Whether or not you have been involved with Twelve Monkeys Dancing Films before, every production company is unique, and there are some things you must know before deciding if you would like to be involved in one of our films. Therefore, we have comprised the following list of the twelve most important facts about us and how we work. This list is by no means exhaustive, so please let us know if you have any further questions.

1. We are a low-budget independent production group.

We are a low-budget group. As such, there are many differences between us and a traditional movie set. All cast and crew positions are on a volunteer basis. We don’t have trailers. We don’t have assistants. We shoot on high definition digital video. Because we are self-funded, we move at a fairly quick pace, often shooting multiple scenes in a day.

This isn’t to say that we’re not professional, or that we don’t work hard. In fact, it often takes more work and a lot of creativity to make up for our lack of funds. We have fun on the set, but we also take our work very seriously. Our limitations are budget-wise, not effort-wise.

2. We are based in Denver, Colorado.

Because we are low-budget, we are not always able to accept applications from interested parties who currently reside out of state. We do not have a travel budget, so we are looking primarily for people who are located in and around the Denver area, who will not need to make extensive commutes to attend the shoots.

If you do reside out of state and are interested in working with us, and would be willing to pay your own way to Colorado, please feel free to contact us. While we cannot guarantee anything, if we feel you are right for the part we will try to work with you to make it happen.

3. You will not be paid as much as on a "big" production… at least not with money.

We are completely self-funded and, as a result, all positions (both cast and crew) are for lo/deferred pay. There are no exceptions, no matter what the position or previous experience/talent of the individual. We are looking for dedicated individuals who are interested in working together to create something great, seeking rewards other than a paycheck.

We may not be paying a lot in cash, but there are many wonderful things you will receive in return for your work on our production. We offer the chance to experience the nitty gritty of low-budget independent filmmaking right on set. Actors and actresses, we offer you the opportunity to play a leading or supporting role in a film. We offer the chance to get your hands into the nuts and bolts of filmmaking on a very real level. We also have an incredible time doing this. We have had some great people work with us on previous productions, and it’s always a blast!

We always provide healthy, homemade meals, drinks and snacks on set, mileage reimbursement from your home to the shooting location and back, as well as a copy of the finished film on DVD and footage for your demo reel.

4. We are an equal opportunity group.

We do not discriminate on any basis, be it race, gender, age, sexuality, or any other form. This applies to both our cast and crew. None of our roles are specific to any one race or body type (or even gender!) Everyone is invited to audition for our cast, regardless of past experience (or lack thereof.)

5. There are two types of cast positions: primary and supporting.

Generally, primary cast roles require significantly more shooting time than a supporting role. In addition to more time spent actually shooting, there will be rehearsal times as well for each scene. Please take this into account when deciding whether or not to audition for the cast.

6. We have no guaranteed form of distribution lined up.

As a low-budget independent production, we are completely self-funded. As such, we have no current arrangements to have any of our films distributed in ANY form (other than a personal release on DVD to all cast and crew members involved.) We cannot, in any way, guarantee that any of our films will ever see any sort of distribution. We do have HOPES for our films, but that is much different. We have had some success on the film festival circuit with our previous shorts, and plan to submit our 2010 films in a similar fashion. We may consider some form of DVD release. But we will not promise anything.

The truth is, when it comes to distribution, it’s kind of out of our hands. We will certainly try very, very hard. But we’re not going to promise you that this movie will make you famous, because that’s simply not in our control.

7. We work as a team. We succeed – and fail – together.

We are only as strong as our weakest link. While we understand that sometimes scheduling conflicts arise, we ask everyone who is thinking about getting involved to very carefully consider the time commitment this will take. Because our positions are all for lo/deferred pay, we work together as a team towards one goal – finishing the movie to the best of our combined abilities. This means there is a lot of faith we all have in each other to do our part and see things through to the end. It is very unfortunate when one person decides to renege on their commitment to finish a film, because it affects everyone involved. This has happened time and time again to low-budget filmmakers all around the world, and we would like to avoid it happening to us. Please weigh all issues when deciding if you are able to participate or not, and please discuss any concerns you may have with us beforehand. One person deciding the day before a scheduled shoot that they’d rather go snow boarding, or deciding three weeks into the production that they simply do not want to do the film anymore, can ruin the entire experience for everyone, and can derail the project completely.

8. Unfortunately, we cannot include everyone who auditions.

We would absolutely love to give a part to every single person who auditions. But unfortunately, our low budget will not allow us to work with more than the essential number of people. Because of this, not everyone who applies for a part in the cast will be accepted. Time and time again we have had to turn away exceptional people simply because we ran out of parts. As such, we encourage you to apply even if you have auditioned for us in the past and not been cast.

9. Some of our content may not be suitable for everyone.

We understand that everyone has different comfort levels when it comes to portraying certain types of behavior in a setting like this, especially when it comes to sex and violence. At Twelve Monkeys Dancing Films we strive to make sure our talent is comfortable with the role they are cast in at all times. Our upcoming 2010 production schedule contains some films with content that not everyone will be comfortable with. You will be advised of any content that might be considered questionable at the auditions and, if you are chosen for the cast, you will have the opportunity to read the script before committing to the part.

10. We work primarily on evenings and weekends... and sometimes days.

Because our crew is comprised of members with full-time "day jobs", we will primarily be shooting on weekends and evenings, although there will be the occasional weekday, morning and afternoon shoots. We will provide the shooting schedule for the upcoming film at the auditions; please be as upfront with us about your availability as possible. If we feel you are right for the part we will work with you to make it happen, even if you are busy on the days we initially intended to shoot.

11. Many of our shooting days will be full.

To maximize our resources, we will be shooting for as long as possible on most shooting days. We’ll begin early in the morning and shoot until we’re done, even if it’s late that night. These full day schedules will not affect all roles, but if you are unable for whatever reason to dedicate large chunks of time like this, please let us know ahead of time. Most principle cast roles will need to be available for some of these full days.

12. We have a lot of fun!

We may not have a lot of money, but our productions can be a whole lot of fun! It may be a lot of work, but working as a group with other like-minded individuals to create something unique is rewarding in many different ways.