10:13 AM - Mon 6.05.23
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(I don't know that I have that much to write about, yet I have the urge to write. So let's just "give it a go" and see what happens... )

As you might imagine, my "representation situation" is still much on my mind (If you haven't been following along, I recently found out my theatrical agency is going down, due to certain financial shenanigans. The SAG-AFTRA rep I spoke to recently said it was likely a case of "robbing Peter to pay Paul" and that, in his experience, it's not something an agency recovers from).

Yesterday I wrote the agency - I didn't "fire them", so much as tell them that since SAG-AFTRA had, in effect, fired them (Owing more money than they're bonded for means they're in violation of their union franchise agreement and aren't a "union agency" anymore), I'm not allowed to continue working with them.

Then I thanked them for taking me on in the first place, wishing them luck moving forward.

While I certainly see this as a bad situation, for some reason, I don't feel angry about it.

It might be easy to say, since they don't owe me money - I don't think - but having the SAG rep say it was likely a case of "robbing Peter to pay Paul", I somehow empathize more than I would if it were just pure greed ("Trying to keep the sinking ship afloat and going too far" seems like less egregious a crime than ripping off people just because you can).

But ultimately, it doesn't matter whether I "sympathize" or not - If they're not a union-franchised agency, they're not of much use to me.

My commercial agent - Who I've been with for, like, twenty years now - offered his advice and counsel, and can be something of a stopgap between now and when I land at my new place (Again, very glad I've stayed with him and never gone "across the board" with a single agency, or else I'd be really screwed right now).

But for a while, it's going to basically be on me to keep things going.

Which makes me nervous.

I'm not typically a "keep things going" - kinda guy.

Heading out for that tomorrow.

It struck me recently that it's much easier for me to head out of town than it used to be - I'm often able to do auditions "on the road", I no longer have to find subs for work, and I don't have to make arrangements for my cat.

(And with the implosion of BBA , that's now one less agency I have to "book out" with.)

But that said, I still somehow manage to procrastinate on doing the little I have to do (Just e-mailed Jon, my commercial guy, to remind him I'm headed out-of-town tomorrow).

While I'm not looking forward to the flight - I'm considering upgrading to "Comfort-plus" if it's not crazily more expensive - and the accommodations are going to be "interesting" (For most of our time there, we're going to basically be in an "efficiency" with two beds), I'm expecting the film festival to be fun.

In addition to the main business of the film festival - screening films - there's apparently going to be a "wine tasting", a "sock hop", and some sort of soiree they want us to pay $150 a ticket for (We're not planning to do that last thing).

And it'll be nice to be near a beach - Neither of us are "beach people", per se, but I imagine a stroll along the beach will be on the itinerary at some point.

We did not win a jury award this time out - They've announced them beforehand, which I'm worried will have a "chilling effect" on our potential audience (If you have the option to see an award-winning film and a non-award-winning film, which one would you be more likely to see?) - but maybe we'll get an audience award.

Who knows?

And even if we don't, however many people end up seeing the film, that'll be that many more people who have seen the film.

Which is kind of the point.

And on that note, I should start doing laundry...which I'm totally going to do...right after I take a nap.

(Till next time...)

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