The expose on casting director workshops published by the Hollywood Reporter on March 30th and subsequent dismissal of Scott David from his post as casting director for Criminal Minds, has the industry in an uproar and taking sides. Dueling petitions have been started, one asking for Scott David to be reinstated and one demanding workshops be held accountable by the LA City Attorney’s office. Given no other choice, the CSA has even put together a committee tasked with the job of regulating the workshops and making sure they’re following all the guidelines set by the Krekorian Act.

If you have the courage to bring up the topic with a friend, in acting class or with your representation, you’re likely to be hit with a murid of different and loud opinions. The reason for the uproar is simple – there is no black and white answer – it’s all grey and unclear what’s right or wrong. So what can you do? How do you determine what’s right or wrong? Or if you’re being taken advantage of? Educate yourself and #actsmart.

Let’s start with Krekorian Act – what is it? Personally, hearing it makes me immediately think of Jack Kevorkian aka Dr. Death who championed for a terminal patient’s right to assisted suicide. Clearly not the same thing. The Krekorian Talent Scam Prevention Act was signed into California law in 2009 and put in place to protect talent, specifically children, from being taken advantage of by talent representation. Now, I have read the too-many-pages-to-count document thoroughly and I suggest you do the same, but I’ll summarize it for you. The Act states that:

1. “Advance Fee Talent Representation Services” are prohibited. Meaning that talent representation cannot charge advance fees to talent with the promise of securing jobs. This portion outlines auditioning for representation claiming they can get them work (cast them in work) and have cast others in work before. It also refers to auditioning with the guarantee of work in workshops or seminars.

2. “Talent Counseling Services” are permitted with regulations. A person could charge a fee for counseling and career guidance, and education, but with no promises of work.

3. “Talent Listing Services” are permitted with regulations (aka Casting Networks/Breakdown Services).

4. “Talent Training Services” are permitted with regulations – this clause pertains to issue at hand with workshops. It states that for a fee, you can provide an artist with lessons, coaching, workshops, seminars etc, but a workshop that offers auditions or employment falls under the Advance Fee Talent Service clause (#1 above) and is therefore prohibited.

I would also like to note that there are many specific guidelines the services must follow, but honestly, they leave room for a lot of interpretation and loop holes. But the part that remains clear is that a person or service cannot charge a fee to audition with a promise or implied promise of work.

Are these workshops doing that? I have to say, I don’t think so – not the good ones that you’ve all heard of – and honestly, that I have participated in. They’re too savvy to put any messaging like that out there. But they are offering an opportunity to audition. And as an actor, when you see an opportunity to audition for a leading casting director, the pull to get in that room and then the hope that the casting director will bring you in for their show is hard to ignore. I mean frankly, if a casting director sees a talent in these workshops that they like, why shouldn’t they bring them in for their show? The argument is that casting directors should be holding more generals and going to more plays in order to discover new talent. Should they? Yes of course. There is one particular commercial casting director in town that actually takes generals when she’s slow – it’s amazing. I wish everyone did that. But when budgets are cut and you’re working even harder to maintain your business, it’s hard to find the time and the energy.

I want to make sure I’m clear – I am not encouraging you all to go pay hundreds of dollars in workshops in order to try to get discovered. I also hate that managers and agents are encouraging their talent to do workshops in order to be “seen.” One, they’re fueling the fire, and two it seems like they’d rather send you to a workshop then pick up the phone and fight to get you in the room – easier said than done, I know because I am an agent, but still! However, I don’t think paying a reasonable fee to LEARN SOMETHING from one of these people (rather than paying just to audition) is a bad idea.

Workshops are not going away (at least not anytime soon) and although Scott David lost his job at Criminal Minds he recently broke his silence with a letter posted to “Industry Colleagues” standing behind his business and the good it can do for actors. My advice? Be educated and aware. Research the workshops you’re attending. Are the rates comparable to other workshops? Are the casting directors and agents actually working? Are you going to learn something from the workshop? Prepare good questions. Go into the room with the intention of learning something – not the hope of booking a job – that’s the only way you’ll be putting your money to good use. Anything else that comes from it is icing on the cake. And don’t let the politics and egos of the industry encourage you one or way or another. Make your choices – form your own opinions. But only after you’ve educated yourself ;)

And remember to always #actsmart!

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