"Carol Nadell is one of the pioneers in understanding and delivering the uniquely qualified talent needed for today's interactive technology." --David Johnson, former Creative Director, New Media, Showtime Networks, Inc.

"Casting a Casting Director" by Carol Nadell, Video Systems Magazine

SAG: Screen Actors Guild. The Actor's union that handles work in motion pictures, commercials, films, some television shows and industrials. Joan Greenspan is the person to answer questions you might have concerning your shoot (or have your Payroll Service or Casting Director ask these questions. They know Joan very well.)
http://www.sag.org

AFTRA: American Federation of Radio and Television Artists. The union that handles work in television. Exclusively news, soap operas, game shows, radio programs and radio commercials. Not exclusively television programs/commercials, and industrials. Bob Spiro is the Joan Greenspan equivalent at AFTRA.
http://www.aftra.org

INDUSTRIAL CONTRACT: One of the only contracts that is both a SAG and AFTRA contract. Terms are negotiated with both unions. Rates and Terms are the same.

In doing a union job, it must be put through one union. You cannot have some Actors working under a SAG contract and some under an AFTRA contract in the same job (even though rates and conditions are the same).

CLEARING TALENT OR STATION 12: After booking your talent, you must check with the union (SAG or AFTRA) to see if the talent is in good standing with that union. This is done by submitting the names and social security numbers of the talent.

1. If the talent has never done a union job before you must request a waiver in writing with a submission of their picture and resume.
2. If the talent is a "MUST JOIN," they must pay the initiation fee (around $1000.00 in cash) to be allowed to do the job.
3. If talent is remiss in paying their dues (station 12), they must redress this before the shoot.
4. Failure to do any of the above can cause the production company to be fined $500.00 for each actor that is not paid up or waived.

Casting Directors should automatically do all of the above for you. Payroll Services should be informed that talent needs clearance if you're casting by yourself.

AGENT: An agent represents professional actors and can only work on union jobs. Agents get 10% of the actor's salary. A plus 10% means that the fee doesn't come out of the actor's gross. Presently for a scale actor's rate it amounts to $36.00. An actor who is signed with an agent means he/she cannot work through any other agent. There are about 150 agencies in New York City.

MANAGER: A manager is not franchised by any agent. To work on a union job, managers work through agents. For the most part, agents deal with managers. Actors can be signed with an agent as well as with a manager.

CASTING DIRECTOR: A casting director is hired by the producer/director to screen talent and find the best choices of available talent for the project. Casting Directors can cast the widest net in searching for talent. The have access to every source.

PAYROLL SERVICE: A Payroll Service allows a producer to use union talent without having to become a signatory of that union. The payroll pervice is in essence the producer on record and deals with all the paper work. Payroll Services are responsibile for the union contracts and for paying the talent and dealing with taxes and unemployment.

"Casting a Casting Director" by Carol Nadell, Video Systems Magazine