10/25/23 Here is the gist of our conversation If I forgot anything please put it below! I do want to say everyone was so amazing at this meeting!
Casting Options
Would we want casting directors to
use an online sign up
2. have them take our headshots before hand
3. just alerting us if they would even see non union
4. submit online reels.
We all agreed if want them to even listen to us we have to all work together (maybe have everyone sign a document) and basically hand them the ideas and make is as easy as possible. They have other things they're thinking about and maybe we can even help them out too!
Concerns
The safety and how dangerous Pearl studios is and how we can bring that up in our letter to casting. Also people coming from out of town and not knowing the area was concerning.
How it’s getting colder out and waiting in line for auditions are not accessible for people who are disabled.
Other Conversations
Do we want it on a website (people being concerned if the slots would fill up to quickly and for the site to be open at a normal time. The casting and the equity monitor would also have to be onboard as well. (maybe a reservation kind of app would work better like a waiting list?)
How is equity also not being seeing if they have an appointment?
Possible town hall with casting and maybe actors equity
People from out of town not understanding that you don’t need to wake up at 4. Could we all decided that we are all just going to show up at 7 (wishful thinking)? It’s not healthy and it sends the wrong message to the younger actors that this is normal and its not.
Spencer (me) gave unintentional homework haha!! I thought everyone who showed up to the last meeting could draft up a letter to casting. What would that say with everything we talked about. How can we cut and paste them all together? We can invite everyone who is coming to the next meeting to share their advice and move forward. (I’m also going to try to make something on the site and have everyone test it and see if we like it or not) I want to exhaust every option before taking it to casting.
Our next meeting will be on November 8th at 8pm EST we would love for you to come!
We also would love to hear your thoughts and pain points!! So write them below! Everyone’s opinion matters.
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April 2nd
Meeting Notes
Getting the word out about the Nu List
Reaching out to social media influencers on sharing the post
sending it to facebook groups
sending it through the Limelight Newsletter
Going over the poster/ social media posts
This took up a lot of our time!
Next steps:
Posting everything on Friday
Going to Pearl to put up posters
sending out Newsletters
Starting to collect Casting Directors contacts and emailing them!
Next meeting Tuesday April 9th at 8PM
March 26th Meeting video
https://youtu.be/rtCC8mTdO_0
12/6 Meeting Notes
Thank you so much Robbi for taking notes!!
We decided to use the letter written by Noah to send to AEA, and are going to write a separate letter to casting directors for their support.
A new document has been created with a draft of this letter to casting letter
There is also a zip file in the google drive with PDF copies of AEA rules in terms of ECCs, EPAs, and In-Person Auditions. Remember if we know the rules, we can better understand the beast in front of us.
Letter to Casting > Improving the system; safety and accessibility
Some things to ponder:
We’re changing the language from “future members” to “potential members” > Not everyone has the goal of being a union actor.
Do we want CDs included in this meeting with AEA?
Do we include EMC in the language of the letters since they are phasing out the program and are also not guaranteed an appointment?
Would a forum be more productive? > If AEA sees the vastness of an issue, maybe they will have more initiative to fix it and be more proactive.
How will this benefit AEA? > Why should they care?
Homework for Next meeting : Write change notes on the margin of these letter drafts.
Noah and Wendolyn will collaborate to make a google form to gain signatures.
Spencer will be making social media posts.
11/29/23 Non Equity List Meeting
Agenda:
Q&A With Casting Directors
Catch new people on what’s been happening
What We Covered:
(Note: This will be paraphrasing so if there’s a point I didn’t fully cover, feel free to drop it in the editable document for meeting 4 or you can email me at itsofficiallykp@gmail.com)
Introducing Casting Directors Jason Styres & Michael Cassara
Michael Cassara:
This is specifically a conversation between Actors Equity, as Casting Directors do not currently have a seat at the table in regards to the Non-Union List.
Casting directors do not have the ability or call to see Non-Equity. It’s fully run by Equity and the Equity Monitor.
Some Monitors are quicker. Some are slower. It varies.
With a variety of agreements, how much time actors get, etc., the rules vary a lot depending on the house and company.
It’s not a question of technology. None of us can go to Equity and just ask for an online signup because they technically do not have involvement. It’s beyond the scope of their organization.
It’s about who is going to run the online list
Recommending we campaign online and make it a pressing safety issue (As future Union Members)
Audition Breakdowns:
Required to hold EPA and ECC days
Safest to assume they are just required calls/requirement
They write a breakdown, send it to Equity, and then they edit (sometimes) and approve it. Then Equity would take the breakdown and distribute it to the members portal. Then out of courtesy they distribute it to Playbill, Actors Access, Backstage, Etc.
Breakdown Services
Then out of courtesy, AEA distributes it to Playbill, Backstage, Etc. but Breakdown Services/Actors Access does not get a courtesy copy from AEA - notices that are posted on BD/AA are only posted by the casting director/office and may be more reflective of what they're actually seeking at that current moment.
Jason Styres
There is no standardization of the current process. Going into this, it’s important to have conversations with non-union performers in the context of a union controlled production.
Acknowledging context and arguments:
Auditions have only existed with Non-Equity advocating for the opportunity
Casting Directors are not seen as people with Casting Authority in Equity’s eyes.
Example (Michael): Contracts and breakdowns are often controlled by Equity.
We are talking about the treatment of Non-Equity including Casting, etc. When it comes down to Equity.
Key is knowing the rules of Auditions to navigate. Actors do not currently live inside the rules. Have the rules in front of you and gain knowledge of how they all differ. That will put us ahead of the game.
Casting Directors are not part of Equity. They are outside. They are the ones who know the rules and exist.
Where we have the most leverage are places they need us as non-union hires.
If no one Non-Union attends, this could impact how they see the non-union actors
The power in a way is their need for us.
Might be interesting to explore how non-equity calls are as compared to Equity holding calls open to non-equity
Q&A:
How has open AEA Open Access impacted you?
Jason: bit of a learning curve figuring out how to do in person calls. Not a major shift
Michael: Disclaimer, this is not advice to join the Union. Joining the union is on a spectrum. It’s not a status symbol. It belonging to a Labor Union.
Thoughts: If we were able to get permission to do a trial run? Something as simple as a google doc.
Comments: When People do make changes to a google doc, it is trackable
Jason: This can be hard to govern considering there is already a standard. There’s so many different ways people can create online fake lists. There would have to be a main central place of authority. The only authority is Equity.
Michael: There isn’t a path where Casting can move it forward. But we can see us moving it forward with the council of future members.
Did Equity say specifically how many Equity and Non-Equity contracts they can have?
Michael: does not currently have knowledge on the parameters on what can be posted on the breakdown in regards to contract. But what he knows for sure is they cannot have power to determine who can be what contract.
How do we best approach conversations around disability?
Jason: Understand the logistics of the laws in the world. Making sure we are strong in these statements. Find resources that are not traditional in theatre. Like people who offer legal guidance to be used in this situation.
Michael: Anything that can be a liability (Financial, legal) they will stop in their tracks.
In the age of technology, how do you feel about tapes?
There’s definitely a medium. Loves them when appropriate.
There’s a lot casting directors do to seek new talent. At the same time, with their overflow of submissions, it’s not always going to be assessed due to just workload alone.
Other aspects of Casting in general
There is typically not a priority to NYC when it comes to calls. If anything it stems from being humane. They will consider you having to come far to NYC.
What do they want for material? More targeted or general reel
The way that the system works, first they look at headshot and resume. The reel/initial reel with Actors Access is essentially seen as an extension of yourself. Not the first audition.
“Callback Lingo”
1: Send in headshot/resume, maybe reel
2: Actors are told to come to audition (1st audition)
3: Actors are called back to do show material (official callback)
Video preferences:
Teams are not sending youtube links. Recommend Vimeo or Drive since they’re easier to download
Something to think about:
Maybe making a forum to track incidents and experiences of waiting in line. The dangers, etc.
Resource Freelancers Union
www.freelancersunion.org/
Resource Volunteer Lawyers For The Arts
www.vlany.org
That being said, they need specific instances to take on
Next Meeting:
6th of Decemeber @ 8PM EST Via LimeLight Linktree
We will be going over the letter for Casting seeking thier support and signatures.
Thank you KP for the Best Notes Ever 😍
Thank you Kp for the best note taker <3
Agenda:
Edit a letter of options for casting directors, etc from the ones we all have written
What We Covered:
(Note: This will be me paraphrasing a lot so if there’s a point where I didn’t fully write down what you said, drop it in the Other notes or you can reach out to me directly)
Sissa (Union Member)
Dancer ECCs
Unofficial List:
Must be present to be added to a group if nonunion list gets objected
Concern for people there rush table
Ways for lists to be honored
List is honored in order and you must be present to hand in headshot.
List is there, then they all gather headshots
List is completely disregarded due to not seeing non-union (happens often)
Big potential to know Non-Union in advance
Suggestions: Submission Link for Non-Union
If these list parameters are established on these accounts, etc., they are more likely to start understanding. This is a Self-Governed List.
“Simplicity Sells”
There will likely be pushback as well, since it is a self-governed list
Petition?
Making an infographic and poll about it?
Possibly send in headshot/resume in advance and then get back to Non-Union if they are called in
Spencer Looked into a line waiting app that already exists and the price was 20,000 a year.
General consensus: Liking doing something digital
Perhaps the list should start when you walk in the building?
Maybe we should get casting agents, etc. to sign off on when a list can be started.
Try to start guidelines (NOT SHARE IMMEDIATELY) - We need to take time to work on it
#signupinside - Wendolyn Marie Hannum
Letter to casting:
- By a vote we went with Noah's letter and completed most of it
- Need a way to get signatures from actors that agree
- For actors to share their story maybe submit by google form etc.
Put disclaimer that casting will see it.
OR we can make a general letter and then then make a space for people to write out their perspectives
Separate place for instances?
Next Meeting:
Look more into what exactly we can do digitally with the list
Finish letter
Set a Date to get this submitted
Next Meeting: November 29th at 8pm (I hope you can make it!)
Meeting November 8th at 8PM
Thank you KP for taking notes!
Agenda:
Read Letters
What We Talked About:
Making the list virtual
Sign up genius?
Ads can be inconvenient. Ads will block on the phone and it’s not as accessible.
Calendly?
Letter Drafts
Maybe have a combination of letters that are personal and a general one where everyone can sign off on
Once we find a general letter, create a way where people can virtually sign. With two signage areas: one for non equity and one for equity members
While we cannot unionize non union completely, we can still make strides to make auditioning safer and more efficient.
Further positives for a virtual list
Accessible to those who cannot afford to talk off work to go to an open call
Making it easier for Equity members to have an easier system
Safety for Actors
Next Meeting:
Wednesday November 15th, 8PM
What do we want the letter to look like?
Very specific
I was also contacted by a Casting Director and they want to share their pain points too! I will keep people updated on when that meeting will be.