We have found 19,320 posts across 4 actor forums:
thoughs about casting calls on facebook groups by mosenco • last post Jan 12th
What do you think about these groups on facebook? Many of them are real actors? If it's yes, why they searching job on a facebook group? is it because they are graduated but still hasn't any agent yet? The casting calls are legit? I still don't understand if these facebook groups are full of graduated people without any agents in search of a job to start, and directors with low budget in search of affordable new actors, or in reality they are all amateur, where most of them don't have any degree in acting and such and full of scams
What can I do at this moment? by Exciting-Ad-26 • last post Jan 12th
Long post. Due to anonymity I'll also delete it in the near future. I will still appreciate advice. I'm 25F undergraduate student in Europe and will probably be between ages 27-29 when I finish major. As a child I loved the idea of being in a film and theatre as a job. Unfortunately due to lack of charisma I was never suggested to do such thing by people around me growing up. When I was 19 I did a very stupid decision. I dropped out of college because most successful actors dropped out of school. I didn't think things through, that they did it because they were actually busy acting unlike me not even starting and lost a year I could spend doing anything productive whether related to acting or not. Few months after dropping out I changed major (not related to acting though more than the previous, because I couldn't find a drama school I could trust, I was an easy trap to waste money as I was inexperienced and had fear the schools only wanted to take my money). I decided to take some acting classes and spent 400€ on a course that took place once a week for 3 months. I didn't understand much what was going on, maybe it was too advanced. I took the class that was compatible with my college schedule. I also joined FB casting groups and I feel like I only made a clown of myself because I was completely off the profile. I applied because this ain't LA and there are much less opportunities. While there were no direct remarks I feel that I got weird looks and might as well be the next Tommy Wiseau. Yes, I am working on my English and pronunciation, but for an actor perfect pronunciation is not enough. I know I lack a lot of self-awareness like Tommy Wiseau, but I don't know where. I don't feel the cringe others probably feel when I act. But seeing any videos of me make me cringe. And when I try to change it I still cringe. I also did some work as an extra and ended up feeling extremely insecure. All of the movies I was in even if at first they kind of put me right in front of the camera I feel like they cut me out completely now. Now, I know, I am not naturally talented at acting. I could hardly focus in a hobby group after I went broke because of that course. Still, I really wish to be in a movie once. I am ok with not becoming an actor as a source of living, but I really would like to be good enough to once be in a movie, even a small role is ok. My dream role, however is to play eccentric characters, doesn't matter if villains or normal. But if I manage at all to actually become an actress that would be great. How can I start? Due to covid many drama schools are closed and also, I cannot really afford classes at the moment. Are there any exercises that actually help and I can do at home, alone? Preferably not too loud not to disturb the neighbors, I did consider pursuing a degree in acting, maybe after I finish my primary studies. But I am getting old and like I said, I'm afraid I'm not naturally good to gain enough from it. But even if I decide to pursue acting after college (I'll be in my late 20s or 30s), what can I do NOW, that my 30 year old self can be thankful for? I gave up many times, but I always end up dreaming of it again. TD;LR 25F with no talent or much experience would like to get on the wagon by the age of 30. What can I do now?
DEMAND SAG-AFTRA AGGRESSIVELY ADAPT TO REFLECT TODAY'S VOICEOVER LANDSCAPE! by morganbkeaton • last post Jan 12th
[Hi all, with the permission of Bob Bergen (legendary actor, known for voicing Porky Pig), I’m sharing his words from a Facebook group. Bob has long been deeply involved in the union, and is a proud member. Feel free to share, comment, email, etc. Here’s his post (the attachment he refers to is [this link](http://chng.it/6V2jBddttt)):] Gang, this is long and detailed. But it is one of the MOST important issues I have ever been involved with on behalf of my fellow voice actors. Read the attachment below first, then come back to this long text. I’ll cut to the chase. With the exception of animation, the majority of voiceover is non union and has been for years. This has contributed to the disastrous lack of funds in our Pension and Health. The top agents in the industry are seeing fewer and fewer union opportunities everyday. I ask that you sign the attached petition and make your voice heard at SAG-AFTRA that their Board approve the proposal below, which has already been approved by both The National Voiceover Committee as well as The Hollywood Voiceover Committee, but stuck in the red tape bureaucracy of the union for over 2 years. This proposal is a 5-7 year plan, where SAG-AFTRA will suspend membership qualifications for voice actors. Actors may pay off their initiation at $50 a month for 5 years, during which they may continue their thriving non-union voiceover career while union staff works to aggressively organize their non union buyers without disrupting the buyer’s day to day. The union has been blind to the erosion of the union vo industry for 20 years. I believe this proposal is a proactive way to reclaim this work. But leadership needs to understand the landscape of today’s vo industry outside the union bubble. I have been trying to get the union to address this for these 20 years, which has come down to this proposal. Time is not on our side, and I truly believe this is our one and final shot to get a handle on this. I ask that every actor, from beginner to working pro, union, non, fi-core, as well as agents from every market large and small, and casting directors sign this petition and if comfortable comment on their experiences. IF WE ARE GOING TO MAKE A DIFFERENT AT THE UNION AND BRING THE VO INDUSTRY BACK TO THE UNION FOLD, WE NEED A HUGE SHOWING OF SUPPORT BY THE VO COMMUNITY BY SIGNING THIS PETITION. The bottom line: SAG-AFTRA is completely oblivious that the majority of the vo industry is non-union, and they need to make the hiring of union talent as fast and easy as it is to hire non-union. They need to embrace this thriving majority of voice talent into the union fold so more voice actors can enjoy guaranteed minimums, P&H, and residuals. By reclaiming the union vo industry we will bring more money into our P&H fund, reversing the current state which has been detrimental to so many performers. Some bullet point details: * We have seen disruptions in the entertainment industry for decades. Film disrupted Vaudeville. Sound disrupted silent films. Television disrupted film. Cable disrupted network TV. Streaming disrupted broadcast television. With every disruption, since the creation of SAG and AFTRA the majority of our performer contracts stayed union. Until the internet, whose disruption to the voiceover industry transformed voiceover from a geographic industry to a technological industry. For the first time turning the majority of a professional acting genre non-union. I call this the “Amazon-ization” of voiceover, creating a faster and simpler business model. * This all started with the perfect storm, as the launch of the online vo industry coincided with the commercial strike of 2000, technologically taking the vo industry outside the backyard of the union. And since non-union work is not tracked at the union, many if not most union staff and leadership were clueless this was even going on, let alone growing and thriving over the past 20 years. * Depending whom you ask, voiceover is anywhere from 60-80% non union. Bottom line: THE MAJORITY OF THE WORK IS NOW NON-UNION! It matters not how great our union contracts and benefits are if the majority of the voiceover industry doesn’t us them. * A HUGE issue with the union’s current business model is the majority of working voiceover actors around the country do not see enough union auditions to even qualify to join SAG-AFTRA. * The non-union vo industry is thriving. But these actors deserve for their work to bring minimums and benefits such as residuals, pension and health. These actors have for years been shunned and shamed by the union. They should be welcomed, with their business model studied and embraced. * I have been hands on with the vo community throughout the country. From actors, to agents, to casting directors, for the past 20 years all have shared with me their frustrations as they attempted to get the union to address the erosion of the union voice-over industry to deaf ears. We are living the results today. When I got into the business in the early 80s there was very little non-union vo work. Non-union used to mean less competitive, less talented. You could hear a non-union read a mile away. Not so much today. Watch an evening of Network Television and you cannot tell the union from the non union voiceover commercial. * Please sign the attached petition, and share this with every vo player you know. There’s power in numbers and we need to send a loud message to the union. I appreciate this is a radical proposal. But if we are going to reclaim this industry, if we are going to bring in more union work to more union members, we need to make radical changes. Because status quo has not, and is not working. Los Angeles and National Voiceover Performers Committee Proposal October 4, 2018, modified December 8, 2018 Summary: Due to major technological advancements over the past two decades, the majority of the voiceover industry (as much as 75% or more, by some estimates) is non-union. Voiceover work is increasingly being produced non-union and voiced by non-union performers, who along with their buyers have created a faster and easier business model, which is thriving. Simply put, voiceover can be recorded by anyone, anywhere in the world. The opportunities for SAG-AFTRA members working in voiceover areas has been steadily decreasing over the years and will continue to do so unless we take action now. Voiceover performers live in an anonymous and atomized landscape, unlike the vast majority of our peers who work on camera. Reclaiming this work will require an approach that may feel uncomfortable for some; it is an approach that meets the industry where it is, rather than where we would like it to be. The purpose of this proposal is to reclaim union voiceover by helping to bring both non-union buyers and voice actors into the mix and under the umbrella of SAG-AFTRA contracts. In order to mitigate the erosion of union voiceover work, the Los Angeles Local Voiceover Performers Committee recommend an added way to bring non-union voice actors into our Union. Our proposal is designed to modify the current payment plan for joining SAG-AFTRA and to make it easier for these performers to choose to join the union. Currently, SAG-AFTRA offers two payment options for new members: • Full initiation fee payment plus current dues , or • A down payment plus five (5) equal monthly installments until the balance is paid in full after six months. This proposal applies to New Joins who exclusively work in voiceover and our recommendation is that the $3,000 (or applicable) initiation fee be paid in equal increments over a three (3) to five (5) year period. Our proposal also recognizes the need to concurrently organize non-union buyers; something we believe can best be done by granting an organizing waiver temporarily suspending Global Rule 1 for these voiceover new-joins during the five year initiation payment period. This would allow voice actors to work for their existing clients while paying the initiation fee. We feel this would encourage them to report their work to a union representative, who can then begin a process of education and organizing of the buyers in this space. During the proposed three (3) to five (5) year joining period, the Los Angeles and National Voiceover Performers Committees and Voiceover Contracts Department, will work with agents, buyers, and talent throughout the country to help educate and proactively assist in converting non-union work. Another important piece of this is to concurrently develop technology that will streamline the signatory and hiring process for union actors in the voiceover arena. We believe this proposal enables the union to most effectively recapture an industry that has slipped away from us. This will allow us to organize in a way that recognizes and accepts the technological shifts that have occurred in the industry. We will also be working with the necessary SAG-AFTRA departments to: • Streamline the online signatory process; • Educate Members, Agents and Non-Signatory Producers; • Make the hiring of union voiceover talent as fast and easy as it is to hire non-union; • Create a business model within the Union that consistently and continuously organizes non-union voiceover work. [http://chng.it/6V2jBddttt](http://chng.it/6V2jBddttt)
Legendary VO actor and SAG-AFTRA advocate Bob Bergen needs your help by morganbkeaton • last post Jan 12th
Any alternatives to O visa in the US? by granatespice • last post Jan 12th
Obtaining an O visa is pretty difficult for actors, especially if you live somewhere with limited acting opportunities. It’s borderline impossible to obtain such experience at a young age. So I’m thinking, does anyone know loopholes to this? For example getting a work permit, having a main job and parttaking in acting classes/casting? Would that be possible? Or any other way?
Identity School of Acting Question by DatBoiMemes425 • last post Jan 12th
Hi, I am currently a high school senior really looking to continue my education in Acting in order to become a film/tv actress. I was planning on taking a gap year to save money, take acting classes, etc and apply to colleges to get my BFA in Fine Arts- Acting starting next school year. I have heard of Identity School of Acting where it is a couple months long and some of my favorite actors have went there for training such as Amelia Eve and Letitia Wright. I was just wondering if this school is taken seriously to casting directors or is accredited before I look into it further? Thank you!
THERE'S NO OTHER VISA OPTIONS TO WORK AS AN ACTOR IN THE US OTHER THAN THE O1B AND THE EB1. by GlitteringTarget0 • last post Jan 12th
Please don't try to find a loophole or anything like that. You can't use H1B, or P3, or other available visas other than O1B and EB1. Start somewhere, start building your career from anywhere you are. And stop finding loopholes. It is what it is, folks.
BFA letter of intent tips? by Noodlebops • last post Jan 12th
I am applying to a BFA acting program and they require a letter of intent. I have never really written something like this... I was told by my teacher: 1. Include you experiance. 2. Include why you want to be in that specific program. 3. Include what you hope to achieve as an artist. Is that a good format? Three paragraphs kind of deal. It's only supposed to be one page, so that should be enough. My main problem is that I was hoping to figure out my goals as an artist through the program. I want to be an actress for a ton of reasons, but I do not yet have any concrete goals. Any tips on what they might be looking for and how to write it would be appreciated. Thanks!
[Hiring] Read below by Director35 • last post Jan 12th
[Hiring] Overview: If I am allowed to post this here, thank you for reading. You probably never seen this type of gig before, but are you familiar with TikTok ? It’s an app where you can share short videos. Most directors are hiring for series’s or movies, but I’m looking to create short videos. I write short, comedic skits, but I am a terrible actor, so I am looking for actors/actresses to bring skits I write to life. This is for a person who is able to work from home as TikTok allows for self recording to be used. Skits will never run over a minute as that is the time limit TikTok allows its videos to be. Since skits never run over a minute, my skits are very time efficient and even if multiple takes are needed, skit takes won’t ever exceed 2 hours, and that’s honestly worse case scenario. Currently, I have one skit I’m working on with one role available as a test run, so if you are interested, you can leave a reply or send me an email at “KarmaTheJock@gmail.com”. (Karma is my real name) If this test run goes well, I would love to work with you again for future skits, or I may even make more casting calls here again. *TikTok is a 13+ app so no type of nudity will be involved* Skit overview: “What if Little Red Riding Hood had an OnlyFans ?” This role will have some implied adult language/actions in the script, but no curse words will be present. I try to keep most of my skits clean since there are kids on the platform That is the question I asked myself when I seen a woman walking down the street with a red trench coat on. (I wasn’t by any means assuming the women had an OnlyFans or trying to sexualize her in anyway. The red coat simply reminded me of Red, and I just seen an ad for a woman’s OnlyFans on TikTok believe it or not in the previous minute and the idea had made me chuckle a bit) The role will be you imitating Red (Obviously the grown up version) standing in the wolf’s door way in a red hood after knocking on the door. (Completely clothed underneath. Like I said, nudity won’t ever be in my skits) talking to the wolf (In this case the camera’s pov will act as the wolf’s pov to make the skit as effortless as possible. You will playfully, but yet in a flirty tone explain to the wolf that in addition to her usual treats (Red helps deliver baked goodies in the stories), she is also now selling other treats, but if you want to find out what they are, you have to subscribe to her OnlyFans. Once Red’s dialogue is finished, Red will leave a dessert on the step as a teaser, and then happily skip off Talent wanted: Female: 18-24 Skin color: This role requires no specific skin color, but white would be ideal since Red is primarily known to be white) Height: 5’9 and under Pay: This current skit will be paid out with a sum of $10. I haven’t decided on a set pay yet per future videos, but depending on the difficulty of the skit, you can expect to compensated anywhere from $10-$15 per video. This is a great way to get some extra cash if you already use TikTok for fun in your spare time while also getting to work on your craft even if you’re just acting out scenes or playing a character for up to one minute Sorry for leaving a long message. I like to be as detailed as possible whenever I am looking for people to hire
Dealing with casting disappointment. Should I be sad? by CactusJess8 • last post Jan 11th
Hey, I wanna start this by saying I’m in no means an “actor”. I’m doing a science postgraduate degree which is probably the furthest from performing arts you could get. Our university had our auditions for our second musical today (I had a decent role in the first one with a solo song so they already have seen me perform). We’re doing The Wizard of Oz and I auditioned for scarecrow because I love that character. I spent a whole month practicing my audition song and so many hours on my monologue, and I got cast as the Wicked Witch of the West. Who has no singing lines. At all. I’m just really disappointed, I put my whole heart into that audition and the song and I love to sing. The person who they chose for the role is apparently a performing arts student (and is also male, but they did say multiple times that females could audition for the role) but I’m not surprised at that really, I’m not gonna be as talented as someone who does it for their degree, it was just a bit of a kick in the teeth (especially because another student got cast as tin man and he can’t seem to hold a tune to save his life). I love to act, but singing is just special to me and I’m sad I won’t be able to sing in the production. But should I be disappointed? I mean the witch isn’t a small role, and it’s important I guess. I’m also not dropping out because they’re gonna struggle to find any replacements. Sorry for the rant, I just don’t know how to feel right now. Tl,dr: didn’t get the part I auditioned for (scarecrow), got the wicked witch, won’t be able to sing. Mad disappointed.
Do some shows pay more than others? by sgavary • last post Jan 11th
I don't want to become a voice actor, I'm just interested in them (Tom Kenny is my favorite), one question I have is regarding wages: Do some channels or streaming services pay more than others, and does the popularity and age of the show affect payment? Like I heard Simpsons voice actors get huge salaries thanks to the popularity of the show, the network's wealth, and the fact that the show has been running for over 3 decades, like they make $300k per episode, is this the same for other popular shows?
What camera settings are best for iPhone self tapes? by sobeautifulsotragic • last post Jan 11th
So I film self tapes on my iPhone (like many of us) and I'm wondering if there's any tech savvy actors who could help me out. I have a iPhone 11 pro max and the quality of both the front and back cameras looks great on its screen. The problem is, when I transfer them to my Mac via AirDrop, the quality absolutely plummets. The way I've been working around this is by editing them on iMovie on my iPhone and then uploading them to YouTube (these are for student projects so not on Casting Workbook). The quality is slightly better when I view the Youtube link on my Mac than when I Airdrop directly, but it's still not great. What is the best settings you've found to put your iPhone on for self-tapes? Anyone know what my problem is here? Thanks!
When those BRIGHT LIGHTS hit you! by phantomredditor11 • last post Jan 11th
Hey fellow actors, first time here. So I have a small part in a web series that’s in its 3rd season. I memorized the two paragraphs that I needed to do my lines. I’m on set, waiting for hours for my turn (def. not a problem, I was so excited to see the entire process unfold in front of me) and as soon as I got in front of the camera, and those bright lights hit my face, it was like I forgot the last 25% of my lines. I was so embarrassed. Yes I got through it, but after like 3 takes and they let me read if off my phone as they got some b-roll shots around me. Other than obviously knowing my lines frontward and backward, what do you y’all recommend when all eyes are on you, the bright lights flash on and...ACTION...to get rid of those nerves?
Call me a skeptic by 3DThrills • last post Jan 11th
Joined Freelancer today. Getting multiple messages from someone offering me $300 a week to be their personal assistant for 3 hours a day online. I listed myself as a voice actor and haven't even added any samples. Has anyone else seen any scams from this place?
USB Mic choice for a Theatre Company moving to Zoom: MV7? by Lettuphant • last post Jan 11th
I'm outfitting a theatre company [that is now going online](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cE3etMZ3axo) \- I just ran the first production with virtual machines, multiple Stream Decks, etc., it was fun! The actors sounded poor using their onboard audio, so I'm looking to upgrade both their cameras and sound in the coming weeks, sending out potentially a dozen pieces of hardware. For the microphones: Since we're shooting "on set" we can't audio treat their spaces much, so dynamic mics seem best. Plus these people are not technically minded (nor is there much budget for interfaces and pre-amps) so they need to be USB mics with simple controls. I had settled on Shure's MV7s because I like the similar-enough-to-SM7B sound and of course they're dynamic, so don't pick up as much room noise. The downside is I'm not sure how they cope with being on a desk a foot or two from the actor, since like the SM7B they love to be eaten (though I do see the MV7 software has a 'Far' option). Do you have any opinions or alternatives?
Actors who have played villains/ evil characters, did/do people who just met you treat you differently irl? by Guineapigsssss • last post Jan 11th
Sorry if my question doesn’t make any sense.
Question regarding actors in Colorado by BrokeHardHead • last post Jan 11th
So I’m browsing Backstage, open calls auditions near me. But on the location section Colorado is not on there. My guess is Colorado is not a big enough hub for big production.. So, my question is, what would be the best option? They got the New York ,Los Angeles, the United Kingdom ,San Francisco, Chicago, Miami, Austin, New Orleans, Atlanta, Philadelphia, Seattle, Boston, Las Vegas ,Washington, Charlotte, and the rest is in Canada and Australia. Any tips or suggestion? BlessUp
Are you supposed to email casting directors? by ak_writes • last post Jan 11th
I’ve seen a lot of actors talk about emailing casting directors but I’m terrified to just do that out of the blue. I’m assuming actors only email casting directors they’ve auditioned for? Am I supposed to be emailing casting directors?
What’s your best acting technique? by thesam1230 • last post Jan 11th
Hello everyone, new actress here. I’m working on learning how to better my acting skills and I was just wondering what was the things that helped you the most while learning acting? And where did you learn acting? I’d love to better my monologues and scenes for auditions. I’ve been going through master classes with acting but they only seem to go over the importance of techniques and not so much how to actually portray characters realistically. If you have any advice, it would be much appreciated!
Wannabe Actress looking for advice by lethalwomen_22 • last post Jan 11th
Right now I'm 20 in my final year of college studying computer science in london, however my passion has always been acting. I never really acted on this desire because I was always struggled with my confidence and insecurities, however recently I have made the decision to transition into acting. My plan is to get a part-time job after I graduate and try to get some acting experience. I have heard it is incredibly hard, with many giving up the dream after some time because of hard it is. Considering I'm not really a trained actor, having very little to no previous experience how hard is it? How hard is it to get agents and get into agency's? Are people with no experience even considered for roles? I dont want to work on theater, but would like to start out on tv to get some experience and then concentrate on movies. Welcome any advice people have to give! :)