Actors: There's no Justice! (I hate this industry!)
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- Опубліковано 9 вер 2024
- Hey Actors! Who's with me? This industry (the TV/Film world we might collectively call "Hollywood") sucks sometimes, right? There are so many reasons to be mad... However, what is at the root of that anger? And who are you angry at?
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After 23 years in the military, I figured that I would be a shoe-in for a role in a show like “Army Wives”. And after auditioning over 50 times, I was slowly getting more and more angry/frustrated. I was seeing people who didn’t know the first thing about military procedure getting the roles that I was auditioning for. I had the opportunity to finally chat with the CD’s and they told me that it was FORMER agent who was telling them that they felt I wasn’t right for it. Why? I have no idea. But when the CD told me that, it was like a gut-punch. Just one reason why I’m no longer with that agent.
Ugh. That's definitely something to be angry at, David.
Brooke had 42 auditions for AW before booking, but her red hair was an issue for some of those, because one of the lead women was a redhead, and when's the last time you've seen two redheads in the same scene? Only if they're supposed to be related. Otherwise, it doesn't happen. Weird.
This just happened to me!!! Great info!!!
Glad it was helpful!
Some great responses, so far. I’ve watched this video twice, and I think I echo “boredom”. Maybe, more specifically, I’m complacent as a rank and file actor.
During the lockdowns, I actually worked a lot. As things eased up, I then went 16 months without booking anything. Booked a movie, then the strike hit. Now, a year later, I’m looking to book again. Currently, I’m getting pretty good auditions and even had a great zoom/callback a couple of weeks ago (didn’t book it, alas). I no longer get mad and ask “why NOT!?”
I think what has made me complacent is that the industry has just flat out changed and there’s nothing anyone can do about it. So many are now actors, influencers, TikToker’s, UA-camrs (no offense to you, Matt. lol… your channel is educational!), and hobbyists. I know there were votes about and towards AI, but I have personally now lost a lot of money and a side career due to it and it has really affected my paycheck.
But, it’s obstacle, obstacle, obstacle. So, how do you work around it? I don’t have all the answers, but you do what you can. I’ll continue to keep my materials ready and turn in good tapes. I keep getting asked back, so I know I’m doing SOMETHING right.
I used to be snobbish… I started off living (yes, living) in a theatre and reading all the acting books and performing Shakespeare, etc, and looked at Johnny Come Lately’s down my nose. I sacrificed “real job” opportunities, relationships, family, etc ALL for “the dream”. I was one of those who drove to Wilmington to read a one liner for “Dawson’s Creek”. I spent 5 years in LA… But to be “mad”, years later, is all on ME. The industry owes me nothing.
To end on a bright side, my production partner and myself won a spot for a developmental lab from this past year’s Knox Film Fest. We have a pitch deck, treatment and script, based on our short film. We’re preparing to submit to The Gotham for further development on our script. (And, the Film Fest pays the entry fee!) We purposely want to keep it low cost so I can play the role, and my partner can direct. So, I can still turn in good tapes… but I now have something else to concentrate on and can have SOME control over its outcome.
Excellent video and discussion, Matt. Thank you .
Thanks for the comments and BEST OF LUCK on the project. Self producing is laborious but very rewarding. Stick to your guns, too, when “experienced” people start poo-pooing your vision. As (I think) William Goldman once said about the industry, “No one knows anything.” And he was talking about the studio heads, producers, directors, writers, etc.
Best video yet, buddy! Great stuff.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Great cheap therapy!!! Thank you, Matt.
happy to help!
@@GetTaped HI, Guys! I'd like to get your newsletter "The Scuttlebutt". Do you have a link? Thanks so much. :) jim
Hey Jim! We tuck the link into the bottom of the show notes each week. But here's the direct link: comcast.us3.list-manage.com/subscribe?id=a91932b3b0&u=d13132fcb0d23b8b37fa2459b
tbh its because they dont let actors improv and are forced to go according to script, i can do improv acting from 10 minutes straight in character but i didnt realise that i have to say all words exact written in the script not allowed to make my own similar words according to script of the given scene
I'm curious if you're frustrated because you don't have time to get the dialogue "in your bones"? That is, if you had 7 days to work on a 2-page scene, would you still want to improvise?
And to be clear, for union projects, they can NOT require you to memorize unless they want to pay you. They can request being word-perfect, but that just means you can hold the script and/or put it on a prompter next to the camera.
The last thing to consider is that you're collaborating with a writer (among other people). That writer has spent years honing their craft, and they are finally at a point where their words are being produced. Just like you, they finally have the opportunity for their work to be seen on the screen. They care deeply about each word they've written. Sure, sometimes they're just writing casual conversation, and it won't matter if you accidentally change a word or phrase. But part of our job as an actor is to honor ALL that hard work that the writer has put in by spending the necessary time to feel comfortable with their words.
Of course, sometimes it's bad writing. When you encounter that, you can turn down the audition, or make adjustments. But otherwise, I would suggest you save the improvisation for once you have the job, and can then have discussions with the writer, director, producer, etc. Improvisation is an essential skill for an actor, yes, but it's not appropriate in many situations. So when in doubt, stick to the script...
That's my 2 cents, anyway...
SAG-AFTRA interview with a well known CD last month said she had had a role come up and had 12,000, yes, twelve thousand submissions. 24-28 yr old white woman, but still. Bottom line: productions are way down and the pool is over saturated.
Wow that’s a lot. Especially if it wasn’t listed as “open ethnicity”.
It would be lovely if we got feedback from CDs, I know that's not possible for first round auditions but maybe for the folks who got a callback or were pinned.
If you're truly discerning about when to ask, I think you'd be surprised how readily they'll offer it back. But when 99.9 times out of 100 it had NOTHING to do with anything you "didn't do", the feedback won't be very helpful.
Not to sound like an ad, but this is one of the many benefits I got from the Sam Christensen workshop. It reveals what Casting is really based on. And when you realize that your only goal is to offer your signature performance - your authentic self - it makes the lack of feedback so much easier. You also will intuitively know when you deviated from yourself. I know when I'm not being authentic, and therefore don't need the CD to critique it.
Also, I love Bonnie Gillespie's view on asking for feedback. When you ask a CD for feedback, you're asking them to switch from Cheerleader mode (because they love you and were rooting for you to book) to Critique mode (i.e. looking for what's "wrong" with your craft). Personally, I'd prefer them to stay in Cheerleader mode. If I feel like craft is the problem, I can take my recent self-tapes to a trusted acting coach.
I've used the paint swatch analogy before. If Casting is looking to paint the whole house, and you represent an accent wall, there's nothing you can do about the shade you're offering. If the main cast represent the other colors already chosen for the palette, then casting your role is basically holding those individual actors (their individual colors) up against the main cast. Each color by itself is beautiful in its own way, but when you suddenly hold it against the other colors that are already chosen, it's almost immediately clear whether it clashes or complements.
I know all of that makes sense to the brain, but it doesn't always make our hearts hurt less when we live in that vacuum. So I feel you, Holly...
@@GetTaped That's a wonderful analogy, Matt.
Hey Matt! What's up, brother?! I am 100% firing a super floppy sneaker from my kicking tube socked stocking foot as the perpetual blue collar wise ass JV baseball jock I was in high school. And still am, truly 🤣😜lol ;). I am hoping you catch it like a pop fly, with one of your big, sardonic grins. Silly guy stuff right there, Matty McCoo, which I think you may appreciate. This is a great video, man. And it so reminds me to keep my nutty sense of humor, especially in this crazy business of "show". "Why so serious?" Why the F indeed. To be honest, I have stepped aside somewhat from ALL of it and thinking to myself "What do I wanna do with this business? With my talent and skills as an actor/singer?" I felt I was on autopilot for years and the shock of Covid woke me up to a lot, and made me stop apologizing for not being "famous" or "having made it, yad, yad, yadda..." All the BS actors lament over. Like my acting teacher Maggie Flanigan used to tell us when I studied with her as a young man, "It's about the work." At 40 or (gulp)50, success looks VERY different (maybe a commercial, this small role or that..) than when you were 20 or 30 and all hot and pretty boyish lol. Ha! I'm still that JV baseball jock, just with way less hair on top, but still the floppy sneakers and tubesocks 😂lol. No one else's fault for where we are at any given moment....lots of things at play....and it IS a thoroughly crazy business, this "show". "I love the art form but HATE the business" is a catchphrase that I can 100% relate to, but SO MUCH better to make peace with it. Make peace with what is, and go from there. Stopping the "blame game", including blaming oneself. See what I can now do with this, on the terms of here and now. I hope that makes sense. Thanks again, Matt. Blessings, JV Johnny⚾⚾
Thanks for chiming in! Floppy sneaker caught! So much of this industry is mental... the story we tell ourselves, especially when bookings are nonexistent. It's truly a marathon and not a sprint!
Hey Matt! Thanks 🙏 for the baseball ⚾️ guy floppy sneaker 👟 catch and for your words of lived wisdom, brother. To make sense of a somewhat non-sensical biz. Telling ourselves the story that is healthy and beneficial to us as creative folk, and not the endless comparison/competition BS is great advice. Happy that you and Brooke are here. JV Johnny ⚾️ 🐺
Thanks!
Sharing with my students.
I'm sure it'll ignite some lively discussions!
I refuse to be angry, but I am frustrated with many aspects of this career. I find the feeling of being angry leads to just lashing out, but the feeling of being frustrated leads me to get specific and look for possible solutions. In most cases, the things I don't like (such as self-taping) are the reality, and I can either accept this reality and adapt, or become angry and resentful, which will harm myself and my career pursuits. It all comes down to the basics: Why am I pursuing this career? What is within and out of my control? And how do I adapt and maintain a positive mindset? Anyone who can't answer these questions in a satisfactory and satisfying way will need to re-evaluate their career path. And yes, to righteous anger. This goes along with advocating for yourself and others. Actors, especially those newer to the business, can feel powerless and be afraid to take a stand on anything, but we must stand up for our safety, and to ensure that our contracts are fulfilled properly.
Well said, Fred!
I’m not so much angry. I’m just quite bored. I’m bored of seeing the same 20 actors getting work or newer actors who lack something on set that they could manage in their living room on a tape but can’t replicate in the moment… I think this push towards only tapes has made the surprise and connection and creativity of casting “directors” go right down into casting “facilitators” and it’s given too much creative control to suits who don’t know enough actors and focus on details which are less important to the work. I’m not angry - I think this is just another symptom of late stage capitalism and it’s an industry which doesn’t actually reward or care about actors - but celebrity. I don’t want to name names, but god I’m bored of feeling like some mainstream stars are everywhere all of the time. I want NEW stories and well chosen casts. The Holdovers and Past Lives are recent examples of work which prioritises these things and it gives something more than much of what is getting made at the moment. Same people, same ideas…it’s getting quite “samey”. Even actors I like fine…I don’t want to see them as a “go to” for casting for the next while after a big hit - it’s genuinely so dull.
My solution is to concentrate on myself and stop worrying about the industry feeling boring and frightened of taking creative risk. It’s not my lane and it’s bigger than the industry generally. I will just support the work I find interesting.
Great topic as well (see my response to @freshcutgrass). You're right about the capitalism comment. The fact that shows are now called "content" is a big red flag. It betrays the fact that tech companies (Amazon, Apple, etc.) are more influential than studios. And it's all about quarterly reports. Used to be that studios could make long term bets on projects or directors, but nowadays, if the company is in danger of not beating Wall Street estimates for the quarter, they cancel a bunch of shows or shelve a project like Batgirl before it ever gets released just so they can have write-offs for that quarter.
The system is completely broken. And your resolution to focus on yourself is really the only good solution that I have come to as well.
And to your point about celebrity, I agree. Our pilot that we're premiering on the channel Wednesday (Roger, Espionager - ua-cam.com/video/nqXRMrAU4pM/v-deo.html) had some interest from Tubi, but the exec I talked to told me "Paul Rudd or Jason Sudeikis would jump at something like this"... hmmm, so instead of building my own success - which was my whole intent with the project - I'd have to give up the leading role just to have a chance with major distribution. Just one of the sad realities of the biz...
I want to see my UA-camr/Menu dude in a leading role tbh - I’ve already seen Paul and Jason PLENTY enough (no offence to them). I feel this way about so many actors at the moment - oversaturated celebrity culture and not “best actor for this job”… I disagree that so-and-so is the “best actress of her generation” as no-one else is getting the opportunity so how the hell would that even make literal sense…? It’s manufactured. Currently the buzz around Baby Reindeer is partly due to the actors not being household names in my opinion - it means audiences are engaged with something other than a match point analysis of someone’s “career”…instead they’re invested in STORY. Novel!
Preach! Yeah we all collectively are amazed at something new that doesn’t have star power baked in already.
I am mad as hell, and I'm not gonna to take it anymore! 😂 But seriously, I am. For example I auditioned twice for Bass Reeves. A stuntman out of LA got one of the roles. I feel like they just audition us to take advantage of the tax credits. Any trained local actor can handle a one liner co-star role. It's all BS sorry not sorry.
Great topic. Here in Atlanta, it's EXTREMELY common to be auditioning for roles that ultimately go to LA. It's less common for the 1-liners and 5-liners, but it still happens. I've been on set with another day player, and I ask them where they're from. They say "LA", and that means either they pretended to be local and had to fly themselves in, OR production spent thousands of dollars on them because they didn't trust a local to handle the role.
It can certainly be frustrating, but sometimes it boils down to their comfort level. The analogy I give is that if I was going to be producing a feature here in Atlanta, but for the bulk of my locations, I was going to travel to Savannah, GA, would I cast all the smaller roles in Savannah (and save money) or cast them from Atlanta and pay to travel them? Honestly, I'd cast most of them in Atlanta, because I don't know the Savannah market. Even if someone gave a great read on a self-tape from Savannah, I'd have this lingering suspicion that they did 47 takes, or that they might not do as well under pressure with 35 crew members staring at them.
Is that fair? I don't know. But making a film is all about risk mitigation, in a way. The venture itself is SOOO risky, so producers will do anything and everything to feel like they're lowering the risk. So casting a "friend" or someone they've worked with before or just someone with the same zip code as them will give them a lower PERCEIVED risk.
I'm not saying it's right. And often times the person they cast from LA has the same chance of buckling under the pressure and not delivering.
@@GetTaped Friend, yes. Worked with, yes. Zip code, grrrrr. But, I accept it ... after I'm angry for a moment. Quick query playing into your Savannah analogy; Would you watch the unknown's reel? If it rocked would you feel comfortable? "Hey, I see they were on (insert show/film here). I know so and so from that project. I'll give them a buzz and ask about this unknown." This is what the chattering monkeys in my mind say.
Not to talk out of turn here, but something for the GA tax credits, specifically, is that a production does NOT have to cast a GA local to get the tax incentive. Other states DO have that as part of their incentive, a "percentage of local cast and crew" for lack of a better term, but GA does not have that at all. So, free yourself of that idea that you're missing out on roles because of the taxes.
@TheApproachCommunity I am in TX, but that's interesting. It may be the same here as well. Thanks.
Jayson, I think it becomes a complicated “equation” if there is someone in Atlanta that is also viable. If the Savannah local fits the role better, then I’d be hemming and hawing about whether that factor outweighs the possibility of them not being directable, not getting my sense of humor, etc. If I know the Atlanta from experience, and we already have a connection, that may be the deciding factor.
And in a perfect world I’d get that Savannah actor in the room or on a zoom call to try to vet them further. And even if I could do that, the familiarity of the Atlanta actor may still give me the sense that they’re a lower risk/ higher reward.
It sucks, because it’s a decision based ultimately on a feeling.