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New Projects Casting - Oscar & Artios Nominations - New UTDA Feature - SAG-AFTRA Commercial Contracts

By Abigail Hardin, February 08, 2022

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I hope your week is off to a good start! The industry woke this morning to one of its yearly milestones - Oscar nominations! Read more below for the full list of noms, surprises, and snubs.

Mark your calendar, our first SEEKING REPRESENTATION 101 workshop of 2022 will be next month with Actors Connection.

New Feature

Lastly, it's tax season! 🤑 We've added a new tax related feature - photo receipt uploads! Now you can upload a photo of your receipt from your itemized deductions page. Go to your "Reports" page. Click on a particular deduction type to see your itemized deductions in that category. When you hover over the deduction you can choose to edit the deduction or upload a photo receipt.

As we all know, receipts can fade and deteriorate stored in a wallet or a folder all year. Now you can immediately log the deduction and upload your receipt for backup and further evidence of your deductions.

Happy Tax Time Everyone!

Oscar Nominations

This morning the 94th Oscar Nominations were announced! As predicted THE POWER OF THE DOG led the pack with 12 nominations, with DUNE second with 10. Check out the full list of nominations here.

Despite the great showing by POWER OF THE DOG and Apple TV+ entry CODA, total nominations by streaming services were significantly down from years prior. This is just another chapter in the constantly evolving book on the streaming effect.

There were many firsts and milestones met for individuals and minorities such as women and the deaf community (see individual links below) there were also quite a few snubs (hello Lady Gaga, Leo, and Ruth Negga).

All in all, it seems like a pretty good Oscar season! Here's how to watch the nominated films in the theatres and what is available on streaming services.

Lastly, The London Critics' Circle Awards were this past Sunday. THE POWER OF THE DOG was the big winner taking home four awards. Again, predictions say this is the Oscar favorite this year. Check out the full list Critics' Circle winners.

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Industry Intel

SAG-AFTRA will move forward with plans for a new commercials contract for members, scheduling a round of negotiations with the ad industry's Joint Policy Committee beginning a week from today. "Negotiating strong contracts is the key to our success as a union, and ensuring the growth of employment opportunities under our commercials contracts is a priority for SAG-AFTRA," National Executive Director Duncan Crabtree-Ireland said of the upcoming talks.

Advocates in Hollywood are continuing to push for safer firearms practices on film and TV sets after the tragic shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of RUST last fall. Congressional leaders in New York and California have brought bills to their respective floors that would outlaw live ammunition on most sets, establish weapons handling protocols and institute fines for any productions found to be operating outside the law. Calls to ban functional guns on sets fell short of becoming a reality in the months after Hutchins' death, prompting officials to seek out new avenues to ensure sets are continuing to operate safely with guns on-hand.

Big-budget film director Roland Emmerich called out the effect that monster studio imprints like Marvel and STAR WARS have had on the originality of films in recent years, saying that the reliance on the expansive franchise model is "ruining our industry a little bit." Emmerich took time to praise trailblazing filmmakers like INCEPTION and DARK KNIGHT creator Christopher Nolan, who he believes are making "bold new movies" that continue to push the boundaries of what films can look like.

Are you an actor, writer, or other creative who's interested in becoming a teaching artist? Check out this interview with Teaching Artists Guild co-Exec Director Katie Rainey about what the Guild offers to both its teachers and students, and how to get more info on becoming a part of TAG!

St. Louis regional mainstage The Muny embraced a different approach to casting its production of LEGALLY BLONDE this year, as the show's dance combination went viral on TikTok last week, leading to the theater receiving over 2,700 submissions for its upcoming summer season 💅 "Ultimately this show reminds us to be true to ourselves and live our best lives," Muny marketing director Eric Pugh said. "It is inspiring to see the TikTok community doing just that!"

Artios Nominees Announced

The Casting Society of America announced the feature film nominees for its 37th Artios Awards last week, the annual award show dedicated to excellence in the casting process for films, television, and theatre. Several high-profile theatre-to-film crossovers made waves for this year's nominees, including WEST SIDE STORY, TICK, TICK...BOOM and IN THE HEIGHTS.

As we mention each year, this is a great opportunity to reach out to the nominated CDs and congratulate them on their nomination. Then, fill them in on your exciting career news and updates! Don't let this once-a-year opportunity go to waste. For the most updated and comprehensive source contact info and submission preferences, look up each casting director on the Up-To-Date Actor!

In-Person We Go: Alamo Drafthouse Expands & More Up-Fronts

Reeling from the success of SPIDERMAN: NO WAY HOME at the end of 2021, movie theater chain Alamo Drafthouse announced a sizeable expansion to its footprint around the country, saying that the company will be adding new locations in hubs like St. Louis, Birmingham and Chicago, with expansions planned in DC and NYC as well. "Expanding our reach into new cities allows us to celebrate these filmmakers with a wider audience," founder and exec Tim League said of Alamo's commitment to hosting "a diverse mix of films and showcasing independent artists."

Spring up-fronts received another encouraging boost last week as The CW's confirmed plans to return to its longtime home at New York City Center for the studio's annual up-front event in May. Execs and ad buyers will reconvene in NYC after a two-year virtual stint due to COVID, joining the likes of Fox and NBCUniversal in embracing the frenzied, invigorating world of in-person up-fronts once again this spring.

Streaming News: Amazon's Rapid Growth, Netflix Marks LILYHAMMER Anniversary

Amazon shared some promising numbers with investors on its Q4 earnings call last week, revealing that the number of original films and series on the streaming service has tripled since 2018, with studio spending around $13 billion on movies, music, and series last year. CFO Brian Olsavsky marked the company's increased emphasis on video programming as one of the reasons for its next anticipated Prime subscription increase of $20 in the coming months, saying that the focus for 2022 and beyond will continue to be "more high-quality entertainment."

While Amazon basked in the glory of its bustling media divisions, Netflix still quietly remained far ahead of its competitor's spend numbers, totaling more than $17 billion in 2021 - and not having the added drivers of music and live sports for their business model. CEO Ted Sarandos took a moment to reflect on the company's journey over the last 10 years, penning a letter about the streamer's first original series LILYHAMMER, which launched on February 6th, 2012. While HOUSE OF CARDS was Netflix's first official series ordered for production, the Stevie Van Zandt-led LILYHAMMER received the company's first release date. "It's always hard to predict what's to come in the next ten but one thing is certain: we'll have many more great stories from anywhere that can be loved everywhere," Sarandos note mused. My main takeaway is, I can't believe the idea of binging a full series release has only been around for 10 years! Or does 10 years seem a lot longer....? What is time? 😵‍💫 I digress....

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Writer and comedian Awkwafina was taken to task in the last few months for her use of African American Vernacular English (AAVE) during her film performances earlier in her career, with community advocates remarking that the appropriation of AAVE received a pass for far too long. "As she borrowed from Black culture in order to make a name for herself, the woman born Nora Lum performed a series of racial stereotypes for coolness and clout," VICE writer Bettina Makalintal said in late January, noting that the success that the comedian-turned-actress has found up to this point in her career should be viewed through a more critical lens of representation. Awkwafina responded with a lengthy apology on her Twitter account last week, before announcing that she would be signing off from the social media platform and remain active on her other accounts.

Twitter also played host to a heated barrage of comments from WESTWORLD star Thandiwe Newton, who called out actor Sean Penn's recent comments on gender roles in the US. "I am in the club that believes that men in American culture have become wildly feminized… I don't think that [in order] to be fair to women, we should become them," Penn said in an Independent interview last month. Newton responded to the article - "What are you saying?? Like for REAL?" Penn's interview was alongside daughter Dylan Penn while promoting their new movie FLAG DAY.

The first round of recipients for The Telsey Office Miranda Casting Fellowship was announced last week, after receiving over 750 applications from across the country. Miles Kight, Domonique Aviles, and Steven Gutierrez will serve as the inaugural class of the Fellowship, created to provide career development opportunities for folks from underrepresented communities interested in casting. The initiative is a joint venture between The Telsey Office, Lin-Manuel Miranda, and the Miranda family. Congrats all!

Acting Advice from the Pros

HBO newcomer THE GILDED AGE has proved to be a who's who of the New York theatre to on-screen pipeline, spearheaded by all-around queen Christine Baranski in a classic Julian Fellowes "Grand Dame" role. Baranski told Variety that she couldn't wait to step on set for the DOWNTON ABBEY creator's newest endeavor, which centers around new money vs old money high society in a post-Civil War New York City. "It's a dream come true for me," the actress remarked, saying she remembered several years prior thinking that she would do "anything, anything to be in a period piece written by Julian Fellowes," after hearing whispers of the show's inception at HBO.

Detailing her latest cinematic undertaking as famed actress Lucille Ball in Aaron Sorkin's BEING THE RICARDOS, Nicole Kidman spoke candidly about her career in Hollywood, and the up's and down's that she shared with Ball's own career. "That feels at times like… gut-wrenching," Kidman noted of the times she felt her career had run its course, choosing instead to focus on the other things in life that brought her joy and knowing that there was only so much that was in her control. "That's the journey of life, isn't it? And then suddenly going, 'This has blossomed… or this has opened up, and now I have this chance to do something."

Now that we're on the verge of peak audition and pilot season, it's the perfect time to make sure that all of your marketing materials are in tip-top shape, your self-tape set-up is ready to roll, and your songs, monologues, and scenes are audition room-ready:

"Listen, I may never have a job this cool again, that this many people actually tune in to watch, so I'm not gonna take it for granted," THE FLASH's Grant Gustin said at the end of the show's seventh season, at a time when the future of the series remained relatively unknown. Arrowverse fans can breathe a sigh of relief this week though, as The CW's officially picked up an eighth season of Gustin's FLASH, in what many believe may be his final hurrah has the DC superhero. Proof that keeping your head up and working on the roles you love can always lead to great things - including an amazing salary as a working actor!

Prolific film and TV director Ava DuVernay spoke about her filmmaking process with InStyle last week, sharing that directors can be the "grungiest" when it comes to creating the projects they love the most. "[W]hen I have the occasion to present the work, I want to do whatever I can to promote, to share, to amplify," DuVernay said while promoting her upcoming HBO Max docuseries ONE PERFECT SHOT, based on the popular Twitter account (a personal favorite of mine 📸)

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