It was announced on 
June 29, 2009 that ACTRA performers have voted an overwhelming YES, with 98.3% of the votes, to ratify a new Independent Production Agreement (IPA) with Canadian Film and Television Production Association (CFTPA).
The new agreement gives performers a rate increase of 2% each year for three years between January 1, 2010 and December 31, 2012.
That being said, this doesn’t affect any of you who are in British Columbia because the Union of BC Performers (UBCP) negotiates their own separate collective agreements.
Just as the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts say, “Be Prepared,” actors need to keep that in mind. Being prepared for an audition isn’t just about the few minutes in the room with the Casting Director, it’s also about being relaxed and prepped before you head into the room.
With the help from some members on the Vancouver Actor’s Guide forum, I’ve compiled a list of things to bring to an audition. Let’s start off with the top.
Top 3
Headshot and Resume – These are by far the most important items you bring to an audition. It’s your business card. It puts a face to a name. You should always have multiple copies on hand just in case. And don’t forget to bring them for every audition, including call backs.
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Every coach will have a different name for this – sometimes even a different number. But I maintain that there are 7 essential ingredients for EVERY character in EVERY scene in EVERY story EVER told. Learn these 7 and you can’t have a terrible audition ever again. Knowing these inside out will let you play and enjoy the audition process like never before.
Audition Breakdown – The 7 Core Elements
- What do you specifically want from your scene partner?
- What are your specific obstacles?
- What are your specific tactics? (Transitive verbs – actions you do to people)
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June 15 2009. Monday evening. Walking along Granville St in downtown Vancouver. Walking past people who had no clue that some of the most talented theatre professionals and an abundance of theatre lovers were culminating in the second floor venue, Commodore Ballroom.
I admit that it was the first time I attended the Jessie Awards and I didn’t know what to expect. Heading into the ballroom, the room was abuzz. It was like a family reunion for some — the kind of family you want to hang out with. I said hi to some familiar faces like Lori Triolo (Cold Reading Series) and Paul Armstrong (Celluloid Social Club) and introduced myself to some new faces, like Simon Ogden (The Next Stage Mag). Simon and I had exchanged tweets on twitter before so it was nice to meet him in person.
Even though we were there for the awards ceremony, I didn’t feel the sense that it was all about competition between theatre professionals or companies. It truly felt like a gathering of people to celebrate what theatre has to offer the community.
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