Let’s start at the beginning of all things: Showing Up
Be Early, Eager & Prepared...
Professional
CALL TIME:
A Call Time is when the talent/staff is required to Start Working,
A Call Time is Not Arriving & Settling In
***Always Arrive 15 Minutes Early
Add Additional Time if Your Require Additional Prep Time
***RUNNING LATE
Notify the Booking Contact ASAP
Plan Ahead & Be Prepared for Traffic
Please, Out of Professionalism, Love for Your Career, Respect of Your Peers…
Do Not Blindside Your Gig & Keep People Waiting
***NEVER NO SHOW
Or your investment is for nothing and your professionalism card is revoked.
***CANCELING
Do No Cancel Unless it is Life or Death
Notify the Gig Contact & Your Agent Immediately
Apologize Big Time or They Will Cancel You
PRO TIP:
Do Not Accept a Booking You’re Not Sure You Can Make
Be Aware of the contract cancelation clause.
It is legal for talent to be charged/sued for canceling.
Time is literally money when there are investors, crew, talent, locations, rentals and more moving parts in play than you realize. Each entity charge for their time and services allotted; even when the talent does not show up and the shoot is ruined.
Google talent who have been sued for breach of contract, it’s ugly.
AUDITIONS:
Auditions are as verse as jobs and will be covered with the job skill sessions.
BOOKINGS / You Need to Know:
PRO TIP:
Keep Digital & Written Notes in case of Cell Failure.
What is the Project
What are You Doing
What do You Need
What is the Pay
When is the Event
When is Your Call Time
When is Your End Time
Where is the Venue Location
Where do You Report
Who is Your Contact & #
Who do You Report to at the Event
Who is the Client?
How do You Get Paid
Do you need:
A job voucher
Tax ID Info
Identification
Passport
Work Visa...
Ask Questions When You Are Auditioning!
Be Prepared, Think Ahead
Always have your Go Bag
See Career Starter Check List Session 1
CONTRACTS:
Do not sign ANYTHING without legal counsel first
Contracts are specific to the media genre and job
Work Visas, Vouchers, Entertainment, Trademark & Copyright Laws are covered in job skill sessions
Average for Contract Agreements:
Manager 10-25%
Mother Agent 10%
Booking Agent 20-25%
Self-Booked Paychecks are still Commissioned to Your Agents that represent you in that Market or City.
Mother Agency Fees Applies to ALL Markets & Bookings.
This will be covered more in the Workshop:
Talent Management for Parents & New Talent, by Amber Hollis-Fesmire.
Difference Between Agency Bookings & Self Bookings:
Agencies get better jobs directly from Casting Agencies & Projects.
Agencies generally know the clients and safety of booking.
Agencies are bonded and will go after clients who do not pay you.
Agents only get paid when you get paid.
Agents send you castings that fit your profile for their market genre.
Agencies specialize or have multiple departments and multiple booking agents.
Commercial Agent, Fashion Agent, Fitness Agent, Film Agent, Photographers Agent…
Booking Agents manage several Talent through Casting Apps.
Some Agencies have thousands of talent on their casting app and send casting opportunities out based on your profile settings.
Self-Booking:
Simply buy a membership to the casting app or apps you want to use.
Check the castings every day & submit for the ones you want.
All of the same professionalism applies… castings are open to everyone on the app
Self Bookings are All On You
Casting, Contracts to Collections…
Many online bookings only have a submission link and no contact.
Call backs often have a contact person with a project email or phone
Some are scams, know when it is appropriate to pay for things and when it is not.
Travel, lodging, food, time, continued use… contract details of royalties or flat rate… It is All On You.
Do Not Hire Someone Else to Do What You Can Do Yourself. It chisels your pay away.
It can take 6 months to get paid for a gig.
Oh yes… do not spend it before you have it.
If you have an agent, let your agent in on your self-submission and they can handle it legally, you are going to pay their agency fees anyway. & If you do not and your agency finds out, you will be blacklisted.
MARKETING MATERIALS:
Let me be very clear:
If you change your look, you must change all of your current marketing materials, except working tears.
If your look is under contract and you change it without Written permission, you can be found in breach of contract and sued.
Google how much a day on set of a commercial or film costs.
You can be sued for the entire day rate of the production if you are a lead and your scenes affect everyone.
PRO TIP:
Before you develop your expensive and time consuming marketing materials you must be done developing yourself.
Use your development and transformation in your Behind the Scenes Reels
Marketing Materials needed are specific to career goals and are covered in job skill sessions. Or schedule a one on one coaching time with Audrey.
Examples:
Digitals
Headshots
Social Media
Portfolios
Comp Cards
Resume
Digital Press Kit
Channel
Website
Reels: Body of Work Samples
Real People Commercial
Beauty Commercial
Sitcom
Drama
Improv
Monologue
Screen Test
Voice Over
Radio
Influencer Content
Behind the Scenes
Skincare
Lifestyle
Fitness…
On and On
More is covered in the workshop.
For more information contact Audrey Brooks at AudreyBackStage@gmail.com