Welcome to the ask Mark Pirro page. We should change this to the SAG financial core page, since it seems that lately 80% of all questions are relating to union issues. Feel free to leave any question or comment you like, even if it's NOT about going SAG financial core ---------- Mark Pirro himself will respond. ---------- Or, if you'd rather not leave a message right now, just click here to go back to our Home Page. Messages are listed from the newest to the oldest. After you've left your message, check back soon. Mark usually replies within 24 hours.. There are now 333 messages in our guestbook. <<< 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 34 >>> Viewing messages 91 to 100. Your name (required) Your message (required) Where in the world? Martín Vilela Mark, I'm from Argentina and I'm dying to see your movies but I can't find them anywhere.what should I do? -------------------------------------- MARK PIRRO'S RESPONSE: I don't believe we've sold any of our films to Argentina. You could always order them through this website. They are recorded in the NTSC system and Argentina is on PAL. However, you should be able to play them on your computer. Hope that helps a bit. 9 December 2008 - Argentina J Is it worth it to shoot on a Panasonic DVX100B? Will no one release the movie unless it's HD? And is it suicide to go Ultra Low Budget Sag to cast one union actress on a movie with less than $5000 bucks? ---------------------------------- MARK PIRRO'S RESPONSE: It's tough enough to get a movie released these days in any format. Shooting it in standard def just decreases your odds even more. Why not start with the best quality you can afford? At under $1000, HDV cameras are a better bet. Regarding your SAG question: unless the union actress you're using is Julia Roberts, there is no logical reason for an indie filmmaker to get into bed with SAG on any budget. 7 December 2008 - Alabama jay I just found about SAG FI-Core!?? I am in SAG and wanted some more info. I just paid a substantial amount of money to join the SAG union and would not want to destroy a career before it gets started. Is there any info that I could get from SAG regarding the issue? I really want to know the ends in outs before I make a move. Are there any draw backs, will it affect my union status in anyway, besides some people giving me a hard time. I am interested becuase of the number 1 reason.work.jobs were not knocking down my door when I was non-union but I was getting work. I don't know if things are just slow now or what but since I joined SAG I have not done anything and missed a few opportunities, recently this past weekend, to work on a non-union project. Also, how does/would it work when the call is for union and non-union but I have SAG Fi-Core on my resume.would I be hired as SAG or non-union wages or would the casting agent just go to next person. Thank you ------------------------------------- MARK PIRRO'S RESPONSE: You're not going to get much info on financial core from SAG, certainly not much positive info. Naturally, things appear slower now that you've joined SAG - you have cut out a substantial margin of your work opportunities, non-union projects. I've said this many times throughout this forum and I'll say it as many times as it needs to be said; when you are financial core, you can now work in BOTH union and non-union films. It's just that simple. Regarding your resume', you don't have to put fi-core on it if you don't want to. If there's a casting call for a part you feel you're right for, no matter whether it's union or non-union, just apply. If it's SAG, you qualify. If it's non-SAG, you still qualify. That's it. This is the age of the internet, SAG can no longer conceal this (which has been around for over 20 years) from their members. Regarding wages, that's a case by case basis negotiated between you and the filmmaker. Even SAG can't help you there (have you seen their low-budget agreement? It's a joke to the actor AND the filmmaker). Relax. Go fi core and keep doing what you want to do...ACT. 5 November 2008 - Phillies Jess Hi Mark: I was reading all your fi core information. I'm was planning on sending a letter to SAG soon to go Fi core but was looking for a name to send it to. Do you know of a specific person at in SAG's legal department that handles this? I want to make sure my certified letter gets to the right person, and really don't want to call SAG and get into some type of energy draining argument about why Fi Core is not the way to go. A source a while back said to send it to: Asst. Mngr. Member/Guild Relations, not the legal department. in any case, the less contact with SAG the better.so a name would be great. Thanks for all the great information! ------------------------------------- MARK PIRRO'S RESPONSE: I don't have a specific name to give you, but it doesn't matter. Whomever gets the mail in SAG's legal department will do just fine. Just send the letter certified, keep a copy, and you've done your part. If anyone contacts you to argue about it, deal with them the same way you'd deal with a telemarketer: Say you're not interested and hang up. You don't have to argue with anyone from SAG, you're within your rights. 17 October 2008 - LA, Ca mike stansbury Deathrow Gameshow was one of my favorite movies. I caught it on HBO back in 1988, or somewhere in that era, and was just wondering what Beano is up to. Do you still keep in contact with him? If so, will he ever be in another movie? What about John Mccafferty, plan on using him . Thought he did a great job as Chuck Toedan, and would like to see him in some upcoming movies if possible. --------------------------------------- MARK PIRRO'S RESPONSE: I last saw Beano around 2006. I think he still acts, but not so much in features. I believe he does commercials. Regarding McCafferty, he's appeared in more of my films following Deathrow Gameshow. In fact, you'll see him again in my upcoming, "The God Complex." He too does commercials. In fact, you can see him in the trailer for the video game "Fallout 3" here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rg9t7uXkLyA 22 September 2008 - pleasanton california Chuck Garcia Mr. Pirro, I'm a big fan, who, like you have worked on many Super 8 films. My question to you is this: After your shot at working within the studio system (Deathrow Gameshow), were you ever offered to direct any other 35mm movies? If so, have you turned any offers down? -------------------------------------- MARK PIRRO'S RESPONSE: I did direct another 35mm film, Buford's Beach Bunnies, which was a big disappointment to me. As with anything in life, I've turned down some things. I turned down the opportunity to direct "My Mom's a Werewolf," and got aced out of directing a 35mm movie called, "The Mayor of Sunset Strip." Maybe they ended up shooting that one in 16mm, I'm not sure. Although I try to never say never or never say always, I discovered that I have more control over my filmmaking when I just make them myself. There's no money man lurking over your shoulder telling how the movie should be made, which to me is what's it's really all about. 19 September 2008 - New Jersey Adrian Hi, Congrats on your body of work! I have tons of production experience (directing, lighting, shooting, editing, mixing, etc.) and am itching to make my first no budget film. How much should I make my movie for to keep it profitable if I'm planning on self-distributing? Thanks! -------------------------------------- MARK PIRRO'S RESPONSE: There really is no specific figure. The mathematics of no budget filmmaking are: the cheaper it costs you to make, the quicker you'll see a return. My last film cost $1000 to produce, so naturally, I was in the black rather quickly. The film I made before that cost around $500, so that would make a return quicker. If you can make it for $50...well, you get the idea. 8 September 2008 - Los Angeles shane how big is the deathrowr gs poster?, if i bought one could the dvd be made available to me? -------------------------------------- MARK PIRRO'S RESPONSE: It's a full theatrical one sheet - 40X27". If you order a poster, I'd say we can toss in a DVD of the movie, just make sure that you indicate that in the order. 30 August 2008 - england Steven Spielberg jr. Talking muhammad? You`ve got balls!! I `m a huge fan!! ----------------------------------------- MARK PIRRO'S RESPONSE: Thank you. They clang when I walk. 28 August 2008 - Hollywood, The Hamptons and Auschwitz Anthony Hey Mark. It's Anthony from the stage production of Nudist Colony. Just found out about you're new film The God Complex and can't wait to see the final product! Hope all is well and we have another reunion someday! ---------------------------------------- MARK PIRRO'S RESPONSE: You JUST found out about it? We've been working on it for over a year. You're just not keeping up with the Pirromount news, are you? Yeah, however, we should all get together one of these days. It's been too long. 25 August 2008 - Glendora,ca <<< 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 34 >>>