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New Projects Casting - Production Updates - Grants for Artists in Need - COVID Protocols

By Abigail Hardin, February 15, 2022

This week, Oscars noms and awards chatter continue to dominate the news waves. Also, despite pandemic changes Pilot Season is in full swing. This past week saw an uptick of pilots currently casting and networks started to announce series orders in larger volumes. This schedule is no surprise, but in a time of uncertainty, it's nice to see some regularity. For a full list of pilots and series currently casting check out our "What's Casting" page on the Up-To-Date Actor.

For those living in New York, make sure to check out the new grant offering 2,400 NY artists in need $1,000 a month for 18 months. Applications just opened yesterday.

Mark your calendars for some Spring workshops and stay tuned for more TBA. Is there a topic you'd like us to cover? Send us an email and let us know what type of workshop you'd like us to offer in the coming months.

Lastly, as a little Valentine's gift to us all, Netflix dropped the first trailer from season 2 of BRIDGERTON. You're welcome! 😘

That's all from me, see you next week!

Production Updates

Film & TV

Theatre

International

The Casting Society of America - Going Global 🌎

The Casting Society of America is thinking globally. The group is marking its 40th year with a name change that reflects the expansion of its ranks to include casting professionals living and working around the world. Meet the Casting Society, and check out its new logo! "By removing America from our name, we are embracing how CSA has grown exponentially and globally in recent years," Casting Society President Kim Williams said. "The acronym CSA will stay the same, as it is a trusted and well-known moniker used by casting directors across the entertainment spectrum — from film, television, theater, short films and commercials."

Are you ready to take online classes with Casting Directors? Check out this great article from the lovely Colleen at Actors Connection!

COVID Restrictions & Protocols

With states easing up on COVID mandates and restrictions, the choice of whether to mask or not to mask is being placed back in the hands of companies and individual industries. But in the film & TV industry, there is no rush to get back to "normal." The studios and unions are largely holding firm on the set of COVID production protocols that have been in place since the summer of 2020. Both sides are in talks this week on adjustments to the plan — which is formally set to expire on Sunday. But while there may be some tweaks, nobody is expecting the restrictions to be significantly loosened. "I don't expect we're going to relax the protocols until both sides feel comfortable that we're in a different stage," said Steve Dayan, secretary-treasurer of Teamsters Local 399.

Last month Charlotte St. Martin, president of the Broadway League, commented: "We're proud to continue setting the gold standard of covid health protocols in all our Broadway theatres in New York. We're equally proud to assure our ticket buyers' purchases are secure with our flexible Buy With Confidence refund and exchange policies. Our theatres and world class shows are open for business, ready to welcome and enrapture our audiences, as we've done every day for the past five months. Come join us!" Currently, all 41 Broadway theatres in New York City require vaccinations for audience members, as well as performers, backstage crew, and theatre staff, for all performances through April 30, 2022.

Oscars Chatter

Speaking of COVID restrictions and protocols, The Academy of Arts and Sciences will not require proof of vaccination for in-person attendees of the 2022 Academy Awards. In a break from precedent set by the SAG Awards and Critics Choice Awards, the event will require a negative PCR test and a negative rapid antigen test on the day of the event. The Academy has not officially announced its Covid policy for the event. According to the report, there is speculation that the Academy will not mandate vaccines to ensure that unvaccinated nominees will be able to attend.

Over the next month look for a whole bunch of op-eds and analysis of this year's nominations and industry-wide implications. Here are some highlights from this week:

• Oscar Nominations Diversity: Best Actress Remains a Problem
• DUNE Only Tentpole Up For Oscar Best Picture, Pic Returns To Cinemas
• Oscar Best Picture Nominees 2022 At Box Office: Don't Expect A Boost

Streaming Continues to Dominate

Disney beat Wall Street expectations for earnings, revenue, and streaming subscriber growth in its fiscal first quarter, sending its beleaguered shares up 7% in after-hours trading. Flagship streaming service Disney+ reached 129.8 million subscribers, 11.8 million more than at the end of the previous quarter and ahead of analysts' consensus expectation for 125.4 million. Total subscriptions across Disney+, ESPN+, and Hulu hit 196.4 million.

Disney has confirmed it will join other media companies in hosting an in-person New York City upfront during the familiar mid-May week long known for broadcast network presentations to ad buyers. The event on May 17 will be held at Basketball City, a facility on Pier 36 along the East River, which is a change from the company's longtime Lincoln Center base. Ad sales chief Rita Ferro, in a note to clients, said the plan is to “transform” the new space in order to "deliver an upfront event unlike anything you've ever seen from Disney."

Fox Corp.'s Tubi had 3.6 billion hours streamed in 2021, a 40% increase over 2020, as overall viewing migrates from subscription to free and ad-supported services. That's one of the main findings in an annual report released by Tubi and highlighted by Fox executives during the company's fiscal second-quarter earnings call. Fox reported a 9% uptick in revenue during the quarter, to $4.4 billion. Growth in the company's library, now at 41,000 film and TV titles, helped propel view time, CEO Lachlan Murdoch said. "While some companies are focused on multi-billion-dollar content investments in search of subscription streaming growth, Tubi continues its unrelenting focus on advertising video-on-demand with a strategic, measured investment approach," Murdoch said during a conference call with Wall Street analysts.

Freebies, Discounts & Opportunities

APPLICATION ALERT: New York artists in need can apply for $1,000 a month for 18 months. A $125 million program is offering guaranteed income to 2,400 artists across New York State who can demonstrate financial need. Applications are now being accepted. Programs are already underway in San Francisco, St. Paul, Minn., and elsewhere. The idea gained support during the pandemic when live performances ground to a halt, galleries were closed, art fairs were canceled, and many art and music lessons were paused, leaving artists to suffer some of the worst job losses in the nation. "There are guaranteed income programs that have been launching across the country, many of them pilots to understand if this work has been working," Sarah Calderon, the executive director of the program said in an interview. "Creatives Rebuild New York has seen that data and really believes that it does work."

Broadway's THE MUSIC MAN is making available 10,000 tickets at just $20 each to New York City students, their families, and their teachers to help foster a love and appreciation for the arts by making Broadway more accessible. This broad effort, created and spearheaded by The Music Man's Black Theatre Coalition fellow, Amy Marie Haven, is built around partnerships with the New York City Department of Education and a dozen local youth non-profits, including Artists Striving to End Poverty, Art Start, Arts For All, Arthur Miller Foundation, On Broadway Performing Arts Training Program, Young People's Chorus of NYC, Education Through Music, Rosie's Theatre Kids, R Evolucion Latina, and Broadway Bridges. The extensive effort will be accompanied by curated initiatives designed to engage with the community.

NYC Off-Broadway Week is now live, offering 2-for-1 tickets to 17 Off-Broadway productions through February 27. Read the article for more information and how to purchase tickets. "We are pleased to kick-off NYC Off-Broadway Week today, as our Valentine's Day gift to the greatest city in the world. Each year, NYC Off-Broadway Week has given New Yorkers and visitors the opportunity to experience the intimacy and artistry of these incredible productions, and celebrate the theater communities found throughout the city," said Fred Dixon, President, and CEO of NYC & Company.