2006

JANUARY

How to Find Work with Government Agencies

When one's in business the need to broaden one's network is constant. That's why I enjoy Expos, conventions and seminars. In November I traveled to Washington D.C. to attend a good one. GoveExpo.

What intrigued me particularly was the seminar "Meet the Government Producers." sponsored by ITVA-DC and moderated by a writer, producer, videographer, and non-linear editor with 17 years of experience in film and video production. She and her husband now own Think Speak Act, LLC, a Washington, DC-based "holistic" video production services company www.thinkspeakact.com.

Here are a few nuggets Tanya shared about working for the Government.

1. Federal Agencies offer lots of work for producers, directors, writers and people with technical expertise
2. You don't need to be in the Washington area to work for a Federal Agencies
3. A lot of answers are available by going to certain websites

www.GSA.gov This is where you can find out how to apply for major contracts with the Federal Government. The Federal Government is interested in small businesses and has special training programs to show you how to apply for major contracts.

www.CCR.gov This Central Contractor Registration database is where you can register your business in the central database.

www.fedbizopps.govThis is where commercial vendors interested in Federal markets can search, monitor and find opportunities for their products and services.

For more, click on and listen to the entire interview.

One last thought: no matter how busy your are, there is always the need to meet new people. I find it expands my horizons and I meet great people. That' just one of the things I learned at Gov Expo in November.

Best wishes for a happy and healthy 2006!

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FEBRUARY

Keep your ears open and your eyes closed

I was asked to cast a narrator for a short educational film to be shown to high school students. The client wasn"t sure what kind of a voice he wanted male/female/ young/ mature. However, he did give one example: The voice of the young actress, America Ferrera in the film "The Sisterhood of The Traveling Pants" I rented a DVD of "The Sisterhood of The Traveling Pants." and listened. America Ferrara was born in Los Angeles. Her background is Spanish and her sound can be described as a young Californian at least in "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants."

When I presented the casting to the client, he was pleased but surprised that I didn't include a young female with a Spanish accent like America Ferrera.. I explained that America Ferrera in "The Sisterhood of The Traveling Pants" has no Spanish accent.

Clearly, the client was hearing America as she looked not as she sounded. To rectify the situation, I did put a few actresses with Spanish accents on tape. And a valuable lesson was learned in the process. 

1. When suggesting a voice type make sure it's the voice you are hearing and not the person you are seeing. When casting On Camera with a voice over component, make sure the lens of the camera is covered. so your client can hear the voice and not be distracted by the talent's appearance.If your client is asking for a celebrity, make sure it's the voice they want and not the opportunity to meet this person. If they want to meet the person that'’s fine, but it may not be the right voice for the project. Older men and woman can have very youthful voices and they bring lots of experience to the session. Don't let your eyes fool you.
2. Choosing talent from listening to a snippet of the voice can give you a false sense of the voice. It's important you hear the talent on your material before booking them for the job. You don't need to see them, but you do need to hear them.

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MARCH

Impossible to Cast

I have been asked what is the most challenging casting assignment I've ever had. Believe it or not, it wasn’t finding 36 ethnically diverse babies from 0-18 months, or a male folk singer with epilepsy or even a south Asian first generation female college student with a dramatic flair who does volunteer work.

Granted these were unusual requests, but they are not the most difficult to cast. The hardest casting falls into two categories: It's either too general: (As in male/female 30-70) or too specific (As in a 5'8" male balding on top with blond sideburns, freckles preferably with brown eyes).

The first leaves me with no clues as to where to begin. The latter only makes sense if the physical characteristics are essential to the character and except for height everything else can be cosmetically created.

Here is what a casting director needs to know to find you your best choices for the role:

I know these four points seem obvious to most who work with actors but sometimes a non-scriptwriter creates the script and the inconsequential details take over. It could be beneficial if you discuss the four points with your corporate client. It can help give him/her insight into the process and you, a clearer understanding of their needs, which can help the success of the process.

And if you are working on large corporate meetings and need talent in a crunch, try out my Express Casting Service. If you want details on how it works reply to this message with "Express Casting" in the subject line and I'll send them to you. I can save you lot's of time, money and aggravation.

That's my Tip for March. Happy Saint Patrick's Day!

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APRIL

SAG vs. AFTRA

This month's Tip is dealing with AFTRA and SAG, but make sure to scroll down and check out The Second Annual United Nations Documentary Film Festival happening this weekend.

I just completed casting an industrial for Astra Zeneca dealing with schizophrenia. It was done under an AFTRA contract. Since I usually work under a SAG contract, it got me thinking about the differences between the two. When it comes to the actual contract, the rates and rules are exactly the same and it's the producer's choice as to which union to use.

The first leaves me with no clues as to where to begin. The latter only makes sense if the physical characteristics are essential to the character and except for height everything else can be cosmetically created.

However there are some differences that could influence your decision based on the needs of your project.

Here they are:

So you make your choices based on the script and the actors you need. If they've appeared on Soap Operas or do a lot of voice recording or have been reporters, chances are they are members in good standing with AFTRA. If not, it may be an issue.

If you are in the city this weekend, you may want to check out "Stories From the Field: The Second Annual United Nations Documentary Film Festival." I've been involved with this project in the area of judging and sponsorship and feel it's really worthwhile. For more information click on http://www.mcainy.org/unfilm.

And if you are working on large corporate meetings and need talent in a crunch, try out my Express Casting Service. If you want details on how it works reply to this message with "Express Casting" in the subject line and I"ll send them to you. I can save you lot's of time, money and aggravation.

That's my Casting Tip for April.
Have a Happy Spring.

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MAY

Talent Fees for Documentaries

Thanks so much to the 2 producers who called on the same day last week to ask the same question (that's how I get my ideas for these tips, by the way, so feel free to send your questions along): What are the talent fees for the voice over narration in a documentary?

Most documentaries need voice over narration. Choosing the right voice for the project is most important and this usually means professional talent. Many professionals even celebrities are interested in doing documentaries, especially if they believe in the message. Knowing the range of fees can help you with your budgeting I thought I knew the answer but, to be on the safe side, I called AFTRA. Here's what I found out: .

With both the PBS and the Basic Cable, the production company would need to be a signatory of the union although the union accepts a one production only agreement with the producer.

Usually it is advised to use the contract where you think the documentary will end up being played.

For those of you who missed the UN documentary film festival this April, there will be another opportunity to participate next year either as a filmmaker, audience member or volunteer. It was a wonderful and worthwhile experience as well as being extremely successful.

That's my Tip for May.
Happy Spring!

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JUNE

Employing Talent from Another Country

What do you do if you're working on a project that is shooting in New York with a local cast of ten - but needs to include four Canadian actors who previously shot a segment of the program in Canada? With border security being extremely tight and rules rather complicated, how does a producer deal with such a situation?

I was given the task of finding out.

Initially I called AFTRA since the job was being done under that union. Here's what I discovered:

Actually getting to the States is a whole different story. Expect the unexpected. In this case, our actors each had different experiences going through customs:

• The young girl and mother traveled to the States by car and were held at the border since they didn't bring a passport with them. Eventually, they were let into the country.
• The three other actors came by plane. The very pretty actress went straight through when she said "business." The other two actors were stopped and their papers were inspected for about 45 minutes...

Happily, however, the cast made it and the project was completed.

Bottom line? If you are faced with using professional talent from another country, it may help to find a Foreign Talent Payment company to act as the producer on record and pay in the currency of that country.

However, every situation is different, so check out: http://www.unitedstatesvisas.gov/business_temp.html since a special visa may be necessary.

That's my Tip for June
Wishing you a Happy Summer!

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JULY

Casting Without A Script

It's not unusual for me to get the following frantic call: "Carol, I have a quick shoot coming up and I need to cast the day after tomorrow. The script isn't written yet but we're going to need 3-4 actors. Can you help me?" The answer is absolutely yes. But, even though details at this point are sketchy, there is some important information I need in order to begin my search:

I also ask for a short descriptive paragraph of the project—or very rough draft of the script to begin the process. If this is not possible, I look for an old script that might help in the screening process. (Yes, I save scripts for reference material and to demonstrate the interesting and varied world of industrials when I'm invited to do seminars for actors.)

Another example of casting without a script? Improvisation. This happens when instead of following a written script for the shoot, the actor is asked to improvise the situation based on a character profile. For example, I recently cast a series of "Financial Role Plays." For this project, I was given the background of each character, including age, family history, financial status, etc. I really enjoyed this challenge because it involved finding the essence of the person. If you think about it, an oil executive from Oklahoma, a Wall Street banker from New York, a wine maker from Sonoma, and a construction owner from Boston may be the same age and have the same net worth but each has a very different "aurora" about them.

But even if an actor has the right "aurora" of the character, casting for an improvised script requires I dig even deeper. Why? In order to improvise, the actor must have some understanding of the subject matter (in this case, finances - because he is interacting with a real financial advisor.) So if the actor tells me that in real life his wife is in charge of finances because he has no interest in handling money, he isn't right for the job. Interestingly enough, this actor who isn't right for the "role play" may be just fine playing a financial advisor, but he would need a written script.

That's my Tip for July

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AUGUST

The Age Factor

Suppose you were asked to cast grandparents in their late 60's - who would come to mind? Would you think of Robert Redford and Jane Fonda? Probably not, but according to the Internet Movie Data Base, Redford was born in 1936, Fonda in 1937 - certainly old enough to be grandparents, but you wouldn't see them at my casting call.

So how does one cast now that 60 is the new 50 - or is it the new 40?

For example - if the actor is portraying a person who - s had a stroke or has dementia, it has more to do with a look and less to do with age. If it's a college recruitment video, it's more about age - and the actors should be able to project late teens. On the other hand, if it's a training film for tech sales people, the actors should be able to project late 20's and early 30's.

Notice I use the word project because that's what it is about. It's why I like my assistants younger than I. They have a whole different perspective on age than I might have - and if a video is geared for their age group, I want their point-of-view.

What are the interesting challenges these days? No one wants to look their age. After face-lifts, many actors and actresses look good - but sometimes too good and not real - and therefore, for my projects, a little difficult to cast..

Now, believe me, I don't mean to scare people away from having a little work done - particularly if it makes them feel better. But little is the operative word here. Taking away all lines and puffing up the lips may work for a particular role in a film - or may be essential if you're walking down the "red carpet" - but an industrial is usually about real people in real situations - and looking too young when you're older limits the roles you are really right for - just like Jane and Bob.

That's my Tip for August. Stay cool and out of the sun (wrinkles, you know).

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SEPTEMBER

Industry Professionalism

Lately, I have heard many producers express utter outrage that advances in technology have made everyone think they can produce a film or a video on their own. "Why spend money to hire a professional when I can do it myself on my iMac?" they hear potential clients ask. It can be infuriating and frustrating, to say the least.

However, these very same creative producers may then turn around - and say, "Why spend money on professional talent when my next door neighbor Betty can do the voice over?" - and then hire non-union talent rather than union talent in order to keep costs down.

First, let me say, choosing to do a job with non-union talent can be successful, but only under limited circumstances. For instance, you might consider going non-union if roles call for:

• Young actors in their 20's and early 30's



• A certain look (with no dialogue)



• Babies and Toddlers

But if the script calls for actors to portray believable situations - as the vast majority of them do - hiring non-union talent will give your production a look of amateurism, no matter how much you spend on visuals, script development and production values.

"I know that!" some of you might say. "And I really would like to use union talent, but I'm worried about my bottom line!" Okay, so let's look at the numbers and really see how much you save by using non-union actors. Let's say you need to hire four actors:

• SAG/AFTRA minimum for an actor performing in a Category 1 industrial or educational film is $440.00. Minimum for Category 2 is $547.00.



• The union add-ons (pension, welfare, taxes and paymaster) bring it up another 250.00/per actor



• A non-union actor is paid the same fee as a union actor - minus add-ons.

So if you hire four union actors (as opposed to non-union) you're looking at paying an additional $1,000.00. But that $1,000 is by no means lost. It buys you a better quality production and a more efficient, professional shoot - which will more than likely end up saving you money in post production.

Why is this important? We all sometimes make the mistake of looking at the entire product the way three blind men might describe an elephant. We only have a feeling or understanding of one part - our own part - with little awareness of the whole. Whatever our particular role in the process, we as professionals need to make an effort to truly understand all parts involved - and appreciate how we all impact each other in the creation of good, solid, professional productions. We're all in this together. And quality counts. Big time.

That's my Tip for September. Enjoy the crispness of Fall.

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OCTOBER/NOVEMBER

The Diversity Challenge

In today's corporate and educational films, there is always a need to reflect reality - and today's reality, as we all know, has become much more ethnically diverse. I've had an opportunity to cast many programs dealing with diversity in the workplace - and have made some very interesting observations that may help you with future projects.

Finding older minority actors (45 years +) can be a bit challenging. Why? Years ago very few parts were available to minority actors. Because of this, many of these actors were steered away from going into the profession. In fact, in some cultures it was frowned upon to go into acting - especially for a man. Consequently, years later, the choices for finding good older minority actors is a bit limiting. Now, this doesn't mean there aren't wonderful actors out there who would be happy with the work. It just means, as a producer, you have much fewer choices. So if you are creating a program that calls for diversity, you may want to consider making the younger roles the ethnic roles.

If you must cast a minority actor in an older role, here are my suggestions to open the pool of actors - and give you the most choices possible:

1. Cast from a broader ethnic category as opposed to a single ethnic group



2. If possible give some latitude to the age - perhaps late 30's to 50's (with no dialogue)



3. See both genders for the role

Now if it's just a "look" you want - with no acting required - you may consider casting retirees. Not only can they afford to work within a project's limited budget - but they are delighted and enthusiastic to be part of the process. I have found that by exploring this avenue, you can find wonderful new older faces in every category.

These days, it is very exciting to find so many young people of varying backgrounds going into acting. This rich and diverse river of actors is proof of how much the world has changed. My hope is that one day we will just cast the actor and not think in terms of diversity - because it will always be diverse.

That's my tip for October/November.

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