Thursday, July 17, 2008

SAG Says New Media is Now

SAG writes in an email, under the headline "It's Not New Media - It's NOW Media":

In the six months since the Directors Guild of America reached a deal with the AMPTP, the landscape in digital media has dramatically shifted. The seven global conglomerates that own the motion picture studios and television networks are so confident in digital media prospects, that they are putting up huge dollars to fast track their technology deals
What some among our employers - the major global media conglomerates - insist on terming "new media" it's really "now media." It is urgent, instant and immediate. That's why achieving a fair compensation formula now, in all forms of media, and confirming jurisdiction from the first dollar of the production budget, are core objectives of the SAG national negotiating committee.

There were about 12 Billion videos viewed online in May, the month before last, by Americans. You can also read SAG's whitepaper about New Media (PDF) which after page one is a list of the major studios' online video developments since the Directors Guild deal.

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Amazon Video on Demand

Amazon.com will introduce a new online store of TV shows and movies on Thursday, called Amazon Video on Demand. Customers of Amazon's new store will be able to start watching any of 40,000 movies and television programs immediately after ordering them because they stream, just like programs on a cable video-on-demand service

(from The New York Times). Combined with iTunes being most popular online movie store, it seems the "future" of movies being online is right now.

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Wednesday, July 16, 2008

Success Is Not Convenient

If you want to achieve your goals, the work you have
to do will probably have to happen in that "personal time" away from your regular job, during your favorite TV show, or while other people are enjoying "happy hour."
The successful person always exhibits the following character traits:
  1. Has a vision rooted in the future.
  2. Knows that success demands a price of admission - and is eager to pay it.
  3. Has an absolute passion for new skills.
  4. Loves the game. (Successful actors seek to understand the rules, learn the strategies, and develop a "game plan.")

(from Bob Fraser).

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Saturday, July 12, 2008

Once the Contract is Done Will Things Change?

After the 2000 SAG/AFTRA commercial strike, actors started to be owed residuals for radio commercials aired online. This made streaming radio online cost far more than it had previously, and many stations stopped streaming online all together, or had to replace the ads with something else (or pay the actors). Once SAG and the AMPTP have struck a deal, will online TV commercials have a comparable streamlining or correction? Please comment with your thoughts.

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Tuesday, July 08, 2008

AFTRA Ratifies Contract

From the AFTRA web site:

The American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA) announced today that AFTRA members ratified a new three-year primetime television agreement (Exhibit A of the AFTRA Network Television Code) reached with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) by a 62.4% margin

(from aftra.com).

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SAG and AMPTP waiting for AFTRA Results

...the Screen Actors Guild seems to be understandably playing for time until the results of the AFTRA contract ratification vote are announced. The counting should be done by Tuesday evening, and an announcement could come close behind or by the latest Wednesday morning. So everyone's watching and waiting for the results that could change the entire nature of these actor-employer negotiations

(from Nikki Finke's Deadline Hollywood Daily).

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Monday, July 07, 2008

EQAL Partners with CBS

EQAL, the the social entertainment company, and CBS have a partnership:

...just announced an incredibly exciting partnership with CBS that we think is truly gamechanging for this burgeoning new medium of social entertainment. The partnership will enable us to take current and upcoming CBS TV shows (both shows on the network and shows on other networks that are produced by CBS Entertainment) and create online interactive narratives that tie directly into the TV narrative. EQAL producers and showrunners will be working with CBS producers and showrunners at the script level to create a truly seamless experience that will take viewers from the TV episode into an online, interactive narrative...

(from eqal.com).

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Tuesday, July 01, 2008

iTunes Most Popular Online Movie Store

iTunes customers are now renting and purchasing over 50,000 movies every day, making iTunes the world’s most popular online movie store

(from apple.com press release).

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Monday, June 30, 2008

SAG Contract Expires Today

The SAG Theatrical Contract expires today. The president of SAG said in a statement Sunday:

We have taken no steps to initiate a strike authorization vote by the members of Screen Actors Guild. Any talk about a strike or a management lockout at this point is simply a distraction. The Screen Actors Guild national negotiating committee is coming to the bargaining table every day in good faith to negotiate a fair contract for actors

(from sag.org).

Looks like a strike could not happen in July anyway:

...no strike can take place until about Aug. 1 at the earliest. Guild leaders have yet to call for a strike authorization vote, which must be put before the entire membership and approved by 75 percent of voters

(from The New York Times).

Update 10:58 AM from SAG email:

All members should continue to report to work and to audition for new work past the expiration date until further notice from the Guild. Such work will be covered under the terms of the expired television and theatrical agreements.

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Saturday, June 28, 2008

IOWest Car Crash - Shows Closed through July 7

A car crashed into iO West Theater so they've had to cancel performances until July 7th. No one was hurt; drive safely.

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Friday, June 27, 2008

IRS Raises Mileage Rates July through December

The IRS ...announced an increase in the optional standard mileage rates for the final six months of 2008, so you can benefit if you keep track of your business mileage:

The rate will increase to 58.5 cents a mile for all business miles driven from July 1, 2008, through Dec. 31, 2008
(from irs.gov)

I believe that affects driving from one work place to another, like one shoot to another, or a trip from the post office, after mailing headshots, to a rehearsal. I don't think commuting counts (i.e. to and from home to set/rehearsal/other gig related location). Talk to your tax preparer for details; caveat actor.

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Wednesday, June 18, 2008

Two Points About LA

Just remember:
  1. You came here to have a successful acting career
  2. Everything in LA is negotiable
(from Terri J. Freedman).

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Monday, June 02, 2008

Universal Open After Yesterday's Fire

The fire there damaged a sound stage and some other things (King Kong, New York Street) but it's open again today.

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Friday, May 30, 2008

AFTRA and AMPTP Reach Tentative Agreement

The American Federation of Television and Radio Artists-the nation's second largest performers' union, representing 70,000 members, including approximately 52,000 working actors-has reached a tentative agreement with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) on a new three-year primetime television contract (Exhibit A of the AFTRA Network Television Code). The agreement is subject to approval by AFTRA's National Board and ratification by the union's membership
(from aftra.org). Hopefully SAG and the AMPTP can do the same and soon.

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Wednesday, May 14, 2008

Conrad Cantzen Shoe Fund

Administered by The Actors Fund, this Memorial Fund reimburses eligible entertainment professionals up to $40.00 towards a pair of shoes costing no more than $80.00.
In 1945, actor Conrad Cantzen bequeathed his estate to The Actors Fund with the stipulation that it should be used to help actors purchase shoes so they did not appear "down at the heels" when auditioning. Mr. Cantzen believed that a good pair of shoes made a great first impression on casting directors.
How generous of Conrad Cantzen!

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CBS Choses Shows: Crime and Comedy

Crime and comedy are coming back in full force to CBS' schedule next season as the network re-embraces the genres that have performed best for it in recent years
(from The Hollywood Reporter).

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Sunday, May 11, 2008

To Audition or Not

Any project can compensate you in any of three ways (in no particular order of importance):
  1. money
  2. artistic experience/growth (e.g., it means working with someone great, it stretches you in a good way, etc.)
  3. career building (e.g., it is better than everything already on your resume, impresses the public, etc.)
If it does two of those three (well enough to make up for the inconveniences, opportunity costs and hardships of the audition and playing the role), audition. If not, don't.

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