What happens to the actors who sign up for a movie but then they are edited out? Are they paid? are they credited? I am thinking of the final last minute cutting that is done after the advertising and promotion.
are they pissed off? any famous examples?
I don’t know if it’s famous or not, but Vince Neil, the lead singer of Motley Crue (I don’t know how to do umlats in HTML) was in one of the Police Academy movies, but he was edited out. He didn’t recive billing, AFAIK, because he didn’t actually appear in the finished version.
They are always paid for the job. My aunt was asked to provide music for a scene in the film “Sweet Liberty,” but they didn’t use the scene. She was paid for the performance.
Whether they’re credited depends on various factors. Some actors have been credited though they can’t really be seen (i.e., Wil Wheaton in “The Last Starfighter” or Philip Bruns in “My Favorite Year”). Some have not (Kevin Costner in “The Big Chill”).
I believe that an actor gets paid for the time they’ve worked, even if it ends up cut (after all, they put in the time). Credit on screen I would think would only go for those who actually appear on screen.
One well known example: The Big Chill, the corpse of the friend in the beginning is Kevin Costner. Word had it that Kasdan felt so badly about cutting Kevin’s small scenes in the beginning (those are apparently his hands in the coffin), that he gave him a role in Silverado. Since he didn’t express this to me personally, I’m not vouching for that last bit, but it is Kevin in the coffin.
forgot to as justin is your mom’s name Barb? & does she live in Michigan??
no my mother’s name is not Barb and she does not live in Mich. But I used to have a girl friend named Barb who was a lot bigger than I was. But that was 25 years ago so she could be in Mich now.
(pleased that you understood that ‘as’ really was a clever way of saying ‘ask’.)
nah, it’s just I have a friend, Barb, in MI who has a son, Justin who’s an actor. It would have been too weird.
and, I see also that my answer about ‘credit on screen’ wasn’t complete enough - Reality Chuck correctly points out times that folks aren’t on screen but credited (as in voice overs and so on), and other times, they’re there and choose to not be credited (As in, IIRC, Dan Akroyd in the airport scene in Indiana Jones & the Temple of Doom - he’s the guy with a clipboard who puts Indy, short round and Kate Capeshaw onto the plane)
My mother is named Barb and she lives in Michigan. Perhaps you’re looking for me, wring?!?
that’s IT!!!
The following is based on my understanding of the process. I am an entertainment junkie and read a lot of magazines and books based on the entertainment industry.
Yes, they are paid even if their part is edited out. The actor did the work, they get paid. They don’t always (or even usually) get credited.
I can think of two acting examples off the top of my head that aren’t already named.
Seth Green, most notable for his part of Scott Evil in Austin Powers and his role of Oz in the Buffy TV series, was cut from the 1992 Buffy movie. A scene he was in did make the back cover of the video box.
Chris Farley was the original voice of the ogre in Shrek (see this weeks People magazine). His work was nearly done at the time of his death. I am unsure of whether they had decided to go with Mike Myers instead before or after Farley’s death.
On a musical note (ha ha), Sting was asked to provide the music for The Emperors New Groove. After a reported two years of work, they decided to go a different route for the movie (comedy instead of more dramatic) and no longer needed the style of music that Sting was providing. I understand that he was still included on the soundtrack, even though they didn’t use much of his music.
John Ingle was cut from Batman and Robin. He was supposed to play Bruce Wayne’s doctor. IIRC, he doesn’t appear in the final cut at all, although he might have a tiny bit of screen time. He is credited for the part, and he was paid, but he was very disappointed when the role was cut.
What effect would having your part cut from the movie have on residuals? I’m guessing you wouldn’t get anything if you’re not in the final version.
Actors get paid the agreed rate for the work done, generally per day’s attendance on set.
They usually get credited only if their work actually ends up in the edited product, at the time the titles and credits are produced. As many posters have noted, there can be exceptions arising through error or choice.
Residuals are based on whatever is stipulated in the contract. This may contain a clause stipulating that residuals only apply if the actor’s work is included in the finished product.
I was an extra in The Right Stuff, but I didn’t make it to the final cut. I was paid for that. I was also in a film called Immoral Minority Picture Show (“IMPS”), but AFAIK it was never released. I was paid for that one too.