFITS OF UNPAID ACTORS
Unpaid Actors Will Save You Money; Pros Will Cost You an Arm and a Leg
This benefit doesn’t need much explanation. If you’re on a tight budget, you might want to consider amateur actors so that you can spend more on equipment, editing and any other necessities. While it is important to hire good actors, you won’t have much use for them if you can’t afford anything else for your production.
Unpaid Actors Know Procedures; Pros Do Not
One of the main benefits of unpaid actors, especially those who work within your video production company, is that they know how to do miscellaneous tasks within video production companies that actors do not. If you want to have someone who can both act and help on the set, an unpaid actor is the way to go.
If you’re on the fence when it comes to deciding between paid actors and unpaid actors, take your production aside and pick apart its various aspects to see which actor will benefit you most. Video production companies are here to help, and if you’re in need of an agency to help you bring you next video project to life, contact us here at Fusion 360 Studios.
