Month: March 2016

The union question is a big part of the “process” that I have previously referred to as being the “frightening” part of the entertainment business.

My job, when I’m not a reluctant stage mom, is in healthcare, many years of which were spent in management. Union is a word I have been taught to dread. It is also a topic many people seem to feel very strongly about….maybe not as strongly as our current presidential election…but strongly. One of the first questions we are asked by people we meet is “is he Union?”. This is usually followed up by either “you definitely want to join as soon as he is eligible!” Or “avoid that as long as you can, they’ll restrict him too much at his age!”. Needless to say this certainly hasn’t made the word “union” any more desirable.

Zack is currently in an equity show, which makes him AEA eligible, however we haven’t quite figured out the next steps to take or even if we are ready to take them. He has also received forms stating that he can only work one more day on a union project before he would have to join SAG/AFTRA. I don’t have all the answers yet, but I have done quite a bit of research and will share with you the facts as I now understand them.
Let’s start with Actor’s Equity Association (AEA). It was founded in 1913 and is run as a democracy complete with its own constitution and by-laws. There is a national counsel as well as three regional boards; Eastern, Central, and Western. The National headquarters and the Eastern Regional offices are both in NYC, the Central Regional office is in Chicago, and the Western Regional office is in North Hollywood. Equity contracts cover jobs in three categories; principal, chorus, and stage manager.
There are three ways to become eligible to join AEA.
1) sign a contract with an equity show. Certain contracts may have length of eligibility requirements before becoming eligible. The membership department can assist in determining this and that is our next step with Zack. One important note is that the regulations state you are only eligible while under that contract.
2)have a membership in a performing arts sister union i.e./ SAG/AFTRA, AGMA, or AGVA. You must be a member in good standing and must have performed work while a member. You would need to provide a letter from the union with which  you are currently enrolled  stating that you have met these requirements.
or
3)Equity Membership Candidate Program (EMC). I think coming from an area of the country where work opportunities for equity actors are fewer and farther between this option is the one I have heard most about. The program involves one becoming connected with an equity theater and logging weeks of work on equity shows, almost like an internship program. The program is for actors/stage managers in training and sounds as if the theater has agreed to act as a kind of a supervisor while you work and train. You must log 50 weeks of work before you are eligible to join the union and there are forms available on the website to submit. This particular option was a bit confusing to me so if anyone has other information that could clarify please chime in!
Let’s talk a bit about what being an AEA member affords you.
1) The union negotiates minimum salaries complete with work rules including length of day, breaks, and days off. As we are currently on tour I can also add the requirements of housing, the money paid to assist with cost of living on the road, and the location of the housing relative to the performance venue.
2)The union guarantees safe and sanitary working conditions
3) The union provides access to affiliate services i.e./ tax preparation and membership in a credit union
4) The union mandates the use of professional wranglers or guardians backstage for the kids
5) The union members have access to an excellent health benefits plan as well as being enrolled in a pension plan
6) The union membership allows you to attend members only auditions.
And perhaps most importantly
7) The union allows you access to a support system of up to 50,000 other members and all of their collective experiences and connections as well as the right to vote in any future elections.
Truly, any one who dreams of working in a career in the theater has the goal of achieving union status, so why is there any question?
Perhaps for adults it’s a no-brainer. They are out on their own, working independently to support their households, they are no longer reliant on their parents for healthcare benefits, and have probably at least begun to think about their retirement.
For kids there are concerns about not being able to participate in their home community projects. Many times kids can have a point in their career when they are busy for a period of time and then they find themselves in a transitional period where they could end up back at home and not working on a project. Under union rules they would not be allowed to participate in school plays or dance recitals etc…The rules of AEA say that kids under 14 can ask to temporarily withdraw from AEA to allow them to participate in these non union projects. Once they turn 14 you need written permission from AEA to participate. This would even include benefit performances.
The AEA doesn’t require kids to join until they are 14 years old. There are many who advocate for putting off joining as long as possible unless your child already has a firm plan to make his/her career on the stage.
There are some rules for members of AEA regardless of age and include , do not rehearse or perform without a signed contract, give your best possible performance at all times and make no changes to the performance without direction from stage management, be on time and notify stage management per regulation about illness, and contact the deputy or stage manager with any disputes.
The AEA is self supporting and funded by membership dues and initiation fees. These fees include an $1100 one time initiation fee that has to be paid within the first 2 years of signing up (with a $400 initial payment at time of sign up) and if payment is not completed you forfeit the other contributions you have made during those 2 years. Membership dues are comprised of two different types. Annual dues of $118 /year paid in biannual payments due November 1st and May 1st of $59 each. The second type is the working dues which are deducted directly from the members paycheck whenever they are working under contract at a rate of 2.25% of his/her earnings up to a max of $300,000/year.
SAG/AFTRA is very similar to AEA, with the exception for children being that once they turn 4 years old they are only allowed to work 2 days on a union job before being required to join. These do not need to be 2 days on the same job, they can be a single day on two different jobs.
The contract categories under SAG/AFTRA are also much greater in number than under AEA but benefits, responsibilities, and penalties are all very similar.
The initiation fee for SAG/AFTRA is $3100 with similar time frame for payment. Annual dues are $201.96 and with the same due dates and a biannual payment plan. Work dues are also present and are at a rate of 1.575% of money earned working under contract up to $500,000/year.
These are the basic facts about the union(s). Clearly there are many benefits of becoming a member, not the least of which is the pride in being able to say that you are a member, and there are also a few drawbacks to consider, particularly if you are a child. We, as a family, have not yet decided on the direction that will be best for us but will continue to consider all the options and be able to make an informed decision when the time comes. I certainly hope this blog entry helps you to better understand the process.
Next week there will not be an entry on the blog. I am going HOME!! Yeah! For a few days to see my other children and husband. I plan to give them all of my time and energy. I will be back in two weeks with another entry. If there’s a particular subject matter or question you have that you’d like me to attempt to address I’d be happy to hear from you. Until next time….

If you’re anything like I was when Zack was starting out you are probably experiencing a few truths: 1) you have no idea where to begin 2) you could very easily be taken advantage of and there are people out there who will try to take advantage of you and, by proxy, your child, and 3) you’d give anything to have a tutor willing to offer you guidance. We were so fortunate to have a friend with lots of experience in the “business” who was willing to act as a manager for Zack, and truly be that tutor for us as we got started. We were also , eventually, able to sign with an agent who works specifically in musical theater.
Although we were lucky to have experienced both, the truth is you don’t really need to have both a manager and an agent. They each take a percentage of the money when your child “books” a job so if you have both representatives generally 25% of his/her pay will automatically go to his/her “team”. While I feel that both their services are invaluable, the sad truth is that it is rare for a child to become wealthy while getting started (or really ever) in the entertainment business, and it is best to choose one or the other. We have needed to be very frugal during Zack’s first “big” gig just to allow us to maintain the two households necessary while affording him this opportunity.
There is quite a difference between an agent and a manager and the choice of which to contract with is a very personal one. I’ll give a little information here about each and hopefully it will offer you some insight and guidance. As always, please comment with any additional information you may have. I love to learn new things too. I would ask that if the conversation turns to particulars about a specific agent or manager by name that you take it to a private chat. I think it’s great to share that information and help each other out, but this just isn’t the forum. I would also be happy to offer any information about our experiences outside of the blog.
An agent, as mentioned in last week’s blog, will typically work for a talent agency. There are many many different types of agencies out there. The different agencies may have specialties or, if they are a bigger agency, they may offer many specialities with certain agents assigned to each area. Some of these divisions can be babies, print, film, dance, or musical theater. Although there are many agencies, the number of talent looking for representation is far greater. An agent will generally sign a contract with you for 18 months and will typically take 10% of earnings from any project /job that you book. The talent agent’s job is to find audition opportunities for you and to schedule appointments for the auditions. When you book the job, they will then act as the liaison between you and the company you are working for, ensuring all paperwork is processed to allow prompt payment and also act to foster smooth communication.
Sometimes agencies are described by their size. A boutique agency has a smaller number of clients , 100-150. They may have only a single agent working for them or as many as 4. A bicoastal agency is a medium sized agency with offices usually in both LA and NYC. They may have as many as 200-250 clients. They may handle kids and adults in all departments. It’s important to know that just because you are represented by this type of agency you are not necessarily going to be submitted for all projects. Only certain agents will have contact with certain casting directors so it is important to be clear with the agency what type of work most interests you before signing with them. Above the bicoastal agency are the mid sized and corporate agencies. These are huge. They have hundreds of clients and are the professional sports/Hollywood star agencies.
A manager is different from an agent in that he/she doesn’t only look for “job opportunities” for your child. He/she will actually “manage” the child’s career. A manager will typically sign a contract for the long term, as long as three years, and will be compensated 10-15% of your child’s earnings. Given his/her involvement in the whole career, he/she tends to represent far fewer clients, which allows him/her to give your child more individual attention. He/she may help with picking out the best photos from an entire photo shoot, assist with clothing choices for an audition, offer advice and feedback for/from certain casting directors and projects, and offer emotional support when things get difficult. He/she may also be very helpful with publicity, including management of social media and/or creating your child’s own web page.
For two reasons it is best to obtain an agent/manager through a referral from someone you trust: 1) there are many people looking for representation and a referral will get your foot in the door and 2) although there are many reputable agents/managers out there , unfortunately there are are also many who have bad business practices that will take advantage of people who are less knowledgable about the business. I have actually only heard of people signing with an agent/manager through referral ; usually a coach, casting director or a friend already represented by him/her, but I imagine there are people who have obtained representation on their own. I would think that sending a mailing of resumes and head shots to selected agents/managers is another way to obtain representation, as one would with any employment opportunity. I am just not familiar with anyone who has had success with this method.
You should always have a face to face meeting with anyone with whom you are considering signing. You’re interviewing them as much as they are interviewing you. You need to make sure that you are a good fit with the person who is ultimately representing you to the casting world. We had a friend looking for representation for his daughter. She had already booked her first Broadway show but needed an agent. For her dad it was important to work with a straight shooter. He wasn’t interested in hearing a lot of compliments about her work or promises about things that would happen; she was bringing her job to the table and he just wanted to hear what the agent would do for them. It took a few meetings but they were able to find the perfect representation for them and it was through a referral. We were also very lucky to get a referral for Zack through his coaches and have been incredibly happy with his agent. Unfortunately this is not always the case, and you only have to look to today’s entertainment headlines to see stories about talent in big legal battles with their representation.
If you are searching for representation outside of referral be smart and do your research. You should never, I mean EVER, have to pay a fee, tuition for classes, or for a fancy photo package to get someone to represent your child. Most states actually have laws against this type of business practice, but there are always people out there finding new ways to skirt the laws. If you feel like you’re having to pay anything out of pocket up front then run for the hills! It’ll only be the beginning and these are not the people you want representing you. A legitimate agent or manager is paid when, and only when, your child makes money working.
Many locations have online Facebook or social media groups, often closed to the public, offering support to parents of kids in the business. Ask friends whom you see at auditions or workshops if they know of one in your area. These are great groups to belong to as the parents come from all types of experiences and offer the best advice and referrals. A great example is being able to bounce off of them the name of a person who is looking to represent or work with your child. If you put it out to the group I guarantee that within minutes you will have a ton of valuable feedback.
So, I think those are the basics of representation. I myself am struggling right now a bit with the union vs non -union question, so my hope is that I will finish our personal research this week and be able to offer some information in the blog next week. Have a great week everyone!

Ok, back to the “how to’s” this week. We’ve talked about the audition but not a whole lot about who’s involved and what role each of them plays. Here’s a general idea.
First let’s talk about your child’s agent or manager. There is a good possibility that you have not yet signed with someone and that’s fine when you’re starting out, but it does mean that these tasks then fall on your shoulders. An agent works with a talent agency. Your agent can have anywhere from a dozen to a hundred or more  talented clients on their roster for whom they are finding auditions. They get the breakdown of roles that are being offered, i.e. age, height, weight etc..and will offer you an appointment to audition if your child fits the breakdown. Their primary role initially is finding your child auditions, and getting them exposure with the casting directors.
Managers also get the breakdown. They tend to represent far fewer people as they focus not only on finding audition appointments, but will actually “manage” your child’s total career including publicity etc. We actually truly got started with Zack’s career when a friend saw his talent and, knowing how intimidated I was by the business, offered to “manage” Zack and get us started. This was perfect for us and I will be forever grateful for her patience, assistance and guidance. For our first 18 months I relied greatly on her as she coached me through many of the topics already addressed in this blog. Her own children have always been more professionally involved in film and TV so as we became more focused on musical theater, and Zack was signed by an agent specializing in musical theater, her role with us dramatically decreased. This is especially true since I still resist the “career management” piece with all the publicity etc. We will focus more on agent vs manager , and the very personal decision that is, in next weeks blog.
The audition process is generally run by a casting director. This is the next person involved whom we can talk a bit about. This person, or company, is hired by the people directing the project to find the needed “talent” or cast. They are the ones who will host the open calls and/or the agent/manager appointments from the initial call right until the point of booking the roles. There are several names you may have seen in postings or may have heard or read about. Telsey and Company (Finding Neverland & Sound of Music), Tara Rubin Casting (School of Rock), and Nora Brennan Casting (Matilda and Billy Elliot) are a few who seem to do a lot of work with kids. These people have a whole team who work with them. Often Tara or Nora will be present during a call but sometimes it’s one of their associates running the call. It will generally be set up in a room or rooms at one of the local studios in NYC. The two biggest are Pearl Studios at 500 & 519 8th avenue and Ripley Grier Studios at 520 8th avenue. Telsey has its own set up on West 43rd street that is both very impressive and slightly overwhelming depending on how busy their day is. They will have a sign-in sheet outside the room. You should not arrive more than 15 minutes early and if you are going to be more than 10 minutes late and have an appointment, you need to let someone know. Your agent or manager can handle this for you.
For a bigger call like Matilda or School of Rock there may be a “holding” room staffed by the casting company; I have mentioned this room in previous blogs. If there’s not a room to wait in then there are just chairs in the hallway to share with everyone else who is also waiting. If you arrive too early it gets crowded and your child will be able to hear all he competition that’s ahead of him/her and that can cause unnecessary stress.
When your child is called he/she should hand the staff his/her headshot and resumé. If it’s a call back this may not be required, but better to come prepared. The worst case scenario then is that they say they don’t need the information again and you bring it home.
The casting director will be in the room with the accompanist and an associate or two. One of these may be someone who would read sides with your child. Remember sides are lines from the project. Another may be taking notes, and there could be a third person operating a video camera. Notes, video, and observation are what are used for selecting the children moving on to a call back.
In the room for a call back there are generally the same people but the children are asked to perform some additional material. At this point they may ask your child to prepare a cut of music from the actual project or perhaps some additional sides for a certain character. This is where you can start to get an idea for which role your child is being considered. Occasionally there may even be a creative from the actual project at the call back, i.e./ an assistant music director.
The actual creative people from the project are generally not present until final callback. This is when the casting director has narrowed the field down to the children who have the basic look and the talent to fit the part. At final callback for Matilda Nora makes sure the kids know that they are all perfectly capable of being in the show and now it’s just the logistics of seeing who fits where. At this point the audition room can start to feel crowded despite the narrowed down talent pool. Often they will bring in the creative “team” from the show to see the children audition in person so they can discuss them after they’ve seen them all and together make their pick. When Zack made it to final call for School of Rock there were nearly a dozen people in the room and Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber was also present to hear the children audition. Poor Zack nearly fell out of his chair when he saw him walk into the audition area! It’s a lot of pressure on these kids, so as the parent your job is to make sure they have the tools they need to be well prepared, but also make sure that they know their job is to be seen and make a good impression. They don’t have control over all the aspects that go into the decision of who is cast in the role. They can’t make themselves shorter or taller nor should they ever be encouraged to change the essence of who they are, beyond basic acting, in order to fit a role.
At this point in the process your child having an agent or manager can be very helpful as he/she can work to communicate with the casting team and advocate for your child as his/her client. Zack’s agent has been exceptional during those moments when he’s had to juggle two or more final call back processes at the same time. I would have combusted under the pressure of those negotiations!
As I mentioned before, if you get as far as a final call back, you should hear about the outcome. This is also the time that I encourage Zack to send a note of thanks to the casting team, in his own words, particularly if he had some great learning moments during the process.
So, there is a little more about the process for you to think about this week. We will definitely talk more next week about having an agent vs. a manager.
Sorry this entry was a bit later than normal. I am currently on tour with Zack and we have been greatly enjoying our last week in the sunshine before returning to the frozen tundra of real winter. There are some very nice benefits that come with all this crazy hard work and sacrifice!