Roy Lewis Garton: Actor, director and producer in Sebastian, Florida.

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So I have a question for everyone and I would like your honest thoughts. Here is the hypothetical situation:

A guy new to the film industry wants to do a series of videos on youtube as a precursor to bigger budget projects. He is looking for actors and decides that, to keep the cost affordable at this stake, he will only work with people willing to take part in the project as volunteers. Thus would be done under the agreed promise that once the project either starts to earn some kind of return revenue (say it gets popular on youtube) or the project is latter picked up by an official company or bigger investors, everyone will get paid. Would you work under those terms?

What are your thoughts?

I heard from a friend that this was something that has happened before in the industry with those new or un-established but how open are you, as actors, to the situation?

I recently got into a pretty heated discussion with a guy on Facebook in reference to older "newbies" breaking into acting. The actor in question is a very close friend of mine and he stated he was ready for a agent. He has taken some acting classes and I do agree he is ready for representation on a regional scale. You need to understand, we don't live in LA, we don't Live in New York, we don't live in Atlanta, we live in Florida. The film industry here is pretty much folded due to our wonderful State morons in Tallahassee thinking film incentives are stupid and money could be spent better elsewhere. Film production companies agree and they have left the state to spend their money......elsewhere... Back to my Facebook discussion. So this guy whom I do know personally thinks my friend should chase his dream, pack up his stuff and head to LA. As stated, he is an older actor, with a kid, single Dad, with a business, and with a mortgage. I love these carefree fly by night transplanted people who moved to Florida from LA with no ties other than they want to teach acting classes and think everyone can just take off in life because they can and jump into acting. Back to my story. I try to explain than he should start small within his area (Orlando-Tampa-Jacksonville) with a agent and see how it goes. I did that and continued my "day Job" It is also very hard to take time off and run to auditions at a whim when your agent says so. Most auditions are 60 miles plus from where we are in relation to Orlando or even more in Tampa or Miami. Nobody here wants to live in those cities. I explained it is very hard these days for over 50 actors just starting out to really make it in the business unless you been established. My friend is in no financial position to move to LA with a 12 year old. He is a floor layer by trade and that is what he knows. Yes, he is good, I have acted with him but my advice by this guy was met with I was a "poser" actor doing it as a hobby and he had friends over 50 making millions in Hollywood doing bit parts, blah, blah, blah. I simply said good for him. I had another friend who took my side state he very well knows the cattle calls of want to be actors lining up for auditions for a small part, principal role, supporting role, driving 100 miles, for a 10 second read. Maybe young people can do this, younger single guys can do this, a housewife perhaps, but some of us have mortgages, a business, bills, a car payment, and life don't work that way to just drop everything and move to LA, Atlanta, or New York on a pipe dream. One suggested he go to Atlanta or New York once a month for networking. Again my friend does not have the money to just hop on a jet and fly there every month or even yet, drive his 3/4 ton work truck and pull his kid out of school whom he is raising to do that. Some people have no common sense of the real world.

Now for me. How is it that I can speak with any authority about this?

I been there, done that. I am almost 65. I still act but spend more time behind the camera these days running my production business.

I been acting since I was 12. I know what the acting bug is like. My enthusiasm like others almost cost me my marriage and my home. My boss at one time almost fired me for running to auditions all the time. Oh I was gonna make it big. Yes sir!! It can be addictive. I had to burn up all my vacation time to go to these auditions where for every 30 you go to, you might score one. As for agents they will send whoever they can because they too have to pay bills and they work off commission off your paycheck. Can't blame them. Oh that is the other thing. Your paycheck from acting does not come in two weeks, or even one month. Expect to wait up to 90 days to get paid off some gigs. Today, I have settled down and learned a lesson. I am proud of my acting, don't get me wrong. I have done over 25 films, been in 3 television series, done national commercials and I am SAG-AFTRA eligible. Florida among other states I have worked in were or are right to work and when I became eligible in 1979 I never joined and today it is 3 grand and again we go back to with 3 grand, I can buy equipment for my business and I am not acting that much anymore to invest that kind of money. If you live in LA, ATL. or N.Y. yes, you should join, but here, it makes no sense. If you have money behind you from some source and no obligations then go for it. If you don't, think really hard. Acting is competitive enough for kids and young people. Roles for baby boomers and seniors is even thinner and what there is, again very competitive. Take a deep breath and say, "Can I do this?" "Should I do this?" and if I can, what is going to be my goal and long term survival by doing this?"

So how are you all doing with staying employed during this pandemic? We are not doing much and have two scripts sitting hopefully waiting to get into production this Fall. We refuse to do anything until things settle down. I have done a few acting gigs via video streaming and some voice-overs. I will rather be safe and alive (I am older) than risk going out in the masses. Not worth it.

So I have not posted lately on here but yes, I am still alive! I recently completed 3 indie films, and booked a supporting role in a network crime feature on the Discovery Channel. So been busy. My main editing computer crashed and fried the mother board which has held me up on some stuff but so it goes. Tennessee, where we recently relocated to is a beautiful state and being in the middle travel wise to Atlanta, Florida, and work in Knoxville as well as Nashville makes it nice. Hope you are all doing well...

So looking for connections for acting in Tennessee and Kentucky. While I do have agency representation I will let it be known, As an official "Senior" I prefer to self tape my auditions as I am about 90 miles from Nashville, and 110 from Knoxville and this ol boy just does not enjoy driving all that way for a 20 second audition. Also I do not do background anymore. Been there, done that. I have over 27 film, television series, and National commercials under my belt plus training but yes, I am in the "tail end" of my journey so I am picky but love to do character roles. so if you are looking for a guy to do 50 to 65 year old range acting, hit me up.. Yes, the head sot is current, yes I have the resume to back up my stuff, yes, I am on IMDB.

I just got the word this was introduce yourself weekend. I been so busy with stuff I almost forgot so........Hello all! I am in Tennessee and I do business videos, write, direct, and produce indie films and I am an actor as well. So, pretty much all around in the industry in both film and television being in front of as well as behind the camera with the latter being more of thing as I grow older. The ol offers become less and less for us over the 60 groups or maybe it's we become more picky and cranky and get tired of going to auditions we know we mostly won't get in the first place. LOL! Either way It's better to produce my own stuff and and If I want to act, I just write myself in a little part and I am happy. How about that! That's how I roll.

Good Morning all. Roy here. So what are you all up to? Anyone got any projects going in or around Tennessee? Love to network with folks in the area. I do producing, directing, shooting,, and acting. Yep, I am all rolled into one. (:-) So anyway, shoot me a message. I done 3 short films with one currently going into various short film festivals and the other two pretty much retired after great runs. Have a great weekend.

...such as Netflix, Hulu, etc.

There is a rumor making the rounds in my city that - for instance - a role that has you working in multiple episodes will all be done in one multi-hour session, not over multiple weeks because the shows episodes are released at once.

This means that a multi-week salary becomes a one- or two-day shoot and you are paid accordingly, thereby earning way less than a network show would pay.

Any truth to the rumor?

Which social media platform do you find most beneficial to your career? I've found Instagram to be pretty effective, but I hear many people prefer Facebook or Twitter. And Stage 32 is of course really great. Not a lot of love for MySpace nowadays ;)

So Stage 32 wanted to know if I was still active in my field, and the answer is yes. We have our new indie short "Crime Squad" just released and now going to festivals with being accepted already at a Canadian festival. I am also still very busy with my own media company.

Hey everyone after 4 films and one national commercial, FDMC Media is selling off our law enforcement props and wardrobes. If you have a project coming up in need of items like this, let us know and message me. We got great use out of this but I am getting ready to retire and ready to part ways with all of our gear. We can ship. We can save your production a lot of money. Message me and serious inquiries only. You must be a verified film company or actor. No exceptions.