L.A. Home to Only Half of 2010-11 TV Pilots
With 169 pilots produced during the 2010-11 development period, television had its most prolific pilot season yet, thanks to a recent increase in cable-bound comedy series. Unfortunately, Los Angeles can’t report such great numbers, as its share of pilots shrunk again in the latest reporting period.
According to the Los Angeles Times, L.A. was home to only 51 percent of pilot shoots. Although its 87 pilots outnumbered the 2009-10 season’s total of 76, they only made up a little more than half of total shows produced, compared to the previous year’s 58 percent. As recently as the 2004-05 season, 82 percent of all pilots were made in the City of Angels.
Because of its rich entertainment history, L.A. is still recognized by most of the country as the place where their favorite TV shows are filmed. However, the Times reports that eastern locales like New York, Florida, Georgia and Louisiana have asserted themselves as television-friendly states in recent years.
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Meet Your Edge Then Get To The Other Side
March 4, 2011 by Lance Carter
Filed under Acting Advice Columns
This is a guest post by Anthony Meindl
There’s no end point in life. No destination.
Often we think we will “be happy when”… we buy a new house, get married, sell our first novel, win an award, etc. etc. etc. But once these end goals are achieved you’ll often find that once you have them, your life is still the same.
Sure, the external, material trappings have changed (you’ve got more money, are finally famous, have the nice car, moved to a better zip code), but the core essence of who you are is carried with you. Things don’t change who you are.
What does transform us is coming up against our edge (as the inspirational Buddhist monk, PEMA CHÖDRÖN calls it), meeting it, and pushing through. The pushing through to the other side of what scares us or what makes us want to recoil, or what we have judgments about, is really what forges a new you.
And life is a constant calling towards the edge. It never ends. Ever. You may star in a movie, you may finally get that agent, but life will continue to confront you with your edge. This is because it’s a path, a process – not a finish line.
Casting Directors
March 4, 2010 by Lance Carter
Filed under
LA Actors: Send Your Stuff!
February 24, 2010 by Lance Carter
Filed under Performing Arts News
Get your headshots or postcards ready! 
Tracy Lilienfield Casting is casting the new pilot, Sh*t My Dad Says (CBS, 1/2)
Tracy Lilienfield Casting
5555 Melrose Ave.
Dreier Bldg.
Los Angeles, CA 90038
Valko/Miller Casting is casting the pilot, Kindreds (NBC, 1 hour).
Valko/Miller Casting
3500 W. Olive Ave.
Suite 780
Burbank, CA 9150
Stordahl/Terry Casting is casting the pilot, Nomads (CW, 1 hour).
Stordahl /Terry Casting
121 West Lexington Drive
Suite 206
Glendale, CA 91203
And all labels are now updated (agents, casting directors & VO)!
The Casting Director labels are for what is currently casting (both New York & LA). Click here!
Actorfest LA – Are you going?
November 6, 2009 by Lance Carter
Filed under Performing Arts News
I’ve never been to Actorfest but looking at the website it looks fantastic.
Tons of things to do – workshops, exhibits – and I’m looking forward to it.
Don’t forget to bring a bunch of headshots because there will be casting director drop boxes there.
If you can make it, try and get to the G. Charles Wright workshop. I highly recommend him!
Here’s a blur from the site:
Register Now! Actorfest LA is on Saturday, November 14th at the California Market Center in downtown Los Angeles, CA. Free Open Casting Calls with NBC, Telemundo and Disney…. Free Exhibit Hall, Networking Café, Headshot Drop Boxes and Meet & Greet Sessions. Don’t miss our exciting line-up of workshops with top casting directors, agents, managers, and instructors. Get more information and register now before things sell out at www.actorfest.com
Mailing Labels
August 31, 2009 by Lance Carter
Filed under
Casting Director & Agent Labels
Don’t you hate updating labels? Tracking down casting directors or agents, making sure they’re address is up to date or even driving to the bookstore to buy the actual labels?
Well, look no more. Now you can get up-to-date and accurate labels right here!
Download these PDF/Word mailing labels directly to your computer to quickly and easily send your headshot and resume to agents or casting directors that are currently casting.
Stop wasting time:
- Updating labels
- Finding the casting directors who are currently casting projects
- Making sure addresses are correct
Up to date and accurate!
“Your list is Better than Breakdowns and Now Casting & it’s downloadable. Brilliant!”
James DuMont – Treme, Grey’s Anatomy
Your Shopping Cart
Los Angeles
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Casting Director Labels - Updated May 4th!
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Adobe Version
Word Version (Fully Editable!)|
Currently Casting Spreadsheet - Updated May 4th!
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Commercial Casting Directors - Updated May 4th!
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| Theatrical Agent Labels – Updated May 4th! Description: The latest theatrical agency labels.
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| Commercial Agent Labels – Updated May 4th! Description: The latest commercial agency labels.
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| Voice Over Agent Labels – Updated May 4th! Description: The latest Voice Over agent labels.
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New York
| Casting Director Labels - Updated May4th! Description: Labels of shows & films that are currently casting. Includes labels and a spreadsheet (click here for an example of the spreadsheet) listing all shows & films with the casting company, CD/CD associate and broadcast network.
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| Currently Casting Spreadsheet – Updated May 4th! Description: This spreadsheet is included in the Casting Director Labels download but now offered as a separate product! This is a list of film & TV projects that are currently casting in New York City. Click here for an example.
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| Agent Labels (Commercial & Theatrical) – Updated May 4th! Description: The latest agent labels.
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Important INFO for all Adobe PDF labels: You can easily print these on any Avery 8160 address labels (or for a cheaper option, generic label versions are also available at Staples or Office Depot).
Print them out on a regular sheet of paper first and make sure they line up correctly. If not, in the Adobe PDF file, go to File, Print. Look for Page Scaling and make sure it’s set to: None
Need a temp job?
March 24, 2009 by Lance Carter
Filed under Performing Arts News
In LA and looking for a temp job? Try these temp agencies who are actor-friendly.
Co-Op Temp Agency
Contact Person: Jill Motaman
323-655-1009
8447 Wilshire Ste 210
Beverly Hills, CA 90211
www.cooptemp.com
Comar Agency
www.comaragency.com
Scheduling Coordinator
310-248-2700
9615 Brighton Way Ste 313
Beverly Hills, CA 90210
Exclusively entertainment temp agency. Services all major entertainment companies.
A+ Employment Co, Inc
www.theemploymentco.com
818-840-0998
4111 W. Alameda Ave Ste 303
Burbank, CA 91505
Executive Temps
818-563-2939
2321 West Olive Ave
Burbank, CA 91506
www.executive-temps.com
Exclusively entertainment temp agency. Services all major entertainment companies.
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Pilots flying out of LA despite tax plan
March 17, 2009 by Lance Carter
Filed under Performing Arts News
Pilot season is in full swing and most likely, none of the filming is going on anywhere near you.
Despite the new tax plan, pilots are shooting every but here.
From Variety:
Of the 39 hourlong pilots and presentations that have been ordered by the Big Four and CW, at least 20 are skedded to shoot outside California’s borders.
This year, Providence, R.I.; Baltimore; Boston; Atlanta; Chicago; Richmond, Va.; and Pittsburgh are among the unusual locales where broadcast net pilots are being produced, and all are in states that offer production tax-incentive carrots. Twentieth Century Fox TV has traveled as far as Prague for its “Da Vinci Code”-esque thriller “Masterwork” for Fox, though that decision was made as much for storyline purposes as anything else.
New Jersey, which recently greenlit its own incentives, has benefited from Albany’s paralysis, landing the NBC/Universal Media Studios drama pilot “Mercy” and CBS/CBS Paramount’s 9/11-themed drama “Back” (portions of which are also shot in Toronto).
Biz insiders with an interest in keeping production in California say they’re frustrated by the notion in Sacramento that a tax incentive program is a giveaway to Hollywood. Studies of programs in other states have shown that film incentives more than pay for themselves in generating tax revenues that wouldn’t otherwise exist, plus they drive spending in local businesses not directly tied to showbiz.
“What really happened is the doors opened a crack in California (with the incentive program). If they want it to have real impact, they need to open the door a lot wider,” said Audley. “The (state) legislature needs to recognize that production has just gone from this state. What’s left will be gone unless they do something to help preserve it. We are in grave danger of losing the business.”
This is so far from ridicilious! Even when this state tries to give out tax breaks they still manage to screw it up.
"In Treatment" moving back to LA?
March 10, 2009 by Lance Carter
Filed under Performing Arts News
It looks like HBO‘s In Treatment might be the first casualty of New York’s roll back of the tax credits.
With Fringe recently leaving for Vancouver, New York is in a panic.
The executive producer of In Treatment series said he will yank the show and its 70 jobs from the Big Apple if Gov. Paterson doesn’t fund the state’s 30 percent tax credit for TV and movie production.
The producer, Warren Leight, said the four episodes left to film this season will be the last in New York if the money isn’t forthcoming – he is ready to take California’s tax credit cash and move 3,000 miles away.
“Not knowing what’s happening here is scary for them,” Leight says of his crew, all of which are New Yorkers hired recently when the show moved its production from Los Angeles-specifically because of the tax credits.
If the tax credits are not funded during the budget battle in the statehouse, tens of thousands of acting jobs could be lost here. Paterson raised the tax credit from 10 percent to 30 percent in 2007. He appropriated $460 million to finance it through 2013 – but those funds lasted just 10 months.
Now the Empire State Development Corp., which oversees the program, is proposing a $100 million annual cap, a drop in the bucket as far as the film industry is concerned. In fact, nationally and internationally there is a battle royale brewing over film and TV production.
Canadian dollar could steer productions back north
January 18, 2009 by Lance Carter
Filed under Performing Arts News
This is awesome news! For Canadians.
Not only is production here in California dwindling to a screeching halt (Thanks Gov. Schwarzenegger for doing nothing about keeping productions here in CA!) but now that the Canadian dollar is down the toilet, producers are heading back to Hollywood North.
Canadian currency is tumbling in value versus the U.S. dollar, and that is a decidedly good thing for firms hoping to lure film and TV projects north of the border, local industry executives say.
A strengthened Canadian dollar since 2006 forced many U.S. producers to steer their projects away from Canada — dubbed Hollywood North during the go-go 1990s — to southern U.S. states with their own generous tax credits.
Canada’s appeal was undercut even further in 2008 when New York tripled its tax credit on below-the-line expenses to 30% and began to offer TV series and movies filmed in New York City a 5% bonus.
That move effectively knocked Hollywood production hubs such as Toronto and Montreal out of the running when it came to luring Los Angeles producers away from rival locales like Michigan, Louisiana and New Mexico.
But with recent market turmoil sending the loonie down in value, Canada is back on the radar of Hollywood bean counters, Bronfman said.
“If you do the math, with the (Canadian) dollar below 80 cents, that’s a 20% bonus. Combine that with our federal and provincial tax credits, and we’re back to a level playing field with New York State,” he said.
