Class of 2008: Ready, Set, Launch!

It’s that time again: Graduation! Parents rejoice in the celebration, amplified by the realization that they’re done paying for their children's educations, while students also rejoice in the celebration, tempered only be the slow onset of the realization that soon enough debt incurred during college will soon be theirs to manage.

With degree in hand, millions of graduating college seniors will seek to begin their career journeys in their chosen fields, counting on their education, their training and their potential to carry them far. While that is often the case in most fields, it’s hardly the case in the business of acting.

There is no level playing field in this business; the best, most qualified person rarely gets the opportunity simply because they are the best, most qualified person for the job (or in this case, the role).

What’s a graduating performing arts or acting student to do?

1. Think strategically.

2. Create a plan for your immediate future that consists of how you intend to generate income while you pursue your career.

3. Be gift smart! Ask anyone who might gift you for your graduation to gift you with something that will really benefit you. Instead of a watch, a business suit or a gift certificate to your favorite store, ask for financial assistance in launching your career.

The Business of Acting Conceptual Gift Registry strategy is yours to use for free.

Ask for money towards a professional photo session; ask for money to help you pay for post-college, professional-level classes and workshops; ask for some assistance in helping you get your professional actor’s tool kit in order by helping to pay for your online subscriptions to the critical resources you will need from day one: ActorsAccess.com, LACasting, Back Stage and/or Back Stage West.

It’s always nice to be gifted, but in this economy when giving can be tight or impossible for some people, accept whatever assistance you can in any form that you can get it to help you in your early career journey.

You can’t get to step one, until you have gotten through step two. With confidence, fortitude and the belief that your talent and skills, will always be a work-in-progress, but will also take you far, you can do this!

Creating a business plan to help organize your life as you launch your career will empower you in these early days of your transition from student of the performing arts to working, professional actor. There is a step-by-step guide to help you do this in a chapter devoted to this topic in The Business of Acting book. You can also access my Back Stage West article on the topic to help you get started.

My congratulations to the class of 2008! I know what a struggle getting to this point has been from time to time. I also understand the fear generated from the uncertainty that awaits you. This is the time to seek inspiration and support from friends and family who want nothing less for you than you seek for yourself.

I know that as my students from this year’s classes at the Emerson College Los Angeles Center begin their transitions, they do so with respect for the process and the knowledge that each person is own their own, individual career journey. No one will ever be able to take from you what is yours to have. They also know that opportunity knocks when you’re ready for it. Train for that opportunity in strong, healthy and emotionally fit ways. These are important concepts to embrace for all of you.

I wish you all much success as your take your first steps and hope that you will also share with us your progress and lessons learned along the way.

If you have a comment or question, please post it here or e-mail me directly at blemack@TheBusinessOfActing.com

BL

Driving in L.A. is taxing enough; The least you can do is deduct it!

It’s tax season and before you get too deep into what you might owe for the privilege of having worked in the business of acting in 2007, don’t forget to take a good look at what it cost you not just to generate the work you did but, what you spent – or rather invested in support of your career.

I call it “Fiscal Fitness” and chapter 9 in The Business of Acting discusses how to organize your business life to take advantage of all of the write-offs and deductions you’re legally entitled to take. It’s true that you have to have earned money as an actor during the reporting year (and actually report it as income) in order to write-off related expenses. But it’s also true that the expenses you incur in the pursuit, development, education, training and growth of your career can be worth some money back into your pocket if you do it right and if you follow the legal rules.

Because you are your own business, you’re entitled to file a IRS Schedule C with your 1040 tax return form. This is where you get to list all of the items you spent money on during the year. Most actors know that the cost of photo sessions and photo reproductions are deductible. But you would be surprised to know that there are a large number of actors who either don’t know or don’t remember to deduct the costs of other key expenses, like the cost of your memberships to Web site services such as ActorsAccess.com and LACasting.com and the costs of those holiday cards you sent to your industry contacts (including postage).

Another often-overlooked deduction is the cost of parking when you go to an audition. Cash-strapped actors (even actors with lots of available cash) rarely will park in the rip-off garages of office buildings where the privilege of parking for the duration of an audition could easily set you back the cost of a week's worth of Starbuck’s lattes. Street parking is (usually) where it’s at, when you can find it (which is why it’s always a good idea to plan to arrive at your audition location at least 30 minutes early so you’ll have plenty of time to hunt down a place to park without stressing that you’ll be late).

The government wants to see receipts, but what can you do if you’re dropping quarters and other loose change into parking meters that won’t issue you a receipt? Always keep a pad of small notepaper in your car with either a pen that works or with a pencil that actually has a point. When you can’t get a receipt for what it cost you to park, write down all of the pertinent information on a piece of paper: Day, date, time, location, how much money you put in the meter, the meter number and what the audition you went on was for. When you get home, put the piece of paper into the file box you created (every year!) just for this purpose in the folder you’ve labeled “Parking Expenses.” At the beginning of the next year, when you begin to add up what your career cost you, total up the “receipts” you’ve generated and accumulated and viola! Now you have a legitimate deduction.

Of course, parking expenses incurred during the course of conducting your business during the year aren’t just limited to when you go to an audition. Parking for a class, parking when you have a meeting with your agent or manager, parking when you go to see the new George Clooney film to study his process of character development … It’s all money spent in the development of your career.

Often, even the mileage you drive to and from these career-related activities can be written off against a percentage against your earned income.

Check out chapter 9 in the book for a handy worksheet listing all of the deductions you may be entitled to. The chapter also offers up a perspective on other fiscal fitness matters that might prove helpful to you. You should also talk with any CPA or certified tax preparer, although one who specializes in the business of acting with clients who are actors or other creative types will ensure you get someone who “gets” the uniqueness of the acceptable write-offs for you that people in other industries wouldn’t get.

True, I’m not a CPA, but I am a “businessperson.” Besides, I’ve learned a lot over the years from my own CPA and financial guru, Christopher Debbini. At least I can pass some of that on to you. We’re entitled to write-offs that standard employees are not. The worse thing that you could do is to not take advantage of what might be due you in return for filing your return.

Consider all of your options as you consider how to tackle tax season 2008. Happy calculating!

Your comments and questions are welcome. You can post here or e-mail me directly at blemack@TheBusinessOfActing.com.

BL

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