I registered an account just so I can rant about the stupidity of this idea. I'm usually over at DVX or DVinfo but stumbled across this forum. Let's begin the ranting.
1. If I have to pay to work... for anything... the first thing that comes to mind is scam, due to the pyramid schemes.
2. Why would I pay you to work if I can get paid to work? Perhaps because I'm not competent enough to fill the position, in which, if that's the case, I fear that the project itself will suck a$$ due to the incompetence of the entire cast and crew.
3. If you can't see, as a producer/director, that your cast and crew are SUFFERING for YOU, then you should probably go back to filmmaking 101. The fact that you make people pay for you shows that you dont see the importance of their role, that their positions are expendable. I would like to see you make a film with no cast and crew, because the likely story is, you wont have one if you're asking them to pay you.
4. If none of this makes sense, then please, join MY production company. My rates are considerably cheaper at $250 for main roles, $100 for crew, and $50 for extras. Look at that, you can pay me 1/2 the amount and do what you love doing most! I've made several different films ranging from romance to comedy to sci-fi to thrillers. Unfortunately, though, I've lost all my films due to a harddrive failure and they were never signed for distribution, so there's no evidence of them ever existing. Please email me if interested.