Dear CSA Members,
This awards season, the Casting Society of America has been elevated to a new level of visibility in the industry. Anyone in attendance at last night’s NY or LA Artios Awards ceremonies would certainly agree. Together, we have made tremendous progress toward securing for Casting the level of awareness and respect our craft deserves. Favorable and in-depth reports in the New York Times and several major entertainment trades have spotlighted the fine work of our members this week. Our collective future is brighter than ever.
At the same time, we regret to report that we have become aware of a number of instances of what we believe to be questionable business practices perpetrated by Casting professionals involving casting workshops. For the avoidance of doubt, please take a moment to re-familiarize yourself and those under your management with the L.A. City Attorney’s published guidelines for workshops, which CSA helped develop in 2002, and helped update in 2010. No CSA member should work outside these lines, EVER. The CSA will take seriously any reports of improper behavior by members. Ignorance of these guidelines is not a valid excuse.
If you have any questions, or become aware of any information that you think is detrimental to the reputation of the Casting profession, please feel welcome to be in touch with a CSA board member immediately. Together, we can ensure the brightest possible future for our beloved industry.
Your CSA Board
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FROM OUR WEBSITE:
California Workshop Guidelines
Guidelines issued May 2010
RULES for CASTING DIRECTORS and CASTING ASSOCIATES PARTICIPATING at WORKSHOPS where ACTORS PAY
WORKSHOPS SHOULD BE CONDUCTED FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY AND IT IS PERMISSIBLE FOR CASTING DIRECTORS / CASTING ASSOCIATES TO RECEIVE A STIPEND FOR TEACHING SUCH WORKSHOPS IF THE FOLLOWING GUIDELINES ARE ADHERED TO:
1. The Casting Director/Casting Associate (and Casting Assistant) (CD/CA) may not use workshops for the purpose of auditions, “pre-reads” or suggestions of future employment. The workshop may not be structured so that the majority of actor-participants are given the opportunity to perform a scene, and provided only simple redirect or feedback. The workshop shall be a real teaching experience and not resemble an audition.
2. The CD/CA may not retain a student/actor’s headshot, résumé, business card, reel, DVD, other electronic media, other promotional material, or any links thereto.
- All such promotional material may be provided for use during the workshop only and must be returned to the student/actor at the conclusion of that day’s workshop. (For workshops conducted online, the CD/CA may not retain a copy and must delete it from his/her computer’s hard drive.)
- At the beginning of the workshop, the CD/CA shall read the following disclaimer to the class – exactly as written:
“This workshop is a learning experience. It is not an audition or employment opportunity. As such, when this class is over, I will not be taking home, nor be given access to your headshot, resume or any of your other promotional materials.”
- The CD/CA may not participate in any workshop which provides, or advertises that it will provide the CD/CA with a student/actor’s headshot, resume, profile etc. (other than for use during the workshop only)• The CD/CA may not participate in any workshop which provides, or advertises that it will provide the CD/CA at any time with an electronic link or other access to the student/actor’s headshot, resume, profile etc.
- The workshop may provide a worksheet with thumbnail photos of the actors and space on the worksheet to make comments, but is not required. The worksheet may not have any contact information other than the name
(Note: No sooner than 24 hours after the workshop is completed, the CD/CA may request the workshop provide the contact information (name, phone number, e-mail, agent/manager) of a student/actor on an individual basis.
However, this may not include a headshot, resume, profile or other promotional information.
Also, the CD/CA and workshop may not publicize this to the class at any time.
3. The CD/CA must inquire whether the workshop has a bond posted with the State Labor Commissioner as required by Labor Code section 1703.3(a), and may not participate unless it does.
4. The CD/CA may not use sides or materials from any show the CD/CA is currently casting or hired to cast, except if the roles being read are already cast.
5. The CD/CA must provide the workshop and the students with a specific lesson plan and the CD/CA must retain the lesson plan on file. The CD/CA should demand the workshop prominently display the lesson plan in its advertisements, including but not limited to internet websites, email, Facebook pages, Twitter, etc.
6. The CD/CA may not permit the use of the name, project information or likeness in any manner of a current production she/he is casting without first obtaining written permission from that production.
7. The Casting Director who teaches at a workshop must have one or more of the following qualifications:
• Member in good standing of the Casting Society of America; or
• Eighteen (18) months of experience as a Casting Director;
The Casting Associate who teaches at a workshop must have one or more of the following qualifications:
• Member in good standing of the Casting Society of America; or
• Eighteen (18) months of experience as a Casting Associate consisting of active participation in auditioning and presenting actors to producers and directors.
• Additionally, the Casting Associate must have written permission from a CD that they have worked for within the last eighteen (18) months to teach a workshop and the workshop facilitator must keep this on file.
The Casting Assistant who teaches at a workshop must have the same qualifications as a Casting Associate, and must also have written permission from a CD that they have worked for within the last eighteen (18) months to teach a workshop. The workshop facilitator must keep this on file.
8. Prior to the workshop, the participating CD/CA must access the workshop’s website (or Facebook/Twitter etc. if there is no website) and use all reasonable efforts to determine how the workshop is promoting that event. The CD/CA may not participate in any workshop whose advertisements/representations are deceptive or otherwise violate the following guidelines:
• The workshop’s advertisements must conspicuously disclose the following:
(For websites and similar electronic advertisements, this disclosure must appear on the home page):
“This workshop is a learning experience. It is not an audition or employment opportunity. When the workshop is over, the casting director/casting associate/casting director (whichever is applicable) teaching this workshop will not be taking home nor be given access to your headshot, resume or any other of your promotional materials”
• The workshop’s advertisements may not state or imply that attendees have had success in gaining auditions, interviews or employment as a result of meeting a casting director through a workshop, nor that any CD or CA has a preference for hiring attendees at a particular workshop.
• The workshop’s advertisements may not state or imply that the CD/CA is using the workshop to audition actors, using phrases such as “currently” casting, for example. It may otherwise list the CD/CA credits, including current projects.
• The workshop’s advertisements may not use the name of a current production without written permission from the CD (who must have written permission from the production company)
• The workshop’s advertisement may not be misleading about the credentials of the CD/CA participant
9. The CD/CA who participates in paid workshops is strongly encouraged to also participate in workshops that do not charge actors a fee. Contact the CSA, SAG., AFTRA and the SAG Foundation offices for more details.