At the core of the issue, I think, is that CD workshops really are paying for an audition, which is certainly illegal. With that said, so is speeding and I do it all the time (shhh) so its illegality is not perhaps enough to make a full argument against them.

I think the problem is that as a whole, the millions of dollars and thousands of hours a year that actors spend on workshops could be spent SOOO much more effectively (join The Actors’ Network, pay a full crew to make you an AWESOME demo reel, mail postcards or other mailers to industry people, volunteer at industry events, write an actor blog, join other networking organizations, create your own project, etc.), and beyond that, the practice of going to workshops is detrimental to the community as a whole. It creates an environment where actors are expected to pay for “access.” Beyond that, the VAST majority of actors who attend workshops do not benefit (based on sheer statistics alone), and we’ve created a world where those actors are subsidizing the 1 or 2 actors in any given workshop who perhaps have a legitimate shot at getting an audition in that office…a shot that I would posit they could get anyway via other methods.

At the end of the day, as a community of so-called creatives I think we can come up with FAR superior ways to put ourselves in front of the people who need us.

My three cents (adjusted for inflation)…
Ben

i totally appreciate the comments from anonymous. i think this is very real. i just attended a workshop the other day where the cd said point blank that he doesn’t refer to the headshots from workshops very much at all.

Well more on that at http://just4actors.blogspot.com/

hope you’ll check it out. and thanks again!

Success4Actors!

But it’s not the actors fault. The greedy, arrogant casting community exploits the acting community. Because they can. When you stop paying, they’ll stop charging.

Actors – who are the ones who can least afford the expense of these “workshops” – are paying the rent and car payments or underpaid casting assistants. They should be paying you.

Re: Anonymous’ comment:

First, let me begin by saying casting director workshops are in no way a substitute for showcase opportunities such as 99-seat theater, indies, starting an improv troupe, and the myriad other ways actors have been getting their work out there for decades. No casting director/agent workshop night is going to give you the chance to share your work with the idiosyncrasy, depth and relaxation you can achieve through a rehearsal process and/or the process of creating the work.

Second, not all casting director workshops are created equal & neither are all casting directors! It pains me to hear your anecdote about the Big Office, particularly since it sounds like they were attending workshops themselves! To condescend to the actors who’ve paid them to give them an educational experience makes my blood boil. I suggest we do some smart consumer research before signing up for workshops. Ask friends who’ve interned for an office if they call in actors they’ve met at workshops; ask friends who’ve taken classes with the cd if the feedback is smart & informative and if the cd seems comfortable in the workshop environment; and when you’ve been called in by someone you’ve met at a workshop or just thought it was a truly informative night, let friends & the workshop company know.

I completely agree with Susan – do what feels right for you. And that will likely change over time. Of the actors whose responses are in the Pros & Cons sections, one is currently recurring on a network series. She has stopped doing workshops but used them aggressively her first couple of years in LA to build the co-star credits that helped secure her current rep. Another has several guest star credits and still workshops frequently because she enjoys it and sees it impact what she’s called in for.

Anonymous – keep us posted! Let us know your most effective ways, besides workshops, of getting your work out there!