When Should You Join Screen Actors Guild When You Are an Actor?

When Should You Join Screen Actors Guild? sagindie via Flickr

So many actors and parents of child actors seem to be concerned about not being in Screen Actors Guild (SAG)  (See “What is SAG?” and “What Does SAG Stand for?” for more about what SAG is).  They wonder exactly how to join SAG and whether they will be seen for SAG projects if they are not in SAG.

When we first came to Los Angeles for my daughter to become a child actor, I was told that it was almost impossible to get into SAG. I thought being in SAG was essential and that my daughter would be passed over for just about everything if she were not in SAG.  Of course, I soon  learned that this was not really true, particularly for children.

I started researching how one goes about joining SAG (see “How Do You Qualify to Join Screen Actors Guild?” for more on what needs to happen before you are allowed to join SAG). I slowly began to understand more about it, and honestly, it was not until it became the time that we had to join and after that I understood the full implications of it.

I also learned that an important question to ponder is “When Should You Join Screen Actors Guild When You Are an Actor?”

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What Is SAG? (Showbiz Term of the Day)

SAG in LA, Wikipedia

You’ve probably heard the showbiz term “SAG” with regards to actors, awards, and projects.  You probably not only wonder what SAG is but probably also wonder “What Does SAG Stand For?”

I know “SAG” was one of many terms/acronyms I often heard and wondered about when my daughter and I first came to Los Angeles.

So, “What Is SAG?”

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What is a “CD” as Related to Acting Auditions? (Showbiz Term of the Day)

I am starting a new series called “Showbiz Term of the Day.” Today’s showbiz term of the day is “CD.” Do you know what CD refers to when it is used related to Acting Auditions or Print Auditions?

I know I wondered what the term CD meant when I first heard it used when my daughter went on her first acting auditions. Acting terminology can be very confusing, especially when it comes to many of the acronyms that are often used.

You have probably heard “CD” used in several different ways I can think of right off the top of my head.

The most common uses of CD that come to mind are “Certificate of Deposit” and “Compact Disc.”

Neither of those is the term I am defining today. I am discussing CD in relation to acting auditions and show business.

So, “What is a CD as Related to Acting Auditions?”

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Do You Know What Theatrical Acting Auditions Are?

Theatrical Acting Auditions (Film/TV)

When you hear the term theatrical auditions, what kind of acting auditions do you think that means?

You probably think of theatrical as defined by Mirriam-Webster – “of or relating to the theater or the presentation of plays.” So theatrical acting auditions should be auditions for theatre or for a play. Right?

I know when I first came to L.A., that is what I thought when I heard of theatrical acting auditions.

But in Los Angeles, when you hear the term theatrical audition, it is typically not referring to an audition for theatre.

So, what is a theatrical audition in Los Angeles?

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