If you’re an actor and want to present yourself as experienced, having worked with amazing directors who cast you when you were at your peak, that you have name recognition, as well as talent, and for that you command a certain fee to show up, that’s fair. However, if you’re going to use a cause as your platform to leverage your personal brand and do things like host live streams using the talking points you’ve already seen get applause, and then ask for a channel membership fee, like some modern Jim and Tammy-Fey Baker, selling the promise land but you expect everyone else to get their wallets out and their hands dirty for that cause, that makes you a grifter and a fraud.
You’re either in the trenches with those working the grind or you see yourself as above them. Pick one because you’re soon going to find out that you need indie filmmakers more than they need you.
“The industry we’re building has no room for double standards…”
So, how do we break the impasse? It starts with alignment. When I pitch a project, I’m upfront about the budget, the risks, and the goal. If I’m after a particular actor, it’s because I think that the project might be worth their while beyond what I can pay. I ask actors to meet me where I’m at, whether through profit-sharing, equity, or just a willingness to keep the project in mind and consider its potential. If they’re not on board, I move on. There’s no shortage of talent out there: hungry actors who’ll show up, work hard. I’m eager to build something we can all be part of, that could turn into gold down the road if given a chance, and there are thousands of filmmakers out there whose hands are stretched out to anyone who wants to help. But the days of gatekeeping receptionists and velvet ropes are in the rear-view mirror, and we’d all better believe it for this to work.
This isn’t about silencing anyone. It’s about shared sacrifice. Conservative actors have every right to call out Hollywood’s flaws. But if they want a seat at the indie table, they need to bring more than a resume. They need commitment, and they need to relearn some humility. The industry we’re building has no room for double standards, and big paydays may take time to return. It’s too fragile, too new. We’re not just making movies. We’re proving there’s another way. If we can’t move past this clash of expectations, social media noise, and politics, we’ll stay stuck. And that’s a story nobody wants to see end.
Christopher Moonlight is an animator, special effects artist and the director of the ‘Award This’ winning movie The Quantum Terror. His upcoming animated sci-fi adventure, Escape From Planet Omega-12 combines traditional film making special effects with AI to create something never seen before in independent film. You can follow the behind-the-scenes, including tutorials, tips, and tricks on his YouTube Channel and Substack.
