SAG TOP SECRET BALLOTS ARE IN

That’s right, the “Top Secret” ballots that I spoke of in an earlier blog are in, and the results are crystal clear.  A year after the former SAG contract expired, Screen Actor’s Guild members overwhelming, 78% to 22%, voted to ratify the 2-year contract that goes into effect today, June 10th.

Though the members voted in favor of the contract, SAG President Alan Rosenberg stands behind the fight for more rights, which is what started the yearlong negotiation process, and ultimate contract vote, in the first place.  In a statement made by him last night, and sent to every member of SAG, his unhappiness rings loudly through…

“The membership has spoken and has decided to work under the terms of this contract that many of us, who have been involved in these negotiations from the beginning, believe to be devastatingly unsatisfactory. Tomorrow morning I will be contacting the elected leadership of the other talent unions with the hope of beginning a series of pre-negotiation summit meetings in preparation for 2011. I call upon all SAG members to begin to ready themselves for the battle ahead.”

In contrast, actor and star of the award winning USA show “Monk,” Tony Shalhoub, with whom I had the true pleasure of working on that show, stated…

“This is a great decision for SAG and I’m so appreciative of everything the new leadership is doing to put the Guild back on track…they’ve obviously got the right ideas for making SAG stronger.”

Personally, I feel as though the entertainment industry has been a bit out of sync over the last couple years, starting with the WGA (Writer’s Guild of America) strike that happened in 2007.  Pilot season, which is when we actors tend to get the most opportunities for auditions and are out making our rounds for all the new shows in the network lineups, were quieter.  Things just seemed slower all around.

For an actor, it is a step-by-step process towards being successful, although what defines success is different for each person.  Therefore, having somewhat missed out on what is usually the busiest time for us, we can easily perceived it as a step back.  That said, we must remember that everyone in and around the industry felt it too, and, so, it was a group step back, so to speak, in unison.

Regardless of where you stand on the vote, the results are in. We must now move forward under the new contract, and stay hopeful towards what the future of the industry might be, which is uncertain.  Then again, uncertainty goes with the territory, so one must get used to it.   I shall now hold tight and see how things change in the industry, as well as on the audition front, while looking forward to some exciting events happening for my family, outside of acting.

“Uncertainty and mystery are energies of life.  Don’t let them scare you unduly, for they keep boredom at bay and spark creativity.” - R. I. Fitzhenry

QUICK UPDATE IN THE MIDST OF JUNE GLOOM

June gloom, as they refer to it, is in full swing, and so it is super smog filled, cloudy, foggy, gray, and even a bit cooler out at times with on and off drizzle, hence the gloom.  But that won’t keep me from writing a quick update blog for everyone!  On the acting front, all SAG members are quickly getting their “Top Secret” ballots mailed to the tallying location in Everett, WA by the 5PM deadline on June 9th, which also happens to be my marvelous mother’s Birthday.   At that time, we should all have a better understanding of where the current entertainment industry is going, and what the possible future of it is.  Though, like most things entertainment or acting related, there are no guarantees and certainty is usually uncertain.

On Saturday night, I had the chance to meet and talk with a couple of fabulous fellow actors at the famous Roosevelt Hotel in Hollywood, once frequented by Marilyn Monroe and Clark Gable, and we had a truly enlightening conversation.  I chatted with one of them in-depth about being an actor in LA, some of the differences between LA and NYC, as opposed to even Chicago or San Francisco.  Our talk included some information he had gotten from an agent at CAA (Creative Artists Agency), one of the very top talent agencies, about the acting front in general, and its apparent slow down in pace, where it is going, and when a change might occur.

Needless to say, the conversations made me think, but then again, when am I not thinking…hehe.  There is something I am pondering giving a try, but I am keeping mum, as they say, about it right now.  Still in the realm of performing, it’s just a slightly new and different avenue, but one that I think I would be genuinely happy doing, and it happens to combine some of my favorites.

‘Till next time, I hope you are all enjoying spring and will have a wonderful rest of the week.  For those of you experiencing some June gloom, hopefully you will be able to find sunshine through other elements and aspects of your life, while keeping things bright and cheery.  If not, look on the sunnier side, rest assured that the sun will be out again, in all of its glory very soon as summer nears and the temperatures briskly heat up!

“The coast of California is the third foggiest area in the United States, after New England and the Northwest. Every spring here, the cool air that lies just off the coast — basically, a thick layer of clouds — is drawn inland by warm air rising in the interior known as May Gray and June Gloom.” – Melinda Burn