Casting Conundrums and other updates
Since last you heard from me, I've started that acting group I mentioned in a previous post. It's made up of fellow grad school alumni, and it's been going well. Granted, without an official teacher to please, the motivation to put in the work has to come completely from inside ourselves, but we're managing. For the most part we're doing scenes for one another and giving feedback, but if anyone has an audition coming up it's a great place to make sure you know what you're doing before you get in the room.
Also, my latest project, the supernatural web series Shadow Free, finished its first season run. I was extremely happy with how everything turned out, and the rest of the episodes lived up to and surpassed the pilot. We're about to start work on some interim material while the writers and director get ready for season two. They've told us what to expect, and they're really stepping it up. It's nice to know that's waiting for me up ahead.
Otherwise, things have been slow. Slooooow. I had a meeting with an agency that got me pretty pumped, but didn't lead to anything bigger. They want me to keep them informed of any other casting directors I get to know. And that brings me to yet another catch-22 that can slowly erode an actor's sanity.
Or do workshops with casting directors. That's all over the Backstage message boards (whose help I cannot endorse enough). Target CDs, do their workshops, make sure they know who you are. I'm already not crazy about the pay-to-play situation we find ourselves mired in, but that's not a discussion I'm interested in here. What I am interested in figuring out is that as far as I can tell, it's impossible to get in front of CDs in NYC for what I consider a decent price. Agents and managers you can meet for relatively little, but these organizations seem to know where the demand lies, so they structure their prices accordingly. According to the boards, though, LA is just dripping with inexpensive casting director workshops.
Seriously guys? What am I missing here? I'm definitely going to take advantage of SAG's CAP program, but given you have to wait 90 days between events I can't exactly tear up the casting scene that way. I'm generally under the impression that casting directors don't bother with cold mailings. I'm trying to find a way to stop spinning my wheels and grab on to something, and I'm certainly continuing my pursuit of representation, but I'm at a bit of a loss here.
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