Will there be a SAG strike?

Does anyone really know if there will be a SAG strike?  And if so, when will it start?  The SAG contract is set to expire on the last day of June, but Alan Rosenberg (the President of SAG) has stated that SAG and the AMPTP (who represents the studios) may continue discussions into July.

So, what does this mean for television and film production?  Well, for me, it means a very slow time.  The writers strike virtually wiped out pilot season, and now the potential of the SAG strike is making it difficult for new projects to be greenlit.  So many Casting Directors are in a holding pattern.

We are waiting on financing for a new film about Kent State.  Hopefully, we'll get the go ahead to start working on that in the next couple of weeks.  In the meantime, I am working diligently on my new website - which you all  know by now is  http://www.AreUaStar.com

It's been really interesting and fun to connect with people all over the globe who are interested in breaking into acting.  The site has had thousands of visitors from the U.S., Canada, Australia, Japan, Sweden, England and Germany.  Apparently,  the desire for stardom is universal.  

I'm also helping my friend Meredith Scott Lynn (you may recognize her from "Legally Blonde" or from her many TV appearances)  with a project that she has written for the actress Tracee Ellis Ross (Diana Ross' daughter, who just finished a very successful run on the CW's "Girlfriends").  Meredith is putting together a table read of her script and I am helping to populate it with strong actors.  It's been really fun for me to work on some projects that- if it were the busy norm- I wouldn't be able to spend any time on.  

So, let's keep our fingers crossed that the actors won't strike - there has been enough down time this year in the television and film business.  

My favorite actor of the week:  Dylan Moran from "Run, Fat Boy, Run".  He is funny, charming and British.  If you don't know him, check him out on www.imdb.com

ok... next please!

Casting Director pet peeves

My number one pet peeve is when someone refers to Casting Directors as "casting agents". What does this even mean? An agent is someone who represents actors and takes a percentage of their salary in return for soliciting jobs for actors and negotiating their deals. In some larger agencies, there are "casting agents" and this means that those agents are primarily charged with working on getting their acting clients cast in television and film.

A Casting Director, on the other hand, is hired by a studio or production company to present a variety of actors, through the audition process, to the directors and producers and to advise and inform the entire casting process. Casting Directors are responsible for the hiring of the entire ensemble, acting as a liaison between the actors and the producers and directors, and working with the actors agents to find just the right actors to fill specific roles. We sift through the thousands of submissions, audition the actors, narrow down the choices and then help with the negotiations of the deals.

For some reason, print media and many people continue to refer to Casting Directors as casting agents. This drives us crazy. So the next time you hear someone say "casting agent", do all of us CDs a favor and correct them. We'll be very appreciative.

Happy summer solstice!