There are a TON of scams that occur when actors are desperate to get into SAG (well the desperation thing is bad enough as is… If you fall victim to it, you could stand to lose $ and possibly your good (potential or current) standing with SAG!

I recently saw this discussion on LA Casting Director, Marci Liroff’s Facebook page (via Ben Whitehair). There’s recently been a lot of discussion about Casting Director workshops in LA and having to pay money for them. Here’s an excerpt directly from the SAG.org site itself:

Section 11 of the SAG Rules and Regulations states, in part: It shall likewise be deemed conduct unbecoming a member for any member of the Guild, directly or indirectly, to give or offer to give any money, gift, gratuity or other thing of value to an employer, or prospective employer, to any officer, agent, representative or employee of such employer or prospective employer, or to any employment or casting agency representing an employer, or prospective employer…

It essentially says that you cannot (as a SAG actor in good standing) pay someone to possibly hire you (aka Casting Director workshop). Some CD workshops now require you to sign a waiver that says that you will not consider the workshop an audition (although, which actor goes into a workshop NOT hoping for a job? Seems silly).

Also, as a rather newly minted SAG signatory Producer this section caught my eye:

Don’t Pay Producers: Every so often we hear of a producer that offers a role in a film to anyone who will contribute money towards the financing, anywhere from the starring role if you finance the whole thing to bit parts for those who do not have lots to give…

Some of us know these Producers. Personally, funding part of any of my projects does not guarantee a speaking role – and I would certainly NOT advertise paying for a significant acting role in any of my films requiring that an actor pay me to be in it. As an actor myself, it seems incredibly wrong to ever ask talent to pay. But that’s just me and my morals

What are your thoughts on the matter? Read the rest of the SAG post here: http://www.sag.org/content/scams

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