What I Truly Believe

Workshops:  Scam or Helpful Tool?

Many of you have emailed me about this:  Yes, I saw the report in The Hollywood Reporter regarding workshops.  If you didn't, it's an interesting read.  You may not like what I'm about to say, as you may take it personally, and that is not my intention.  I'm going to tell you my truth and I hope it makes a difference.  Yes, I have never hidden the fact I think that workshops feel more like paid auditions than classes.  I advocate that they are a tool for you to use to meet people you would otherwise not have the chance to.  Use them, or don't.  I don't make money doing this.  And it's hard to keep them going because I'm not doing what these big companies are doing, which is allowing any tom, dick and harry to sign up.  I want you to know what you are doing and why.  Here is the part where you might take offense:  I want these workshops to run more like acting classes, but I have been met with a lot of resistance from actors, meaning you all, as a group, to this.  When I asked about this some time back the consensus was you'd all just rather come in, do your cold read, and call it a night.  That's not really an acting class.  So I have a question:  DO you want these workshops to be real acting classes?  If so, then let's really work to make them that way.  I'm on board.  The CSA even have really strict guidelines the Cd's are supposed to follow when teaching.  So, I want to hear from you all about it.  Things won't change unless we start to make those changes.  I can't guarantee I can make anything really different but on the other hand, we can at least try!

Keep in mind, a lot of the CD's who come in do want to have you all walk away with having gotten something from the class besides their time.  That's why I invite them in.  Most of them are not the malicious power hungry money grubbing jerks demanding you pay to even be considered for a role, like this article suggests. Their hours are a lot longer than they used to be, the pay is a lot worse and trying to find what they need is harder and hugely overwhelming and productions aren't giving them the resources to do it.  I would know from my little stint last year on that side of the table. And NO, most CD's DO NOT HAVE FINAL SAY WHO GETS HIRED.  THEY ADVOCATE for who they think is the best person but the final selection:  that's up to so many other people it's ridiculous.  

So in all this, why does it always seem to fall on the heads of the actors, the ones with the least amount of money to pay for these types of things?  Because we allow it.  And I don't mean you specifically.  I mean that there is always someone willing to do WHATEVER it takes to get somewhere.  And if you aren't doing it, they will.  We allow the system to keep us in a constant state of grappling for the little we get, regardless what we are doing in the business:  acting, writing, directing, casting, producing.  How do we change it? ... ​

Email me your thoughts at: emhpros@gmail.com
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