I received a lot of correspondence in response to my last Blog regarding the downside of non-union work. Many of those who wrote pointed out that in several places in The Business of Acting book, I talk about the value of being a non-union actor. I was asked point blank, by Michael, a young actor in Manhattan, “Aren’t you being hypercritical?”
Fair question, Michael.
Let me clarify my position.
An actor must first and foremost by a smart, responsible businessperson; an actor must also always be pro-active in the pursuit, growth and maintenance of their career. To do this right, the bigger picture is always the key factor.
I have seen terrific work by non-union (and even some union actors) in non-union productions. But I have also heard first-hand stories of real non-union nightmares: actors having trouble getting the money for their work; long hours, unprofessional crews; other actors who are unprofessional.
In fact, a client of mine just the other day called to tell me that she submitted herself on a non-union film project through ActorsAccess.com – and she got called in to audition.
An actor is the CEO of their business; managers and agents work for actors. It’s not the other way around, as many ego-challenged talent representatives would like to believe. As managers, we are charged with keeping a clear, strategic overview of the client’s career and offering advice and counsel on career matters.
My client asked me if I thought she should go on the audition. I responded, “What do you want to do?” She replied, “I’d like to see what it’s all about – and any opportunity to audition was even better than a class learning how to prepare for one.” Good point.
So, she went, being given the assignment of reporting back when she was done.
The next afternoon, an urgent e-mail arrived from this client. “I would never work for these people!” She continued, “They were so unprofessional at the audition, I can’t imagine what they would be like on a set.”
It’s all a learning process.
Just because a project is listed on a legitimate self-submission casting service doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t perform due diligence every step of the way.
About a year ago, a young man contacted me about an audition experience he had for a non-union project that he self-submitted on through Back Stage West.
He arrived at the designated appointment location (the back booth of a Chinese restaurant in a seedy part of town) where he met three men and a woman. The woman was supposedly the “casting director” he had sent his head shot to. She looked him up and down, then whispered something to the three men. They whispered something back to her and then she turned to this young actor and said, “We don’t need to audition you. You have the right look. We’d like you to star in all three films we have planned.”
She then handed him a paper and said, “Here’s our contract. Sign it now.”
Being a smart actor, the young man said, “I’d like to read it first. Can I take it home with me and send it back to you tomorrow?” “Absolutely not,” he was told. “Either sign it now or come back tomorrow and sign it in person, but we can’t give you an unsigned copy to take with you.”
The actor, fortunately, didn’t sign anything. He told them that he would think about it and call them. Instead, he thought about it and called me.
We had a long talk about this.
The casting ad in Back Stage West seemed legitimate enough. Were these people casting for something more “provocative” than what their ad stated? Who knows. The point is that is must always be “actor beware.”
As in my client’s audition the other day, if you find yourself in any situation that doesn’t feel right, leave – and never, ever sign any document that you haven’t first taken the time to read and understand thoroughly. Then have someone else you trust read it, too, if you can.
I was concerned about the other actors who saw and responded to the Back Stage West ad, so I called my friends at the paper to discuss the situation.
I like the west coast based-Back Stage West and their sister publication in New York Back Stage. They have both long been respected sources of news and information for actors – and they remain so. I have done a lot of business with them over the years.
I was pleased to learn that there is a system in place to weed out fraudulent casting ads. A part of this system is rooted in reports directly from actors who have answered ads in the paper and later found out (at an audition or on a job) that the ad wasn’t truthful or was anout-and-out lie.
A report was filed on this so-called casting director and the so-called production company. An investigation was launched that uncovered that every actor who answered this ad and got an audition (and most did) was never actually auditioned, but was nonetheless offered a starring role with a three-picture deal.
This company and these people have been barred from ever placing an ad in Back Stage West. But that doesn’t mean that they won’t seek (and find) other avenues to get to actors who are simply looking to work.
The young actor was smart enough to never get back to these people – and he learned an important lesson in the process: The opportunity to work is not a good enough reason to do any job. It has to be a safe, comfortable environment in which to work.
Union productions have many safeguards built into them because, as union productions, they have agreed to abide by certain standards and conditions that the union requires of them. This is not the case with non-union productions.
However, many non-union sets are just as safe and just as professional as union sets. But many are not. It’s similar to the bad manager scenario.
Since managers remain unregulated, there isn’t a code of ethics or set of standards we are (legally) obliged to adhere to. As a result, in an environment where anyone can call themselves a manager (and many who are unethical and unqualified do so), it’s not uncommon to hear a story of the evil manager who ran away with the client’s money or the manager who took advantage of the desperate actor by charging a ridiculously high commission.
There are others.
But, suffice it to say that when a story about unscrupulous managers gets out, it’s a quick and easy jump for a lot of people to think that all managers are like this, which, of course, is not the case.
The same is true in the world of non-union work. There are the horror stories, but there are also the glory stories. Learning how to size up any situation you are faced with and then taking the time to make a smart decision on how to proceed is the mark of the empowered actor.
I am a firm believer that a new-to-the-business actor should not rush getting into the union. Building your resume is the ticket to securing great representation because your resume clearly states what kind of actor you are and what your potential in the future is.
For a non-union actor, the only way (generally speaking) to begin this process is by working in non-union and student productions. As my friend talent agent Marc Chancer says, “Nobody is born with a SAG card.” So, go out and earn it by first doing the work to get the experience that will be required to make this happen.
The upshot of all of this is, as I discuss in chapter 7 in the book (“The Art of An Actor’s Resume and Bio”), when you list your credits on your resume, you never list whether the project you worked on was union or non-union, or even whether you were paid for it. Who cares? Certainly not an agent, manager or casting director who is assessing what you have already achieved on your way to working actor status.
In brief, always be a smart actor, always evaluate a potential opportunity as objectively as you can and make every business decision as if your career depends on it, because it does.
My thanks to all of you who shared your stories with me. Comments and questions are always welcome by posting through the Blog or by e-mail to blemack@TheBusinessOfActing.com.
BL
Saturday, August 4, 2007
Thursday, August 2, 2007
A young actress experiences the excitement of getting a job, then the frustration of dealing with the landscape of non-union work
I received an e-mail the other day from Kelly, a young actress who was excited to tell me that she had finally booked an acting job. Then, she was quick to share with me her brewing frustration over the lack of options she seemed to have available to her when it was time negotiate the deal. Actually, she was quick to learn that in non-union work (generally speaking) and for new-to-the-business actors (generally speaking), there is no “negotiating.” You either accept the job or you do not.
There are some important lessons here for all actors, which is why I want to share my correspondence with her with you.
Kelly wrote:
“I booked a national brand product packaging model shoot. It's non-union and for a new hair care line that is branching off of its national brand mother company. At least that’s what I understand. I am scheduled to shoot this Thursday and am concerned about my image being used to their free will without me receiving compensation from it. In other words, because this is a modeling shoot, I am afraid that they will be able to use and reuse my image without ever having to pay me for it or for new shoots.
I don’t know how much you know about these sort of contracts, but I am being asked to sign a rather general consent and release form. I was wondering what your opinion on this is and if you think that are any questions I should ask these people before I do actually sign it.”
I responded:
“This is the danger and the frustration of work in the world of non-union. There are often no limitations as to how the work can be used -- and most contracts that you will be asked to sign include a very specific buy-out clause the includes "use in perpetuity" without any additional compensation to you.
The ongoing problem is that, if this is the case, the buy-out is usually (read hardly ever) enough money to warrant your giving up your rights to further compensation. I would see if the contract has this or similar terminology or language. I would attempt, if it does, to negotiate a limited time use for the payment you will receive, say all media for one year. If your image is to be used beyond that time frame, additional payment would be required.
They probably will never go for it, which means you won't do the job, unless you quickly adopt a ‘never mind’ attitude, that is if you really decide you want this particular work. As far as they are concerned, unfortunately, if it's not you, it will be someone else they hire for exactly the terms they offered you in the first place. There will always be someone to take the job and sign the contract, no questions asked.
The upside for a savvy production company is that they know that there are many actors who never work enough who will always say yes to any contract without reading the fine (or even the bold) print. Sometimes a bird in the hand, as it were, is not enough.
I'm assuming you submitted yourself on this and there was no agent/manager involved? This is mostly often the case when the production company doesn't want to deal with agents and managers who fight for fair compensation for their clients and say no to anything that is not right or appropriate.
Ultimately, of course, this is your decision to make. Be a smart actor in this process, Kelly, weigh your options and then once you have made your decision, proceed with no regrets.”
Most actors will find themselves in situations like this, particularly during the development years of their careers. Has this happened to you? How did you resolve it? How you handled this or a similar situation might be helpful for other actors to learn about.
Your comments and postings are invited, either through the Blog or by e-mail to me directly at blemack@TheBusinessOfActing.com.
BL
There are some important lessons here for all actors, which is why I want to share my correspondence with her with you.
Kelly wrote:
“I booked a national brand product packaging model shoot. It's non-union and for a new hair care line that is branching off of its national brand mother company. At least that’s what I understand. I am scheduled to shoot this Thursday and am concerned about my image being used to their free will without me receiving compensation from it. In other words, because this is a modeling shoot, I am afraid that they will be able to use and reuse my image without ever having to pay me for it or for new shoots.
I don’t know how much you know about these sort of contracts, but I am being asked to sign a rather general consent and release form. I was wondering what your opinion on this is and if you think that are any questions I should ask these people before I do actually sign it.”
I responded:
“This is the danger and the frustration of work in the world of non-union. There are often no limitations as to how the work can be used -- and most contracts that you will be asked to sign include a very specific buy-out clause the includes "use in perpetuity" without any additional compensation to you.
The ongoing problem is that, if this is the case, the buy-out is usually (read hardly ever) enough money to warrant your giving up your rights to further compensation. I would see if the contract has this or similar terminology or language. I would attempt, if it does, to negotiate a limited time use for the payment you will receive, say all media for one year. If your image is to be used beyond that time frame, additional payment would be required.
They probably will never go for it, which means you won't do the job, unless you quickly adopt a ‘never mind’ attitude, that is if you really decide you want this particular work. As far as they are concerned, unfortunately, if it's not you, it will be someone else they hire for exactly the terms they offered you in the first place. There will always be someone to take the job and sign the contract, no questions asked.
The upside for a savvy production company is that they know that there are many actors who never work enough who will always say yes to any contract without reading the fine (or even the bold) print. Sometimes a bird in the hand, as it were, is not enough.
I'm assuming you submitted yourself on this and there was no agent/manager involved? This is mostly often the case when the production company doesn't want to deal with agents and managers who fight for fair compensation for their clients and say no to anything that is not right or appropriate.
Ultimately, of course, this is your decision to make. Be a smart actor in this process, Kelly, weigh your options and then once you have made your decision, proceed with no regrets.”
Most actors will find themselves in situations like this, particularly during the development years of their careers. Has this happened to you? How did you resolve it? How you handled this or a similar situation might be helpful for other actors to learn about.
Your comments and postings are invited, either through the Blog or by e-mail to me directly at blemack@TheBusinessOfActing.com.
BL
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
When is an acting credit really a resume-worthy credit?
When is an acting credit really a resume-worthy credit?
Good question from John, a young actor who recently located to Los Angeles from Connecticut. He sent me an e-mail with an important question that is worth sharing.
John wrote:
“I'm meeting with a few agents next week and I'm very excited about it. During the last few months since I last updated my resume, I have done a couple of acting jobs and I'm wondering if I should update my resume to include these credits. I was in a telephone commercial and I was an extra on a television show.
I looked at the templates in your book and realized that I can't really
put down the commercial because you are supposed to put ‘conflicts upon
request’ instead and I can't put the television show because I wasn't
a lead or supporting role. Should I even try updating my resume or is
it not worth it?”
My response:
Always update your resume and keep it current when you have something resume-worthy to add. Now there’s the really big question: What makes a credit “resume-worthy?”
Did you have speaking part? Were you featured (and I mean really featured, not just an extra part that you pumped up)? The answer to this question lies in the answer to three other questions that only you can answer: What kind of actor are you? What kind of actor do you want to become? What does your resume say about what kind of actor you are now and what your potential is later?
Having said that, as chapter 7 in the book says, never put commercials on your resume (unless you are well known or very recognizable from a commercial you appear or appeared in) and never list extra work on your resume, unless it is your goal to be a professional extra, which many "working" actors happily are.
When it’s time to update and revise your resume, be sure that you do so not just on the version you have on the back of your head shot that you use to submit yourself or the shots you take with you to auditions, but also on the hard copies you give your agent or manager (if you are represented) and on the online versions on your resume for any Web-based submission service you use (like ActorsAccess.com or LACasting.com).
I hope this helps.
I have been receiving many e-mails about the value of self-submissions by actors through the various electronic services available. I’ll address that next time.
In the meantime, if you have a question, comment or response, I would like to hear it through your posting here directly or by e-mail to blemack@TheBusinessOfActing.com
BL
Good question from John, a young actor who recently located to Los Angeles from Connecticut. He sent me an e-mail with an important question that is worth sharing.
John wrote:
“I'm meeting with a few agents next week and I'm very excited about it. During the last few months since I last updated my resume, I have done a couple of acting jobs and I'm wondering if I should update my resume to include these credits. I was in a telephone commercial and I was an extra on a television show.
I looked at the templates in your book and realized that I can't really
put down the commercial because you are supposed to put ‘conflicts upon
request’ instead and I can't put the television show because I wasn't
a lead or supporting role. Should I even try updating my resume or is
it not worth it?”
My response:
Always update your resume and keep it current when you have something resume-worthy to add. Now there’s the really big question: What makes a credit “resume-worthy?”
Did you have speaking part? Were you featured (and I mean really featured, not just an extra part that you pumped up)? The answer to this question lies in the answer to three other questions that only you can answer: What kind of actor are you? What kind of actor do you want to become? What does your resume say about what kind of actor you are now and what your potential is later?
Having said that, as chapter 7 in the book says, never put commercials on your resume (unless you are well known or very recognizable from a commercial you appear or appeared in) and never list extra work on your resume, unless it is your goal to be a professional extra, which many "working" actors happily are.
When it’s time to update and revise your resume, be sure that you do so not just on the version you have on the back of your head shot that you use to submit yourself or the shots you take with you to auditions, but also on the hard copies you give your agent or manager (if you are represented) and on the online versions on your resume for any Web-based submission service you use (like ActorsAccess.com or LACasting.com).
I hope this helps.
I have been receiving many e-mails about the value of self-submissions by actors through the various electronic services available. I’ll address that next time.
In the meantime, if you have a question, comment or response, I would like to hear it through your posting here directly or by e-mail to blemack@TheBusinessOfActing.com
BL
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Actor Beware: Legimate Agents & Managers Don't Scout For Talent on Craig's List! Read Anne's Story ...
Yesterday I received an e-mail from Anne, a young actress in North Hollywood, California. Both her predicament and her question concerned me enough that I wanted to share her situation and my response with you. There is an important lesson in this for all actors.
Anne wrote:
"I recently interviewed with an agent at a modeling and print agency. The agent, Mark, (I don't know his last name) was really quick with me and gave me lots of positive feedback. He called me the next day and told me that is interested in representing me. In order for him to do so, he said that I would now have to get full body fashion shots for $750 from a photographer he will send me to. He also told me that I will have to pay the photographer in cash. I haven't signed anything yet, but I just have a sort of anxious, nervous feeling about what I may be getting myself into. Any suggestions of signs to look out for or steps I should take so I don't end up in a scam?"
I responded:
"This is a big red flag to me, Anne with SCAM written all over it. The signs are all there. Did this agent require you to go to this photographer or did he merely include this person's name on a list of other photographers he likes who you could choose from?
The price is too high. And in cash? Why? I don't like the sound of it at all.
Check this agent and this company out. Call AFTRA and SAG and see if they have any complaints registered against this person/company. Do the same with the Better Business Bureau. Also, check out the public comment board at backstage.com
Lastly, you don't know this guy's last name? How did you get into the office? He should have given you all the time you needed to ask questions, especially in a first meeting.
Put the brakes on this, Anne, until you do your homework — and keep me posted."
The next day, Anne wrote me back:
"The agent, Mark, suggested this photographer by giving me his card at the meeting. I never got Mark's business card because the meeting was such a whirlwind. They had a posting on CraigsList.com saying they were a licensed agency looking for new, fresh faces. I submitted my picture expecting nothing. They called me and told me about the company, saying they used to do runway in New York, but relocated to L.A. and now do print, modeling and commercials. So, I went in for just the interview and he said he loved my look and that I'd be great for the fall/Christmas season. That's when he told me to get some full body shots done and gave me the photographer's card. Then he said he'd call me to let me know if the agency was interested in me, which he did the next day saying, 'Anne! Babe! Welcome to the agency!' He's called me every day since to check on my progress with getting my shots done. I asked for his e-mail address and he wouldn't give it to me, saying 'No, Anne, e-mail is so impersonal; it's all about the phone, babe.' The more I write about this, the sketchiness is so clear.
I took your advice and called AFTRA and they aren't affiliated with them. I also checked the Backstage postings and a few people have posted that they share the same unsure feelings I'm having.
I'm going to call the agency and just ask them more questions about who they've represented and who they have marketed to."
My last response to Anne was this:
"Babe? He called you 'Babe?' Case closed, as far as I'm concerned.
It’s your call, Anne, but, I say, if this guy wants you legitimately (which I doubt), then you will have no trouble finding (another) “legit” agent who will also want you, too. Do not rush this process! This is not about the “fall/Christmas season,” this is about the entirety of your career! Let's be honest here. How many warnings do you need? Trust your gut reaction. Be a smart, not desperate, actor.
Walk away, Anne. Don't bother calling this guy again. Instead, focus your time and your energy seeking representation from an agent (or manager) who wants to work with you in developing your career and who doesn't see you as another ticket to his or her commission on a $750 photo session scam. This guy isn't interested in you or your career."
My final thoughts to all of you: Never seek representation from an ad in Craig's List or any other such source. Legitimate agents and managers, when they are seeking new clients, do it the right way. We attend showcases, we ask for referrals from colleagues, we visit professional classes, we review submissions from actors. There's a right way to do this and there is a "never" way to do this.
If you want to use Craig's List to find a place to live or to buy a bedroom set, fine, but to seek an agent or manager -- or to seek a legitmiate acting job, never, please.
Rant done.
If you have a business of acting question or story to relate, post your comment here or e-mail me at blemack@TheBusinessOfActing.com.
BL
Anne wrote:
"I recently interviewed with an agent at a modeling and print agency. The agent, Mark, (I don't know his last name) was really quick with me and gave me lots of positive feedback. He called me the next day and told me that is interested in representing me. In order for him to do so, he said that I would now have to get full body fashion shots for $750 from a photographer he will send me to. He also told me that I will have to pay the photographer in cash. I haven't signed anything yet, but I just have a sort of anxious, nervous feeling about what I may be getting myself into. Any suggestions of signs to look out for or steps I should take so I don't end up in a scam?"
I responded:
"This is a big red flag to me, Anne with SCAM written all over it. The signs are all there. Did this agent require you to go to this photographer or did he merely include this person's name on a list of other photographers he likes who you could choose from?
The price is too high. And in cash? Why? I don't like the sound of it at all.
Check this agent and this company out. Call AFTRA and SAG and see if they have any complaints registered against this person/company. Do the same with the Better Business Bureau. Also, check out the public comment board at backstage.com
Lastly, you don't know this guy's last name? How did you get into the office? He should have given you all the time you needed to ask questions, especially in a first meeting.
Put the brakes on this, Anne, until you do your homework — and keep me posted."
The next day, Anne wrote me back:
"The agent, Mark, suggested this photographer by giving me his card at the meeting. I never got Mark's business card because the meeting was such a whirlwind. They had a posting on CraigsList.com saying they were a licensed agency looking for new, fresh faces. I submitted my picture expecting nothing. They called me and told me about the company, saying they used to do runway in New York, but relocated to L.A. and now do print, modeling and commercials. So, I went in for just the interview and he said he loved my look and that I'd be great for the fall/Christmas season. That's when he told me to get some full body shots done and gave me the photographer's card. Then he said he'd call me to let me know if the agency was interested in me, which he did the next day saying, 'Anne! Babe! Welcome to the agency!' He's called me every day since to check on my progress with getting my shots done. I asked for his e-mail address and he wouldn't give it to me, saying 'No, Anne, e-mail is so impersonal; it's all about the phone, babe.' The more I write about this, the sketchiness is so clear.
I took your advice and called AFTRA and they aren't affiliated with them. I also checked the Backstage postings and a few people have posted that they share the same unsure feelings I'm having.
I'm going to call the agency and just ask them more questions about who they've represented and who they have marketed to."
My last response to Anne was this:
"Babe? He called you 'Babe?' Case closed, as far as I'm concerned.
It’s your call, Anne, but, I say, if this guy wants you legitimately (which I doubt), then you will have no trouble finding (another) “legit” agent who will also want you, too. Do not rush this process! This is not about the “fall/Christmas season,” this is about the entirety of your career! Let's be honest here. How many warnings do you need? Trust your gut reaction. Be a smart, not desperate, actor.
Walk away, Anne. Don't bother calling this guy again. Instead, focus your time and your energy seeking representation from an agent (or manager) who wants to work with you in developing your career and who doesn't see you as another ticket to his or her commission on a $750 photo session scam. This guy isn't interested in you or your career."
My final thoughts to all of you: Never seek representation from an ad in Craig's List or any other such source. Legitimate agents and managers, when they are seeking new clients, do it the right way. We attend showcases, we ask for referrals from colleagues, we visit professional classes, we review submissions from actors. There's a right way to do this and there is a "never" way to do this.
If you want to use Craig's List to find a place to live or to buy a bedroom set, fine, but to seek an agent or manager -- or to seek a legitmiate acting job, never, please.
Rant done.
If you have a business of acting question or story to relate, post your comment here or e-mail me at blemack@TheBusinessOfActing.com.
BL
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
SAG Foundation Seminar Rescheduled
The Business of Acting seminar for the SAG Foundation, originally scheduled for Tuesday, July 10, 2007, has been moved to Wednesday, August 8, 2007, at 7:00PM. This free event is open to current SAG, AFTRA and AEA members on a first come, first serve, advance reservation basis. Seating is limited.
For details, visit www.SAGFoundation.org.
BL
For details, visit www.SAGFoundation.org.
BL
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
Two Summer Seminars in "The Business of Acting" Set for Los Angeles
L.A. Casting will be hosting a seminar in "The Business of Acting" for their members this Saturday, June 23, at 12:30PM. Space is limited. For information, call (323) 462-8200 or visit their Web site at www.LACasting.com.
On Tuesday, July 10, at 7:00PM, the SAG Foundation will present "The Business of Acting" seminar for their guild members. Watch your e-mail for details from SAG or visit their Web site at www.SAGFoundation.org.
We'll talk about the ever-changing landscape that is the business of acting and answer questions. I hope to meet you at one of these two events.
BL
On Tuesday, July 10, at 7:00PM, the SAG Foundation will present "The Business of Acting" seminar for their guild members. Watch your e-mail for details from SAG or visit their Web site at www.SAGFoundation.org.
We'll talk about the ever-changing landscape that is the business of acting and answer questions. I hope to meet you at one of these two events.
BL
Hollywood or Bust? A Commentary in Support of the International Arts
How lucky American actors are to be able to pursue their art and craft in this country. I was reminded of this last month during a visit to Australia and New Zealand where I got to meet and chat with local actors. What an education, which I shared with my students in our first class meeting of “The Business of Acting” summer session class at the Emerson College Los Angeles Center.
The pursuit, maintenance and growth of a career as a professional, working actor is tough enough, but, if where the bulk of the work is located is an ocean and government red-tape away, imagine the frustration.
Olivia Mackenzie-Smith, a young and talented actress living and working in Sydney, explained to me just how the business of acting works down under. While the film and television industry is a growing (and respected one) there, there are still limitations actors have to face all the time. There just isn’t, currently, as much work for actors there as there is in America (partly because there is less product produced there and partly because so much entertainment product from America is readily available there). Local theatre thrives where it can, yet, like in our major cities (and elsewhere) high ticket prices frequently stand in the way of many people who might seek it out being able to afford to actually do so.
What’s a non-American actor to do? There aren’t many options, unfortunately, yet. With an eye on Hollywood or New York, many “foreign” actors simply can’t conquer the U.S. immigration system to be able to obtain the credentials necessary to come here and work. While actors can come here to study (on a student visa; I have had many international students in my Emerson College classes over the years), the opportunity to stay on and work after the post-graduation grace period expires is hard, if not impossible, to come by.
There is always sponsorship (but the regulations about working for one employer can cloud the pursuit of a work for an actor whose career is filled with jobs for many employers); Olivia tells me that Australia has an (albeit highly competitive) lottery to provide (some) actors (and others) with the necessary credentials to come here and work; and then there is the U.S. government’s artists’ visa, which requires that one first have achieved some level of notoriety in one’s home country which will be of benefit to the arts in this country. Of course, there is always marriage-to-a-citizen-route – for love, money and/or the arts (but you won’t catch me publicly suggesting or endorsing that one ☺ ).
This is not meant to be a rant about immigration laws, but rather an recognition in support of how tough it is to pursue this career, with an appreciation for how relatively easier it is here, for those who do so. As the business of acting grows and thrives in other countries (with special appreciation for the longstanding work in England, whose actors have been at this long before the first stage was every built in this country) and as American actors seek opportunities for work beyond our shores (in projects that are not cast here for production elsewhere), we might begin to see a loosening of the regulations currently put on immigration for arts’ sake. The journey is always a challenge; always a learning experience. Both artists and audiences stand to benefit enormously from any creative exchange through performance and expression.
In the meantime, I think I’ll get busy on a version of The Business of Acting for my friends down under.
I welcome your comments and sharing of your related experiences.
BL
The pursuit, maintenance and growth of a career as a professional, working actor is tough enough, but, if where the bulk of the work is located is an ocean and government red-tape away, imagine the frustration.
Olivia Mackenzie-Smith, a young and talented actress living and working in Sydney, explained to me just how the business of acting works down under. While the film and television industry is a growing (and respected one) there, there are still limitations actors have to face all the time. There just isn’t, currently, as much work for actors there as there is in America (partly because there is less product produced there and partly because so much entertainment product from America is readily available there). Local theatre thrives where it can, yet, like in our major cities (and elsewhere) high ticket prices frequently stand in the way of many people who might seek it out being able to afford to actually do so.
What’s a non-American actor to do? There aren’t many options, unfortunately, yet. With an eye on Hollywood or New York, many “foreign” actors simply can’t conquer the U.S. immigration system to be able to obtain the credentials necessary to come here and work. While actors can come here to study (on a student visa; I have had many international students in my Emerson College classes over the years), the opportunity to stay on and work after the post-graduation grace period expires is hard, if not impossible, to come by.
There is always sponsorship (but the regulations about working for one employer can cloud the pursuit of a work for an actor whose career is filled with jobs for many employers); Olivia tells me that Australia has an (albeit highly competitive) lottery to provide (some) actors (and others) with the necessary credentials to come here and work; and then there is the U.S. government’s artists’ visa, which requires that one first have achieved some level of notoriety in one’s home country which will be of benefit to the arts in this country. Of course, there is always marriage-to-a-citizen-route – for love, money and/or the arts (but you won’t catch me publicly suggesting or endorsing that one ☺ ).
This is not meant to be a rant about immigration laws, but rather an recognition in support of how tough it is to pursue this career, with an appreciation for how relatively easier it is here, for those who do so. As the business of acting grows and thrives in other countries (with special appreciation for the longstanding work in England, whose actors have been at this long before the first stage was every built in this country) and as American actors seek opportunities for work beyond our shores (in projects that are not cast here for production elsewhere), we might begin to see a loosening of the regulations currently put on immigration for arts’ sake. The journey is always a challenge; always a learning experience. Both artists and audiences stand to benefit enormously from any creative exchange through performance and expression.
In the meantime, I think I’ll get busy on a version of The Business of Acting for my friends down under.
I welcome your comments and sharing of your related experiences.
BL
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