Acting

Agents Know in 5 Minutes If They'll Sign You (Here's How to Prepare)

https://youtu.be/6Gz8phqKQA8

HAVE YOU HAD A MEETING WITH AN AGENT?

What took place during the meeting? What questions were you asked?

Please share your experience on the channel so we can learn from you.

Hi!

I’m currently based in Ireland and I’m looking for advice on where to go next in order to continue growing my acting career. I’m open to guidance on casting hubs, agencies, or any recommendations that could help me take the next step.

Thanks!

Cami

Fellow actors, a quick reminder…

If we want real change for working performers, we have to lift our voices off the stage and onto Capitol Hill. HR 721 — the Performing Artist Tax Parity Act — is back on the table, and this time it’s sitting in the House Ways & Means Committee waiting for enough of us to care loudly enough.

Yes, this bill has been tried before. And yes, it stalled because not enough of us reached out. But that’s fixable. We know how to hit our marks, and this is one of those moments where showing up actually matters.

So please — take five minutes between auditions, self-tapes, and all the other beautiful chaos of this business — and email or call your Representative and both Senators. Tell them you support HR 721 and you want them to support it too.

If we don’t speak up for ourselves, no one else will.

Let’s get this done.

As a writer and actor taking an acting class, I’ve learned a lot about the craft, and I’d love to share it with other actors. See what you should do to evolve as an actor.

I’m on Patreon! Check it out there.

https://www.patreon.com/posts/140629711?utm_campaign=postshare_creator

Hi

I have a question for ANYONE that can advise .....my question: "what video file "format/s" does Stage 32 support for its members to upload their respective video files?". I have reached out to Support regarding this , but if someone has a short/quick answer to my question, then at least I can ensure that I'm using the right formatting specifications at my end, when attempting to upload my show reel or any other video files. Much appreciation to anyone that can advise.

kind regards

Chas

Can screen actors legally be considered private contractors? I thought the IRS rule says private contractors set their own hours and are self-directed. Actors don't set their own hours, and they are directed by a director.

You are largely correct in your understanding of the IRS guidelines: because production companies typically exercise a high degree of control over actors' work (setting hours, location, and providing direction), most screen actors should legally be classified as employees, not private (independent) contractors.

The Deciding Factor: Control

The IRS and state labor departments use the degree of control and independence as the primary factor in determining worker status.

Employees: A worker is generally an employee if the business for whom they perform services can control what will be done and how it will be done. This describes the typical actor-production company relationship: the director dictates schedules, lines, actions, and overall performance, meaning the actor has little control over the details of how the service is performed.

Independent Contractors: An independent contractor typically has more control over their own work, sets their own schedule, provides their own tools/equipment, and has the opportunity for profit or loss in their business. This is not the standard situation for most working actors on a set.

Real-World Practice vs. Legal Standard

Despite the legal standard, it is common practice in some parts of the entertainment industry, particularly in low-budget or non-union projects, to misclassify actors as independent contractors (paid via Form 1099-NEC instead of a W-2). This is often done to save the production company money on payroll taxes and benefits like unemployment insurance and workers' compensation.

However, this misclassification carries significant legal risks for the production company, including fines and penalties for back taxes and liabilities.

Exceptions

There are a few situations where an actor might be legitimately considered a contractor:

Loan-Out Corporations: Highly successful actors often form their own personal service corporations (also called "loan-out" companies). The production company then contracts with the actor's corporation, not the individual actor. In this case, the actor is an employee of their own company.

Unique Circumstances: If an actor brings their own unique equipment, supplies, and intellectual property rights to a short-term, non-integral part of a production, they might be classifiable as a contractor.

Specific Roles: Certain high-level roles, such as writers and directors (who are involved in overall planning and implementation), may sometimes be classified as independent contractors depending on the specific circumstances.

In summary, based on the IRS's control test, most screen actors working for a production are legally employees, even if they are sometimes incorrectly paid as independent contractors in practice.

Another nice new AI short (7') that explains a lot of the current state of modern AI moviemaking. Have a close look and let know what you think of this film, I am especially interested in what you think of the acting. 

To me the acting is on a scale between 0 and 10 a 6.5. The characters come across somewhat shallow at certain points, but I have seen worse in my life. I think with a little bit of extra work by acting and art department talent these performances can be made to 7 or 8. What kind of number would you give this acting performances? And as an actor would you be intererested in creating your own AI or virtual character?

https://youtu.be/YRVvFtTO86w?si=zF87FOFsZ5CwomGR

I spent my week leading up to Thanksgiving, doing a chat gpt self guided UFO themed tour based around my areas with a Welsh friend who hadn't seen most of Cali or Arizona before so she really enjoyed it. I am not even a big conspiracy theory or alien person but I thought the road trip would be a hoot. I'm someone who is always looking to try something, "different" over, "the norm" when it comes to anything in life. What are some of the creative ways you get yourself out and active during what's known as, "the slow season" for acting?

This is a topic that I think is not covered enough. This is something all creatives experience. Actors, writers, directors, artists, et al. We all must find a healthy way of coping and dealing with rejection. We probably deal with reject more than acceptance and, I would say, we creatives experience more rejection than your average person.

When I go to audition, I try not to focus on not getting the part. I do my best and tell myself the outcome doesn't matter. If I am proud of my audition, I can let it go. Still, it has been heartbreaking when I don't cast for a part I know I can rock, I've played it before, and I know I blew castings' socks off. I am in a small pond, so if I didn't get cast for Lady M then who the f--- did? What did she do in her audition? Then, I go into, am I kidding myself? mode. If I can't get cast in a community theater then I must be deluding myself. Is this a sign to give it all up?

Also, there have been times, when I submit for an audition and I never get a response. No sides sent. Which means, I was rejected from even auditioning despite meeting the character description. How do I not take that personally?

That is my question for you. How do you handle rejection?

Jesse Eisenberg, Justice Smith, Dominic Sessa, Ariana Greenblatt, & Isla Fisher talk about the magic of creating ‘Now You See Me: Now You Don’t' in addition to doing their own stunts, games they played on set, and bonding through escape rooms.

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8OV5aUS-iJw)