WA Actors Out in Cold
Tue, 16 July 2002, 07:45 amAngelique21 posts in thread
WA Actors Out in Cold
Tue, 16 July 2002, 07:45 amThis has been really bugging me, so I'd like to hear what others think:
There is a feature film to be shot in WA next month which features a couple of big name actors (fair enough - box office and all that) and is, I believe, at least partially funded by Screenwest. However, there are several minor roles which WA actors where auditioned for. A handful of WA guys got roles (congratulations!). However, there were two minor female roles which (after months of waiting with baited breath) I have just found out were given to Eastern States actors. These would be one or two days shoot. I don't know, maybe I'm biased as my "availability was asked" for one of the roles - but knowing the wealth of talent in WA, I find this completely unnecessary (and somewhat insulting). What do you think? Should Actors Equity help local actors have first "dibs" on minor roles in locally funded projects by instituting some policy or other? I mean, we wait long enough for anything to happen here and when it does they'd rather pay Eastern Staters to fly over here! Its time we recognised that some major talent has come from (and still is in WA). Let's see...Judy Davis, Heath Ledger, Marcus Graham, and my old mate, Frances O'Connor (just to name a few)
Thou impertinent fool-born strumpet!
There is a feature film to be shot in WA next month which features a couple of big name actors (fair enough - box office and all that) and is, I believe, at least partially funded by Screenwest. However, there are several minor roles which WA actors where auditioned for. A handful of WA guys got roles (congratulations!). However, there were two minor female roles which (after months of waiting with baited breath) I have just found out were given to Eastern States actors. These would be one or two days shoot. I don't know, maybe I'm biased as my "availability was asked" for one of the roles - but knowing the wealth of talent in WA, I find this completely unnecessary (and somewhat insulting). What do you think? Should Actors Equity help local actors have first "dibs" on minor roles in locally funded projects by instituting some policy or other? I mean, we wait long enough for anything to happen here and when it does they'd rather pay Eastern Staters to fly over here! Its time we recognised that some major talent has come from (and still is in WA). Let's see...Judy Davis, Heath Ledger, Marcus Graham, and my old mate, Frances O'Connor (just to name a few)
Thou impertinent fool-born strumpet!
Re: WA Actors Out in Cold
Tue, 16 July 2002, 09:18 amAngelique,
Good call. Sadly, it's not an entirely isolated case, and since I am emigrating overseas in five months, I feel I can mention what has been upsetting plenty of my fellow actors (and actresses as well, but I am more acutely aware of the male position, you understand) which has not really been publicly discussed because actors fear that they will not be hired by said company again, if at all.
Now, before I mention this - this will not be a rant, nor a whinge, but an observation on an issue that has been discussed FAR too often over the last two years in acting circles to be ignored - I would like to express that this does not derive from sour grapes over casting decisions. On 100% of casting cases - a number I lodge without any hesitation - directors and casting consultants hit the nail right on the head. The issue that upsets my peers and I is that some larger theatre companies in Perth will only go to Sydney and Melbourne Hardware stores to pick up their Nails. Of course, this is not at all a rule - some companies like Perth Theatre Company, Barking Gecko, Yirra Yaakin and Deck Chair give great opportunities to local performers, and God love 'em for it. By a process of elimination I think we might surmise who the other company might be that I have not included is here, and I do not want to misinterpreted as saying that this company is not worth its salt. It is! It is! That's what makes it so DAMN frustrating that (except on some minor occasions) they would prefer only to cast from a limited shortlist of Melbourne-Sydney based (usually justified by being Perth ex-pats) very talented actors, who have all proved themselves over here at some point or another, but will not even AUDITION Perth actors for roles. I tried to prove this wrong a month or so ago by trying to chase down an audition for an upcoming show, thinking that a bit of moxy and persistence would perhaps at least secure me a five minute look in - but no. The promised phone call 'this afternoon' to tell me whether or not I could at least read never came, so I officially gave up. I heard later that three prominent and incredibly talented actors from Over East are the only ones in consideration for the one young role in the show, and I know that all three of them could nail the role to the wall. That's not my concern. My concern is that I could list you fifteen great Perth actors who should be feeling pretty hard done by not to be even auditioned, considered, RESPECTED enough to be thought of.
I have a sick feeling in my stomach as I type this as to my imminent career stalling, but this needs to be said. I am involved in a very exciting production of Death of a Salesman at the Playhouse in September which is entirely WA cast - which I know includes WA ex-pats, but there is a difference between casting one or two legendary name actors in large roles to casting an entire production with actors just because they live Over East.
Once again, I would like to emphasise the fact that I am not upset about not being cast in any of this company's shows this year. What I, and dozens of other very good actors in Perth, are cheesed off about is that we are not afforded the common courtesy of a simple audition, simply because an official stance in the company stated that 'Perth actors cannot match it with Sydney actors on stage'. Perhaps this is a stance brought about by their half-and-half Perth-Sydney 'Cosi' from a few years back, but I heard nothing but good things about that (was overseas so didn't see it). Perhaps it is just short-sightedness? Perhaps it is a pretty good reason why the exodus of West Australian actors who love living here and working here continues apace.
I'm sure I will have my detractors, and I'm sure some will site sour grapes. It's not. But surely if an actor is not an actor unless he-she has been to NIDA, lived in Sydney and been on Blue Heelers, where the hell does that leave Perth?
Yours,
Toby Malone
Equity Member since 1999
Good call. Sadly, it's not an entirely isolated case, and since I am emigrating overseas in five months, I feel I can mention what has been upsetting plenty of my fellow actors (and actresses as well, but I am more acutely aware of the male position, you understand) which has not really been publicly discussed because actors fear that they will not be hired by said company again, if at all.
Now, before I mention this - this will not be a rant, nor a whinge, but an observation on an issue that has been discussed FAR too often over the last two years in acting circles to be ignored - I would like to express that this does not derive from sour grapes over casting decisions. On 100% of casting cases - a number I lodge without any hesitation - directors and casting consultants hit the nail right on the head. The issue that upsets my peers and I is that some larger theatre companies in Perth will only go to Sydney and Melbourne Hardware stores to pick up their Nails. Of course, this is not at all a rule - some companies like Perth Theatre Company, Barking Gecko, Yirra Yaakin and Deck Chair give great opportunities to local performers, and God love 'em for it. By a process of elimination I think we might surmise who the other company might be that I have not included is here, and I do not want to misinterpreted as saying that this company is not worth its salt. It is! It is! That's what makes it so DAMN frustrating that (except on some minor occasions) they would prefer only to cast from a limited shortlist of Melbourne-Sydney based (usually justified by being Perth ex-pats) very talented actors, who have all proved themselves over here at some point or another, but will not even AUDITION Perth actors for roles. I tried to prove this wrong a month or so ago by trying to chase down an audition for an upcoming show, thinking that a bit of moxy and persistence would perhaps at least secure me a five minute look in - but no. The promised phone call 'this afternoon' to tell me whether or not I could at least read never came, so I officially gave up. I heard later that three prominent and incredibly talented actors from Over East are the only ones in consideration for the one young role in the show, and I know that all three of them could nail the role to the wall. That's not my concern. My concern is that I could list you fifteen great Perth actors who should be feeling pretty hard done by not to be even auditioned, considered, RESPECTED enough to be thought of.
I have a sick feeling in my stomach as I type this as to my imminent career stalling, but this needs to be said. I am involved in a very exciting production of Death of a Salesman at the Playhouse in September which is entirely WA cast - which I know includes WA ex-pats, but there is a difference between casting one or two legendary name actors in large roles to casting an entire production with actors just because they live Over East.
Once again, I would like to emphasise the fact that I am not upset about not being cast in any of this company's shows this year. What I, and dozens of other very good actors in Perth, are cheesed off about is that we are not afforded the common courtesy of a simple audition, simply because an official stance in the company stated that 'Perth actors cannot match it with Sydney actors on stage'. Perhaps this is a stance brought about by their half-and-half Perth-Sydney 'Cosi' from a few years back, but I heard nothing but good things about that (was overseas so didn't see it). Perhaps it is just short-sightedness? Perhaps it is a pretty good reason why the exodus of West Australian actors who love living here and working here continues apace.
I'm sure I will have my detractors, and I'm sure some will site sour grapes. It's not. But surely if an actor is not an actor unless he-she has been to NIDA, lived in Sydney and been on Blue Heelers, where the hell does that leave Perth?
Yours,
Toby Malone
Equity Member since 1999
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