Though this is his first shot at a feature film, Gulager has been in and around the movies his whole life. He, his girlfriend Diane and brother Tom have all appeared in short films and aborted attempts at self-funded features, and his father Clu Gulager has had a long acting career that dates back to the early '60s. Unsurprisingly, Gulager expresses his intention to involve all of them in Feast, hoping to cast Diane, Patrick, Clu and other family members in the movie's lead roles. In fact, it's the one area of pre-production about which he has no problem voicing an opinion.
This nepotistic approach puts Gulager at odds with Michelle Gertz, his casting director. While hoping to satisfy her director, Michelle recognizes that casting decisions are ultimately in the hands of Dimension, and the studio is unlikely to find Gulager's family as appealing as he does. Ben explains, "most studios decide how much money they're going to spend on Hollywood movies according to who's in 'em."
And money remains a critical issue as the team struggles to convince Andrew to give Feast the budget they believe it needs to succeed. Mike and Joel suggest a figure above $5 million, but are told that the studio is only prepared to offer a third of that.
At a casting meeting, tensions come to the surface. Gulager is steadfast in his resolve not to consider anyone but his brother for the role of "Beer Guy," and lashes out at Michelle. She, in turn, is worried that Gulager's unwillingness to direct or even communicate in auditions is giving the production a bad name, scaring off talent with box office potential. Clearly, something's got to give.
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