Slice of Americana Films

Earning your film acting chops takes work and a break. It’s often said that less than 10% of Screen Actors Guild (SAG) members support themselves from their craft. It’s a tough business. Despite the long odds many decide to still pursue their acting ambitions.

There are acting schools like Hollywood Actors Studios and American Academy of Dramatic Arts West – Hollywood that provide aspiring actors a solid program to study the craft of acting. Another popular way to learn is attending workshops or acting boot camps. The Acting Corps has a terrific program to look into.

Others out there trying to carve out their names in movies or television go a different path. They read books and watch DVD’s on acting to help them. I’ve always been impressed with people’s abilities to act in front of a camera or audience.

(Ruben Navarro Center)

Newcomer Ruben Navarro brings a charismatic urban edge that connects with movie audiences. His acting debut came when he played Smiles a successful crystal meth dealer that gets gunned down in the urban drama Consignment. This youthful Latino actor made a powerful impact on critics and fans alike.

Born and raised in California, Ruben has experienced the harsh realities of life first hand. His older brother lost his life violently in front of a relatives house. Two close friends were shot and killed senselessy. He himself survived a nearly fatal shooting on a street near where I lived that left him temporarily unable to walk for months. He recovered with the attitude he was going to appreciate each day as it came and be open to new things in life.

When I told Ruben I was writing a script for an urban drama and wanted him to appear in a supporting role he was caught off guard. He didn’t see himself as someone who could get in front of a film crew delivering lines. What sealed the deal was how natural it seemed for him to give an authentic portrayal of a gangster that gets shot. During the shooting of Consignment new actor Ruben made the role of Smiles his own like a seasoned actor.

The term has been used many times, but he was a natural delivering a powerful performance. A unique experience for Ruben was working with East Coast based Tim Beachum. Never traveling outside of the West Coast it was interesting watching these two different personalities work well together on screen and behind the scenes.

His first film appearance Consignment has ignited a promising acting career. The independent film has been well received by movie audiences. Consignment is a story about drug dealing, money, and power. Based on true events, Consignment is about Tommy Jones, a reluctant East Coast drug dealer on the run with his wife, Yolanda, after a rival kingpin’s plan to have him ripped-off and murdered goes wrong. In need of fast cash to go straight, the pair head to Southern California, where Tommy hooks up with his cousin, a reckless, hot-tempered drug dealer. Tommy quickly gets in over his head, and is forced to take a large shipment of crystal meth on consignment from a ruthless Latino gangster. Double-crosses, a series of brutal murders, and an old secret from his wife’s past foils Tommy’s plans for a new start at life.

The role of Smiles in Consignment was the perfect role for him to utilize his natural charisma and talents. Ruben Navarro is set to become a breakthrough performer for the Latino community in the film industry. Early on his style is being compared to Tyrese Gibson and Christian Bale with a Latin edge. A rising talent that will have movie audiences interested in watching his next exciting appearance. Ruben is slated to appear in my next upcoming film projects. I always like to work with real friends when possible.

Tim Beachum started in the editing room before ever stepping in front of the camera. When close friend Super Bike Mike from Detroit invested money into a movie called Dope Case Pending starring Coolio and Kid Frost he was invited on set. Super Bike Mike was given a role as a drug dealer named Flakes. The movie itself was very forgettable (except for scene where Super Bike stole the show with a mad dog look in slow motion), but when Tim was asked to help edit the movie he jumped at the chance. He has been a movie fan his whole life and loves every part of the business. After seeing all the footage and editing parts of the movie (uncredited) he got the acting bug.

(Tim Beachum)

He was on the Slice Of Americana Films team as the lead editor for the urban action film Consignment, but decided to take a chance and audition for a role. He had read the script learning it cold front and back. He knew the story inside and out. So he took it upon himself to get in front of the green screen at his editing studio and tape his audition. Being a film editor he cut together two scenes he liked from the script and sent the DVD to Casting Director Stream Gardner. The two had not met and she had no idea who he was before watching the DVD. In the movie business the editor doesn’t get the love the actors or directors do.

She was impressed enough to have him come out for final call backs. Tim aka The SEO Bully walked through the doors of the acting studio in Los Angeles, CA to read for the lead role of Tommy Jones a moneymaking drug dealer from the East Coast. I was surprised to see the Tim auditioning and skeptical that an editor could act.

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Not giving him a break it was trial by fire. Tim was paired with the female lead of the film who was a working actor in the entertainment industry. This is the part of the story where it would be great to say Tim nailed it, but according to Tim himself his performance was less than stellar. Nerves had got the best of him. He flew all the way in from the East Coast to audition and screwed up. He’s a friend, but the audition was not Guy Terrifico great.

He was going to be in California another week to go over the post-production needs with me for Consignment. The role of Tommy Jones went to another actor. Rehearsals began on the last day Tim was scheduled to fly back to Virginia Beach, VA. As luck would have it the actor pulled out of the movie to take a regular role in a network drama. A final call back was done to cast the part of money making drug dealer Tommy Jones. Tim delayed his trip home to give it one more shot and to party with me at a few clubs. This time around he did nail the audition. The female lead said he was the best she ran the scenes with. He got the part on his own merit.

Since then Tim still loves to edit movies, but he is know pursuing acting as well. He attends workshops and acting classes on a regular basis building a strong acting foundation. He feels that editing movies helps him get a better grasp of what it takes to act. Both these newcomers are still trying to carve out their names in movies. This is indie filmmaker Sid Kali typing SMASH CUT:

The choice of shooting union or non-union has a strong impact on your entire production. People in the movie business have different views on union or non-union projects. I’ve heard the opinion that it’s selfish of a filmmaker to make a non-union movie. A main argument being that if a filmmaker can’t work within the established system that they shouldn’t make movies. My opinion is 100% biased on this subject. If the only way for a filmmaker to express himself or herself and tell a story is by shooting a non-union movie then they should pursue that route.

Film crews and post-production technicians that are members of a union or guild work under employment agreements set by their respective union or guild. Employment agreements include how many hours can be worked, minimum pay rate, overtime pay rate, mandatory breaks, and other items.

There are also many skilled and talented non-union technicians more than happy to work on a smaller budget non-union movie if it is a paid gig. The film crew and post-production team are essential to a movie’s success, but let’s be honest with ourselves. How many people know who was the director of photography or film editor of their favorite movies? I couldn’t tell you either. Like most movie fans I could only tell you who the directors and stars of my favorite movies are. Below-the-line crew pretty much goes unrecognized by most casual movie fans.

This is why many independent filmmakers are more concerned with deciding on whether to hire union or non-union actors than they are a film crew. The movie business at every level is actor driven. Even in a bad movie that critics and viewers pan as poorly directed fodder, an actor can still get a positive review for their individual performance. That’s why the next two questions are important for a filmmaker to consider.

Will your movie be produced using SAG (Screen Actors Guild) for talent? Unions have minimum pay scales movie producers have to meet. Or is a non-union cast the most practical way for you to go as a filmmaker?

Going union on cast is an ideal situation for any filmmaker. Talent that is union could file Fi-Core (Financial-Core) status to do your movie. You can study more about what Fi-Core means on the Internet through articles, blogs, and opinions.

Your talent options are limitless going union. Going non-union with casting actors eliminates potential talent that are members of SAG from appearing in your film. But sometimes indie producers and filmmakers do not have the budgets to work with SAG, even under their indie friendly agreements. It comes down to making a movie or not. Most hungry filmmakers will always choose to make their movie any way they can, which is a great thing. This is indie filmmaker Sid Kali typing FADE TO BLACK:

I want to squash the idea that making movies is only for showbiz types with entertainment connections. Maybe you are someone who enjoys watching movies and have their own hot story idea that would make a great flick. The First Movie Is The Toughest is for aspiring Screenwriters, Directors, and Producers along with the casual movie viewer with their own great story idea for a movie.

I never went to film school because I kind of was living a little reckless in my wilder earlier years, but I always had a passion to make movies that grew out of watching them that never went away. Life runs different directions. Despite what ever I was dealing with in my life, I would always take time to write short stories and later scripts. That helped me clear my mind from the day-to-day grind.

Out of nowhere I have been fortunate and lucky enough to be able to write, direct, and produce different movies, reality programs, and content for mobile devices under the banner of Slice Of Americana Films with my amigo Tim Beachum. Like with most indie film endeavors his role ranges from editor to SEO guru to give the titles a strong online presence with viewers.

None of these projects were made in Hollywood on a large studio budget, but thankfully every title produced has sold. They are being distributed domestically and internationally on DVD, Pay-Per-View (PPV) and Video-On-Demand (VOD). I’m not a Hollywood player yet, but I am out here making movies.

The digital movie distribution revolution has shaken up the way in which an indie producer can make money. It has given content creators direct access to paying viewers without a traditional distribution deal. In no way can I knock signing a deal with a distributor. I have been involved with deals that were very financially sweet that made nice money and others that were not so sweet. But the knife cuts both ways. If a producer knows they have a title that lacks production value, they can’t really expect to find meaningful distribution or sign a deal that will pay them. We invest real cash into our movies to boost production value. So, in turn we know when we are getting a BS deal based on money spent that was invested.

But with digital movie distribution it is possible nowadays to shoot a movie for less than a $1000, edit on your home computer, promote and sell it online yourself if that is what you want to do. My advice is to always think how you will market your movie online using SEO tactics first. No matter what your budget is, this will improve the quality of your script. This is indie filmmaker Sid Kali typing CUT TO: