Marci Liroff casting is now bashing “pay-to-play” acting workshops.
Marci Liroff is one of the most popular and powerful casting directors in the film industry. Her casting credits include working with Steven Spielberg on E.T. The Extra Terrestrial and Lindsay Lohan’s Mean Girls. But, she’s not sitting back while the controversy surrounding acting workshops spoils the industry, the leading casting director has harshly criticized the industry’s practices, according to a memo obtained by The Hollywood Reporter.
In April, the Casting Society of America established an investigation group to investigate expensive acting workshops that were a “pay-to-play” scheme – actors were being charged for acting classes that were not actually acting classes but, allowed the actor to audition for roles. Since then, one of the most powerful casting directors in the business, Scott David, has left the show and ended his workshop business, The Actors link. In addition, a petition urging the L.A. City Attorney Mike Feuer to take action on the issue had over 10,000 signatures.
In the Marci Liroff memo, Liroff argued that the workshops had little educational value and that a one-on-one reading was “more like a speed-dating scenario than a class.” In addition, Liroff argued that casting associates and assistants need to get permission before holding acting workshops.
Since the “pay-to-play” workshop investigation, things are really changing in Hollywood. According to reports, “actors are calling and saying they aren’t going to do workshops.”
This all started after The Hollywood Reporter investigated in to pay-to-play acting workshops. According to the report, these “acting classes” are linked to nearly every broadcast show. And many new actors are paying $1,500 a year on two or three workshop classes a month in hopes of landing a day-player role that pays only a little over $600 for one day’s worth of work. In fact, casting director Dea Vise argues that “Half the people that are on network television today paid for their job interview — the one-liner roles.”
But, it’s important to highlight the fact that exchanging money for the possibility of getting a job is illegal thanks to The Krekorian Talent Scam Prevention Act of 2009, which outlaws workshops and casting directors from charging or attempting to charge an artist for an audition or employment opportunity. However, since the law was passed seven years ago, there have been no prosecutions.
It’s incredible tough to become an actor and it quickly becomes apparent that acting jobs is only an opportunity for the rich and wealthy. Head shots are expensive, acting classes are not cheap, and if you’re only way to get a major audition is by spending thousands of dollars, then the film industry is not only tough it is unfair. We will have to wait and see if the L.A. City Attorney Mike Feuer is actually going to enforce the rules and regulations surrounding pay-to-play auditions. Until then, save your pennies because it’s not cheap if you want to audition for [insert your favorite movie/tv show here].
Via THR
Related:
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[UPDATE] ‘Criminal Minds’ Casting Director Fired After “Illegal” Workshops
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Actors’ Start Petition to Crackdown on “Illegal” Casting Director Workshops
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‘Vampire Diaries’ Casting Director Cancels Classes After “Illegal” Workshops
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