One united union doesn't change the importance of "don't rush to join" ...

AFTRA and SAG members will soon have their say in the next (and final) step toward the big “I do” between the two performer’s unions. With their Board’s vote of approval this weekend, AFTRA leadership officially joined with SAG leadership in moving the new SAG-AFTRA towards consummation.

The “devil” that may have been in the details seems well on its way to a resolve. Aside from these health and pension items, the rest seems, potentially, rather seamless. We know a few of the details of what the merger will mean to actors who are not yet in either union or who are members of only one union. It will all become public very soon as the merger ballots and supporting documents are issued.

Jonathan Handel, in the current issue of Back Stage, does a great job of spelling out the bigger picture of what lies ahead. A tougher admissions policy will no doubt spell the end of AFTRA’s just walk up and pay membership plan, but the future of SAG’s more complicated and stricter rules for membership will also undergo changes. On the journey to creating a stronger, single union, membership will have to be both earned and paid for. However the long term benefits will far outweigh what might amount to just “minor” inconveniences on the way to a new union card.

What will remain the same has nothing to do with ether union, but instead, has everything to do with a non-union actor’s goal of (eventually) joining the (new) union. Don’t rush it. I have been advising young and new-to-the-business actors of any age to focus their journeys on building resumes, not in rushing to join any union. The (new) union will be there when you are ready for it. But until then, it’s not about the membership card as much as it is about doing the work you need to do to get you to the point where union membership makes sense.

Until then, you better be sure to open your Business of Acting bank account (chapter 9 in The New Business of Acting) to begin to put aside the money you will need for your union initiation fees because one thing is for certain. When it’s time to join, what has been the past initiation fee for either union will for sure go up.

BL

Build your brand this pilot season in positive ways that last all year -- and beyond

Starting with this week's issue, I will be writing on a regular basis for Back Stage.

My first column, just out, is about pilot season strategy for actors. In it, I offer up an easy to follow, five-step plan to guide you through pilot season 2012 in a way that can help you make your mark and build your brand.

I hope you will check it out -- and pass it on.

I am thrilled to be asked to join the Back Stage team!

BL

"Do you SAG take AFTRA to love, honor and cherish ... ?"

Although they haven’t yet registered at Target, SAG and AFTRA are now closer to a walk down the matrimonial aisle than ever before. While we all consider what we might wear to the wedding, let’s consider what this pairing can mean.

It certainly wasn’t love at first site. This union has been attempted before with an ugly outcome. Now, a little older, perhaps a little wiser, both unions have been happily dating again in an attempt to finally merge its energy and its benefits, in the hopes that together they can birth a stronger, more viable union that can serve all of the needs of all of its members in this new landscape that is the new business of acting.

I think this is a great move for both unions and for all of it members. The story in today’s Los Angeles Times provides an important and articulate overview of the history of this journey. The time has come for all “performing artists” to reap the rewards of being represented by one entity that is designed to act in their best interests.

The opposition to this merger has been rooted in the question, “How can a union that represents actors also serve the best interests of newscasters and weathermen?” The simple answer is that there is no reason that it cannot.

A merged union can operate with departments dedicated to serving specific segments of its membership. A merged union can also have strength in numbers when it comes time for contract negotiations at all levels.

The bigger issue will be how will a new, single union impact those performing artists who are not currently members of either union when it comes time for them to join? Will it mean higher initiation fees? Will it mean increased dues? Will it still require three vouchers for a non-union actor to gain the opportunity to join? Will it take away the current AFTRA policy on joining requiring only an application and a check from a prospective member? What will happen to the current SAG-E status? How will the Taft-Hartley provision be impacted by this?

Clearly there are numerous questions that need to be addressed – and I trust that they will. Now that the joint committee has created an agreement for a merger that both sides of the merger team are happy with, it’s time for that document to be presented to and voted on by the boards of both unions. The next step will then be yours (if you are current a member of either or both unions).

Before you vote “yes” or” no,” perform due diligence. Read the merger document; read the fine print and consider the bigger picture of what a merger means, not just for you and your career personally, but for the business of acting as a whole.

Having not yet seen the merger agreement, and as a union member myself, I can say that on the surface, at initial contemplation, this move seems like a win-win for all parties involved.

What are your thoughts?

BL

There's no business like show business ...

It's the day after the big event and a big bravo and congratulations to the Back Stage and Actorfest 2011 team that pulled off the best Actorfest event ever held.

Thanks to Dany Marguiles for including me in her "Acting 101" panel (with casting director Heidi Levitt, agent Ross Grossman and acting coach Judy Kerr), thanks to all of the actors who came by our booth to chat and thanks to Olivia Mackenzie-Smith and Eric Rollins (pictured) for being an amazing Business of Acting team at booth 175!

Indeed, there is no business like show business. :)

BL

Set your sights and your career goals on Actorfest 2011 this Saturday!

It's only 2 days to Actorfest 2011!

Get proactive and become connected this Saturday, 11/05, at Back Stage's Actorfest 2011 at the California Market Center.

It's all about you and the career you seek.

See you there!

BL

Actorfest 2011 is designed to turn on your actor proactivity!

I am thrilled to have been asked to participate in this year's Actorfest, sponsored by Backstage on Saturday, November 5, at the California Market Center, in downtown Los Angeles.

It will be a day filled with industry events and loaded with opportunities to meet and greet and to be met and greeted. The exhibition hall is free for everyone to explore. Special panels, workshops and casting opportunities offered throughout the day will provide an extraordinary opportunity for actors and other industry professionals (agents, managers, casting directors, coaches, teachers and service providers) to connect in ways that can empower you on your career journey -- or help you jump start a journey that seems to have stalled and sputtered a bit.

I will be joining a small group of colleagues for a panel titled "Acting 101," at 12noon. Hosted by Backstage managing editor Dany Margoiles, this will be a great opportunity to refresh the page on the strategy of your career and learn how to move forward building the resume you will need to get to that next step.

There is a full workshop schedule available on the event website, as well as all off the information you need to sign up, get prepared and hit the Actorfest 2011 ground running on November 5.

I hope to meet you there!

BL

An open-and-shut case of business of acting greed?

I received an e-mail today from an actor in Philadelphia who wrote to ask a question about the value of access and information. Casting directors was the subject -- and the question so irked me that I want to share it – and my response.

Chapter 10 in The New Business of Acting teaches actors how to create their personal action plan, an essential tool and map for the launch and growth of any career in this business. One of the key strategies I write about in the chapter is to include a plan for seeking out and meeting with casting directors for informational interviews. In the old days, in the off-season, most casting directors would set aside time to meet with actors whom they didn’t get a chance to meet during the production season.

These “general” interviews were not role-specific, but rather an opportunity for the casting director to broaden her base and knowledge of available talent. It was a great way for actors and casting directors to connect without the pressure and stress of having to cast a role.

As the landscape has changed, relatively few casting directors do this any more. I know a few who still do, but they are a rare and fading breed.

Nonetheless, it remains important for actors to be proactive with their outreach and attempt to meet with as many industry professionals as they can on a regular basis.

This brings me to this morning’s e-mail.

A Philadelphia-based actor who has been reading and absorbing the advise in the book (smart actor!) began implementing her action plan with a contact to a local casting director she was hoping to meet with for an informational interview. The casting director, as it turns out, was very interested in and happy to meet with her – for a fee!

The actor was told that for a fee of $100 the casting director would make herself available for a one-on-one informational interview. A bit stunned, the actor’s next step was to write me ask my opinion. In the same e-mail, the actor asked about the value of “open calls,” perhaps, in some way, a bit related.

I responded:

“One-hundred dollars to have an informational interview?” I have never heard of this. Ever. Find someone else to connect with.

By ‘open calls’ for casting directors, are you referring to an open call for a specific project the casting director is seeking actors for — or do you mean a ‘general’ one-on-one meeting with a casting director, giving both the casting director and the actor an opportunity to meet “in general” and not for a specific project?

Either way, the answer is that it depends. It depends on the project and it depends on the casting director. Some actors will say that any opportunity to get ‘face time’ with a casting director is worth anything. I disagree. When I went undercover as an actor while writing the book, I also went to a couple of open calls. I thought the process was very disrespectful of the actors who showed up seeking a break or an opportunity. I think it’s important to weigh every aspect of the situation and then make a decision, without becoming invested in the outcome.

With regard to a ‘general’ with a legitimate, professional casting director, it can often be a very valuable ‘get’ for an actor to land one of these appointments, as it can be valuable for the casting director to get to know an actor she might not otherwise have had exposure to. But never, ever pay for the opportunity, unless the casting director is also willing to pay you for your time, as well. Seems a fair deal to me.”

Case closed, from my perspective.

Your thoughts? What would you do?

BL