Cheaply made bad movies can be fun, but in my opinion actors should have the same level of integrity and pride in their product as I have my entire life as a professional musician. I'd NEVER go play a gig with garbage equipment. I have too much respect for my own level of professionalism and always trying my best to entertain those who paid to see me and my band mates perform. Too many bands have no standards and in the world today, the venues are letting them get away with having no talent at all. The main reason is because the customers don't complain like they used to in the 'good ole days'. Once upon a time... when a band was playing even at local cover bars and was not top notch, the patrons would complain and that band would never play that venue again. Now, the patrons don't care. The bands average quality has gone in the toilet, and the local bar owners aren't paying more than $300 for a four hour show by a full band of any size. Consider that being a musician is one of the few jobs someone has where they MUST learn to perform for years before doing a show. Buy their own equipment which can cost thousands of dollars. Drive to their gig, take about an hour to set up. Play for four hours or longer. Then break down everything, pack up, drive back home, and unload everything into your house. Add all those hours up and divide the pay by the minimum of 3 person band, it adds up to $100 per person per night for the 'privilege to play at some dive club or bar. Keep in mind the people playing have spent thousands of dollars in lessons and gear, hundreds of hours practicing, gas money there and back like every job not from home, and all the hours each show costs in time divided into at least six hours of work per person. That comes out to about $15/hr. IF you have only three people in the band. And the way things are now, only the weekend nights are the two nights per week you have a chance to play. Anyone want a job like this for an average weekly pay of $200 minus expenses?
The point of all this is to emphasize my initial statement about integrity and why it's so important. I'll never understand why famous actors who have done top notch movies would agree to do something as pathetic as this movie I give four stars to just because of the actors previous work and quality. And in case no one knows... my musician life and those of actors trying to become known are the root of the phrase...Starving Artist. Simple premise nonone can live on such poor income or no income and even if you work, no benefits until you hit the big time. Anyone ever think what happens to non famous people who get sick and have no health coverage? I'll guess that might be why talented actors do such terrible movies since they are Unionized and must be paid the minimum. I've no idea what that might be, but I'm fairly certain it's much more than someone like me would ever get since musicians have no more unions in most areas of work like we used to, and all else already written. We get sick or for any reason can't play. The band typically gets a fill in player unless whatever you're doing musically is so amazing, no one else can fill in. Then the gig gets cancelled and the owner of the venue might decide to not hire you again.
