Nevada: General Market Information Las Vegas is a convention and modeling market first, with film secondary, followed by predominantly non-union commercial and industrials. The film market is primarily location work, which translates into background extras and day players (actors with small speaking parts who work only a day or a few days) opportunities. That is not to say that actors have not been selected from this market to go on to careers in the industry. The list grows each year of actors who are from or who lived in Nevada prior to making it big. Proper training, marketing tools, business sense and representation are needed to take the next step toward a successful career. And while this is a youth centered industry, talent comes in all sizes, colors, backgrounds and ages. Anyone with the dream, willing to learn and work at it, can make a living in show business. It takes time and dedication. But Las Vegas, and by extension, Nevada, are towns where most actors have to do other things to support their acting bug. To stay within the industry convention, modeling or even advertising or marketing work may be necessary Try to work as close to the industry as you can, and to make the connections you may need in the future while doing so. For these reasons, it is good business for the agents and managers in Nevada to represent and see to it that paychecks flow to the talent that earns them the most money, traditionally convention and modeling talent. While character and other roles are cast, many of those actors are imported from Hollywood or New York, even for smaller roles. Actors do have representation, however it is best if you develop into talent that can be marketed for commercial print, convention and other modeling work as well. It is also becoming common for agents to request actual video of film and television projects you have done prior to agreeing to represent you as acting talent. Las Vegas is number one in the nation in convention attendance and volume. Convention and modeling work is primarily through modeling agents, managers and convention production companies. The pay level here is usually low when compared to other convention markets such as Chicago or Atlanta. The work is highly varied, and includes both high paying ear prompt and spokes work and lower pay handing out news publications or simply greeting visitors. Actors across the country find themselves from time to time returning to the convention and trade show industry, including some high profile stars. Simply put, the money is there. Talent in Las Vegas has a low reputation amid the national industry. Historically this is a reflection of the agents need to market non-acting talent in acting roles. Also, the nature of the work here means that most of the work is work that can be done by relative beginners and newcomers, who may not have the skills or experience of the talent pool in Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, San Francisco or Florida. The more you study, the higher your level of skill (talent should take care of itself), the better you will reflect upon Las Vegas and Nevada, and the more likely producers will take the risk of hiring you on as “new” talent. Do not mislead yourself. If they hire a beginner or even intermediate actor, producers are gambling with their money that you will not take too long to do the work, that you know how to produce quality work on the first take, that the chemistry will be there with the crew and other actors and that you will get the job done both creatively and professionally. The more glamorous “good looking” small roles that are cast in Nevada often go to the “beautiful people” that are working models for the agencies. That does not mean that character actors of all ages and types should not compete and aggressively pursue the market. There is work when productions come to town, since most productions would rather hire local to avoid the per-diem (money paid to compensate for working outside of an actors home town) charges and to populate the smaller role with fresh or unknown faces. Sometimes directors or producers pride themselves on hiring “off the street”, so you will see non-actors working. When you do just keep in mind that you are in it for a career and not a lark. It is those who see acting as a fun occasional adventure or a glamorous way to inflate their own egos that have ruined Las Vegas and Nevada’s reputation within the industry. Most entertainment professionals strongly recommend joining the union once an individual looks upon himself or herself qualified professional talent. The protections and income potential far exceed the alternative, particularly if work s sought in the major production centers of Los Angeles or New York City. Since there is no “must join” provision in Nevada, the choice to join a union is a very individual one based individual background, interest and potential. The negative to joining the union in Nevada is simply this. There is no “must join” provision in Right-to-Work states. Nevada is a Right-to-Work state where access to union jobs cannot be restricted to union members. An actor can work union and non-union work in Nevada, gaining the pay and benefits of the union work when working union and the frequency of employment when working non-union. By joining a union you are limiting your ability to accept work offered to you. Once you enter into a legal agreement with a union by joining, you are closing the door on any and all non-union work. The disadvantage to doing non-union work lies in exposure and in how much you value your time and talents. Nonunion commercials may run as often, for as long, and in as many markets as the producer wants without paying talent an additional penny. Those same commercials can be turned into print adds, billboards, reedited into other commercials, the audio put on the radio not just in Nevada but anywhere else in the country of world the client wishes without paying you, the actor, an additional cent. When “Excalibur” opened on the Las Vegas Strip, the initial Hollywood quality film commercials that were shot non-union ran for almost a decade. The actors in the commercials found that other employers, particularly union producers, would not employ them. In fact there is a legal liability if you do accept work in a competing commercial, simply put the producers can sue you for breach of contract. And it gets worse, because a commercial for a Hotel-Casino will put an actor into potential conflict on all hotel, hospitality, theme entertainment, gambling, food and beverage (restaurant) and along list of other product categories. In other words you have put yourself at risk for future work in a wide range of areas by doing one nonunion commercial. And then there is the issue of not being guaranteed swept payment or damages that you would under a union contract. The advantage to joining the unions lies in wages, working condition protections, future residual or use fee income, the potential of qualifying for excellent health plans and retirement and that to many producers and directors being union means you have chosen to look upon yourself as a professional and respect your own talent and its value. As with many things you would put on a professional resume in your primary profession, prior profession or day-job, a membership in SAG is one vital way of getting past those who screen resumes and photos by the thousands. Often non-union talent is summarily disguarded long before the audition process begins. If your intent is to be a full time professional in the industry, when you feel you are ready join the union and join in Nevada, where initiation is lower and the potential of your getting past the large union talent pools and landing that qualifying role or background work is much higher (entering as a background performer is about to get much more difficult, as the unions are considering ways to slow the rapid influx of new membership that has occurred over the past two decades). The talent pool in Nevada is much smaller, so your potential for that key dayplayer role becomes much higher. sagactoronline/2010/01/glossary-and-talent-directory-draft0.html#more
Posted on: Mon, 19 Aug 2013 05:57:21 +0000
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