Another HBO show!

Hey fellow actors! Can't believe it's been ten months since I last posted. The time seems to fly, and we're almost into a new year!

I've been mostly writing and have had a number of short stories published. But this blog isn't about writing, so why am I telling you that? Well, when the auditions (and roles) slow down -- and they always do -- we need some other creative outlet. It can be anything that allows you to have more control over when and how much you express your creativity.

Maybe it's stand-up comedy, or writing some sketches for you and your friends to shoot and post on YouTube. Maybe it's painting, or poetry. Doesn't matter as long as your creative juices get to flow whenever you want.

So, about this HBO show that I mentioned in the title of this post. Well, as usual, I can't disclose the name, or who's in it (other than me), because it's just starting production (I'm in the pilot). I'll post some stuff about it when it drops on the network. But here's the thing. A couple of months ago I auditioned for a role on this show. And after a few weeks I forgot about it and moved on. Just another audition.

Then out of the blue, my agent called and said they wanted me for another part, in the same show, and could I be on set the next day? Well, sure I could. We shot for 13-14 hours. Then the director said they wanted to add another scene with me, and could I come back the next day? Again -- sure I could. That's a great reason to do our best even if we don't think the role might be perfect for us. And why we want to make interesting choices in our auditions -- we never know what other role we might be considered for.

It was a fun shoot, on location, and it's the fourth show I've done for HBO. I've had co-star, guest star, and recurring roles with them, so it's beginning to feel a bit like home. Now, if they'd just hire me for a regular gig!

In the meantime, here's my view from inside the truck I was driving in a scene.

As for commercials -- I asked my agent why auditions had been slow for most of this year, and he informed me that the majority of commercials being shot in Los Angeles right now are non-union. That's a drag. But for some reason, I've had three commercial auditions in the past two weeks.

That's what I mean about how this business can be busy, then slow, then busy, etc. And to keep our sanity, we need to do some creative work that we have control over.

Cheers,

Michael

The Actor's Guide To Auditioning

Am I owed more money?

Dear actors,

This is a long post, but an important one. As actors, we have to be aware of what we’re owed for our acting work. Too often we think that because we have a union contract, we’re going to get everything that’s owed to us. But although mistakes happen, most of the pay shortages are honest mistakes, not a producer trying to cheat us.

The three examples that follow all happened to me while I was working under SAG-AFTRA contracts. If you’re working on a non-union project, you’re kind of on your own, but you might be able to use some of what follows as a guideline to negotiate for more money.

I was on a premium pay cable show, working as a day player. I worked on a Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. However, they didn’t get one of my scenes shot that week, so they asked me to come back the following week and work on Wednesday (I ended up also working that Thursday, as well). So, how many days of pay did they owe me? Five? When I got my paycheck that’s what they paid me for, based on the paperwork the assistant director turned in to the payroll company. And many actors, especially if they’re new to union work, would be very happy with the check.

But ... they owed me for two more days. They owed me for Monday and Tuesday of the second week (even though I didn’t work those days). Why? There’s a union rule that if you work (as a day player) and the gap in-between your work days is less than 6-10 days (depending on the type of project), you have to be paid for the days off (not counting weekends). That’s so that a production can’t string you along working one day this week, then a couple of days the following week, then another day a week later, etc. That kind of schedule can foul up other projects that you might be able to work on. Would the union have caught the error? Maybe, but maybe not.

I called the payroll company, who then contacted the production company and got it straightened out within a day. They apologized and I got the check for the two additional days a couple days later.

Another example: I was working on a major film and as we were shooting, the director got this idea. He wanted me to be jerked off camera at a particular moment in the scene. So the stunt guy came over and put a harness on me, under my coat, with a leash that he would use to pull me out of frame.

Of course, we actors want to be good sports and do whatever the director wants. And, it was an easy stunt – no danger – but it was a STUNT! That means stunt pay. I jokingly said as the harness was attached – “So, I guess I'm doing stunt work, huh?” The director got it and turned to his assistant saying, “Make sure Michael gets stunt pay for this.” Everything was friendly – no hassles – but if I hadn’t mentioned it, I wouldn’t have gotten what was fair for the work I was doing.

One last example: I was called in for some post-production work, for what I was told would be ADR (Automatic Dialogue Replacement). That pays a half day’s salary (what I got per day on the shoot). But they had me do some new scenes – with dialogue only. And that pays a full day’s salary because it’s a new scene – doesn’t matter that it’s only dialogue.

Finally, be aware that if you’re doing background work, there are a number of “pay bumps” you’re due for working under certain conditions, like if you have to work in a scene where they’re using smoke. Even though it’s fake smoke, you should get a little extra pay for that. There are some other bumps as well – just ask one of the other extras; they know all that stuff. And no – principal actors don’t get the same bumps as background actors get.

This was along post, but I like knowing that we actors get what is fair for our work. If you finish shooting, and then realize that you should have spoken up about something that might be extra money, first call SAG-AFTRA to verify it, then call either your agent, or wait for the check to see if they paid you the extra, and if not – call the payroll company.

And be nice – they’re only going off the paperwork that production sent to them. Payroll companies are usually very good at taking care to get you your full pay.

Cheers,

Michael

The Actor's Guide To Auditioning

What's my motivation?

Well, my acting on the HBO show "Westworld" is done. And even though it was hot and dusty, and there was a lot of "down-time," I will miss the other actors I met, as well as the crew. And speaking of the crew members - it can be of real benefit for us actors to get to know the names of the crew members and treat them nice. When there's a problem, or something you need - like a bottle of water when you're on set, or someone to do a last minute check of your wardrobe, the A.D.s, and wardrobe and makeup people will be there for you.

Depending on the size of the crew, and how much time you are spending on the set, it's not always possible to get to know everyone - even the key crew members - like the D.P., the first A.D., the script supervisor, or even the director! These people are usually very busy and rarely have time to hang out and chat like we actors can often do.

In fact one of the biggest surprises an actor gets their first couple of times on a professional set is how little contact we might have with the director. I learned why the first time I was on a big film set and then a commercial set.

I, of course, asked the director - what do you want me to do? And by that I meant, my character - what kind of emotion and reactions, etc. And the director said, "Do what you did at the audition. It was great - that's why we hired you." It blew me away that the director didn't want to discuss the role and "get into" the essence of the emotional arc, and all that actor-type stuff.

What about the stars? Well, they usually meet with the director before they are hired and that is when they have a discussion about the story and the role. Maybe. Unless you are doing something you are known for, like physical comedy. Then the director is mostly going to trust you to do what you already know how to do, and he will mostly be concerned with the action stuff.

This doesn't mean he or she is a bad director - it's just that most films, many TV shows, and even some commercials, are very complex and there are so many details the director needs to focus on, he just doesn't have the time to discuss every scene with every actor. 

Note: The director on my last project came over, introduced himself and shook my hand. Nice guy - but very busy.

And what about where to move for the camera? That's mostly the job of the first A.D., who has already discussed this with the director, and knows what the director wants. "The first" (as he's called) is usually the one to call "standby," (which means get ready everyone), "background," (this means the background actors should start moving), and "action!" (Which means the principal actors start doing their thing.) Then at the end, the director will say "cut" to the first, who then yells, "Cut!"

In fact, the set I was just on was so big and complex, with so many actors (both background and principal), that the first A.D. had to use a microphone attached to a bullhorn, in order for everyone to hear him call the cues.

So, what does all this mean to us actors? It means that although we may occasionally be on a set where we get to discuss the details of our role with the director, most of the time we need to be prepared to bring what we did in the audition to the set. And that often means making our own choices about things like motivation and character arcs.

There's an old Hollywood joke that goes:
Actor (to the director): What's my motivation?
Director: Your paycheck. 

Cheers,

Michael   

Working on a television pilot

I've been working long days this week acting on the Westworld pilot for HBO, so that's why this post is going up on Saturday instead of the usual Thursday. Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday were 13 hour days, starting at 6-7 in the morning. 

Of course it's nice that's there's very little traffic at that hour, but if I'm not shooting, I'm not an early morning person. So - lots of coffee!

I can't give out details yet on the shoot as they are keeping things like story-lines and plot points secret. And this is something for this week's post. The show I'm now working on is one of those that a lot of people want to know about. I've told a few friends, but I'm not posting anything on the internet yet - and here's why:

More and more, you'll find that you have to sign confidentiality agreements (often called nondisclosure agreements)  along with the regular contract, especially on films or new shows, (or even the occasional commercial) with a unique plot or surprise ending. And we can understand this. Writers, producers, directors, and actors work hard to keep an audience in suspense with twists and turns in a plot or story-line, and how fair is it to have all that effort given away because its been posted all over the internet for weeks (or months) before the show airs or the movie opens in theaters.

And you really need to keep those confidentiality agreements - if you're caught posting plots or even worse - pictures of the production that you shot on your phone - you may not be fired from that project, but the producers will make notes and you won't work for them again. And they'll probably tell the casting director who you auditioned for and they probably won't audition you again. And - they may tell your agent, who won't be happy because it hurts his reputation to have actors who break confidentiality agreements.

So, can you tell your best friend, or spouse? The answer is - do you trust them enough that they won't post the details to their blog or whatever? Remember, they're not the ones who will get in trouble - you are.

There's a time when the producers will love it that you're talking about the show or film (as long as you're not bad-mouthing it or giving away embarrassing secrets about your fellow actors). And in the meantime, you can say that you're working on the film or show. 

Not sure what else you can safely talk about? When you sign your contract, ask the 2nd A.D. what's okay. He or she will probably say something like: "It's okay to say that you're working on 'Title of film' and maybe even what your role is - if its revelation doesn't give away a plot point (like mine does on this project, which is why I'm not disclosing what my role is at this time). 

I'm going to do some checking next week when I go in to do some more work, and see what else I can safely disclose. I would have done that this week, but when I have to get up at 5 a.m., I'm lucky to remember where I parked my car.

Cheers,

Michael