There's a lot of other acting and related work out there that you might want to take a bite at. Some of these jobs can be filling to the wallet, others are only for those in need of some acting exercise.
So, belly up to the bar and think about...
UNION LOW BUDGET/INDEPENDENT FILMS
No appetizer here. And no small piece of the production pie either. In recent years, independent film production has exploded. (One person in the know called it "a real startler.") Reasons include the video market, the way films are financed, etc., but what's important to you is one word: work.
Since the producer of Rampaging Math Majors can rarely afford top stars, he's going to be far more open to taking a chance on a newcomer - even in a major part. And just about everyone believes acting jobs in "indies" are going to increase.
Obviously, the trades are a source for what's casting, and you can find many producers and directors of independents, but, if you really want to get out there, mingle and network with people involved in independent filmmaking, give thought to joining...
- Independent Feature Project/West (IFP): Included in what you get for your membership fee are screenings and seminars (some free to members) and "schmoozes" where members come together and talk movie-making. There's also a "skills bank" into which members can put their resumes for perusal by producers and directors looking for talent. IFP also sends out a monthly newsletter to members. "One of the best investments I've made to date is my membership," says actress Cynthia Ann Crawford. "You get to mix with people in all facets and levels in the business. People everyone has heard of and people everyone will be hearing of - producers, directors, writers, fellow actors... and they all love show business."
UNION INDUSTRIAL FILMS
Here's another way to get that first break, possibly a SAG card, paid on-the-job-training ("You're polishing your craft at somebody else's expense," says former industrial film producer Don Ciminelli), and film on yourself.
Industrial films break down into three types:
- Documentaries: The "star" may be Jacques Cousteau or DNA. The only "actor" is the narrator.
- Educational material: Remember snoring through class when they showed How the Dewey Decimal System Can Change Your Life? Remember that fascinating dramatization of the life of Emile Zola on PBS? They're educational films.
- Corporate image/training: A car manufacturer wants to excite its salesmen about the new Whizzo. A film is made, showing how the gear shift is also an electric toothbrush. Hordes of rabid dentists are shown, taking numbers just to sit at the wheel. The film is not intended for, and will never be seen by, John Q. Public.
Happily, here's an area where you truly can make the rounds. Besides checking Drama-Logue for casting opportunities, drop off your picture and resume to every industrial film house you can find. (Use the Working Actors Guide, Studio Blu-Book, Studio Directory, etc.) Some have in-house casting directors, others don't. But try to wangle appointments with someone at each, and keep in touch.
However, if you really want to make contacts, your best bet is...
- The Association of Visual Communicators: Its membership is comprised of people working in all areas of industrials, including acting. When you join, you'll be sent a directory of all members. And who are they? Right, production houses (such as General Telephone, hospitals, etc.) and others who hire actors to do industrials, even slide shows - opportunities many actors don't even know exist.
One other thing. Besides being a way to get experience, film on yourself and a SAG card, the people you work with on an industrial may well move into major films or TV. "The advancement is extremely rapid," says industrial producer Marsha Jeffer.
The methods of registering and interviewing you also vary, as do the chances of your application being accepted. "According to need" (theirs) was what we heard most often. Two hints: the more special skills you list on your resume (provided you can do them) and the larger your wardrobe, the better. So, when you go to one of these agencies, dress to the nines.
Of course, it's one thing to register with these places, another to get work. You'll need to call them every day, at least every half-hour or so.
If you can, get to know someone associated with a production, especially the assistant director if it's a movie, the stage manager if it's a taped TV show. He's the one in charge of extras on the set, and he informs the casting agencies what extras are needed. A request from him is like grease to a wheel.
NON-UNION FILMS
Union members aren't supposed to do these - you're not protected. The producer can promise the moon and deliver a black hole. He can sign a contract in blood, but, as former industrial producer Don Ciminelli says, "All the paper in the world isn't going to get you paid if the guy doesn't intend to pay you."
If you're going to do one anyway, try to check up on the producer. Certainly ask him politely what he's done in the past and how you'll get paid.
If you're going out of town, get the plane tickets in advance - in both directions. And don't forget per diems and hotel rooms. You don't want to arrive in Oshkosh, and hear, "Got your room yet?"
Some actors come out of these deals happy as milk-fed cats. We've also heard horror stories. Be very, very careful - even when you go to the audition. Theatrical agent Miriam Baum says, "If I don't know the people, I tell my clients to bring an extra person with them."
