Blog Stage - Acting in Film, TV, Theatre - Backstage

New York Auditions at a Glance – March 31-April 8

The following "Auditions at a Glance" calendar conveniently organizes projects by the date and day-of-the-week that the projects' auditions are taking place, to help you schedule your plans.

Click on any of the following links to see the casting and job notices related to the dates and project titles highlighted below.

California Auditions at a Glance – March 31-April 8

The following "Auditions at a Glance" calendar conveniently organizes projects by the date and day-of-the-week that the projects' auditions are taking place, to help you schedule your plans.

Click on any of the following links to see the casting and job notices related to the dates and project titles highlighted below.

Regional Auditions at a Glance – March 31-April 8

The following "Auditions at a Glance" calendar conveniently organizes projects by the date and day-of-the-week that the projects' auditions are taking place, to help you schedule your plans.

Click on any of the following links to see the casting and job notices related to the dates and project titles highlighted below.

Now in Netflix News: The New Streaming Reality

And now some recent headlines from the world of entertainment: “Netflix nears over $100 million deal with Miramax” (Reuters, March 26); “Starz to delay new series on Netflix streaming, movies may follow” (Los Angeles Times, March 24); “Showtime to pull current shows off Netflix” (Deadline, March 22); “Netflix makes it official: We’re in the TV game with ‘House of Cards’ ” (The Wrap, March 18); “Sarandos: Netflix doesn’t devalue content” (Variety, March 10).

So what can we learn from reading all that stuff between the quotation marks, semicolons, and parentheses? Two things. First, headline writing is a dead art form—gone, sadly, are the days of great works such as “Headless Body in Topless Bar” and “Ford to City: Drop Dead.” Sigh. Second, Netflix is everywhere. Let’s discuss that second thing for a moment.

'Mad Men' Delayed Until Next Year

The Emmy-winning "Mad Men" will return for a fifth season on AMC, but the new installment of the hit series is not scheduled to air until March 2012. Though the popular drama normally premieres during the summer, ongoing contract disputes between AMC, Lionsgate TV, and the show's creator, Matthew Weiner, caused AMC to delay  greenlighting the new season. Deadline and the New York Times reported that Weiner objected to three proposals from AMC/Lionsgate: slashing two minutes from each episode in favor of more commercials, integrating product placement into the series, and eliminating  regular cast members over three years to save money.

Hitchcock Star Passes Away; Starz Renews Web Series

• Actor Farley Granger, star of Alfred Hitcock classics "Rope" and "Strangers on a Train," dies at85. Read his obituary at the New York Times.
• More and more stars, like Kiefer Sutherland and Kevin Spacey, are partaking in digital projects. However, the influx of online endeavors may prevent smaller artists from receiving recognition. The New York Times has the story.
• New York City's Institute for Culture in the Service of Community Sustainability is attempting to count all the artists in the city, reported the Wall Street Journal.
• Starz Digital Media Renews "How It Should Have Ended" for a second season, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The financial terms were not released, but the series will expand from 12 to 18 episodes a year. "HISHE" is an advertising-supported animated web series that parodies movies and TV programs. It began working with Starz in 2009.

Pictured: Farley Granger and Shelley Winters (Photo: Getty Images)

LifeRaft Event Notice--Image for the Actor with Expert Image Consultant Sam Christensen!

The Screen Actors Guild Foundation Presents--

IMAGE for the Actor 
with Expert Industry Consultant Sam Christensen


 
April 1, 2011
  7:00 PM (Check-in starts at 6:15 PM)
New York City

Don't miss this opportunity to hear from Sam Christensen--
a special NYC speaking engagement!

Learn how to define your image with expert industry consultant, Sam Christensen.  He will discuss why it is important--and necessary--to develop and market a unique, personal and authentic brand.  Attendees will gain insight into the entertainment industry as a business and learn proven practices for maximizing success as a professional.

Actors Join L.A. Labor Protesters

March 26 was dubbed "Solidarity Saturday" in Los Angeles, as thousands of union workers from the surrounding areas marched the streets of downtown L.A. and rallied in Pershing Square to protest efforts to weaken public-employee unions. Among those marchers were members of the Screen Actors Guild. MOVE Hollywood, SAG's activist committee, helped organize the members. As bills that many consider to be anti-labor make their way through state legislatures around the country, union members have taken notice and taken to the streets.

Continue reading at BackStage.com

Reality TV Casting Highlights - 3/28/11

Back Stage runs hundreds of casting notices every year for reality television shows, games shows, reality competitions, talk shows, documentaries, commercials, and multimedia projects and events seeking real people, hosts, contestants, and performers. And now with the help of it's partner RealityWanted.com, we're pleased to bring you even more reality casting opportunities than ever before. See below for some of this week's top reality casting calls and auditions:

Entertainment Industry Opportunities - 3/28/11

Every week Back Stage posts hundreds of casting notices and entertainment-industry opportunities in the BackStage.com Casting/Jobs Database. Check out the following sampling of over 30 new notices -- performance venues, film festivals calling for entries, staff/tech/crew jobs, casting workshops, and more: