HOLLYWOOD ACTOR PREP by Dana Kaminski

SHOW OF STRENGTH AT THE HOLLYWOOD SAG MEETING  :: AGAINST RATIFICATION OF ACTOR CONTRACT!

 

 

What a shocker! The SAG CONTRACT INFORMATIONAL MEETING, in Hollywood, was expected to be a PR stunt for the ‘vote yes’ side…

Instead, 600 actors turned out, and let everyone know that they were voting NO. No—ratifying—this—”bad—deal”.

I, for one, am relieved. I believe actors should be paid for their work, and paid more than they get now…(How radical am I!) 

I don’t mean more pay for the big earners, the actors that make millions; those you read about in the press. 

I mean the other 95% of the actors in SAG. Those that you don’t read about. The ones whose names are in the credits at the end of every movie  you see. You know, when everyone leaves the theater?

                                                              

Those professional actors have a life that is vastly different from the big earners.  They are talented, skilled, experienced; many you would recognize…And they deserve to be paid.

The new SAG Contract, the one up for ratification, has holes so big that the entire population of actors will not be able to exist as professional actors. That is the estimate.  The “profession” will be diminished to “hobby” level. The idea of making a living as an actor, even a hungry one…will be no more. 

The actual future outcome for actors, if this contract goes…isn’t in the PR you may be hearing, about this contract; that some fine dollars went to pay for. 

The AMPTP Gave Actors A Take-It-And-Die-Either-Way Offer 

It’s all in the fine print and the holes; of the Theatrical TV SAG Contract, as offered by the TV Networks and Film Studios, to SAG Actors.  It’s a “take it or leave it” offer, or rather a “take it and die either way”, offer.

If  you keep reading my blog, I will try and explain it, and organize the items simply, so that it’s easier to comprehend.  Dense and complicated…but critically important. 

Right now– is when the voting on the contract is taking place, at SAG.  The deadline to turn in votes is, I think, June 6?

 As I said, I was certainly surprised at the force and overwhelming majority of actors who were ‘voting no‘ and let everyone know it, at the SAG meeting.

I don’t think I was the only one surprised. Some actors stayed away…everyone was expecting a persuasion to ratify…  

I think those on that ‘vote yes’side were shocked, too.  As was the new regime at SAG…because they, next, counter-acted with an move that will just blow your socks off…It’s just too crazy…  

If you think that all along this contract has been a circus of drama, j-u-s-t  w-a-i-t…!

                        But, I am not telling you yet! That’s tomorrow’s post!  

First,  you have to know what happened prior…

 

 

Here’s the article published by Nikki Finke, published in ‘Deadline Hollywood Daily’, on the SAG Contract Vote Information Meeting:

It was not a friendly room towards white or Ned Vaughn of Unite For Strength, part of the so-called SAG National Majority now leading SAG. Both were booed. While SAG President Alan Rosenberg and Ed Asner received standing ovations. There were over 600 people based on staff’s count, described to me as a broad mix of “working, kind of working, rarely working, and never working” actors. Everyone I spoke with agreed that the members opposed to the contract outnumbered those who favored the contract by as much as 75% “Vote No” to 20% “Vote Yes” with 5% undecided.

Anne-Marie Johnson, SAG VP, in 'That's So Raven'

 

Anne-Marie Johnson convened the Hollywood Division meeting and joining her on the dais where White, Vaughn, SAG Chief Negotiator John McGuire from NY, Stacy Travis, Connie Stevens, and Ray Rodriguez. A slide show covering the contract’s major points was shown. Then it was Q-and-A time with questions from the floor alternated with questions submitted on cards.

 

Several attendees told me Ned Vaughn made many misstatements, while Stacy Travis appeared overwhelmed by the task of answering queries. White is known for his calm manner but, when the crowd was not pleased with many of his answers, he began to get hot under the collar. Even more so when Rosenberg, Stevens and Johnson repeatedly voiced their opposition to the contract due to very fundamental issues such as the high budget threshold for made-for-New Media productions enabling rampant non-union productions, as well as the virtually non-existent residuals structure for network primetime content streamed on the Internet. “You can make a hell of a TV series for $300,000,” Stevens said. 

 

Vocal “Vote No” advocate Scott Wilson said from the floor that “it is stunning” that SAG was creating a space for non-union work funded by studios.

 

One “Vote Yes” supporter claimed more pilots were going to AFTRA than SAG. So White was asked specificxally how passing the contract would bring TV producers back from AFTRA. He had no clear answer. A “Vote No” backer said what mattered was the pilots’ success ratio. Said another, “The union we do pilots under is relevant because of thresholds towards penions and health. We’re dishonoring prior generations who fought for residuals and P&H.”

 

Regarding the latter, Ned Vaughn was asked if he thought SAG was throwing under the bus those older members who’d worked prior to 1971 when it came to residuals. Vaughn stated that their work was so old that they’d gotten paid already years ago. “It’s such a small amount of money anyway…” he added. The crowd didn’t like that reply at all.

 

Vaughn later told Variety that the “Vote Yes” contingent asked Rosenberg repeatedly to explain how voting the deal down will lead to a better agreement when the AMPTP has said repeatedly it won’t sweeten the terms. “I think a lot of members don’t believe that voting no is going to get us a better deal,” Vaughn told the trade.

 

Some questions from the “Vote No” contingent caught White in inconsistencies. For instance, on the issue of force majeure, White has continually insisted in the past that an issue like that in this contract will never be negotiated again with the AMPTP, not even in 2011. And, because this is all the guild could get on the issue, this contract should be ratified.  (“We will never be able to get anything back in force majeure, that’s for sure,” White has said.)

 

But when during last night’s questioning, White’s answer suddenly was not as definitive. “He sugar-coated his answer to make it appear as if SAG could go in and renegotiate things,” one “vote No” attendee told me. “He claimed the Sunset clauses allowed for that. Well, you could hear a collective moan from the crowd.”

 

White also tried to get out from under his quote “This deal sucks”, which I reported he said during a National Board meeting and which the “Vote No” contingent is now using in its campaign to reject the contract. White stated Thursday night that he should have used another word — not because he felt “suck” was an inappropriate word for an Interim NED to use during a board meeting, but because he was misunderstood and wanted to make it clear that there are good things about the contract. “Moans again,” a source told me.

Towards the end of the evening, Ed Asner spoke and received a standing ovation for expressing deep concerns about the contract. Frances Fisher expressed concern about clip use going forward because of the contract.

 

Actor Frances Fisher

 

 

                                        

I Received All The Info About SAG’s Informational Meeting, Live, On Twitter…

 

An actor on Twitter tweeted the whole event, as it unfolded. I am going to put some of those tweets at the bottom of this page, in case you don’t understand much about Twitter.  

Here is a summary that the same twitterer sent to me, just afterward, by email.  His name is Michael Heister; he’s a member of both SAG and AFTRA….Got a blog, too.

 

My name is Michael Heister, and I’m an actor member in good standing of both SAG and more recently AFTRA.

I attended and live-Tweeted the meeting Thursday evening (May 21). __dana__ and vdovault were kind enough to retweet (or RT as it’s known in the Twitterverse). Again, my gratitude to them for that and for passing on other information related to the current contract offer. VDO and I became acquainted with each other through the Internet during the WGA strike, and she’s cool and sharp and knows her stuff. 

Nikki Finke at DHD did a great job summarizing the event. [Posted above.] If you cross-reference my Tweets and her summary, I think she may have used me as a source. She didn’t contact me or source me, so I have no way of knowing. I can only infer from some similarities in phrasing between my live Tweets Thursday night and her post filed at 3 p.m. Friday. In any event, I’m cool with it and glad to be of service. Nikki does great work, and provides a valuable forum.

To recap, the meeting – one of many being held around the country, but Hollywood is by far the largest division within SAG – opened with introductions of the officials on the dais by First VP Anne-Marie Johnson. Interim National Executive Director (or IED as Nikki Finke so brilliantly acronym’ed him) David White, chief negotiator John McGuire, board member Ned Vaughn all got a mix of cheers and boos. Stacy Travis received light applause. IMHO she didn’t get booed because most of the Membership First folks in the room didn’t know she’s with Ned Vaughn in the Unite for Strength faction. SAG President Alan Rosenberg received a rousing standing ovation. And members were generally polite to SAG’s lawyer.

I slapped myself awake quickly enough to be second in line at the second mic. A built stunt guy galloped to the mic first, and I’m smart enough to know better than to get in the way of a stunt guy. I don’t know where those guys are bred and raised, but they’re the ones I want on my side in a guerilla war after the military falls against an alien invasion.

The first few questions – no disrespect to the stunt guy – were mild technical questions. Then it was my turn.

I asked David White specifically –what changed –in the offer between his February assessment that the deal “sucked” and the deal that we’re now voting on. I framed it as, what changed so the deal went from “suckage” to “non-suckage”. He did not answer my question. Instead of giving us insight into his thinking, or detailing the substantive differences (aside from the capitulation on force majeur and the shortening of the contract length, what is there??? Seriously, I don’t know, he didn’t tell us) between the offers, he burned through my whole two minutes with his regrets about having used the word “sucked” in the first place, so I couldn’t get a follow-up comment in.

A commenter at DHD brought up the person who questioned Ned Vaughn’s credentials as an actor. I responded at DHD, and I’ll reiterate here. We should bear in mind we’re all actors. We’re all professionals. This should never be personal. It’s about the best interests of members of the guild, which to my way of thinking align closely with the best interests of the industry. We argue the issues, not the individuals. For example, I am still in awe of Jamie Cromwell’s work in LA Confidential, and I associate that with my dad. My dad taught drama and he lived in LA in the period LA Confidential is set, and he was very impressed with Cromwell’s performance. 

My other observations – including a couple of personal notes – are best read from my Twitter feed.

I will add this, though. I did get some cheers for my question, because, I think, it was the first one to get to the heart of the matter. I asked David White to give me a reason to vote for the contract, and I got a talkative lawyer’s version of crickets. Ed Asner, in contrast to me, got a standing ovation for his impassioned statement of opposition. What can I say? I’m no Ed Asner.

Anne-Marie Johnson

 

 

 

More tomorrow…

If  you’d like to read all the articles that I have published on SAG,  the-contract-and-controversies!…Go to the upper right and put “SAG” in the search bar.

 

And if you’d like to follow me, and the others on Twitter: sign up here, by clicking this link.

My ‘twitter name’ is __dana__. Click here to see my page and tweets, and to follow me.  You can then get all my tweets about Hollywood Actor Prep. SAG. Me. And more…

 

In support of the art of acting, and all acting professionals…

:~Dana

 

 

 

This is the official letter regarding the SAG run actor contract information meetings. Please note that it was posted by David White and John McGuire.  They were brought in by one faction of the SAG National Board, in what is referred to as a “Coup”.  Therefore, these meetings may or may not be presenting only the side of those that want the membership to vote “yes” on the contract.

Many working actor members, and SAG Board representatives, consider this actor’s Contract to be so potently bad; they are certain it’s acceptance will damage the acting profession.  That is, if the membership approves it, in the upcoming SAG-membership-vote of whether-or-not-to-accept.  

I will certainly be covering both sides of this SAG conflict over the AMPTP’s offer, during the next few weeks.

I’ll also be doing some actor contract explaining, and simplifying… Here, in the Hollywood Actor Prep Blog.

Dear Screen Actors Guild member,

As you know, the Screen Actors Guild National Board of Directors voted April 19, 2009, to approve and recommend to members, new, two-year successor agreements to the 2005 Producer-Screen Actors Guild Codified Basic Agreement and 2005 Screen Actors Guild Television Agreement.

Ballots will be mailed to all eligible members on May 19, 2009. Ballots must be mailed in the return envelope provided and received at the Everett, WA, post office box no later than 5:00 p.m. (PDT) June 9, 2009. Ballots received after this deadline, or at a location other than the post office box, will not be counted.

We are holding member informational meetings so that you can hear about the tentative agreement and ask questions. Member informational meetings are scheduled for Hollywood and New York as follows and will be announced for Branch locations next week.

HOLLYWOOD
Thursday, May 21, 2009
7 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.
Renaissance Hollywood Hotel
Hollywood Ballroom
1755 N. Highland Ave.
Hollywood, CA 90028

PARKING: No-host self parking at Hollywood & Highland – validation available at the Hollywood & Highland complex: $2 for 4 hours when you are validated in any shop, restaurant or theatre that is part of the mall. Guild not responsible for illegally parked vehicles.

NEW YORK
Monday, June 1, 2009
6 p.m. – 8 p.m.
Directors Guild of America
110 West 57th Street (between 6th & 7th Aves.) New York, New York

Unfortunately, no guests will be allowed. Parents/guardians of younger performers under 18 years-old are welcome. PLEASE BRING YOUR SAG MEMBERSHIP CARD FOR ADMITTANCE (paid thru April 30, 2009). For more information call the National TV/Theatrical Contracts Hotline (323) 549-6665 or email contract2009@sag.org.

Member informational meetings are also planned for Branch locations across the country. More information on Branch member informational meetings will be available shortly.

Please plan to attend the member informational meeting in your area to get important facts regarding the tentative agreement. Screen Actors Guild negotiators, national board members and staff experts will be on hand to provide a thorough overview of the tentative agreement.

You can also find more information on the upcoming referendum, including details of the tentative agreement, by visiting the TV/Theatrical Contracts Center at www.sag.org or by emailing contract2009@sag.org.

We know how important this contract is to all Screen Actors Guild members. We urge you to stay informed by visiting www.sag.org often, attending the member informational meeting in your area and contacting us with questions and comments.

Watch for your ballot which is mailing May 19, 2009, and when you receive it, vote yes and return your ballot right away. Don’t delay, ballots must be received by June 9.

In unity,

David P. White
Interim National Executive Director

John T. McGuire
Chief Negotiator

 

I urge you to sign up for email notification from Hollywood Actor Prep. It is safe, secure, and private.  Why do so?

There is so much changing and evolving, currently, that affects all actors.  If  you are interested in the profession, you may miss very important updates and info.  

I am also branching out this blog into other areas that you may want to participate in, it’s valuable stuff. I will invite and include those on the mailing list; before I do so, for anyone else. I may not contact the public at all.

So sign up…at the upper right corner of this page.

Best

;~Dana

 

What A Great Year For Movies, It Was…

Below, is the list of the best films of the year, according to the ‘Members of the Academy’…The “Best Picture” Oscar Nominees. One of them will win an Academy Award, on February 22, 2009.

Following, on the list, are all the other Oscar categories, and their respective nominees. (I use that word ‘respective’, respectfully! All of them are important to the industry, even though the rest of the world may not be as familiar with their category, or job…)

Yesterday, I posted the Oscar Nominees for Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress Categories. (Click here for that Hollywood Actor Prep Oscar Nom Cheat Sheet…It’s printable, also…)

For the next few weeks, I’ll be posting quite a bit on the Academy Awards 2009. My focus, of course, will be the acting performances that are under Oscar consideration.  

I also have some thoughts on these “Best Picture Nominees”: what films made the list, and those that didn’t. The surprises, and the expectations.

There’s a lot of stuff to talk about…So stay tuned, and stay involved!

You can subscribe to get my posts by email. You can also get them in your “feedreader” such as Google Reader or Yahoo, etc. (Click here to hook it up! Or, on the sidebar on the right side of this page, at top.)

Update, Feb. 2009: Click to go to my HOLLYWOOD OSCAR PREP ©® SITE.  This page  won’t change when you do…

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OSCAR CONTENDERS LIST

Best Picture: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Frost/Nixon, Milk, The Reader, Slumdog Millionaire.

Director: David Fincher, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button; Ron Howard, Frost/Nixon; Gus Van Sant, Milk; Stephen Daldry, The Reader; Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire.

Foreign Film: The Baader Meinhof Complex, Germany; The Class, France; Departures, Japan; Revanche, Austria; Waltz With Bashir, Israel.

Adapted Screenplay: Eric Roth and Robin Swicord, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button; John Patrick Shanley, Doubt; Peter Morgan, Frost/Nixon; David Hare, The Reader; Simon Beaufoy, Slumdog Millionaire.

Original Screenplay: Courtney Hunt, Frozen River; Mike Leigh, Happy-Go-Lucky; Martin McDonagh, In Bruges; Dustin Lance Black, Milk; Andrew Stanton, Jim Reardon and Pete Docter, WALL-E.

Animated Feature Film: Bolt, Kung Fu Panda, WALL-E.

Art Direction: Changeling, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, The Dark Knight, The Duchess, Revolutionary Road.

Cinematography: Changeling, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, The Dark Knight, The Reader, Slumdog Millionaire.

Sound Mixing: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, The Dark Knight, Slumdog Millionaire, WALL-E, Wanted.

Sound Editing: The Dark Knight, Iron Man, Slumdog Millionaire, WALL-E, Wanted.

Original Score: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Alexandre Desplat; Defiance, James Newton Howard; Milk, Danny Elfman; Slumdog Millionaire, A.R. Rahman; WALL-E, Thomas Newman.

Original Song: “Down to Earth” from WALL-E, Peter Gabriel and Thomas Newman; “Jai Ho” from Slumdog Millionaire, A.R. Rahman and Gulzar; “O Saya” from Slumdog Millionaire, A.R. Rahman and Maya Arulpragasam.

Costume: Australia, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, The Duchess, Milk, Revolutionary Road.

Documentary Feature: The Betrayal (Nerakhoon), Encounters at the End of the World, The Garden, Man on Wire, Trouble the Water.

Documentary (short subject): The Conscience of Nhem En, The Final Inch, Smile Pinki, The Witness — From the Balcony of Room 306.

Film Editing: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, The Dark Knight, Frost/Nixon, Milk, Slumdog Millionaire.

Makeup: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, The Dark Knight, Hellboy II: The Golden Army.

Animated Short Film: La Maison en Petits Cubes, Lavatory — Lovestory, Oktapodi, Presto, This Way Up.

Live Action Short Film: Auf der Strecke (On the Line), Manon on the Asphalt, New Boy, The Pig, Spielzeugland (Toyland).

Visual Effects: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, The Dark Knight, Iron Man.

—-

“A movie star, and the rest….”

Anybody ever seen the vintage TV show, “Gilligan’s Island”?? Remember the song from that show? I do!

Catchy; it described all the people who were on the show…

“A movie star, and the rest, are here on Gilligan’s Island!”

Well, the movie stars are listed on my prior post. All the rest, (all the categories that are ‘bathroom breaks’ for the rest of the country, while, in the industry, they are very important artists….are on this one. )

Except for the Best Picture Winner, of course.

NO one in the world takes a bathroom break during that Oscar envelope opening? Do they?

I don’t think anyone I know even eats during that moment. Even if famished.

Let me know on Twitter… In the meantime, I’m going to listen to some modern music….

…Because, I can’t get the theme from Gilligan’s Island outa my head…

The Sharing Portion of the Post

You can email this Oscar Nominee list, and all Hollywood Actor Prep Cheat Sheets, below. Email ‘em to your friends, too, if you want to.

And, please, continue to share on Facebook, and MySpace…that can be done, just below, too! Thanks for all the sharing that you’ve done!
And, if you don’t already follow me on Twitter… well… where the heck have you been????! My Twitter name is __dana__.

Best,

;*Dana

A SAG CONFLICT MEANS IT IS BETWEEN THE ACTORS AND THE PEOPLE WHO PAY THEM

The conflict is between the **ACTORS** and the **PRODUCERS/MOVIE STUDIOS**

Actors union: is called **SAG**  (or the Screen Actors Guild)

Producers union is:  known as **AMPTP**  (Yes, the movie studio bosses and producers have a union, also).

It’s called the “Actors Strike” and “SAG Negotiations” because it is about a “contract” renegotiation between the actors and the producers/studios.  It is an, overall, “general contract”, which contains all agreed upon working conditions, as negotiated and agreed upon, between the two unions.  All actors, in SAG, are covered by the terms.

The AMPTP, in real terms, are the bosses.  They are the bosses of the industry, the bosses of Hollywood.  

(**AMPTP** stands for Alliance-of-Motion-Picture-and-Television-Producers)

The“Workers” , in this case,  are the Actors. 

It’s still the same as any other worker-boss struggle…big guys vs little guys…

 

Why do actors need a union?  

Basically, a union’s job is to make sure the worker gets a fair and just payment for the work that the union member does, and that the work conditions are safe and decent.

Almost everything in entertainment, in Hollywood; and on location, even; is most likely “union”. Nearly all the workers, from the crew, the camerapeople, the sound, the directors, writers, and actors, have a union.

When any actor is hired, no matter  what, if they are in the union, and it is a union job…then they will be paid.  And they will be paid, at least, what the “current contract” scale base pay deems.

“What about those actors that get those high salaries?” Well,  if an actor has an agent that believes the actor can earn more, and that the actors work has a value of a higher amount, that agent can negotiate for a higher pay for that day.  Or the amount of time the actor is working for.  Even though those salaries are the ones that make the news, the overwhelming majority of professional actors never, ever earn anything like that.  Far, far, from it…

 

Why Is SAG Suddenly In The News Again?  

“Haven’t they been without a contract for months?”

1. SAG has been working “without a contract”, lately, because there has not been any agreement made. SAG kept trying, anyway, to get the AMPTP to meet their demands some.  The negotiations continued on, (long past the original strike deadline) –and even a moderator came and attempted to forge an agreement; but on November 22, 2008 all talks stopped.  
2. When the Writers Strike was going on, the Writers were striking against the same bosses, and the “deal-breaker” was over one of SAG’s same issues: the one concerning payment in “New Media”.  It was this particular contractual item, and the lack of agreement,  that, broke down all talks, just recently; between SAG and the AMPTP.

Part of what recently ”broke the camel’s back”, and stirred this whole new chapter up– was the current realization and announcement from the Writers Guild:

According to the Writers Guild, the AMPTP is not upholding the terms that they agreed to, the ones that settled the Writers Strike!  They aren’t paying, what they promised, for work in New Media.

…So, when you read or hear some Actor-bashing hogwash, like SAG is just trying to take away everyone’s Academy Awards…by doing all this now…please let them know about the Writers Guild’s current discovery, and announcement.

 

 

 

 

“THE CONTRACT” = Working Conditions That Productions Must Provide On Every Set

There are general rules that govern all movie sets.  All television shows. 

They are often referred to as “Union Rules” or “SAG Rules”, on a set.

You can see these rules in action, always, on union sets.  Anything of quality, whether film or TV, is shot on a union set.  Most likely.  

Once in place in “the contract”, the rules aren’t variable.  They are written, with the understanding, by both sides, that they will be rigidly followed.

Why are these rules always followed?  

 

• Both unions know that at one point they had discussed and agreed upon them
• The rules were written into a contract, and signed by both sides
• They are, generally, based on a logic of what is considered humane; they are agreed-upon, decent, and fair, working conditions
• There are penalties for NOT adhering to the rules, and they usually involve paying money.  However, with too many violations, the penalties get harsher.  
• No one wants to jeopardize their union status. 

 

Examples of these SAG rules, in the “general” contract, are:

Allowing an actor to go home and go to sleep after a very long shooting day, instead of continuing to do more scenes.

There’s always a nurse on set, in case someone gets injured.  

Lunch is always a certain number of hours from the “call time”, or start of a work/shooting day.

All kinds of things are in the ” union actors’ contract”; like dressing rooms, kids and their hours allowed and tutors on the set if they are missing schooling, little babies can only work a little bit of time and are allowed their mother nearby, per diem pay for those on location and not having their own kitchen and food, transportation to the set when working on location..and so on.

 

Are The Actors Creating All This Now?  Or, Are They Reacting?? 

The news media, in calling this an “actor’s issue” makes it appear as if actors are the only ones involved.

I find that most people don’t even know what is being negotiated, even actors, have no clear idea of what this is all about.

Worse, the whole thing has been presented by the press (and the AMPTP) as either unnecessary, greedy, or worse, intentionally harmful to the rest of the industry.

 ”Actors out to harm the economy!!!”  (Whaa?)

Other words have been freely slimed: “stupid”, “mad” (as in crazy),  ”crazy” (as in, yes, kee-raa-zzy), and other free-flinging ugliness.

Just like bullies, in a schoolyard.  Some of the press joined the charge.  

(Whatever happened to the journalistic code of fair reporting? Presenting both sides?)

Some of that “PR” has been even been presented to the media, by the most outspoken members of the AMPTP.  And published on the AMPTP site….(see fake-movie-review-poster, below…)

Just today, they took out a full page ad in the Los Angeles Times. 

 

This isn’t a conflict that has been over-dramatized.

Neither histrionic, nor illogical; this conflict is similar to most conflicts that take place in a worker setting, between boss and employees… when a situation becomes untenable, and a strike becomes imperative.

The bosses, who are represented by the AMPTP, will not budge on a few very critical points, on the new contracts for the actors, and how they will treat the actors in their future employ.  How, or how they won’t, pay the actors.

Actually, they say that they don’t want to pay the actors, or devise any pay strategy, until they see how the internet revenue will come.

…Anyone see any commercials or advertising yet, on the internet?  Isn’t that the same way they get money on television?

 

There Is One Main Industry, In This Very Big City

This is a “one-factory” town.  The bosses, are the big bosses.  You don’t hear a lot of outspoken opinions from celebrities and famous actors, even.  Not even low level activist types. Why?  Because the Producers are the ones who pay. AND hire.  It’s hard enough to work in this town, but no one wants to blacklist themselves, by simply asking for their rights. Or rather, for what is right.

Actors make art, businessmen plan, and make money.

All of the major studios, the heaviest players at the top, in this town, have made some very large investments on the future of the “New Media”.  For their very powerful and business-like bosses, who didn’t come from the movie business.  They came from well, business–worldwide, big business.

If you do keep up with business, then, you know that the internet is evolving, at the speed of lightning.  Just a few weeks ago, the Los Angeles Times ran an article that stated that the economy is affecting people so, that they are cutting back their budgets, dramatically. They are even getting rid of cable.  But not internet.  That is correct, we are in a “new day”.  (Link to LA Times article.)

The big businesspeople of this country don’t read business journals first, and then follow.  They are the ones that are making the news in these papers.

All the film studios have invested in securing their futures, on the internet.  Some ACTUALLY assured their stockholders that the economy won’t affect their business, and the future is securely theirs, because they have a solid stake on the internet.

You can look this up, easily, on Google.

How many millions of dollars, do you think they have invested?  So far?  Billions? Maybe a reporter could do some homework, and find out…

Unabashedly, these businessmen, who are making the plans,  are set on not paying the actors. They strategized everything, except that?

 

Variety published an article today, presenting both sides.  (Link to the Variety on SAG here.)

AMPTP:   ”We are standing firm behind our offer because it represents a pattern of hard-fought agreements over the past year, and its construct is vital to the future of our industry,” the CEOs said. “No single guild or union should be allowed to undermine the hard-won consensus over how our industry can experiment and then prosper in the speedily changing new-media marketplace.”

 

Why Is This Setting A Precedent For All Actors…And For All Talent In The New Media?

SAG is especially concerned about setting the precedent, for how actors,  and all talent will be paid, on the internet.  They feel that if they don’t establish the right way, now, it will never be righted.  

When they mention cable, and homevideo (video and DVD’s)…they are referring to the bad deal that was made with the same notion, way back when. No one expected VCR’s, DVD’s, or cable, to become what they did, eventually.  

SAG didn’t either, and so did not negotiate a proper payment “schedule” for what was known as the new and future media, then. It was never recouped.  Or corrected.

Once in place, it wasn’t able to be changed.  And, the profits, from VHS, DVD, Cable reruns and even made-for-cable productions, didn’t provide actors with a decent pay.  Certainly not compatible with network pay, or residuals payment.  That also means that the studios got to keep all the profits, from those areas, mentioned above.  

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In summary, I just find it hard to understand, that in this current time, when we just elected a President because we all voted that it be a time of “Change” and “Hope”… that, still,  business is tromping on the little guy, the artist…Which in this case, are the actors. 

 

There’s an elephant in the middle of this room.  And… he’s not the caterer.

 

 

 

For more and better details: Please go to the website of the Screen Actors Guild. 

I do welcome comments, and especially from those that have something to say, “from the other side”!  I invite to enlighten, please…!!

So please click on this link, because temporarily, all comments need to be posted on Facebook, on Hollywood Actor Prep Group page…You don’t even need to be a member!

Best,
Dana

Follow me on Twitter!  ( __dana__ )

 

If you get value  from Hollywood Actor Prep, I ask you to share it with your friends, please.

Or you can give back by clicking the button below, even a latte would be just fine!

Actor Misconceptions

I got quite a few responses from the “MythBUST #1: Agents” post.  

 

Few things to say, just for today:

Hold on!!!

Dana Serious Kaminski

 

 

 

 

I really wasn’t finished with that post…I think I will continue with the ”ACTOR AGENT” topic until the “ACTOR SOLUTION” stage …that should happen, I guess, by the end of next week, or week after.

For decades, I’ve been accruing and keeping this information (of which I will put all of it on this blog and on the Hollywood Actor Prep Website), and it’s all inside my brain, but I am used to it, and don’t realize how much there really is…  that is, until… each and every time I set out to write a post…

I suddenly am aware that there is a whole lot of ground to cover.  Basically, for every post, there is at least 5 times the amount that I cut-and-save for a later date.  

(There is so much information, that I can’t really figure out a good clear way to organize it on the website, and there is so much to put on there, that I simply keep putting that whole section, of Hollywood Actor Prep, off.  There just doesn’t seem to be enough hours in a day!)

The last post was only the beginning, and I will cover all the different kinds of agents, within the stratas of actor representation; so you are educated about the system.  Then, I will go over the different ways to put yourself in a good “agent-representation-readiness” state, so that you can go and try to get one.

Then we’ll discuss determination, moxie, and methods…

I didn’t mean to make it seem absolutely hopeless.  I wasn’t finished yet.

And, as I have written down before… I am really committed to making things better.  I am mulling over and discussing-around the different ways that I can approach the problem.

 

The More Reader Feedback, The Better

Almost EVERYONE that contacts me, feels sheepish.  They tell me, or warn me, that it may be a “dumb question” or a “stupid”  whatever…

What they don’t know is that those questions and responses are a kind of  great thing for me, that’s when I know that the blog is reaching people, and those that I think it’s suited for.   

I know how mysterious the business appears, from outside “Hollywood”.

I am doing this blog for that very reason.  

When I get the emails, the tweets, the facebook messages, the comments here on the blog: I know, then, better, what needs to be addressed. Each and everytime,  (especially to the emails and the tweets) that’s my litmus as to where to “go” next on the blog, and to what degree.

Those letters + tweets are my golden guide.  Really.

And they melt my heart, as well.

I deeply cherish you all.  And, I “get it”.

Onward and upward…

All of us.

 

Regarding Twitter

What a discovery…  And unexpected…

I joined Twitter  (which is the easiest, simplest thing, btw..), because it seemed like a good way to let readers know when I put a blog post up, in the beginning of this blog.

Surprisingly, I have met some wonderful people there who have become real friends, and that I am so glad to be tweeting to, and I wait for their tweets!

Twitter is an odd, kooky, internet invention…Everyone can go on, but all anyone can “post” in the form of “tweet” is one line.  That’s right, just about one sentence.  All of the people that you follow (it can be a few, or 1000’s) post “what they are doing” at any one time.  

It’s great fun. ( You’ll see what I mean, once you get started.)  You can do it straight from your computer, and you can go and read your tweets anytime or all the time.  (I just go on about once or twice a day, but some people get SMS text tweets, all the time, to their cell phone!)

It’s a good way to give Hollywood Actor Prep feedback, or ask questions, and…

…get immediately alerted when I put up a new post!

If you want to “follow me” on Twitter, go and sign up at www.twitter.com.

1. Just choose a short name, or just put your own real name there to use.

It’s that simple.

2. Then put my twitter name, as someone to follow.  In the least, you’ll be alerted as to when I put up a new post.

So, if ya did just sign up for Twitter (free, and no private info required ‘cept email, and that’s private too if you wish, or you can even put a fake one, perhaps!) come back to this post, and click on my name right here, with the two lower-dashes on either side.  

My twitter name is __dana__

You can tweet to me, then, instant… feedback on the posts, questions, and just be a part of that community.

 

Hollywood Actor Prep on Facebook

I also started a “group” on Facebook. (Click on that link to it.)

I am going to do a separate post about that, early in the week…

But if you are on the blog today…you’ll be the first to know.  It’s for you.

I wanted to have a page for forums, and bulletin board type stuff, and even a spot to put your reels, and photos.

I could do it through my own webhost, but Facebook has it all set up there.

So go on and sign up there.  Post  your photo or comment or anything…(within Facebook rules, that is!)

I want us to be a more communicative and cohesive community.

You see, it’s your feedback, questions, comments, fears, doubts, and confidence…that keep this blog up.

Really.  

That’s what makes it worth all the effort here.
 

Is My Experience, And Information of Value?

If you find the Hollywood Actor Prep Blog to be informative, and valuable…

Please tell at least 5 friends.

For every article/post that you find valuable.

Because I get the “stats” of how many people are reading.

If it keeps going up, I will keep putting in all this time.

 

 

And– I have new thing–a Paypal Donate button…

If you don’t have 5 friends that you think would be interested, then perhaps, you want to treat me to a latte! Or chai tea???

Thank  you.  All.

Best,

;-Dana

 

©®

“The Dark Knight” was extremely artistic; and, at the same time, major blockbuster stuff.

The acting, especially Heath Ledger as The Joker, got a lot of attention…and rightfully so.

But since, lately, I have been blogging about actors’ directors…I wanted to post something about an actors’ director whose film has been, currently, in our consciousness.

 

Christopher Nolan directed the “The Dark Knight”.

Great story; break-the-mold acting; subtext, beneath every bit…

I don’t want to get into Chris Nolan’s various talents and abilities, mostly, because I would have to go on for far too long. Let this bit suffice, if I may…

Talent works like this.  It’s div-vyed out in degrees…Some people have talent that is so outstanding, it carries them through all the rest. Other people have less talent, but have strong determination, acquired skills, and/or discipline, professional attitude…(you get the idea)…

It’s an unusual occurrence, for a director to receive notice, for even one remarkable, obvious talent. (That is, of the many areas, that are under a director’s aegis.)   Many directors get successful, even famous, for one notable, outstanding ability.  We regard that as strength enough; as, indeed, it is. 

Directors manage the other directorial tasks, adequately; or delegate to their crew, to the individual talents and wisdom of each of them. Often, there is one or more people working under the director, who actually make the director look good. Sometimes, a director will only use,  for example,  a specific cinematographer, and even defer to that person for everything in their specific area of expertise and artistry.

 

A Director’s Wisdom

That’s part of the wisdom, that a successful director, needs.  And, wisdom is an imperative trait, in order to be a great director…Wisdom: to choose actors and crew; and the wisdom to delegate while the filming is going on, to them. And wisdom to know when to take the lead.  Wisdom, to be at the helm, no matter what, always, definitively, running the show.

There are the very rare ones, who can do it all, very well.  And more. This director’s talents appear strong in more than a few areas… He’s an artistic, creative visionary;  and manages to manifest it, in his finished pieces.  Awe-inpiring… 

And, may I point this out this tiny little paradox?? …He directs Hollywood Blockbusters. 

When I saw “The Dark Knight”, I knew that this film was something unusual..There were so many aspects of the film, that were far and above the  ”great” that we had become used to.   So numerous, that they nearly cancelled each other out, in terms of memorability!   ”The Dark Knight” was so “high-level” in artistically, technically; it made audiences everywhere, forget that our accustomed standard is so much lower..in traditional Hollywood fare. 

Frankly, I don’t know how Chris Nolan is able to, consummately, handle all the aspects of directing, so masterfully, so artistically, — to that kind of completion.

 

A Focus On Acting

Happy, am I, that Hollywood Actor Prep is about acting…Because, just a specific analysis on the acting, alone, in ”The Dark Knight”; would take up far too much of my blog space…

The Los Angeles Times, recently ran a three-part interview with Chris Nolan. The interviewer is Geoff Boucher, who is an online blogger for the Times. I am putting excerpts of it, in this post.

I am pleased to offer you these Nolan quotes… Because he takes us inside his process; and how, with the actors, he collaborated…

He tells how the scene was planned and how much work went in before filming.  How, precisely they got to that final scene…how the director and and the actors worked, specifically for this dramatic, culminating scene, in the “interrogation room”. 

It’s rich, and clear, the unique sensibility of a director-artist….There’s good insight into the kind of thinking, respect, and interaction,  which resulted in the  level of acting that wound up on that film.

Clearly, it was no accident, or chance. It’s good to see inside, and to have some affirmation…that there are actors’ directors around, really great ones.  The type that have their mind, and a modality; on the kind of things that merge with an actor’s ability, to create a force of genius; and an arena for genius to flow.

 

Wanna know why else am I pleased to  focus on only-the-acting in that film? Because the acting-was-magnificent.

 

For me, that’s personal:

Acting excites me, and great acting excites me even more; breakthrough acting blows-my-mind. I am so passionate about this art form, and it’s importance; that when a “Big Hollywood Director” regards acting as art, and honors it, and makes sure it is in his film….then I am rejuvenated. (It makes my year.)

 

 

If you’ve never been on a major motion picture set, or watched the filming of a large cast and crew movie, I suggest you go to the link and look at the entire interview.  Nolan does discuss a lot, about the different parts of movie-making, as he relives the experiences on “The Dark Knight”…so you can get a good preview into what it will be like to work in such an environment, as an actor. 

 

If you are a film maker or director, especially, I recommend it, for you. Here’s a link to the entire Chris Nolan interview, …Full of overview and detailed descriptions, you can get a fine glimpse into the different areas of film making, that a director can use, to shape a movie thematically. Chris Nolan ticks through them, in this interview, as if every director used a lighting as a paintbrush; or a considered a “quality” of a room (and let it make a mood); or cherish an actor going in-and-out-of-focus, in the camera lens, as a tool to relate some of the underlying theme.

 

Interview excerpt from LA Times:

 

 

I asked the London native to pick one scene in the film that he would circle as the essential moment in the movie, either in its service to the overall story or the film’s texture. He answered quickly.

Nolan: To be honest, it’s pretty easy for me. The scene that is so important and so central to me is the interrogation scene between Batman and the Joker in the film. When we were writing the script, that was always one of the central set pieces that we wanted to crack.

GB: At what point in the production schedule did you shoot it?

Nolan: On the set, we shot it fairly early on. It was actually one of the first things that Heath had to do as the Joker. He told me he was actually pretty excited to tear off a big chunk early on, really get one of the Joker’s key scenes up in the first three weeks of a seven-month shoot. He and I both liked the idea of just diving in, as did Christian [Bale, who portrayed Batman]. We had rehearsed the scene a tiny bit. We had just ripped through it a couple of times in pre-production just to get some slight feel of how it was going to work. Neither of them wanted to go too far with it in rehearsal. They had to rehearse some of the fight choreography, but even with that, we tried to keep it loose and improvisational. They wanted to save it all. We were all pretty excited to get on with a big chunk of dialogue and this big intense scene between these two iconic characters. It was quite bizarre to see Batman across the table across from the Joker [laughs]. I’m glad you asked this. You know, I could actually talk about this scene for hours.

We had a lot of time to shoot it too, because it was so early on. Quite often, as you get behind on other things and you run toward the end of the shoot, things can get very squeezed. But you tend to schedule the first few weeks very generously to give the crew and the actors and myself time to find our feet and find our pace. So we had a couple of days to do it.

GB: Can you give me a snapshot memory from those days shooting the scene?

Nolan: … We wanted to be very edgy, very brutal. We wanted it to be the point at which Batman is truly tested by the Joker and you see that the Joker is truly capable of getting under everybody’s skin. I’m realizing this now about that scene — I haven’t thought this through before — the synthesis of all the different elements that I’m most interested in within filmmaking all come in that scene.

GB: There’s remarkable physicality of the actors in that scene. They are such different presences in the room: Christian is all dark mass and bottled fury and Heath has this spindly weirdness. … 

Nolan: Yes, and I think you start to see it even at the beginning of the scene where everything is in closer. There are tight close-ups with just a little drift to the camera. We start in a very controlled way, but even within that frame, the way Heath is bobbing in and out —and he’s actually bobbing in and out of the focal plane because, you know, it’s very hard to follow someone whose leaning toward camera the whole time. It actually really adds something. We’re continually trying to catch him with the focus. You really see his movement back and forth. That way, even in a tight frame, you have this sense of strangeness. On the other hand, you have Batman sitting there just very, very controlled, restrained as you say. Then there’s a point where it spills over into real physicality and he drags the Joker across the table. We go handheld at that point and shot the rest of the scene with handheld to be very spontaneous in its movement. They had rehearsed the stunts and the fight stuff very specifically, but we really let the actors work within that. I had never seen anybody sell a punch the way Heath was able to with Christian. I got the violence I wanted. What I felt was really important creatively for the scene was that we show Batman going too far. We show him effectively torturing someone for information because it’s become personal.

Christian and I had talked a lot on “Batman Begins” about finding a moment in that film where you actually worry that Batman will go too far. A moment where his rage might spill over and he would break his rules. We never found that moment. It just wasn’t there in that story. There was a lot of strength and aggression in the way he played the part, but I don’t think the story provided that element of losing control. What the Joker provides in the second film is the fact that his entire motivation is to push people’s buttons and find their rules set and it turn it on itself. And Batman of course places such importance on his rules, his morals. It’s what distinguishes him, in his mind, from a common vigilante. The Joker is able to twist him around and make him question his own approach and his own actions.

GB:  the first film, the Batman’s most memorable moments of intense aggression feel more like theater — he’s doing it in a calculated show to scare people. The first movie seems to be about Batman’s fear; the second one is about his rage.

Nolan: Exactly. That’s why we never found that moment of danger, the one we had talked about, where there’s this danger that Batman will just lose it and go too far. That rage is very much a central part of the story in ‘The Dark Knight,’ and that interrogation scene is the fulcrum on which the whole movie turns. I think Batman finds out — and Bruce Wayne finds out — a lot about himself in that scene. I was just delighted to get to see Christian show that rage. And it’s wonderfully balanced with Gary’s control as well. Even though everyone remembers the scene as being the Joker and Batman, Gordon played a very important part to setting it up and allowing this interrogation to happen. And then as he is watching from the sideline, he sees the exact point where this is going too far. He knows Batman well enough to observe this, to recognize it. He tries to get in, but Batman has locked the door. And what we get to lead to, by the end of the scene, when he’s just pounding on the Joker, I think Heath managed to find the exact essence of the threat of the Joker and who he is: He’s being pounded in the face and he’s laughing and loving it. There’s nothing you can do. As he tells Batman, “You have nothing to do with all of your strength.” There’s this sort of impotence of the strong and the armored and the very muscular Batman; he’s very powerful, but there’s no useful way for this power to be exercised in this scene. He has to confront that.

Originally, at the end of that scene, once the Joker reveals his information, Christian dropped him and then, almost as an afterthought, he kicked him in the head as he walked out of the room. We wound up removing that bit. It seemed a little too petulant for Batman in a way. And really, more than that, what it was is that I liked how Christian played it: When he drops the Joker, he has realized the futility of what he’s done. You see it in his eyes. How do you fight someone who thrives on conflict? It’s a very loose end to be left with.

 

Enjoy your weekend…

;-Dana

 

 

Whether you are an acting professional or not, or even an actor, at all; I would like to ask you to help out. 

 

If I can locate the correct email addresses, I am going to write some letters to let the “powers that be” in Hollywood, that I really think that actors should get paid.  Especially, for the items that the Screen Actors Guild is asking. I would like to get my letter to them, before Wednesday. Because that is the day that the mediator will bring “the word” from each side.

The contract point, of most concern, to me.  The internet will, most likely, be “Actor Central of the Future”.  It looks like there will be far more acting work available, than ever before, on the internet.  And, that the internet will provide more acting work, substantial acting work, soon surpassing any other medium.

There is a lot of pressure, from all sides, to relent and not ask for so much.  I hear things like it’s a bad time to not just relent to a bad deal, “because of the economy”!  Forget how insulting that is…I mean, it is never a great economy for actors!  And I never heard of a studio chief asking for a lower pay due to the economy!  Do you think they would ask for two mill a year, rather than four, with that logic??? 

Certainly, actors deserve to be paid.

The most vocal, anti-SAG, power-people in Hollywood–the ones that have spoken in the press and put all kinds of pressure, and  some fear–also happen to have some very significant investments in internet companies that will be broadcasting viewable content.  Using actors. 

Co-ink-y-dink??

Hey, I am not accusing anyone of anything.  I don’t even claim to know everything.

I just would like to let them know how I feel.

I am hoping you would join me, in that.

So please check back this eve, or tomorrow, and I hopefully will find some notable email addresses, and maybe I’ll even post a letter that you can cut and paste, in case you don’t want a chore!  I’ll make it easy on you!

I really think it’s time to make living the acting life, better.  This is a big way.  Improving money issues in acting careers could fix a large chunk…

 

Best,

Dana

 

 

 

 

 

 

Technorati Profile

“Synecdoche”

… just  got the New York Times Movie Critics Award.

In general, has “Hollywood movie-quality gone downhill?”  Maybe.  However, it’s exceptions like this that make it all so very grand, and remind me what I love about acting, about the craft; and about the beauty of it all, in our little world of this lovely, wonderful, exciting artform. 

You ever hear of being in the moment?  I wanna be in this kind of moment, in every moment!

Ohhh, movie making like “Synecdoche New York”, and the acting cast in that film…

I gotta say: I am thrilled to be around in the era of Charlie Kaufman.

Synecdoche not only got the New York Times Critics Award, and a great review; and even the review was artistically-crafted, I am just gonna point you– that-a-way—to a link ( that will open in a different page) for the entire New York Times  review. 

Here’s a little tease, from the Times:

To say that Charlie Kaufman’s “Synecdoche, New York” is one of the best films of the year or even one closest to my heart is such a pathetic response to its soaring ambition that I might as well pack it in right now. That at least would be an appropriate response to a film about failure, about the struggle to make your mark in a world filled with people who are more gifted, beautiful, glamorous and desirable than the rest of us — we who are crippled by narcissistic inadequacy, yes, of course, but also by real horror, by zits, flab and the cancer that we know (we know!) is eating away at us and leaving us no choice but to lie down and die.

And, I (Dana) say, in my  own gob-smacked-fan-way, to  Mr. Kaufman : THANKS.

Because, once again, he gave us something that really enlivens and enriches us, as great movie making can do.

And…

Because his films consistently, and powerfully, remind us that great film-making is still alive. And evolving, even now. Still.

And, yes; here in Hollywood…

It’s alive, it’s alive!!

 

What the heck does “SYNECDOCHE” mean anyway?

According to  Yahoo Answers,  “synecdoche is a part that represents a whole”.

Which shows might you watch for the acting?  I have comments, below this listing…

The TV shows premiering tonight:

7:00 PM ABC  Extreme Makeover Home Edition 

8:00 PM  CBS The Amazing Race

               Fox The Simpsons

8:30        Fox   King Of The Hill

9:00        ABC  Desperate Housewives

               CBS   Cold Case

               Fox   Family Guy

               ST    Dexter

9:30        Fox  American Dad

10:00      ABC Brothers And Sisters

               CBS The Unit

               ST  Californication

 

The Relevancy to Acting 

 

 

 

Californication is a must. It’s theatre, on TV.

Not only is the acting (David Duchovny) seamless, effortless, and relaxed-as-you-can-get; but the scripts are original and it’s great with as far as acting “relationships” (fa-real relating, modern).  It does jack up the uchh-Hollywood-sleaze-in-the-business..so if that already makes you creeped out, then don’t watch it…the show is so effectively done, the fear of being  “Hollywood-slimed” could  keep you from going after your career here!

Don’t worry…

Some people get H-slimed, others don’t.  (… If you keep your integrity, and stick with my site + blog…you can learn some good boundaries to stay out of that ‘world’ here…)  Generally, I find, some people are naive, and some people simply like sleaze and slime. They venture in, not just into Hollywood, but into the slime in Hollywood; they choose to walk right in.  Do they unknowingly get sucked in?

 

Some who get sucked in

Some do know it, as it happens. Yet,  it still happens, because they let it.  There’s conflict and discovery… and that’s what this show is about. 

Great drama often involves situations where the character is sinking into some lower state, and suddenly they find themselves immersed in an environment (external or internal) , that is different to what they know. Than what they’re familiar with. 

So how do you act that?

Acting is active.    

The most exciting roles, dramatically, are where the character is transitioning.  In the midst of it.  The discovery, where the character recognizes that he is not the moral or ethical person that he once was.  How he sees himself, the level that he holds himself.  The solidity, core of how he defines his identity, is transitioning.  He discovers as when we do, the audience.  We all discover it together; and then; we, as the audience, watch him struggle to try to get “himself” back. 

In this show, he almost can’t help himself; and there is an ongoing inner struggle there, and a human weakness and lack of control.  

I do love Californication, and don’t love to admit it… It really does a great job of portraying some  (existing somewhere)  ooh-yuk,slee-e-ezy  perspective of H’wood.  It’s a got a good lens on modern relationships, as well.

I give it a vote of very “real”.  Even though it isn’t a pretty “real”, not easy to take.  It’s art, like a David Raab play is: it’s “too much”, and that “too much” is part of what makes it art.

Can’t stand to watch it; and have to watch it…The tension is this: Is he going to pull himself up a little, or stay down; with his next step?

(I hate to use the word “character”, I just can’t think of a better way, right now.  It isn’t apt, not precise.  It distorts, describing acting.  As soon as I hear “character”–that makes it “once-removed”… it takes the connection out.  I do use “me” or “you” when speaking about acting; but when writing, that doesn’t “read” precisely, either–it doesn’t define…When I write or say “the character“;  immediately, it seems like detached acting, like bad acting, phony….)

 

 

Sociopaths, Psychopaths, Auditions

 

 

 

Dexter is popular, I know.  From an acting standpoint, I think it’s good for research. Here’s a guy who actually is a sociopath.  (Sociopath and psychopath have the same definition; the “S” one is more polite, nicer-sounding! …Just some psychology F.Y.I.!)  

Actors often play those with mental disorders.  Again, it makes great drama.  Meaty roles to play, too. 

Dexter’s duality is that he works for the police, and is murdering people; two extreme sides within the same person.  

Personally, I find the premise to be too “gimmick-y”. However, it’s interesting to observe the acting choices, while watching the story; any sociopathic personality would be interesting to play, even without the “pushed” circumstances.  And they are unique.

Basically, sociopaths feel no conscience pulling at them.  They get their “thrills” in very different ways than most other people.  

Statistics estimate that there is one sociopath for every 25 people.  

Many don’t murder people, or even do other extreme, physically violent things. The pathology isn’t easy to detect, even by psychiatrists. But, they do have differences, and do act differently.

This kind of depth makes a role  interesting to play, because the symptoms are not obvious; they are under the surface, difficult to detect and define. Characteristically, sociopaths are quite engaging, socially.  These complexities can also make a role more difficult to play.

I always think it is a good idea, while watching performance, to keep one eye on how someone plays a role. What choices did they make?   Especially, when they’ve make a success of it.

I also think it is good to give yourself exercises, while watching.  You may do so, automatically; get in the habit, if not: of thinking how you might portray this specific sociopath, yourself… 

I’m not suggesting you play these parts in  your life.  

In Dexter, his pathology is central to the theme. 

When shows and roles become successful, that type of character becomes more prevalent in the “Breakdowns”.  There’s a good chance you’ll audition for a role like this, in the future, or at least do a scene in a class…

 

Best,

;Dana

I write from Hollywood, California. 

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