Acting

The article says Rock used bottles instead of going to the bathroom to save time, but he was so late to set, Pat Alexander. That doesn't make sense. And the article says, "In a statement to TheWrap, a spokesperson for Amazon MGM denied there were any on-set issues with “Red One” or delays caused by Johnson’s lateness or Seven Bucks’ inexperience which caused the film budget to balloon." The "Red One" situation is strange, but if it's true, it shows actors that no matter how big they get, they have to be professional and they have to be people that others want to work around.

The Rock has been a true and reliant professional for decades. Maybe the studio is looking for injunctive relief. Will be super interesting to see how this shakes out.

I thought it was amusing that one source said the Rock was so late they qualified for guild health insurance. Got those crewmembers some OT!

Great advice, Tammy Hunt! Should a voice over demo reel be a video or audio file?

Thank you Tammy

Thaks for the share, Tammy Hunt!

it’s fair game for them to ask and to highlight their contributions IMO. Given their deal was with Artisan and they are now asking Lionsgate for retroactive participation may be tough legally. Will be interesting to see how Lionsgate reacts. Definitely going to follow this and see how it plays out. Thanks for sharing, Pat Alexander.

I agree with Sam. I think it's a fair ask considering the actors are essentially the writers and used their own names. I'm not sure they can get retroactive pay, but they definitely ought to be paid for any further use of their names and images. I don't know that they can force the studio to consult them for input on further projects. I respect the request for a grant rather than asking for future profit.

It's not a simple lawsuit, though I fully support it. And although other types of job boards may have a paywall for premium services, we're one of the few industries where we are PERPETUALLY looking for a job. I think that's an important nuance.

One proposed solution is that Producers pay to keep services like AA and CN going, and keep it free for CDs AND for actors. Probably won't happen, though.

And regardless of the outcome, there's no need to make all breakdowns public-facing. If AA and the other sites suddenly went away, CDs would just be forced to collect the auditions "manually" from the agents. They wouldn't make breakdowns public-facing. They NEED the agents for the very reason you stated. It's a necessary step in the vetting process.

Ultimately, the problem is that these sites are milking actors sometimes for pennies, sometimes for lots of money. And it all adds up. Take AA specifically. The profile is free along with your first headshot, and if you have an agent and are only using the service that way (i.e. NOT self-submitting), then you can get by never paying them a cent.

UNTIL... you start hearing the marketing from AA itself (which unfortunately trickles down through agents, making them slightly culpable here). For example, AA will tell you "having media like a demo reel or clips attached to your profile will boost your auditions to the top of the results when submitting a self-tape." Then Gary Marsh created the useless SLATE SHOT, which again will "boost you to the top of the results". Problem is, video cost $22/min to upload, which presumably you'll be adding to and replacing clips every year, adding up to sometimes HUNDREDS of dollars per year.

And even though the 1st slate shot is FREE, there is fine print they like to obscure. Namely, once you switch out that primary headshot (also free) for a new one, the slate shot disappears. Now you have to pay to upload one.

And so Gary is scaring actors into paying him boatloads of money to boost their chances of being seen.

BUT, any CD will tell you it's hogwash. First, if they asked for your tape, they're going to watch it. Just because it might have been sorted to the bottom shouldn't mean anything. Second, the CDs can sort the submissions however they want. The default view will prioritize slate shots and clips/reels, but only utnil the CD changes the sorting to suit their needs. So now actors have paid money for these "advantages" that may be meaningless in most cases. Starts to feel sketchy at best.

I appreciate the explanation Matthew Cornwell . It's reasurring to know that paying extra to upload the demo reel doesn't ultimately matter. I think one can just include a link to their webpage. This lawsuit makes me wonder do about other entertainment job boards like Staff Me Up and Mandy.com. One must pay a monthly subscription fee to submit for jobs -they're crew jobs but same principle applies- It is illegal to charge someone to apply for a job yet for some reason the entertainment industry has gotten away with it for so long. Breakdowns have always been secretive and self submission frowned upon. Now with streaming being what it is, and so many more opportunities out there, it's about time a lawsuit like this happened. I also support it and can't wait to see what happens.

Great question, Amanda Toney!

Ironically enough, I've noticed a decrease in breakdowns on casting sites

Great advice that'll save departments a lot of time and headaches, Matthew Cornwell! And great advice for actors on set in general! Thanks for sharing.

Thanks, Maurice Vaughan!

You're welcome, Matthew Cornwell.

Getting advice and insight from people who've done it is invaluable, Matthew Cornwell! These videos will save actors, writers, directors, etc. time, money, headaches, and so on because they're learning what to do and what not to do. Thanks for sharing and keep these coming!

Thanks for the comment, Maurice Vaughan! We have 2 more interviews coming. Next up: Costumes. Then a chat with a 1st A.D.

You're welcome, Matthew Cornwell. I'll keep an eye out for those videos. I'm subscribed to the channel and have the notifications turned on.

I love this Matthew Cornwell I have always wanted to know what the duties of 1st AD, 2nd AD, DP are. How they work with the Director. It's nice to know what is happening on set when you are just "waiting." It really does take a village to make a movie.

Suzanne Bronson thanks for watching (and commenting)!

What I love about your tips is that it also involves commitment to action which is absolutely needed even when an actor is working with an actual object and/or doing a physical action. It's the clarity and commitment to the movement that accentuates and can also create nuance giving dramatic or comedic weight to a moment.. So many examples of this on stage and screen.

Thank you for sharing this cool tip!

Susanne Palm are you still based in Taiwan? I've lived there for 10 years.

Hi Terrence! Yes, I live in Taiwan. Maybe we have friends in common? :)

Hi again Terrence! I just checked your Facebook and we have friends in common. Just connected with you here on Stage 32.

Hey mate, look up "headshot photographers" in your area. I'm confident you'll find one, several actually, since you're in NYC.

Checkout Michael Roud in Studio City. He takes amazing headshots.

Emily Lambert is pricey but, for my money, one of the best HS photographers working today.

Great advice and idea to add a walk-through in the video, Aaron Marcus!

Thank you Maurice

You're welcome, Aaron Marcus.

Incredible share, Ashley Renee Smith! It's helpful for screenwriters to know how successful actors analyze a screenplay. I added this to my Screenwriting Videos list to go back and watch again. Thanks for sharing!

Yes that's what I've been taught to do. Write a backstory based on the information in the script . what are your objectives, how is it this cave to be the most important moments in your life? If there is a certain physicality to your character. I do everything from childhood to my favorite color to my relationships with the people in the script.

Does the process help you, Suzanne Bronson?

Yes Ashley Renee Smith I do.