| AGENT ACCESS & CASTING ACCESS GUIDELINES
What This Is
An ongoing, cooperative venture for the mutual benefit of Chicago casting professionals and AFTRA/SAG members in good standing;
An opportunity for casting professionals to hold “generals” and become better acquainted with the wide variety of talent in Chicago's AFTRA and SAG memberships;
A legitimate opportunity for AFTRA and SAG members to audition for or interview with casting directors in a professional atmosphere.
What This Isn't
A workshop, training or “feedback” program;
A guarantee of work or future audition or employment opportunities
Inspired and developed by Jane Alderman , CSA (and AFTRA/SAG member!) – and in cooperation with many of our partners in the casting community – AFTRA/SAG Chicago and the Kaufherr Members Resource Center are proud to present Casting Access – offering Chicago AFTRA and SAG members what they need and want most: opportunities!
It is our hope that the project will be a lasting and fruitful one for both members and casting directors. It is our goal to maintain the program as far into the future as we can, and at
no cost to members .
Casting Access events will be held on a regular basis, and will be scheduled as frequently as individual casting directors can commit their time. We hope to host at least one event for each local CD in the first year of the program – and will encourage CDs to return as often as they like in the future.
In order to position this program for maximum success we must ask that ALL guidelines for member participation be followed to the letter. We also reserve the right to amend the program from time to time in order to accommodate a specific request from a CD, but we will always do our best to communicate any temporary or lasting changes well in advance of events.
GUIDELINES FOR ACTORS – Q & A
Who may participate?
All members of Chicago's AFTRA Local and/or SAG Branch ( including those throughout the Midwest who are now affiliated with Chicago) in good standing and dues current are allowed to submit and have their materials passed on to casting directors for consideration. Non-members may not participate in this program.
Access events for both on-camera and voice performers will be scheduled, based on demand from casting directors. Members are asked to provide only professional-quality materials for submission, in accordance with current industry standards. Tthis means professional-quality headshots and clean, legible resumes.
No one at the unions – neither staff nor member volunteers – will have any influence whatsoever on the selections made by the casting directors . Selections will be made entirely at the discretion of the casting professionals and in the interest of fairness, they may choose to give some priority to members they haven't met before, or who haven't auditioned for them in more than a year. Again: AFTRA and SAG will have absolutely no influence over the selection process beyond staff verification of membership in good standing at time of submission.
What does it cost to participate?
Casting Access is a free program – there is no fee to participate.
Are these “real” auditions? What will I need to prepare?
Access events are most definitely real opportunities! They are not workshops, classes or “mock” auditions. Most events will operate like traditional “generals”. Although you are not likely to be auditioning for specific roles or projects, a casting professional may opt to ask you to prepare memorized monologues, prepare to read sides they make available in advance, ask for cold readings, simply interview – or any combination of these. Whenever possible, the structure of specific events will be announced in advance. At the very least, members who are selected to attend will be told how and what to prepare when their appointment is offered – usually at least 10 days in advance.
Auditions may be recorded on video (or audio), at the CD's discretion.
Where will Casting Access events take place?
Most events will be held in the Kaufherr Members Resource Center (adjacent to the AFTRA/SAG office), although a CD may opt to hold an event in their own office. The KMRC will be closed during Casting Access events and notice of the closing posted in advance in the KMRC.
How do I find out about Casting Access events?
Upcoming events and submission deadlines will be published in our local union newsletters (as deadlines allow), in The Activator (Chicago's e-newsletter) and on the Local and Branch pages of the union websites, www.sag.org and www.aftra.org . Flyers will also be posted in the KMRC.
How do I submit for Casting Access events?
Members may submit only one headshot/ resume (or voice demo) per casting director annually. Materials may be mailed or hand-delivered to: AFTRA/SAG Chicago, One East Erie, Suite 650, Chicago IL 60611 . Please place your materials in a standard-sized envelope and print only the following information very clearly on the outside front:
Your name – as it is listed with the union(s)
Your AFTRA and/or SAG member identification number(s)
The name of the casting director
For example –
John Xavier Doe
AFTRA # 1234567
SAG # 8901234
JANE ALDERMAN
You must submit a separate envelope for each event – materials will not be shared or recycled among the CDs. If more than one event has been announced for coming months, you may submit for all scheduled events at the same time (with separate materials) and need not wait for individual submission periods. However, you may not submit materials in advance for CDs who have no pending Access events scheduled.
Submissions without legible name and valid member ID number(s) on the outside front of the envelope will not be accepted.
It is your responsibility to provide us with your correct name as it is listed with the union(s) and accurate union ID number(s).
Will submissions be returned?
Any unused materials will either be kept on file at each casting director's discretion or properly disposed of (in the interest of member privacy).
All eligible Access submissions will remain on file with CDs for one year. If a CD you have already submitted materials to should happen to return for a second event within one year's time, you should not re-submit . Members will not be selected to attend more than one Access event for the same CD – in the interest of greater opportunity for others as well as reduced redundancy and paperwork in the future, please do not resubmit for a CD you have already met via the Access program.
As the program continues, we will make sure to remind members when they may submit again for a specific casting director. For example, after April of 2005, members who submitted to Jane Alderman in 2004 and were not selected may re-submit. Re-submission dates will be publicized as the program continues beyond its first year – and we sincerely hope that it will!
Anything else about materials?
Yes. Agents will not be submitting for or taking appointments for this program. While you should certainly include any current representation information in your materials, you must also include at least ONE RELIABLE PHONE NUMBER (on your resume or with your demo)to be used to contact you if you are selected to participate in an event . Volunteers and CDs will not share your personal contact information with anyone, but it is your responsibility to
give us accurate and dependable contact information.
Who decides if I'm eligible to be submitted?
AFTRA/SAG staff will privately verify your paid-up status when your submission is received. If you are unclear of your status, it is your responsibility to check with the local office well in advance of a submission deadline. If staff cannot verify your paid-up status, you will not be notified and your materials will not be passed on to the casting director.
One of our primary goals is keeping staff assistance to a minimum. We do not want this project to overwhelm an already busy office staff. Your consideration and attention to detail when submitting is appreciated. It will also get you that much closer to being selected!
How will I find out if I've been chosen for an event?
Staff or member volunteers will help facilitate the scheduling of events and will contact the participants via phone ONLY . As stated above, please make sure that your materials include a reliable, working contact telephone number where you can be reached or receive messages in advance of the event. We will leave only one message per participant regarding an appointment time – either with a person or on a machine/voicemail. In the case of a V/M, the participant must RSVP within one business day. In the event of busy signals, disconnects or voicemail/answering machine failures, we will make only two attempts to reach you on two consecutive days.
Again: we will not call agents to schedule these appointments, and we will not make more than two attempts to reach you if you are selected to attend an Access event. Every precaution will be taken to keep any personal contact information you provide confidential. Costs and the timeline prohibit us from being able to notify participants by mail. If we are unable to reach you, you may re-submit again the following year – and remember: your materials remain on file with the CD for one year and you may still be selected for any subsequent event he or she may schedule within that year.
Members who are not selected to participate will not be contacted. Please do NOT contact the AFTRA/SAG office (or any individual CD) to request information about participants. All selected participants will be notified at least one week in advance of the event. If by this time you have not heard from an Access volunteer, you should assume that you have not been selected for this one event. As time (and individual CD preferences) allow, we may post a list of selections in the KMRC in advance of a specific event, but we ask for your understanding and utmost professionalism in respecting this industry protocol.
What happens after I'm notified of an appointment?
The appointment date and time you have been assigned by the casting director is not negotiable . If you find that you cannot attend at the time you're offered, you must decline your audition and will go to the top of that CD's list for their next Access event.
These are real chances to be seen by casting professionals, and so the same basic guidelines of professionalism and audition courtesy apply. If you are running only a few minutes late, please do not call the location – just get there as quickly and safely as you can.
If you are more than 15 minutes late, you should call the location but you must also forfeit your appointment. We will not have staff on hand to negotiate any changes in the schedule, so please take whatever steps necessary to be available at your appointed time, just as you would for any professional opportunity. Inclement weather and personal emergencies may be noted for future reference and you may be allowed to submit again in the future – but it will be at the sole discretion of the specific casting director involved. Tardiness is a common complaint among local CDs, and the program must hold a hard line in this area.
I not call to cancel and fail to appear, you will not be permitted to submit to the program again. With several thousand performers in the Chicago memberships, we must operate this program as professionally and fairly as possible.
Members who have not been given an appointment time will not be permitted to show up at an event in hopes of a cancellation, “just to say hi” or “just drop off a headshot for ________”.
The KMRC will be closed during Access events . We understand how eager everyone is for a chance to be seen, but we must respect the customary protocols of the industry. As Chicago actors are well aware, most casting directors and agents do not allow phone calls or “drop-ins” – the same policy will apply to Access events. Casting directors have requested that anyone exhibiting this kind of unprofessional behavior be excluded from future Access events.
Anything else I should know?
Yes. While Chicago AFTRA/SAG and the KMRC are thrilled to help sponsor such a terrific and meaningful program, we ask that members bear in mind the reasons for creating all these rules and regulations: a level playing field for all, cost-efficiency and the desire to make these events as appealing and enjoyable for the casting professionals as possible. In time, we are sure that the system will become a familiar one that is easy for everyone to accommodate. And in the near future, we also hope to present a similar program in cooperation with our local franchised talent agents, so be sure to stay tuned for more good news!
As ever, we welcome your constructive feedback and suggestions – either send an email to ChicagoPresident@sag.org or leave a note in the KMRC suggestion/donation box.
Finally, if you want to be assured of hearing about these events and other breaking news please subscribe to Chicago's e-newsletter, The Activator . Send an email to mpalmer@aftra.com
with “ADD ME” in the subject line. Please include your name and membership number(s) so we can add your email address to your membership record.
Here's to greater access and to your success!
I n Solidarity,
Todd Hissong
SAG President
Dan Frick
AFTRA President
Eileen M. Willenborg
Executive Director
Submissions without legible name and valid member ID number(s) on the outside front of the envelope will not be accepted.
It is your responsibility to provide us with your correct name as it is listed with the union(s) and accurate union ID number(s).
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