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.
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 😍