All fake names! I \[F26\] started an argument with Nina \[18?F\] in my college filmmaking class. We’re in a group with Joey \[18M\] and working on our final project- a five to 15 minute short film. Following the previous project, I’m doing the script, Nina’s doing the shot list, and Joey’s doing the storyboard. For some context, the professor won’t let us as the "directors" act in what we’re writing, so we need to find friends/other classmates to be the actors. Nina hung up some flyers around campus asking for actors, and three people responded. I reached out to two other people, so five actors out of five characters have responded with interest.
The argument started earlier today, when we started talking about when to film. We found that this Thursday at 2:00 PM would work, but so far only two actors said they were available, and Joey wouldn’t be present. Something else the professor requires is that all of the directors must be present for any filming. I loosely have a problem with this, considering we’re all college students with different schedules, and Thanksgiving is next week. Which might not seem like an issue, but there’s a very limited amount of time after Thanksgiving and before finals, especially considering this assignment is due December 10th, and each of us have to do our own post-pro, including sound design, color grading, and editing. This problem is separate, and something we may or may not talk to the professor about.
The argument in question that I started is when I sent an email through our school’s email to my other groupmates and the actors, clearly asking for available times, since our biggest issue is when we’re filming. I called myself the "bad cop" and said I would recast if someone’s not available. Direct quote from the email I sent: "Being interested in acting for this project is NOT the same as being available for this project". I also said "If you’re not in this 100%, please don’t waste our time". I fully admit that how I worded the email makes me an asshole, but I don’t think I’m the asshole for sending the email.
I let Nina and Joey know that I sent this email and she blew up at me, saying I was being non-negotiable on dates and calling my email a manipulation tactic as well as unprofessional. I argued back that "interest" and "availability" are two different things, and only one of the three people who emailed with interest continued to share times when they were free. Of the two people I asked, one was also available for filming Thursday, but we won’t be going through with filming since all of us directors can’t attend. When I asked Joey what he thought, he tried to be the middle man and compromise with making a concrete filming schedule when all three of us would be available. I agreed to this, under the assumption that if previously interested actors were unavailable, we’d have to find new ones. Nina left after this and I haven’t heard from her. I’ve been giving her her space, but it’s an MW class. AITA?
NTA, trying to get the scheduling under control group projects in film classes are notoriously chaotic, and you’re right that interest isn’t the same as availability. Someone can love the idea of acting but still not show up when it matters. It’s totally fair to want clarity early.
NTA. Your wording was harsh, but your point was valid. Interest ≠ availability, and you’re on a tight deadline. You weren’t wrong to send something asking for firm times, you just could’ve softened the tone a bit. Nina blowing up over it didn’t help either, you tried to compromise afterward, which is more than she did.
NTA. You’re behaving professionally, as fits the circumstances. Nina not so much.
If you didn’t set a schedule before filming YTA. I won’t take a project , volunteer or paying , with anyone if I don’t have specific dates and times.
That is something that was lacking on the posters. I did a group project with them earlier in the year, but we were given class time to film. This time, we don’t have that option. We had a proposed filming schedule to run between Nov. 19th – Dec. 5th that was part of the pitch for the project we presented in class.
NTA for the point you were trying to make, but the delivery was 🔥 when it didn’t need to be. These are volunteers, not paid talent. Your frustration is understandable with the deadline, but the email could’ve been friendlier.
I’m glad there’s some understanding, but yeah, I can see how the email was harsh. Especially when you can’t really tell what someone’s tone is in writing.
ESH. You had a fair point about availability, but the wording in your email came off harsh and unprofessional. At the same time, Nina overreacted instead of just saying the tone wasn’t okay. You all need to communicate like a team or this project is going to be a nightmare.
We do have a lot of communicating ahead of us if Nina and I are able to agree again, especially when we have lofty ideas of what we want to do for this project and I’m trying to be realistic with what we can do.
The way you’re describing this project, it sounds logistically impossible. So I’d say NAH, everyone’s just trying to deal with this Kobayashi Maru of student film assignments as best they can.
Ha! Very true! We definitely had big goals in mind since Nina and I both wanted to do a found footage horror film, but then she added the idea of three different endings (since we all have to edit individually) AND found footage within this found footage movie. I’m really trying to make it clear that we can’t do everything and dumb this down so we can get it done.