So the other day my friend Reba Kennedy, a San Antonio attorney and writer, fires off an email to me about this posting she came across on the web.
While it was anonymous, it was a call for a Lead Investigator for a TV series, with a somewhat general geographic area of N, which I assume meant North. Looking outside today, there's no question about the geography here in Valparaiso, IN, south of Chicago as the snow continues to pour down.
The posting read:
We're looking for a lead investigator (or team) for a new History Channel
series that decodes American symbology, iconography, explores little known
and hotly debated conspiracies and some of the world's greatest mysteries.
We need somebody that is charismatic, smart, curious, maybe a little bit
funny, and rugged would be great. He/she should have a strong working
knowledge of history, an open mind and great interview skills. Think
Stephen Colbert meets Mike Rowe.
It's late in the afternoon Jan. 5th and Reba follows up her email with an urgent call. "I just sent you an email about something that's right up your alley."
"Gee, okay," I said not really picking up the sense of urgency.
"No, you need to look at it right now and respond within the next half-hour," she told me. "It was just posted and the deadline is soon and you've got everything they're looking for."
So I open the email, read it and conclude that if nothing else, I'm really curious about the origin of the casting call.
I quickly ripped off a response to the post, giving my years in journalism, work in the legal field, and my sputtering acting career with one major film credit: Public Enemies.
Nothing ventured, nothing gained. And, it is in line with my new mental philosophy of challenging fear and being open and ready to embrace new opportunities -- re-careering is the new buzzword.
Within the hour I had a response from them to email a photo to them and go to their website. Nothing else.
So, I sent the photo and clicked on the site. It gave some information about the production company, which has produced a number of interesting shows like:
JOCKEYS and HOT GIRLS IN SCARY PLACES ; currently on air PARANORMAL STATE and THE LOST TAPES; past credits include LAGUNA BEACH: THE REAL ORANGE COUNTY, NEWPORT HARBOR: THE REAL ORANGE COUNTY, NASHVILLE, ROLLERGIRLS, GREAT AMERICAN CHRISTMAS, PARADISE CITY, THE FASHIONISTA DIARIES, KARAOKE SUPERSTARS, PAGEANT MOMS UNLEASHED, NIGHTCLUB CONFESSIONS and HAMPTON HIGH REVEALED.
At least it seemed legitimate. And while I have the investigative skills, and some of the other assets they asked for, I really know absolutely nothing about symbology....but I could learn.
Also on the website was a questionnaire and they asked for a two-minute video of me sharing why I wanted this role.
Okay. That's easy.
I waited until last night to do the video. You had to agree to their Contract Terms, which I opened and began to read before doing the video.
About two paragraphs in I read -- "this is a non-guild production...." As a member of the Screen Actors Guild that's a huge no-no. SAG Rule # 1, no non-union work, period! So, my short-lived vision of me on television came to an end as quickly as it began.
There was no way I was going to jeopardize my SAG membership, especially while waiting for almost a half-dozen DVDs from studios lobbying for SAG Award votes. Some have not even been released on DVD yet.
And in my prior blog I talked about voting for movies I haven't seen. Well, just like last year SAG members are offered free tickets to screen movies still in the theater which are up for awards. That is unless you get a DVD and screen it in the comfort of your own home.
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Monday, January 4, 2010
Voting for the SAG Awards
One of the benefits of being a Screen Actors Guild member is I get to vote for the SAG Awards. It's a rather neat experience.
In Saturday's mail at home was the official ballot, due Jan. 21, 2010. The 16th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards are Saturday, Jan. 23 and is broadcast on TNT.
Last year was my first time voting. Movie studios lobby for their films. For example last year I received a DVD in the mail of The Dark Knight from Warner Bros. Plus last year, most studios provided you a free ticket to see the movie in your local theater "For Your Consideration" just for the asking." Every advertisement for the awards in the SAG publications, every letter, every promotional piece contains the phrase "For Your Consideration."
Last year my wife and I took them up on the offer and went to see.....geez, I can't remember. What I can remember is the ticket person needing to call the manager of the theater over to look at the voucher I had printed off from the SAG website for free admission -- just one.
This year I haven't received any DVDs, or gone to the SAG site to see if the offer stands this year, which I assume it does. I suspect winning major awards means a lot to the bottom line of the film studios.
Many people ask me if I'm a member of SAG. When I answer "yes" they're often surprised. I show them my membership card.
You see, you have to qualify to join the Screen Actors Guild. Now, I'm not a SAG membership expert but I do know to join you need to have at least one speaking line in a SAG, or union, movie production. I have three in "Public Enemies."
I'm not exactly sure of the criteria, but I believe extras -- or background actors -- who do not have a speaking role credit can join if they have so X number extra parts. I don't know what that number is.
Assuming you meet the SAG membership criteria, there's a fairly hefty one-time initiation fee. Then the annual dues are very modest, and they take a small percentage of your earnings made through acting. My compensation for the role in "Public Enemies" more than paid for the initiation, so I thought "Why not?"
Of course they hit me for a percentage of my movie earnings, too.
Did I have to join? No. Under the Taft-Hartley laws, a person is exempt from joining the union -- SAG --for one movie or commercial production. After that you must join to do any other union work.
Since I didn't know what doors "Public Enemies" might open, I thought joining might be "an investment." Not yet, although I have two agents and have auditioned for three national commercials (that'll be another blog).
So back to the topic at hand. Somehow I need to figure out how to preview some, if not most, of the SAG Award nominated movies. Otherwise, I'll feel guilty being an uninformed voter. I might have to rely some on movie reviewers whom I respect.
Of course those of you who live in Porter County, Indiana know what I'm talking about when I mentioned "uninformed voters." However, it doesn't seem to bother them to go to the polls not having a clue (another blog topic).
So if anyone out there has any suggestions on movies to vote for, please let me know. I'm all ears.
In Saturday's mail at home was the official ballot, due Jan. 21, 2010. The 16th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards are Saturday, Jan. 23 and is broadcast on TNT.
Last year was my first time voting. Movie studios lobby for their films. For example last year I received a DVD in the mail of The Dark Knight from Warner Bros. Plus last year, most studios provided you a free ticket to see the movie in your local theater "For Your Consideration" just for the asking." Every advertisement for the awards in the SAG publications, every letter, every promotional piece contains the phrase "For Your Consideration."
Last year my wife and I took them up on the offer and went to see.....geez, I can't remember. What I can remember is the ticket person needing to call the manager of the theater over to look at the voucher I had printed off from the SAG website for free admission -- just one.
This year I haven't received any DVDs, or gone to the SAG site to see if the offer stands this year, which I assume it does. I suspect winning major awards means a lot to the bottom line of the film studios.
Many people ask me if I'm a member of SAG. When I answer "yes" they're often surprised. I show them my membership card.
You see, you have to qualify to join the Screen Actors Guild. Now, I'm not a SAG membership expert but I do know to join you need to have at least one speaking line in a SAG, or union, movie production. I have three in "Public Enemies."
I'm not exactly sure of the criteria, but I believe extras -- or background actors -- who do not have a speaking role credit can join if they have so X number extra parts. I don't know what that number is.
Assuming you meet the SAG membership criteria, there's a fairly hefty one-time initiation fee. Then the annual dues are very modest, and they take a small percentage of your earnings made through acting. My compensation for the role in "Public Enemies" more than paid for the initiation, so I thought "Why not?"
Of course they hit me for a percentage of my movie earnings, too.
Did I have to join? No. Under the Taft-Hartley laws, a person is exempt from joining the union -- SAG --for one movie or commercial production. After that you must join to do any other union work.
Since I didn't know what doors "Public Enemies" might open, I thought joining might be "an investment." Not yet, although I have two agents and have auditioned for three national commercials (that'll be another blog).
So back to the topic at hand. Somehow I need to figure out how to preview some, if not most, of the SAG Award nominated movies. Otherwise, I'll feel guilty being an uninformed voter. I might have to rely some on movie reviewers whom I respect.
Of course those of you who live in Porter County, Indiana know what I'm talking about when I mentioned "uninformed voters." However, it doesn't seem to bother them to go to the polls not having a clue (another blog topic).
So if anyone out there has any suggestions on movies to vote for, please let me know. I'm all ears.
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