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!

Thanks for this, I really enjoyed reading your views.

I tend to still be on the more skeptical side when it comes to workshops and I’ll tell you why…I used to intern for a casting office that would say out loud “no, we can’t bring so-and-so in for this part cause they’re a workshop actor.” Yes, I’m not kidding. It basically meant that the part was too big and juicy to go to what they saw as not a “real” actor. Workshoppers in that office (and it’s a BIG one…WISH I could say) were very much seen as the people who do a few lines. The fill-ins. Almost upgraded extras. And while getting a few lines today is great, I still wonder if doing workshops might not hinder you in the long run…

I’ll give you an example, I was lucky enough to get a big guest star on a show a few years ago and when I met the casting director’s assistant in a workshop this year to re-establish that connection, he looked at me all surprised and said “why are you doing these now?” I felt almost embarrassed. He quickly covered his statement up with “oh, I guess it’s been a weird year for everyone.” Basically he was surprised that I’d brought myself “down” to workshop level.

I appreciate that mine is one opinion of many but I do find it interesting that the only two people that I know right now that work all the time never set foot in a workshop. And they did not have bigger resumes than I did, they just always sought the work in every capacity without forking out the cash and in a way I think CDs took them more seriously for it. Sure it meant they didn’t go in for lots of little roles at the beginning while their friends were sweating it out in workshops but in both their cases “guest star” was the first credit on their resume and now they make consistent money from acting.

Anyway, I’ll be testing what they did from now on and get back to you on my progress. Maybe I’ll eat my words, maybe not Just wanted to share my thoughts…