I am writing to you all today, on behalf of myself and my fellow actors, to say first and foremost: Thank you for the opportunities you send our way. We actors understand that we are selected from large groups of submitted actors. Often thousands. We do not take that lightly. In fact, we strive to respect that by confirming our auditions immediately, purchasing new wardrobe, if necessary and learning the lines and the nuances of the lines before the audition. We even google the product to understand the client's perspective and shoot to arrive early to our given audition times, so as not to throw off your schedule. With all that being said, we are beyond excited when we are placed on Avail for a commercial! Our hard work may just pay off!
Enter confusion and an all too common scenario: The avail comes in mid-week and the fitting is scheduled for the beginning of the next week. We are told that the booking will happen over the weekend. We wait. We change plans. We cancel plans. We spend money to fly home early to honor the avail. We wait. Monday morning comes and there has been no booking OR release. Confusion! We have turned down auditions that are in the same category, out of respect. We are still waiting. Eventually, after calling our agents time and time again, and hearing them tell us, "We have emailed, called and left messages, but the casting director hasn't returned any of our calls", frustration sets in.
We are just wondering, is it too much to ask of you to email "release all holds", or return a call left by our agents? I did ask a casting associate of a well know Casting facility regarding the never-released avails, and he said, "Keri, I beg her to let actors know they have been released", and her response was, "They will figure it out".
We don't figure it out. We hope that the dates have shifted, that the clients have your dialing finger pinned down in a supreme thumb wrestling move. SOMETHING.
What can we do as a community to make this flow better? Suggestions are needed!
signed,
A RISING TIDE LIFTS ALL BOATS....
I understand commercial CDs may not know until the very last minute which actor(s) will be hired for the shoot. Being "left" on avail is frustrating, and I agree that it should be a priority to release folks asap, but until the CD thinks it's important, I doubt things are going to change at this office :(
ReplyDeleteunfortunately....we are talking about multiple offices! My resolve is to keep doing what I do and send love...!
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