Post-Writer’s Strike Presents a New Landscape With a New Challenge For Actors

There is danger when one becomes a “Blogger.” It’s a danger that lies within a Blog’s reader or host site visitor that new Blogs will be posted often and regularly and be current with the times. The truth is that, for this particular Blog and this particular Blogger, only three of those criteria apply. I am, admittedly, not a person who posts “often”; I’m not a person who posts with any predictable regularity. I am, however, a person (at least I think of myself this way) whose posts are “current.” That is to say, when I have something “relevant” to contribute, I do so. So, with appreciation to all of the people who write me and ask, “It’s been three weeks. How come there hasn’t been a new Blog lately?” the answer is rather simple. I really haven’t had anything to say.

Having said all of this, I also want to say how appreciative I am of the loyal following “The Business of Acting Blog” has achieved. I value the time you take to return here to check out my ramblings, my opinions and, hopefully, some pieces of sound advice and perspective.

Now, let’s get down to business.

Indeed, today, I do have something to say.

As busy as it has gotten in the last two weeks around town, it’s almost easy to forget there ever was a writer’s strike. Literally, over night, the amount of casting notices sent to agents and managers alone increased by tons. Well, not “tons” exactly. But it was a lot!
In the frantic state to get back to business, it seems to me that several strike-related developments that may have been resolved to the writers’ (and directors’) satisfaction, have the potential for many actors to have to pay a cost far larger than any writer on the strike line paid during the walk out.

The landscape that is the business of acting has forever changed. What has since transpired in just a short period of time is not just a trend that may eventually pass. We have a new level of how business will now and forever be conducted that needs to be addressed.

CBS-TV, in the their search for how to serve up new content in the future that will be as strike-resistant as possible (regardless of which union is the instigator), has decided on filling critical programming slots with purchased programming from foreign producers, particularly Canada. Yes, Canada is a “foreign” country, with a prolific entertainment industry of its own. CBS folk realized that massive dollars could be saved and viewership loss potentially salvaged by purchasing already produced-and-on-the-air programming from Canada for its own American primetime line up.

Then there was word from NBC-TV that they were changing the playing field that used to be known as pilot season. According to NBC, pilots are now out. The peacock network intends to save (GE shareholders take note) millions of dollars each year by not producing pilots. So where will new content come from? Most likely, from seasoned, proven, previously successful producers who will pitch a concept, maybe offer up an abbreviated presentation of their idea and go from there. Not to be outdone by NBC, CBS itself announced in the trades days ago that pilots are all but dead there, too.

Why does this matter to actors?

It’s simple. To me, it translates to less opportunity all around. Less programming locally grown, less product locally developed, less work for local actors.

The writer’s strike, unfortunately, also gave a another life span to a round of ridiculous “reality” programs that any smart viewer should be embarrassed to admit to watching, especially actors. For every reality show on the air, there is less work for actors. It’s a big win for broadcasters who love the fact that this stuff is cheap to produce. With audiences fleeing broadcast television in huge numbers, ratings are down, ad revenues are down and networks are struggling to find a way to both embrace the new technology and to create a new demand (and find new audiences) for their over-the-air programming.

It’s all about commerce and economics. After all, it is the “business” of entertainment.
When all is said and done, in this new environment, actors must be smart, pro-active and forward thinking in new ways to both empower their careers and survive the changes until the dust settles and America has had enough (again) of “American Gladiator,” “Celebrity Apprentice” and the spate of other shows that have overpopulated the airwaves with content for cash at any cost, and with a job loss for actors.

I was also going to carry on about this year’s Academy Awards telecast, to, which you perhaps have heard set a new all-time low record for television viewership of this annual, aging (now apparently former) American tradition.

With gas approaching $4.00 a gallon, movie tickets over $10 each in most markets, and even Starbucks struggling to discover a way to serve up a cup of coffee for $1 to bring back their former throngs and still make a profit, things are changing all around us. It is, indeed, a new world. Broadcasters cannot successfully program the same way they did even five years ago.

What does all of this have to do with the business of acting? Everything. Producers must be in touch with the attitudes of the “new” audiences; actors must be in touch with the demands on producers to create content to attract these new audiences.

Push the envelope. Think outside “the box.” Don’t be afraid to push your own limits in the pursuit and growth of your career in this new landscape by creating content – and thus opportunity for yourself. ABC/Disney has smartly embraced the technology that is the new media by offering up a slate of Web-only series to the previously network-only advertisers. Lots of work for actors in the creation and supply of this content can only be a good thing. This is a trend I happily embrace. It seems that the need for “unlimited” programming for the “new,” global audience potentially presents lots of opportunities for actors. An article on the cover of yesterday’s (2/28/08) Los Angeles Times business section discussed ABC’s move into this new world and is worth reading. I have sent the link to all of my clients and here it is for you:

http://www.latimes.com/business/printedition/la-fi-disney28feb28,0,7683008.story

It’s worthwhile reading.

Next time, I’ll tackle something far less important, like how to save some money of your taxes. ☺

Please feel free to share your comments. Either post here or e-mail me at blemack@TheBusinessOfActing.com.

BL

Court Ruling is a Start in Managing Manager and Client Relationships

My friend long-time personal manager Rick Siegel won an important victory yesterday that potentially impacts every manager/client relationship in the business of acting.

After fighting in court for several years to recover commissions owed him from a client who decided not to pay him for his alleged violations of the Talent Agency Act, Siegel decided not only to take on his former client, but to take on the system, as well.

In today's Los Angeles Times, reporter Josh Friedman writes about the history of this issue and the ruling. It deserves to be read. Here is a direct link:

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-managers29jan29,1,7380326.story

I sent Mr. Friedman an e-mail this morning with some of my thoughts on the subject. In my e-mail, I wrote:


"This ruling is, indeed, a step in the right direction, (however), as a talent manager for more than 25 years, the issue and ruling currently on the table fail to address one very key issue in the landscape in which many of us conduct business, and that is: what about those actors who either can't find a talent agent to represent them or those who choose to have only a manager represent them?

Remember, whether agent or manager, it is the client who hires us. We work for them.

With about (roughly) 110,000 members of the Screen Actors Guild, tens of thousands of AFTRA members and countless of other non-union actors, there are simply not enough agents in the business of acting to represent all of the actors who seek representation.

It is this imbalance that necessitates that managers do a lot of the same (sales) work previously associated with agents alone, in addition to the 'career development' we allow 'allowed' to do.

The truth is that no actor who seeks a manager wants that manager to do anything less than everything they can do to get them and keep them working, whether or not an agent is a part of their bigger picture. The unions and the law ought to embrace our efforts. Whereas the unions earn semi-annual dues based on how much an actor earns during a given reporting period, why should they care who is involved with getting that actor work as long as the actor pays what they owe?

We are not a threat to the talent agency community. Many of us do work hand-in-hand in the representation of some clients. But many of us also work with actors who are flying solo. We all need protection on that journey: The actor needs to be secure in the legitimacy of their manager and the manager needs assurance that they will be paid for their work.

This isn't really much of an issue when an actor is young, new and/or struggling. It's when that rare commodity of success strikes that, for some of them, things can start to look a little different in that albeit often temporary light that bounces off a contract to work."


As an actor, how do you feel about this ruling?

Please feel free to share your thoughts on this issue. Post your comments here or you can reach me by e-mail at blemack@TheBusinessOfActing.com.

BL

All I wanted for Christmas was … a settlement! A new year’s perspective

I was hoping to return from the holiday break to find that Santa (or Hanukah Harry, perhaps) had left a gift of settlement in the writers’ strike for all the connected and not-connected-but-impacted-anyway. No such luck. While this week, you can get up to 50 to 75 percent off on already reduced merchandise in nearly every store in nearly every mall in American, it appears that there are no “salvage the season” deals to be had between the WGA and the producers.

Of course it was good news for David Letterman’s writers that Worldwide Pants (Letterman’s company that owns and produces his late night show) had struck an interim deal with the WGA for those folks to return to work, although it seems to me that Letterman’s playing field is in a different ball park all together, thus, perhaps, the reason an interim deal was possible or easier to structure.

It’s really the movie and theatrical television production areas that are at the core of this battle and it looks like pilot season 2008, already on life support, is about to be given its last rites.

What does all of this have to do with the business of acting? Plenty. At whatever stage your career is currently at, there’s nothing quite like a work stoppage (whether or not you agree with it) to kill your momentum.

As I wrote in my last Blog entry prior to the Thanksgiving holiday, now is not the time for actors to do anything drastic. This is not the time to seek first time or new representation; this is not the time to talk with your current agent or manager (if you have one) about why you haven’t been getting out lately. Instead, this is a great time to work on addressing the other critical needs in the business of your career that matter all the time.

Is your head shot current? Is your resume up to date? Have you updated your profile and resume on self-submission sites such as ActorsAccess.com and LACasting.com (if you are listed with one of these or another similar type service)? Spend some time hunting down and reading new or undiscovered (by you) plays. Get together with fellow actors and perform readings of some of this work.

It’s important that you keep your engine tuned all the time, but, particularly, during this extended down period when the opportunity to audition has been taken away from most (union) actors (commercials and theatre excepted, of course).

Stay positive, keep the faith. Soon, once again, Donald Trump will utter “You’re fired” one last time and the new, heavy crop of reality shows will once again give way to a renewed energy in the production of scripted everything.

The new year is still very, very young. This can still be your best year yet in the business of acting.

Happy 2008.

Brad Lemack

Actors ask: "Is now the right time to strike up a new relationship?" No!

I have heard from a lot of actors in the last two weeks who seem to think that this (writers) strike environment is a good time for them to seek a new agent or manager. Absolutely not!

While it is a positive sign that the writers and the producers have met at the bargaining table today for the first time since the strike began, let’s take a look at what the implications are of the strike time already passed, in terms of actors and representatives.

No scripts continue to mean no (or greatly reduced) production; no (or limited) production continues to mean less and less roles for (union) actors to audition for; less auditions mean less possible jobs, which translates to significantly reduced opportunities for everyone to earn money, from actors’ salaries to agents’ and managers’ commissions.

The result is that many agents and managers (and casting directors, for that matter) are struggling to hold on to what they have. Many have already had to made staff and/or salary cuts to endure the landscape, particularly small and middle-sized agencies. Many agencies are also using this time to review their client lists and are making drastic cuts and changes.

In short, don’t seek representation (or new representation) at this time. Let the dust from the strike settle, as soon as the strike is settled. Then, get pro-active about seeking what you need to help fill the many, many acting jobs that will exist as soon as production starts up again. Instead, use this time to do your research and to prepare the campaign you will undertake as soon as the writers are back at their laptops.

Hang in there, be patient, and let’s see what day one back at the negotiating table brings us all.

BL

As the writers strike, what next for actors?

Several actors have contacted me yesterday and today to ask about how I feel the strike will impact them specifically and how it might affect the business of acting in general.

All of the major news outlets are providing excellent coverage of the strike and related developments. My go-to sources these days for current and developing strike information are the WGA Web site (wga.org), Daily Variety (variety.com) and the actor union sites (aftra.com and sag.org). The Los Angeles Times has also been an excellent source of information and perspective (latimes.com).

As for how the strike stands to impact actors, that depends on what kind of an actor you are now (union or non-union) and what kinds of work (commercial and/and theatrical) that you seek and audition for.

You can continue to audition. What will change this is the availability of scripts. If a film or TV show already has completed scripts (and most do, for series television about five weeks of stock-piled, ready-to-shoot material), no problem. Let it also be said that should the number series regular actors honoring the strike escalate (“The New Adventures of Old Christine,” “The Office,” “Back to You” and others have already ceased production due to series stars supporting the striking writers), work will stop quickly everywhere.

In those shows that continue in production, as their scripts run out (and they are expected to before the strike ends) then, one-by-one, production all around town will cease. No scripts means no productions which means no casting which means no auditions. When that happens, we can all apply for benefited jobs at Starbucks (where even part-time employees receive health insurance). That is if half of them don’t close their doors from a serious drop in business, the result of less people in need of their daily caffeine doses and more in need of yoga.

By the way, commercials are not impacted by this at all. It is expected that, at least at this time, commercial production will continue uninterrupted.

Once the writers are done, it will be the directors and actors up at bat next. Let’s hope a positive precedent is set this go around so that further work stoppages and the financial pain they bring can be avoided.

Will the strike be worth it in the long run for industry players at all levels. We shall see. We shall all anxiously see.

BL

The value of a good audition is not in booking the job: A tale about one casting director

I received an e-mail from Mike, an actor and former student, who wrote to tell me about his audition experience two weeks ago for an episode of a new television series. While the name of the show isn’t important, the story about his audition is.

Mike wrote:

"I auditioned yesterday for a new TV show. When I entered the room for the audition, the casting director examined my resume and asked my union status. I told her I wasn't in the union; I’m not even SAG eligible yet. She let me do the audition anyway, which was only a single line. She was pleased with the audition (or so it seemed). However, she proceeded to tell me how she couldn't use me because she had used all her Taft-Hartleys earlier in the season (the audition was for episode 14). She explained (in great detail) how new shows that use young actors often use their THs faster than shows that have been on for a while (she used “CSI” as an example). She was very kind and honest about the situation and asked me to send in a post card when I am union. I've made sure to focus on the positives here and not dwell on my current non-union status and the job I think that that current status cost me."

I have written before about this issue, but it’s worth another look.

Was Mike wrong to go in to this audition knowing that he was non-union? Was the casting director wrong to audition him knowing that he wasn’t eligible for hiring?

The answers, for me, are both “no” and “no.”

An opportunity to audition is a gift to meet, network with and impress a casting director. The actor’s job in any audition situation is not to (necessarily) get hired, but to make a favorable enough impression on the casting director so that the actor will have the opportunity again and again to audition for that person. Getting the job is great, but getting asked back is what careers are built on.

Mike was right to be honest about his union status when asked. The casting director will find out eventually and better it be from the actor in an audition situation than from the union after the casting director has hired him for the job.

The casting director may or may not have known Mike’s union status when she called him in. If you’re in the union or if your SAG-Eligible, it belongs on your resume. It didn’t appear on Mike’s, which was truthful and honest on his part. You would be surprised how many actors lie about this on their resumes only to have it come back and bite them in the ass later.

Casting directors rarely have the time to meet with new actors. Rarely do they have the time to do so. I admire this casting director for taking the time to meet with Mike. Whether or not he was hirable, she did him – and potentially herself – an enormous favor. For Mike, she gave some attention and interest that felt very empowering to him; for her, she became familiar with a new (young) actor she didn’t previously know who she will watch out for later, when he is hirable for her. This is a very good thing. Now, Mike knows a casting director he didn’t know before and one who took the time to advise him in a way that was supportive to his career.

Incidentally, a young client of mine found herself in the same position with the same casting director last week. She got called in for a role she was indeed right for, but later learned she couldn’t be hired for because of her non-union status. So what? She got to meet with a casting director who clearly likes actors and she, because of a great audition, opened the doors to opportunities down the road with this casting director.

Recognize opportunity when you see it and when you get it. It’s not about jobs, it’s about business.

Thank you, Mike. Good student; empowered actor!

If you have an experience in the business of acting you would like to share, please submit a post here or e-mail me directly to blemack@TheBusinessOfActing.com.

BL

Casting an impression is more important than getting the job ...

Casting directors are an interesting, new breed these days. In the new landscape that is now the business of acting, there just isn’t the time there used to be for casting directors to get to know the pool of new, undiscovered talent out there. They have enough stress remembering the pool of working actors they already know. It’s not their fault; it’s just the nature of how the casting business has to function.

Time is of the essence, especially for the casting of a weekly series. Casting directors have to rely on three primary sources for information about qualified talent to audition for the roles they have available: the Breakdown Services, existing relationships with agents and managers, and their own files of actors they have met and /or cast before who made a great impression on them during the casting process.

I address some of these issues in chapter 5 of The Business of Acting (“A Casting Director’s Perspective”), but it bears repeating. Actors who get the opportunity to audition all too often focus on getting the job and not on doing a good job in that process.

Let me clarify. The actor who is so focused on preparing for an audition, but who is unpleasant (or perceived by the casting director to be unpleasant) will still get their chance up at bat – this time. But the residual impact of their negative behavior can haunt them long after they have left the casting director’s office.

Anyone can book a job, really. Eventually, you will book. But, getting called back by a casting director who auditioned you for one project and who wants to see you for another project (or another episode) they are casting is a huge deal.

As hard as it is to get a professional audition in this business, it’s tougher to get seen twice – unless the impression you made the first time was one of total preparedness, pleasantness and professionalism all around.

My casting director friends have told me stories of actors who have been pleasant enough in the room with them for an audition, but who were rude or outright mean to their assistants in the waiting room. This kind of behavior doesn’t go unnoticed – and, believe me, at the end of the casting day, that assistant is giving a “bigger picture” view of the day to their boss. Unprofessionalism in the waiting room or to anyone in the process of the audition (whether it be to an assistant or another actor), will get you on the casting director’s always growing list of “Never To Be Seen Again” – and those lists really exist.

Today’s lesson: Booking a job is one thing; building a relationship and a reputation is another. Head’s up on everything associated with the audition process. Even a great actor can be harmed by a bad attitude. It happens every day in the business of acting.

Your comments are invited through a direct posting here or by e-mail to blemack@TheBusinessOfActing.com.

BL