In recent months I have found myself at a number of unsavoury auditions, and this is not through lack of my investigation into the company.
This got me thinking. What would stop me from going onto a web-site such as this, registering as an employer and posting a random fake casting call along the lines of “Feature, Equity Minimum, Award Winning Director”? Then whip up a few pages of tantalisingly obscure dialogue, set up auditions at my house (calling it The Media Centre, 3 Nosuch Road) and invite all the lovely vulnerable people to wait in my bedroom while I auditioned people in my front room with a camera I'd borrowed off a mate?
We as actors have to give at least three professional credits and/or training at an accredited drama school whereas the casting professionals give nothing. They can see our profiles, but we are not permitted to look at theirs, not even to see what projects they've worked on in the past. Surely this would give us an idea of whether or not we want to submit to the particular company.
We've recently seen posts about films that have turned out to be dire for whatever reason, and I'm concerned about this, but more so about how easy it has become to promote yourself as an employer whatever your background might be.
I've put this out in the hope of getting some gems of suggestions from ccp, other actors and casting professionals.
To be honest I'm really tired of trekking miles to be welcomed by such unprofessional, unsettling and downright odd activities.
(No disrespect meant to ccp. I've attended many great auditions and worked on some fabulous projects thanks to the service they provide.)
As I wrote above, I don't know. I asked a few years ago for an Equity blacklist to be started, but for a number of reasons, mostly legal, I was told that this was not possible. The Equity Journal does list companies that are/ have been suspect, but only in their business practices. As usual money comes before people.
I don't think that the law approves of blacklists or anything else where the only purpose is to exclude people from working.
A client of mine did a dodgy audition a while ago and I informed Equity..not much interest and the person is still auditioning.
can I post a story here BTW did a casting a year or so ago, with very big agencies sending clients along, and through no fault of my own the casting was a shambles for the first couple of hours.
The cameraman wasn't the one they usually use and he wasn't experienced so I ended up paying for breakfast for actors while they waited for it to be sorted out.
Not expecting sympathy but hopefully this illustrates that if a casting is not 100% organised it may not neccesarily be the fault of the people hiring the facilities.
Helen, I am pretty sure you will have time for CCP when you attain the success of Hugh Grant but it wont be to check for auditions or if you should go to someone house or pay to join an agency….. Barry from Eastenders being on this site reiterates that.
Sasha, I have not misunderstood your point I am simply making a point of my own with reference to what you are saying. Don't ever use the word 'we' when talking about actors, you can only speak for yourself. The same way I will not use 'we' when talking about production companies or casting agents because dodgy ones do exist. I have come across a few actors who can only be described as vindictive even in this green room and most times feedback does get made based on personal experiences and when you are annoyed it is easy to go off on one. By the time you realise what is happening and apologies etc are exchanged you will rarely go back and correct the harsh words. We are all guilty of that in everyday life.
Niky, the reference to Hugh Grant was not unfair it was simply a reality check. Everyone has to start somewhere and that is the point I was trying to make not just actors. You do have to actively search for work until you get that 'big break' when we start searching for you. There is hierarchy is life. Don't get defensive if it is pointed out. There are casting directors who have actors queuing up to be in their books, I am not yet one of them but I hope to be. So I do watch how I handle producers because my relationship with them can make or break my career. It does not mean that I allow them to walk all over me.
Rebecca, we use the sites because you cannot have a film full of known names. It generally kills the pr so every casting will have a balance of new and established talent. But it will be quite easy to get the word around and say do not use actors from xyz site because they are generally a pain. Creative professionals talk as much as actors. Remember I joined this site because a few of your posts were forwarded around by email to producers…………..
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A little objectivity will help you handle the situations you query better. Logic tells me that you cannot solve the problem by pointing fingers because they will get pointed back at you and it will simply be a game of who can slander better. There are dodgy actors and dodgy production companies. A more logical approach would be for the sober side of both parties to figure out a way of ensuring that they can continue to have a mutually beneficial and productive relationship without the perils caused by the dodgy few. Equity can issue as many documents that they want but unless they work with the production companies or have some sort of liaison you will never be fully protected because both parties will not be working together but against each other.
And as alexeberlin has further clarified, things do go wrong and it is not always because producers do not make the necessary arrangements to the best of their ability. As I said earlier producers who love their job will learn from the bad experience and ensure it does not happen again but if it is cemented as a flaw and they are publicly rated, the atmosphere on the project will be frosty even before it starts because people will show up with the so-called rating at the back of their minds. If I have been told that a company does not have high production values, as a human being I will be apprehensive about working with them because I will have pre-conceived ideas and they are likely to cloud my judgement to my detriment. However you can take a horse to the water…..
Just wanted suggestions on how to make attending auditions safer and how best to find out as much information about the people we go to meet as possible.
I was really hoping ccp would admit they should know more about the employers before they post their casting calls. A few more boxes to tick or rules in place to protect us from the cowboys.
As I mentioned right at the beginning, there is nothing stopping me from pretending to be an employer on this site and wasting everybody's time posting fake castings just for a laugh...I think there's something fundamentally wrong there and as I can't see a solution, I was interested to hear others opinions.
I agree with you. I was also really hoping they would suggest a way of verifying the actors on this site so we can be protected from the number of fake credentials some people have on their cv. I guess as the saying goes, if you want something done, do it yourself. Personally we now have in house policies and rankings for actors based on their experience and ever since i found a handful of people with completely imaginary credits we run all named productions on IMDB and if it is not there we know it is not exactly credible and simply treat the actor as new instead of highly experienced. Because we have tried it as well and realise that anyone with a headshot and a credit/debit card with the ability to pay £15 a month can make up the name for a few productions, imaginary directors and appear experienced.
When it comes to making our own decisions on a company, as actors using the same site you are, unfortunately we do not have the option to see any information whether accurate or falsified. If actors and employers were on equal terms with the information provided then at least that would be a start. You could quiz our CV's as much as we quiz yours. You decide if you want to work with a new actor and we decide if we want to work on a new project with an unknown crew etc. We would both be taking the same risks from our own ability to judge what's in front of us.
However, for many jobs posted all we have to go on is a company name. We don't have the option to look at their page and try and work out if they are truthful or not. All we can do is our own private internet searches...if nothing comes up we use our heads and make a decision to attend the audition or not. 99% of the time it's a great experience and we get to work with some real gems. The unsettling 1% is what I'm worried about, as I've come across it a few too many times in the past couple of months for my liking...
I understand what you are saying by checking the credits on imbd, I would if I was a casting director, however just because it is not on there doesn't mean that the actor lied about a it.
I have got a few films and tv credits and none of them are on imbd, I don't know why, but they are not. (and I'm not only talking about independant productions, I was on a channel 4/E4 programme that isn't listed).
I can prove I've done the work as I have got the tapes.
But now it worries me that casting directors will think I'm lying.
Some actors lie but I believe most of us are genuine. In all the jobs I've done, I have most of the time met amazing, genuine, talented people (actors, directors, producers etc...). The bad people are a very small minority, it would be a shame to see a distrust grow between us just because of the actions of a few.
I trust my instinct, if something doesn't feel right, I don't do it. I hope it will always keep me safe. (and I have been to auditions at people's flats, and I guess I shouldn't have, but it has always been genuine. Maybe I've just been lucky. I shall not do it again.) x
Is anyone else even vaguely alarmed at the feeling of not being able to freely speak here on CCP anymore - it seems that 'big brother' is watching us and is judging us by our posts?
To be honest I find it appalling that someone who has spent a length of time be it one year, two or whatever, working on student productions or low-budget productions or theatre to gain experience would still be considered NEW just because they were not listed on IMDB!!!
Ans secondly a comment from a another post on this topic states that he joined as a result of reading an email with POSTS FROM CCP MEMBERS THAT WAS PASSED AROUND PRODUCERS - Is it then the case that anyone on CCP is blacklisted because of negative comments said on this forum? If thats true then why are any of us remaining on this site despite its usefulness.
I have, on more than one occasion, written a response to a post and then deleted it before submitting my thoughts in fear that a producer/ director may read it and get the wrong idea about me. There is no such thing as freedom of speech, just a freedom of desire whether to speak or not and suffer the consequences. That a post has been forwarded to producers, I only hope that the post in question was a good insight for the said producers and not a way of blacklisting us. Instinct and common sense reign supreme in all situations it would appear.
I agree with Sheri and Steve. It seems now we cannot write our comments and thoughts in the green room without it being emailed to everyone and his dog.
It's a bit of a shame really as sometimes a good rant on here makes you feel better about things.
I thought the green room was a chance to air our views and ask for advice not to be judged for future castings.
I wonder how many folk will stop posting comments because of this.
I agree with you Claire - I have never lied on my CV, have been part of several accredited productions, worked with renowned Diectors (Paul Weiland and Roger Spottiswode to name two) but as yet am not listed on IMDB, although this will change in the next couple of weeks as one of the features I was involved with has finally been submitted to IMDB - nearly two years after it was made. I agree with Steve that just because we aren't listed on IMDB it does not make us any less professional, experienced or indeed talented than those actors already listed. And, apologies to lcauk, I will still use the word "we" as we, as actors, support each other on this site and I am fairly certain that no one who is a member of CCP will take offence at me using this term.
I, too, would also like to express my concern that our postings are being circulated. I think CCP might find a few of the "regulars" are less likely to post in future which would be a loss to many on here as their advice, on many occasions, has been invaluable. What a great shame.
Hope everyone has a great day
Stay safe wherever you find yourself casting
Sasha
It is obviously difficult to understand the tone of a posting I was not attacking you in any way....
I am well aware, as you have made it common knowledge that you received my posting through an email.. One of the facilities on this site I really enjoyed was the green room as I could have a rant, chat and a laugh with other actors.. I am now aware that I can't use this forum for that. I think its a shame.
I'm with you Steve and Becs.
And if we are really going to start nit picking lcauk (which is a great shame, as I have NEVER posted a malicious or vindictive posting on this site in all the time I have been on here)after reading through several of your postings again you quite clearly use a collective term "us creative freelancers" - so please think carefully before you cast the first stone.
Think it's goodbye from me, been nice knowing you all.
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