A Grand Dame - ACTRA Toronto

VOLUME 22 • ISSUE 1 • SPRING 2013
AGrandDame
THE VERY FIRST MESSAGE
THE ACTRA AWARDS
IN TORONTO ARE COMING!
AND A BETTER ONE
IN REVIEW:
•
•
Contents
New President’s Message...
3
Delivering the Headshot
by Art Hindle...
18
Wired Workshops
by Nicole St. Martin...
20
Ask a Commercial Steward
by Kelly Davis and Cathy Wendt...
23
Ms. Shirley Douglas: A Grand Dame
by Art Hindle...
Ask Tabby and Tova:
FAQs about Child Performers...
And the Nominees Are…
by Chris Owens...
Welcome New Members...
Respect the Artist in review
by Heather Allin...
Who’s Who at ACTRA Toronto...
4
9
12
A new contract and a better one
by Brian Topp...
16
“ I love what actors are.
Only when one is an actor can
one truly appreciate the depths
of people that become actors.”
— Shirley Douglas
02
ACTRA TORONTO PERFORMERS
Photo: Tim Leyes
Members News...
25
26
Can I Help You?
by your Ombudsperson Shawn Lawrence
Lives Lived...
24
39
28
... 29
New
President’s
Message
We are performers in
exciting times. Our industry has changed.
e tools of production and of broadcast have never been less
expensive and they’re in our hands. At no other time in
history has a creative artist been able to reach such a wide and
varied audience on her own dime. But, on the other side of that
dime, lower barriers to production and an explosion of new
forms of distribution have also fragmented audiences,
increased competition and threatened both long-standing
business models and the performers’ income that depend on
them. As the paradigm continues to change, ACTRA must
continue to adapt.
We are self-employed performers in challenging times. We
work as independent contractors for some of the largest and
most powerful corporations in the world and, lately, their
response to a changing economy has been to attack workers’
rights and the unions that defend them. Budgets are squeezed
even as profits rise. I know I’m not the only performer who’s
tired of hearing, “All we have is scale.” ACTRA must be vigilant.
I have been a working actor for 23 years. I’ve been fortunate to
work on hundreds of sets under nearly every contract ACTRA
negotiates. I’ve changed in gas station bathrooms. I’ve eaten
cold pizza at 1:00 AM. I’ve been asked to bend the rules. I’ve
been asked to work non-union. And I’ve sat in cold and
inhospitable holding areas listening to the even
greater injustices, indignities and prejudices that my
fellow performers have faced.
David Sparrow
ACTRA Toronto President
Councillors to represent the interests of ACTRA Toronto at
ACTRA’s national table, to defend the rights of our members in
negotiations and to defend the future of our industry politically.
For 70 years, men and women just like you have been defining
what it means to be a Canadian performer, in an industry that
projects Canada to the world. Your Council is part of that
legacy, and they are part of its future.
We have many challenges ahead. Perhaps none is as important
as addressing the brave new binary world in which we perform.
Conventional broadcasts will soon be a thing of the past and
new media agreements will soon rule the day. at’s why we
must be leaders and ensure that the “New Media Sub-committee,”
a part of our successful IPA negotiations, meets to explore how
we will be compensated in the future… for everything we do.
We must be careful to avoid the traps of the past, like the
unfortunate agreement that cost performers so much of the
revenue from the then new and untested DVD technology. In
2007 we launched the first strike in the history of our union to
defend the new media portion of our jurisdiction. It is more
important than ever that we defend our claim to our fair share
of the revenue that our work will generate.
We must also reach out to our industry partners and market
the new, hassle-free, open-for-business, less-paperwork-moreperformance ACTRA Toronto to producers, studios and
performers alike. Aer all, ACTRA itself has gone digital and
all our forms are now available online. For producers, the
union side of show business has never been simpler.
Over the years, my time on Council has been dedicated
to empowering our members to be creators and to expand
and promote their skills. I have worked with my colleagues
on Council to address inequity, and to build a stronger foundation
on which the union can continue to grow. For you. For all of us.
ese experiences are what drove me to become involved with
my union. It’s why I ran for ACTRA Toronto Council beginning in 2005 — to speak up for the brothers and sisters I work
with now and for all those who will follow our generation. On
Council I have met and been proud to work alongside many
dedicated performers who choose to volunteer a piece of their
career to making things better for all of us. Our Council gives
ACTRA Toronto members voice, protects their rights and
dares to imagine a better future where dignity, respect, career
advancement and fair compensation are absolutes that all
performers can take for granted.
In solidarity,
Unfortunately, we’re not there yet. at’s why I took the next
step and ran for ACTRA Toronto President. I am both humbled
and excited by the opportunity to serve. I have a simple plan;
to keep fighting for what’s right, to work with my fellow
David Sparrow
ACTRA Toronto President
I don’t have all the answers. No single Councillor does. We’re
performers just like you. But working together, I know we’ll
find the answers we need. Why not make this the year that you
lend a hand? Together we can make things better for ACTRA
Toronto members and for artists across this country.
Spring 2013
03
Ms. Shirley Douglas
A Grand Dame
04
ACTRA TORONTO PERFORMERS
By Art Hindle
ACTRA Toronto’s 2013 Award of Excellence Recipient
Shirley Douglas is both earthy and regal. She comes by the attributes honestly. A daughter of the man voted “e Greatest
Canadian,” Tommy Douglas, and mother of post-production
supervisor, Rachel Sutherland and actors Tom Douglas and
Kiefer Sutherland, she belongs to perhaps the closest we come
to a Royal Canadian Family. She would laugh off any such
suggestion as she is her father’s daughter, learning the lesson
early that privilege is only useful when shared.
Shirley’s first real acting role was the lead in Rebecca of
Sunnybrook Farm at the local community centre. “It was the
first of many times someone asked me how I learn all those
lines. en, as now, I have no answer. It was just a lot of fun.”
She remembers, too, the schools being filled with opportunities
to learn about music and drama. “e schools were very busy
doing those things then and I can’t believe we’ve stopped doing
them now when we’re so wealthy. We have all this money and
we can’t get music programs going in our schools? We’re wasting
so much talent!”
When her father, Tommy Douglas, was elected Premier of
Saskatchewan, the family moved to Regina. It was there Shirley
fell under the influence of her first mentor and muse. Maybe
the most exotic person Shirley had ever met, Rowena
Hawkins, with striking red hair and green eye shadow, wanted
Shirley for the play I Remember Mama and it proved to be an
epiphany for the 15-year-old. “All the actors were equals adults or children. I actually belonged with these people and
they didn’t talk to me as a child, just as a fellow actor.”
e next play Rowena mounted was Tomorrow the World with
16-year-old Shirley playing the 7-year-old lead. She was so
successful she won Best Actress and the play was picked to go
to the Dominion Drama Festival in Fredericton, New
Brunswick. is led to the opportunity to attend the Banff
School of Fine Arts. Of Rowena, Shirley says, “e greatest
good luck is to run into a good director early on. I found out
later how good she really was!”
Shirley arrived in Banff a 16-year-old, eager to learn. She
immediately felt right at home because her friend, Vernon
Agopsowicz, was there too. “A to Z” was his nickname but we all
know him as the wonderful actor, John Vernon. Shirley’s “luck”
was with her again as she fell under the tutelage there of one of
the leading theatre couples of the day, Burton and Florence
James. e Jameses had founded the progressive Seattle Repertory
Playhouse with multi-ethnic performers and audiences. ey
were mounting A Midsummer Night’s Dream at Banff and
wanted Shirley for Hermia. Shirley told Burton she thought First
Fairy would be fine but Burton said, “Shirley, you just have to get
used to going for the bigger parts.” She played Hermia.
Shirley with Barboro (L) and Kate (R).
In England, while attending and aer graduating from RADA,
Shirley worked in television, theatre, and film. e first ever
Photos by Tim Leyes. Wardrobe by Thien LE.
Spring 2013
05
Ms. Shirley Douglas A Grand Dame
Shirley in her library with photo of father, Tommy Douglas, centre on shelf.
BBC live televised two-hour play, Half-Seas Over by Roy Plomley,
a milestone for the BBC, starred Shirley Douglas in the lead.
She and Frances Hyland also got work on the anthology TV
series, Douglas Fairbanks Jr. Presents. In the stage musical,
Wonderful Town, she remembers Leonard Bernstein himself
conducting opening night. A tour of army bases with To
Dorothy, a son, by Roger MacDougall, followed. She developed a
close relationship with Frederick Loewe at the time they were
writing My Fair Lady; Shirley remembers Loewe asking her
opinion of a new song he’d written: Oh Wouldn’t It Be Loverly.
Aer the curtain came down on whatever show she was in,
Shirley would rush over to another theatre playing a late-night
show, The Jazz Train. She started working with the show’s
creator, J.C. Johnson, whose songs have been sung by blues
greats like Ella Fitzgerald. J.C. was impressed with Shirley’s
voice and invited her to join him at the Cotton Club in New
York with a show he was developing. Flattered and excited at a
new opportunity and challenge she jumped at her chance for a
bite of the Big Apple.
J.C. had to drop out of the show in the middle of rehearsals and
was replaced by another director. As Shirley puts it, “It was my
first experience being chased around the piano and I wasn’t
about to put up with that crap!” She returned to the friendly confines
of her family home in Regina feeling tired and depressed.
It was during this break from acting that she met her first
husband, Timothy Sicks, and briefly moved to Calgary. His
family was involved in the brewery business but he wanted to
be a doctor. Short on sciences, he eventually found a school
06
ACTRA TORONTO PERFORMERS
in London that accepted him and Shirley returned to London
with him. After the birth of their child, Tom, Shirley found
herself in an unhappy marriage. She started acting again
after the divorce, working with Stanley Kubrick on the
classic film Lolita.
She was invited by a friend, Count Raphael Neville, to help
build an artists’ colony on the Mediterranean island of
Sardinia. She agreed to go for three months and stayed five
years. She calls that period, “the time of my life in every kind
of way,” sharing her time between Sardinia and Rome. During
this time, while doing voiceover work in Rome, she met her
second husband, Donald Sutherland.
On the advice of director, Robert Aldrich, Shirley and Donald,
their new twins and son Tom, moved to Los Angeles. On what
would turn out to be a pivotal night in her life, Shirley attended
a talk on Hollywood Boulevard given by e Black Panthers.
ere she met one of the hosts of the event, well-known playwright/
lawyer, Donald Freed, and they had an instant and longlasting connection. at night the fundraising support group
Friends of the Black Panthers was born with Shirley agreeing to
act as Secretary. e group hosted brunches to bring understanding about the fight against racism to white communities.
Her involvement in the anti-war and civil rights movements
introduced her to legendary activists such as Dalton Trumbo,
Jean Genet, Huey Newton, Bobby Seale, Geronimo “Ji Jaga”
Pratt, Hakim Jamal, César Chávez and the United Farm
Workers. She saw at close hand the extreme violence that black
men were subjected to and the inspiring courage of men and
Kiefer, Donald, Tom, Rachel and Shirley in California 1970.
Shirley, Tommy and Irma Douglas (Toronto Star File Photo)
Photo credit: Co Rentmeester/Time Life Pictures/Getty Images.
women risking their lives to fight racism, war and exploitation.
Shirley’s stories from this period alone could fill a book. She
focused all her energies on activism, continuing only with
voice work. e breaking point came when she was arrested
and charged with conspiracy to possess explosives. Subsequently,
it was proved that the charges were trumped up and, in fact,
Shirley had only been buying second-hand cars to provide
black workers with the transportation required to get to work
in white homes and businesses on the outskirts of Los Angeles.
Again, her “luck” played a part when she got a call from CBC
Casting Director, Dorothy Gardner, in Toronto, offering her
work at the same time as her marriage was unravelling and the
authorities were denying her a work permit.
Shirley “packed to stay,” leaving Los Angeles a “raggedy mess.”
She arrived back in Canada with “100s of bags” and the children who were “thrilled Mom had a job!” Her parents met her
and asked if she had any money. “Forty-seven dollars,” she
replied and they found her and the kids an apartment. “at
was my new beginning!”
Since her homecoming 35 years ago, Shirley has worked in all
mediums with the best people in the business from coast to
coast including Stratford. She still receives letters from fans of
the television series, Wind at My Back, in which she played the
forceful but loving matriarch, May Bailey, for five seasons.
More recently, she relished the opportunity to act onstage with
son Kiefer in Tennessee Williams’ e Glass Menagerie at the
Mirvish’s Royal Alexandra eatre and the National Arts Centre.
She’s been nominated for and won numerous awards
(see sidebar) and is an Officer of the Order of Canada.
Her activism came home with her too. She got involved with
Performing Artists for Nuclear Disarmament, and was active in
community and municipal organizing with good friend, June
Callwood. Shirley is one of the leading voices for Canada’s
national healthcare system through her work with the Canadian
Health Coalition. She has spoken out in support of ACTRA
performers, for more Canadian Content on our networks, and
ACTRA’s Respect the Artist and I Work ACTRA campaigns.
She urges all artists and actors to get involved at whatever level
they can, whether it be in the schools, the community, or
municipal, provincial or federal political arenas. Shirley may
well be as famous for her astounding and energetic activism as
she is for her acting.
Today, she has a beautiful home in a quiet, wooded section of
Toronto. Of late, a spinal ailment has required her to scale back
on performing and activism.
“I love the actors here,” she
says. “I love what actors are.
Only when one is an actor
can one truly appreciate the
depths of people that become actors. I’ve been so
lucky. All my life people
have been so good to me.”
And what a life!
•
Spring 2013
07
Ms. Shirley Douglas A Grand Dame
Shirley as Oenone in Phaedra, Stratford, 1990.
Photo of Shirley by V. Tony Hauser from his book, e Power of Passion.
Photo: Edward Gajdel
Filmography,
Awards and
Honours
Selected Filmography
Selected eatre
Awards and Honours
Shadow Dancing – Lewis Furey
Dead Ringers – David Cronenberg
e Wars – Robin Phillips
Lolita – Stanley Kubrick
e Glass Menagerie – Amanda NAC and Mirvish Productions
Lettice and Lovage – Lotte – Arts Club
Stone Angel – Hagar – Prairie Theatre/NAC
e Miser – Frosine – Vancouver Playhouse
Phaedre – Oenone - Stratford
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof – Big Momma - Stratford
reepenny Opera – Mrs. Peacham – Canadian Stage
e House of Bernarda Alba – Bernarda –
NAC/Centre Stage
Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? – Martha - NAC
Blood Relations – Lizzy-Bridget - NAC
Midsummer Night’s Dream – Hippolyta - NAC
Bonjour, Là, Bonjour – Lucienne - NAC
ACTRA Toronto Award of Excellence
Officer of the Order of Canada (2003)
Honourary Doctorates: Ryerson University,
Brandon University, University of Windsor,
and University of Regina
Star on Canada’s Walk of Fame
Women in Film and Television’s 2009 Crystal Award
ACTRA’s Bernard Cowan Award
Variety Club’s Diamond Award for Volunteerism
Alexander Gorlick Humanitarian Award
Gemini Award – Shadow Lake
Gemini nominations: Wind at My Back
and Passage of the Heart
Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal
Selected Television
Degrassi: TNG
Corner Gas
Robson Arms
e Rick Mercer Report
Made in Canada
Wind at My Back – 5 Seasons – May Bailey
Street Legal
Alfred Hitchcock Presents
Turning to Stone
e Great Detective
08
ACTRA TORONTO PERFORMERS
...and the
nominees
are...
The 11th
Annual
ACTRA
Awards in
Toronto
Female
VIVIEN ENDICOTT-DOUGLAS:
(e Shape of Rex)
Series regular, Shoebox Zoo, e Line;
other television credits include: Terry, e
Lesson, How Eunice Got Her Baby, Cras$h
& Burn, Rookie Blue, Murdoch Mysteries.
“Working on e Shape of Rex was three
of the most magical weeks of my life. I
had never been to Saskatoon before and they found the most beautiful spots to shoot, it’s a very pretty place. In the evenings, aer filming, we took turns sitting on each other's balconies looking out at the
prairie sun setting, sharing stories from the day. It was a process unlike any other I have experienced.”
KIARA GLASCO:
(Copper - e Hudson River School)
Nominated in her television series debut;
performed in concert with Peter Karrie;
was last seen in Haven and will soon
appear as Young Gracie in the movie I'll
Follow You Down, with Rufus Sewell and
Gillian Anderson.
Here are your fellow actors
up for well-deserved awards.
TATIANA MASLANY: (Picture Day)
Born in Regina, Saskatchewan; alumna of
the Canadian Improv Games; Gemini
Award, Flashpoint; Gemini nomination,
Renegadepress.com; Genie nomination,
Grown Up Movie Star; Sundance Film
Festival, Special Jury Prize, Grown Up
Movie Star; recurring roles on 2030 CE,
Instant Star, Heartland, Being Erica, World
continued....
Spring 2013
09
NAOMI SNIECKUS
MEG TILLY
Without End, Orphan Black; film appearances
include: Ginger Snaps: Unleashed, Blood Pressure, e Vow; currently filming Cas & Dylan,
opposite Richard Dreyfuss and Eric Peterson,
directed by Jason Priestley.
In an interview with Pamela Cowan
(Leader-Post) Tatiana said, “I just want to
keep doing cool, character-based projects.
I'm working on a series right now that I'm
really in love with called Orphan Black. It is
bold and nothing like I’ve ever seen on television.” Her advice to young actors is not
to compromise themselves. “It’s a really difficult industry for women, especially young
girls. It’s really about knowing what kind of
art you want to make, what kind of stories
you want to tell.”
NAOMI SNIECKUS: (Mr. D - Quiz Cup)
Canadian Comedy Award, Best Female Improviser 2010; alumnus of e Second City;
founding member of three-time Canadian
Comedy Award winning troupe, National
eatre of the World; series regular, Mr. D;
other television credits include: e Casting
Room, Wingin’ It, e Listener, Alphas.
“My favourite thing about this show is the
banter I get to do with Gerry - to me that's
golden. It feels like the easiest thing in the
world to do. We have such amazing writers
that really are constantly surprising us with
lines...and then when we get on set, there's
usually room to play a bit, which I love.”
MEG TILLY: (Bomb Girls - Armistice)
Oscar nomination, Golden Globe winner,
Agnes of God; Leo Award, Bomb Girls; screen
debut, Fame; retired from acting 17 years,
moved to B.C., devoted herself to writing and
raising a family; has published four novels; film
credits include: e Girl in a Swing, Psycho II,
e Big Chill, Valmont, e Two Jakes, Body
Snatchers, Sleep with Me, Leaving Normal.
“I love Lorna when she falls down, I love her
when she picks herself up, I love her heroism,
her strength and her weakness and the chal10
ACTRA TORONTO PERFORMERS
JONAS CHERNICK
lenges that are inherent in her, her wrongheadedness, her mistakes. I love all of her,
even though it’s hard sometimes. I worry for
her, get disappointed in her, cheer for her, celebrate and grieve with her.”
Male
JONAS CHERNICK:
(My Awkward Sexual Adventure)
Gemini Award, ACTRA Award nomination,
e Border; Best First Canadian Film at
Toronto International Film Festival, Inertia;
series regular: Living in Your Car, Degrassi:
e Next Generation, e Eleventh Hour, e
Border; other television credits include: e
Listener, King, Haven, Being Erica, Little
Mosque on the Prairie; wrote and produced,
My Awkward Sexual Adventure.
“Making this movie was the single greatest
creative experience of my life. Most of that
joy came from the collaborations. ose five
weeks of shooting in Winnipeg - aer so
many years of tireless effort to get this movie
made - were the most validating and
rewarding weeks of my career, to date.”
ENRICO COLANTONI:
(Flashpoint - Day Game)
Graduate of e American Academy of Dramatic Arts and the Yale School of Drama;
Gemini Award nomination, Flashpoint;
Golden Nymph Award nomination, twice for
Flashpoint; series regular: Just Shoot Me,
Veronica Mars, ZOS: Zone of Separation,
Person of Interest; film credits include:
Galaxy Quest, A.I. Artificial Intelligence,
Stigmata, Full Frontal, Contagion.
Enrico is the official spokesperson for e
Tema Conter Memorial Trust, an organization that helps first responders and other
service personnel deal with Post Traumatic
Stress Disorder. His brother was a policeman
for 30 years.
ENRICO COLANTONI
SHAWN DOYLE
SHAWN DOYLE: (e Disappeared)
Born in Wabush, Newfoundland; ACTRA
Award for Outstanding Performance, Bury
the Lead; Gemini Award for e Robber
Bride; Gemini nominations for Eight Days to
Live, A Killing Spring, Bury the Lead; series
regular Endgame, Big Love, e Eleventh
Hour, The City; other television credits
include: 24, Desperate Housewives, John A.:
Birth of a Country, Republic of Doyle,
Flashpoint, Lie to Me; Dora Award, A Number.
“I was asked to do this movie about six fishermen lost at sea. e entire film takes place
in the middle of the ocean, in two small
dories and it would be shot in 15 days.
Filming on the open water was grueling and
sometimes frustrating but being at the mercy
of the elements seemed to add an urgency
and energy to the film that was truthful.”
LUKE KIRBY:
(e Samaritan)
Graduate of the National eatre School;
Gemini nominations, e Eleventh Hour, Sex
Traffic; Dora Award nomination, Geometry
in Venice; television appearances include:
Law & Order, Flashpoint, Cra$h & Burn,
Slings and Arrows, Tell Me You Love Me;
selected film credits: Mambo Italiano, Luck,
e Stone Angel, All Hat, Shattered Glass,
Labor Pains, Take is Waltz.
Speaking with Bob ompson (National
Post), Luke wasn’t sure what to make of his
role in the beginning. “I was so perplexed
and disturbed by Ethan when I first read the
script, because I couldn’t grasp what his
motive would be. en I realized he’s dealing
with a great deal of loss, and not coping very
well with having things taken away from
him.” And working with Samuel Jackson?
“He was playful and fun, but always ready to
go. Every day I would walk away from the set
with a big smile on my face, grinning at the
absurdity of it all.”
...and the
nominees are...
LUKE KIRBY
ROSSIF SUTHERLAND
ROSSIF SUTHERLAND:
(Flashpoint - Team Player)
Genie nomination, High Life; series regular,
King; other television credits: ER, Being Erica,
Living in Your Car, Flashpoint, e Listener;
film appearances include: Timeline, Red
Doors, Poor Boy's Game.
“I was scared to play this guy. I had no
barometer for how much would be too much.
e character I was being trusted to create
suffered from aphasia, the inability to speak
the words associated with your thoughts. It
was no holiday playing that character but
Kelly Makin, the director, walked me
through it and Anne Marie LaTraverse, Hugh
and Enrico became fast friends who cheered
me on. It was a challenging creative exercise.”
Voice
EMILIE-CLAIRE BARLOW:
(Almost
Naked Animals - Miss Surrounding Area)
Jazz singer and voice actor; began her career
at age seven; Gemini nomination, Best Performance in a Variety Program; National Jazz
Award for Female Vocalist of the Year; Juno
nomination, Best Vocal Jazz Album of the
Year, four times; most recent album release,
Seule ce soir; animation credits include:
Fugget About It, Total Drama, Stoked, 6Teen.
PAT KELLY: (is is at - Episode 27)
Comedian from Calgary, Alberta; trained at
Loose Moose eatre; host for YTV; Second
City mainstage alumnus; Canadian Comedy
Award, Best Radio Clip or Program (with
Peter Oldring); film credits include: Intern
Academy, Crimes of Fashion and Twitches.
“We are a small team. Week in and week out,
three of us make the show. Because we are responsible for the writing, performing, editing and promotion the learning curve has
been very big. We have a lot of fun but work
our butts off too. In this hyper-competitive
media landscape it is crucial to understand
all of the elements of making a show.”
SHANNON KOOK-CHUN:
(Requiem for Romance)
Born and raised in South Africa; series regular, Degrassi: e Next Generation, Baxter,
Durham County; other television appearances include: Being Erica, e Border; recent
film credits, Dirty Singles and the soon-to-bereleased, e Conjuring.
“Our attachments to identity - I am this and
you are that - build walls, barriers to acceptance, for love. Love is expression, expression
is Art. And here, 'Love goes to war over Art'
because it faces the denial for love of self,
expression and one another. at is why I
loved this story.”
“What I love about Bunny is also what is challenging about voicing her - how she can flip
from sweet as pie to completely incensed in a
single line. She has a large range of dynamics.
I'm oen sweating aer a record session!”
EMILIE-CLAIRE BARLOW
PAT KELLY
JULIE LEMIEUX:
(Almost Naked Animals - Howie’s Pet Project)
ACTRA Award for Outstanding Voice
Performance, Spliced; extensive voice credits
include: Max and Ruby, Sailor Moon,
Busytown Mysteries, Harry and His Bucket
Full of Dinosaurs, Rupert Bear, e Care
Bears, Jacob Two-Two, e Amazing Spiez;
currently working on a new Nelvana series,
e Day My Butt Went Psycho.
“Well, firstly Batty is a male, so that’s always
a great challenge. He’s a tiny bat henchman
with a French accent, who wears boxers with
hearts on them, so not the toughest tough
guy. He has an incredible innocence, even
when he’s doing dastardly deeds.”
JORDAN PETTLE:
(Afghanada - Episode 97)
Member of Soulpepper eatre Company;
currently rehearsing Rosencrantz and
Guildenstern are Dead; other theatre credits
include: Zadie's Shoes, Generous, Goodness,
Picasso at the Lapin Agile; appearances on
Lost Girl, Rookie Blue, Murdoch Mysteries,
is Is Wonderland; five seasons of
Afghanada.
“Playing a soldier in Afghanada while the war
was going on, we all felt a responsibility to be as
authentic as possible at all times. I always
wanted Jakes to be a real guy doing his best to
overcome his demons in an incredibly stressful
situation. Never having been to war, we all had
to make big, imaginative leaps into territory
few of us will ever, thankfully, experience.”
•
SHANNON KOOK-CHUN
JULIE LEMIEUX
JORDAN PETTLE
Spring
2013
11
Advertisement
FREE
'PERSONAL 2012 INCOME TAX
FILING' FOR ACTRA MEMBERS
WHO QUALIFY WITH
SUFFICIENT RETIREMENT
SAVINGS.
RESPECT
TAX FILING
WILL BE DONE BY
BRIAN BORTS
THE #1 CERTIFIED ACCOUNTANT
TO THE ARTS COMMUNITY
CALL US
AND TAKE ADVANTAGE
OF THIS
FREE
OFFER!
✷ WE GIVE FREE FINANCIAL ADVICE ✷
✷ WE ARE LICENSED FINANCIAL ADVISORS ✷
DIRECT CONTACT: JAMES ZAZA
416-562-6468 • jameszaza@sympatico.ca
12
ACTRA TORONTO PERFORMERS
THE ARTIST
By Heather Allin
We are the spark, the inspiration, the heartbeat.
We are the touchstone between what is and what
can be. We capture imagination and magic and
harness it to the practical and everyday. Respect is
a powerful place, sitting in reverence of what we
do. I assert that humanity intrinsically seeks
respect - self-respect, respect for others and respect
for the world in which we live. Artists remind
humanity of the basic truth that we are all connected to each other and to the elements of our
world. ese are loy notions and dreams. Yet
they are what captured our hearts, minds and souls
as children and set us on the path of artistry. It is
what sustains us in darkness and fear, and raises
us up when brilliance shines forth.
ACTRA Toronto’s Respect the Artist campaign is how your
council crystalized the route to raising the awareness,
opportunities and livelihoods of our members this year. We
wanted to reach out and tap that resonance. Our campaign
rollout included a banner to rally around and lead the charge
for respect. It was the branding of the fall conference. It’s
the argument we took to Queen’s Park. It is the principle we
took to the bargaining table. It’s the standard we carry forward
into our next Annual General Meeting, Awards and future
rounds of municipal, provincial and federal elections. It speaks
of the values we take with us into the future: respect for
ourselves and for what we contribute.
Labour Day Parade, 2012. All photos: Lisa Blanchette
Spring 2013
13
RESPECT THE ARTIST
Labour Day Parade, 2012. All photos: Lisa Blanchette
The campaign was officially launched at the Labour Day
Parade. We were 400 strong marching behind the Respect the
Artist banner. It’s a powerful feeling when you experience the
support of your fellow members and the strength of your union
behind you, celebrating with other unions the gains for
working people - raising the standard of living, even for those
not in a union. Solidarity is Power. We kept that powerful
energy alive asking key activists in our union and some
leading members to join us at Queen’s Park to meet with
Members of Provincial Parliament, first at a reception where
many came and talked with us for hours, and later in smaller
meetings. We pressed for Status of the Artist legislation on
multiple fronts: urging provincial politicians to support Peter
Tabuns’ Private Member’s Bill: An Act to Regulate Labour
Relations in the Industries of Film, Television, Radio and New
Media, to confirm that a labour contract is a contract, and
should be treated as such under the Ontario Labour Relations
Act; and supporting federal legislation to provide income tax
averaging for artists and a Québec-modeled plan to shelter a
portion of residual earnings from tax. ough the Provincial
government has been prorogued, this is a message we will
cont inue to t a ke to a l l p ar t ies as t he y he ad toward
another election.
Bargaining was next. ACTRA Toronto and ACTRA National’s
teams were joined by observers from UBCP-ACTRA and some
14
ACTRA TORONTO PERFORMERS
40 Toronto members and industry friends. Across the table
were an equal number of employer representatives from
reality, animation, film, TV, new media, and the Hollywood
studios. Our lead negotiator opened with: Performers are the
fundamental connection between an audience and a story. We
asked for preservation of the value of the contract and some
key issues laid out in eight well-supported chapters. They
responded with: We are having tough times and are looking
for incentives (read rollbacks) in virtually all categories:
session fees, benefits and residuals. For me, one of their most
insulting salvos was when they said our Canadian industry
grew because it was cheap.
You can imagine how we reacted (and that was our inside
voice).
We fought and WE GOT A DEAL! A detailed story of
bargaining is elsewhere in this issue, but I declare here, I am so
proud of your bargaining team, proud of the members who
came out both in Toronto and Montreal who found common
ground on so many issues. I am proud of the terms of
this settlement. at is Respect – respectful of our work and
respectful of performers as artists.
ere are some things we were unsuccessful in achieving – this
time. But we took the cover off those issues, educating
the employers and each other.
on the state of the industry for women, and calls us to make
our own projects, tell our stories, and speak in our voices. It is
the first of a two-part project. e second part is a series of
workshops on how to do just that. Watch for the video release
at the Winter Conference plenary and workshops, Awards, and
come out to the TAWC Salons, which re-launch this spring.
We can never stop lobbying and fighting for our rights.
Government elections are imminent. Respect the Artist will
carry on as we call on all political parties to respond by
including Status of the Artist measures in their election
campaign platforms and in their governance policies. And we
must continue to hear each other and build on our strengths,
building the power of our union. Solidarity truly is Power and
we can and must leverage that power to gain Respect for the
Artist, so we can each do the thing we most love: perform.
With your voice, with all our voices in unison, we will be
heard.
•
Forever yours,
Respect the Artist is also the driver behind the Toronto
ACTRA Women’s Committee initiative called GET
WOMEN WORKING! On a stormy Sunday in December, 38
women made a union advocacy video that shines a harsh light
Heather Allin
Past-President
Spring 2013
15
BARGAINING
A new contract
and a better one
By Brian Topp
In early January of this year, ACTRA
announced that 99 per cent of our members
voted “yes” to approve the ratification of the
next Independent Production Agreement
(IPA). at is, to understate, a pretty high
“yes” vote by any measure. But then, we’ve
pulled off something pretty unusual in this
round of bargaining. At a time when
unions all around the world are being
compelled to accept wage and benefit rollbacks, and oen to make things even worse
through new “two-tier” wage systems that
slash compensation for younger members
by up to 50%, ACTRA achieved a 6%
across-the-board pay increase and some
other helpful improvements with no pay
rollbacks at all, and very little other cost.
Not bad at all.
16
ACTRA TORONTO PERFORMERS
ACTRA Toronto’s bargaining team was led by past-president
Heather Allin. She was joined in this work by newly-elected
ACTRA Toronto president David Sparrow, Vice President
David Gale, and a strong team of leading ACTRA Toronto
members including Clé Bennett, Catherine Disher, Sarah
Gadon, Athena Karkanis and Eric Peterson.
is story started last winter with a round of focus groups and
consultations with ACTRA Toronto members (and a similar
consultation by other branches across the country). The
message came through loud and clear – our members would
take no rollbacks on pay in this time of growth and relative
prosperity in our industry. Members wanted us to work for
gains, but weren’t expecting miracles in this brutal bargaining
environment for unions. “Don’t tread on us” was the basic idea.
ACTRA Toronto council and our bargaining team developed
a set of proposals and pitched them to the national union in
the spring, getting ready for scheduled bargaining in June.
And then the Canadian Media Producers’ Association (CMPA)
called us and pushed the dates, having hired a new employer
negotiator – Reynolds Mastin. e CMPA is the employer
group we negotiate with, along with the APFTQ, their sister
organization in Quebec. Mr. Mastin is a well-respected, civil
and professional negotiator – all of which was a refreshing
change. So we all welcomed his appointment and accepted his
request for the talks to be pushed to November to give him
time to find his legs.
IPA negotiations finally started that month.
ey started, but did not start well. e employer opened with
proposals for deep pay cutbacks on the majority of the work
shot in Canada. is led, as they say in diplomatic language, to
some frank exchanges in sidebar.
But the inevitable tensions inherent in collective bargaining
shouldn’t be allowed to obscure the result.
In 10 days of bargaining, we arrived at an agreement that increased
pay by six per cent; strengthened our contract’s harassment and
IPA Bargaining Team at work
diversity provisions; incrementally improved working
conditions on set; included stunt coordinators in the residuals
pool (a long-standing request from these members); provided
voice performers with a new residuals tier (a 200% prepayment for a longer 10-year Use period, also a long-standing
request from these members); and protected our new media
gains, won during our 2007 strike. All of the rollbacks came off
the table. e industry got three years’ stability and a return to
a focus on improving Canadian content and cultural policies –
issues producers and unions and guilds can work together on
in our common interest.
Did we pay anything for this? Yes we did.
ere won’t be a “substantial snack” for actors if none of the
crew get one – that will occur on some sets and not on others.
And the meal penalty was reduced a bit to bring it more in line
with meal penalties in other union and guild contracts.
Did we have proposals we would have liked to have made more
progress on? Yes we did.
But that 99 per cent “yes” vote for ratification tells us
our bargaining committee called this negotiation correctly.
Collective bargaining is what ACTRA does. We fielded
an excellent team during this round, dodged some pretty ugly
proposals and made some helpful gains.
Lead negotiator, Stephen Waddell (L) with Mimi Wolch, Director of
Independent and Broadcast Production (R) during bargaining.
Brian Topp, Executive Director of
ACTRA Toronto. Photo: Jag Gundu
But as I write, we weren’t quite done yet on bargaining in the
film and television industry.
Our sister branch in British Columbia, UBCP-ACTRA,
operates under a separate provincial contract. And despite our
national gains, in late January engagers were refusing to drop
steep rollbacks they continued to demand in that B.C. contract.
We’re not done until we’re all done, and so this work will
continue until the UBCP Master Production Agreement has
been successfully concluded.
•
Spring 2013
17
In boxing, the head shot delivers a telling impact. So
too does it in the acting world, perhaps more so than
the résumé. e question is: what kind of headshot delivers what agents and Casting Directors are looking
for?
Delivering
the head shot
by Art Hindle
A healthy discussion about headshots arose at a recent
ACTRA Toronto members conference, so Performers
magazine asked yours truly to survey agents and Casting Directors and collect their tips on headshots to
pass on to you.
General guidelines:
*Keep it real. A perfect headshot is one that looks just like the ‘you’ that walks
into the room. Nothing upsets Casting more than if you walk in a room and
don't look anything like your photo. A great photo that doesn't look like you
will just lead to auditions where they decide you're not what they want before
you’ve even read the scene.
*e shot has to be arresting in some way. It's usually in the eyes. Is there a
presence to the expression, something that grabs the viewer, a depth in your
eyes so we can see a little bit about who you are? What is that special quality
that you bring to your work? Is it your strength, your openness, your sense of
humour, your intelligence, etc.?
*Your photo isn’t an answer to, “Can you play a lawyer?” It is an answer to, “In
the law firm, which lawyer are you?” e more specific you can be about your
character type and the types of roles you can play, the better.
*Go for natural-looking shots, fairly close, with very little makeup and glamour. If you're young, make sure the makeup doesn't make you look too old as
being young is an advantage in this business. *Head-and-shoulders only for your primary shot – your secondary shot can
be waist-up.
*Colour. No black and white.
*Because shots are sent via the casting websites these days, they're only viewed
on the other end as thumbnails so the larger the face appears the better.
*No hands around the face. Shots oen get cropped for various sites which
means you end up with hands and no arms leading to them which can look
odd.
*Your name should be at the bottom of the photo, in a simple font such as
Arial.
*You don't want the border to draw attention away from you, so a simple border or no border is best.
*Change your headshot every few years.
18
ACTRA TORONTO PERFORMERS
Your photo isn’t an answer to, “Can you play a lawyer?”
It is an answer to, “In the law firm, which lawyer are you?”
e more specific you can be about your character type and the
types of roles you can play, the better.
Different looks:
*Having more than one headshot, especially for actors at the
beginning of their careers, can be very beneficial. *One shot can be more edgy, straight-ahead, dramatic and serious. is is your TV & FILM shot. Another can be warmer,
smiling, friendlier, more open. is is your COMMERCIAL
shot.
*Capitalize on what might be considered your 'bread-and-butter' look. Your secondary photo can help you break into a new
area.
e process of acquiring photos can be a minefield. ere are
unscrupulous people out there waiting to prey on actors needing headshots. Good headshots shouldn’t cost more than $300$600, in my opinion, and of course you want to look through
the photographer’s portfolio of actors’ headshots, normally
available on their website. Do the subjects look relaxed and
Art’s Film/TV serious headshot.
comfortable? You should also get an agreement with the photographer which outlines what you get for your money.
Come well-rested to the photo session. Bring several wardrobe
changes but keep it simple. Nothing too seasonal, trendy, or
loud in colour. e clothes should suggest the ‘look’ but not
draw the eye. Go for upscale casual, classic and clean, no distracting jewellery. Too dressed-up looks like you're trying too
hard. It’s pleasing when the background or a wardrobe piece
picks up your eye colour. It makes your eyes jump off the page.
Decide whether you need a makeup artist, and if so, whether
you’ll use one of your choosing or one who works with the
photographer.
Once you get the results, consult with your agent before making the final choice.
•
You look fabulous, darling!
Art’s friendlier commercial headshot.
Art’s first headshot.
Spring 2013
19
Wired
workshops
for Members only
By Nicole St. Martin
ACTRA class for young performers at Members Conference. Photo: Jag Gundu
Nearly 500 members attended our one-day, youth-focused fall
conference, and many of them were pint-sized powerhouses!
ese 7-17 year-olds were coached in the morning by highly
esteemed coaches Michael Caruana and Nicola CorreiaDamude and then got to strut their stuff in the aernoon for
casting directors Larissa Mair and Krisha Bullock Alexander.
20
ACTRA TORONTO PERFORMERS
Their parents, some seasoned professional actors themselves, were surprised at how much they learned about
the handling of their offspring's money in the “Whose
Money Is It Anyway” session. "Only for the business" is
the rule of thumb in a parent or guardian's spending of
any minors' earnings.
CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHTS
Wendy Anderson led a full-day session in web series creation
and le participants raving that it was the best conference session they’d ever attended. “I le feeling educated, curious and
empowered!" wrote one member. Asked to name the “Oprah
moment” members walked away with, Wendy says: “I would
have to say the notion of taking their audience-building,
marketing and monetizing into account before they put pen
to page. A great idea doesn't make a successful web series —
the successful marketing of a great idea makes a successful web
series. You need to get your Klout Score up there and get fierce
to win at this game!”
If you’d ventured to the upstairs lecture rooms you’d have been
wowed by the green screen technicians’ transformation of the
room into a playground for actors to test their chops, transporting them digitally to other mystical places and times as
well as multiplying them ad infinitum. Attendees got to see the
wizard behind the curtain.
Get ready for the Winter Conference!
We will be entering the digital wonderland of video games - an
industry with growing opportunities for actors. Toronto is a
hotbed for game makers. Find out from lead actors and gaming industry experts how you can be a part of that world.
How can you tell the difference between American and
Canadian actors, eh? Learn from casting directors and dialect
coaches what producers need from you in order to cast
Canadians as Americans.
Find out how some of our members got their Big Break! Hear
their stories and meet the casting directors who brought them
in, then get up and perform that life changing scene
with them!
•
Nicole St. Martin is the Chair of the Conference committee and a sitting councillor.
Heather Allin says adieu
to a standing ovation at
Members General Meeting.
Don't be fooled by the one line audition! Tell-it-like-it-is casting director, Millie Tom, put members’ one-line readings to
the test. Did you make character choices? Are the questions
you ask smart and relevant? Are you really listening to your
reader/director/casting director? A one-liner is still acting and
requires skill and preparation.
Photo: Jag Gundu
Talking about skill, you should have heard Michael Riley. e
award-winning actor and CFC acting instructor spoke about
the cra of acting and his approach to the work, all the while
waxing philosophical. Whether we are on stage or on screen,
we require skill and commitment. His love of the cra resounded and inspired.
"What can I do for you?" asks Donna Messer when she shakes
your hand, and she means it. Donna served as inspiration and
matchmaker at the Networking session. She advised that most
people are enthusiastic to help others if they can. Don’t just
focus on what you have to offer as an actor, start recognizing
what else can make you valuable to others. You’d be surprised
to learn what somebody else needs that you have in spades.
Make connections in surprising ways.
Michael Riley interviewed by David Gale, Members Conference.
Photo: Jag Gundu
Our fall plenary saw a few laughs and a few
tears as Heather Allin addressed the
attendees at her final conference as President.
Many expressed their gratitude at the mics
following her rousing and gracious address.
Spring 2013
21
Advertisement
S We
shape our dwellings
and afterwards our
dwellings shape us.T
~Winston Churchill
Belynda Blyth
Sales Representative
Your Key to Success
Bus: 416-699-9292
Cell: 416-371-3717
bblyth@ rogers.com
www.belyndablyth.com
Actra member since 1985
RE/MAX Hallmark Realty Ltd., Brokerage
2237 Queen Street East, Toronto, ON M4E 1G1
Advertisement
JOIN
TODAY
ONLINE!
michaeldaymondcasting.ca
Representing
Background Performers
in Film & Television
905.469.6996
e: michaeldaymondcasting@gmail.com
22
ACTRA TORONTO PERFORMERS
Advertisement
Ask a
Commercial
Steward
Top Two FAQs
How do I get paid for my callback?
As the decision makers are not usually at the initial audition, Performers are
oen “called back” for a second audition (also known as an audition recall or
callback). e audition sign-in sheets are to be completely and legibly filled in
and initialled for each audition. e casting director submits the sign-in sheets
to the Producer and to the union. ese forms are used to generate payments so
it is very important to fill in the blanks to ensure payment. Once the sign-in
sheets are received and verified by the commercial staff, Performers are paid by
ACTRA Toronto within five days. e Producer remits the total payment within
a month of receiving the forms from the casting director.
It works a little differently if the commercial is produced here for use in the
United States. If a SAG performer is working on the spot, SAG rules apply and
ACTRA Performers are not paid until the third audition. If only ACTRA Performers have been engaged, then the second audition is payable.
It is very important to keep a record of your audition recalls and please call us
if you have not been paid within a reasonable time.
My friend saw me in a commercial but I worked as a Background
Performer. Do I get an upgrade to Silent-On-Camera?
Not necessarily. ere are two important components for your performance to
qualify as a Silent-On-Camera (SOC) role. You must be clearly recognizable for
at least 2/3 of a second (not just your profile and not blurry/fuzzy) and you must
react to or illustrate the commercial message. You can be one or the other and
remain as a Background Performer (BP). For example, you have been booked
as a BP for a fast food chain commercial. You are directed to sit at a table eating
a food item. However, the commercial message features a different food item
that is being highlighted in the spot. You meet the “recognizable” criteria but do
not meet the “reacting/illustrating the message” criteria. No upgrade for this
spot. However, if you are eating the food item that is being advertised and you
are clearly recognizable – you would qualify for an upgrade. Remember, upgrades from BP to SOC are determined by the final Edit of the spot. If you feel
you might qualify for an upgrade, be sure to contact us within a few days of the
shoot to discuss.
•
Cathy Wendt
Kelly Davis
Cathy Wendt and
Kelly Davis are
ACTRA Toronto’s
Commercial Stewards.
If you have a question or
concern about your work
on a commercial, call our
general line, 416-928-2278,
and ask to speak to a
commercial steward.
Spring 2013
23
Frequently Asked Questions about Child Performers
Theresa Tova and Tabby Johnson
Photo: Tricia Clarke
Ask
Tabby
and Tova
Q: My child is still in kindergarten. How good are the on-set tutors once she is older and
in middle and high school?
Tabby: Actually, we pride ourselves on the great teams of educators permitted to teach on set.
All on-set tutors must be certified teachers in good standing with e Ontario College of
Teachers and qualified to teach your child in the program in which s/he is enrolled. Many
students find themselves ahead of their homeroom class, and that, due to the small class
sizes, deeper work can be accomplished.
Tova: It is up to you though, as the parent, to speak with your home school and provide the
tutor with the assignments and homework. So as long as you keep communication flowing
in a timely manner, there should be no issues.
Q: What if my child has an allergy to certain foods that may be on set?
Tabby: Remind your agent and it is likely that the production will ensure that there are
alternative foods on set. But, as in life, you need to teach your child what s/he can eat and
monitor what they eat on set. Bring back-up foods.
Tova: Don’t forget to be a parent!
Q: What if we’re stuck in traffic and running late for an audition?
Tabby: Call your agent.
Tova: Make sure to leave earlier next time.
Q: How do I help my child develop their skills between auditions?
Tabby: Get references for good coaches in, for example, dialogue/accent, movement/dance,
or children’s acting classes. Workshops in other disciplines bring enrichment to an actor's
choices when working on set. Above all: no sideline coaching from parents unless you have
your own Oscar or Canadian Screen award.
Tova: A well-rounded child with a wealth of experiences is more capable of reflecting
reality and truth. Even so, some kids just have what it takes. Others may wait years to
find their talents. Your only job is to make sure the journey is safe and fun.
•
For more information on Child Performers please go to our website, click on Members and then
Child Performers: http://www.actratoronto.com/members/childperformers.html
24
ACTRA TORONTO PERFORMERS
New
Members
JAMIE ABRAMS
ADALINE
ANDREW AHMED
KATHRYN ALEXANDRE
REBECCA AMZALLAG
HANNAH EMILY ANDERSON
JAMES ANDREWS
EZE ANGIUS
FRANCISCO ARELLANO
JIM ARMSTRONG
NITASHA ASNANI
AMANDA BACKAL
BART BADZIOCH
JOSHUA BAINBRIDGE
ELLA BALLENTINE
ASH BANGA
DAVE BARCLAY
LORI BASSARAB
IAN BATT
SANDRA BECKLES
DOUG BEDARD
COLTON BELLEY
CHEMIKA BENNETT-HEATH
PAUL BERNER
ANDRÉ BHARTI
TOBY BISSON
CORINA BIZIM
EVAN BLAYLOCK
PAULA BOBB
KRISTINA BODNARYUK
ADAM BOGEN
NICOLE BOIVIN
STEVE BOLTON
TROY BOUDREAU
BRODY BOVER
ALISON BROOKS
DEVON BROWN
TYLER BRUCE
LAUREN BULLIVANT
ALDRIN BUNDOC
MATT BURKHART
BAUSTON CAMILLERI
DEMO CATES
CARLY CHAMBERLAIN
ROSEN CHONGARSKI
AALIYAH CINELLO
SIMON CLARKE-OKAH
TIM CODY
KATIE FRANCES COHEN
SARAH COLFORD
ASHLEY COMEAU
MIYA CONTRERAS-SHELTON
TATJANA CORNIJ
EMILY COUTTS
BRENT CRAWFORD
OWEN CUMMING
NATASHIA CUNNINGHAM
TYLER CURNEW
AIDAN CUSSON
DAVIDE D'IZZIA
NATALIE DALE
REBECCA DAVEY
LAYSLA DE OLIVEIRA
LUCY DELAAT
KIRSTEN DELACRUZ
COLETON DÉNOMMÉ
DALTON DEREK
CALVIN DESAUTELS
SARAH DI IORIO
ADRIANNA DI LIELLO
LARRY DICKISON
CHATTRISSE DOLABAILLE
PAUL DOLGOV
SCARLETT DOVEY
PIERRE DUONG
DION DUPORTE
CHRISTINE EBADI
SARAH EMES
JACK ETTLINGER
NATALIE FAGNAN
MEEGWUN FAIRBROTHER
DANIELLE FALCO
CLAUDIA FERREIRA
ALEX FIDDES
KADEN FIELD
KOLBY FIELD
JORY FINKELSTEIN
ADAM J. M. FISHER
SARAH P H FISHER
GRADY FOX
MAX FRIEDMAN-COLE
JACK FULTON
STEVE GAGNE
CYNTHIA GALANT
CARSON GALE
GREG GALE
SUZANA GARCIA
SHAILENE GARNETT
HAILEY GARROD
JOEL GELEYNSE
KIRA GELINEAU
MICHAEL GIEL
JACK GIFFIN
ROCKY GILLETT
ERROL GILMOUR
KIARA GLASCO
BRIANNA GOLDIE
TERESA GORYS
ROBBIE GRAHAM-KUNTZ
TARA GRAMMY
MACKENZIE GRANT
KATHRYN GRECO
SHAWNA GREENSPAN
ANGELA GUAN
KYLE GUBAREV
DEIDREA HALLEY
DAVID HARCOURT
RYAN HARKINS
DEVON HEALEY
BRADEN HENDRICKSON
ALEXANDRA HERZOG
BOBBY HORVATH
TRISZTAN HORVATH
KEVIN HOWE
KYLON HOWELL
RYAN F. HUGHES
JASON HUSKA
JAMIE INGRASSIA
JOHN IWASIN
DILLON JAGERSKY
JAZZMIN JAMES
ROBERT JAMES
LAURA JEANES
JLYNN JOHNSON
CHRISTOPHER M JOHNSTON
DARYN JONES
CLIFTON LEROY JOSEPH
STEVAN JOVANOVICH
STEVEN KADAS
SEAN KAUFMANN
JENNA KAWAR
ALEX KEETON
ADAM G. KENNEDY
TAI KEOV
ADAM KLYMKIW
ALEXIS KOETTING
JESSICA KRISTY
DEREK KWAN
CLAYTON LABBE
JOEL LACOURSIERE
ETHAN LAFLEUR
TONY LAI
TERTIA LAMB
CHANELLE LAROCQUE
ANGELICA LAURIN
SU JIN LEE
ZION FORREST LEE
JACQUELINE LEGERE
INGA LEKHANOVA
DOUG LENNON
SHANNON LEROUX
LINDSAY LEUSCHER
SHAQUAN LEWIS-BECKLES
JONATHAN LLYR
AARON LOMAS
ADAM LOPAPA
JUSTIN LOPES
STEVEN LOVE
GREGG MARSHALL LOWE
JEANA LOWES
DANIEL LUCIFORA
ALLAIN LUPIEN
SAHARA MAC DONALD
MEGAN MACKENZIE
JUSTIN MACKIE
PETER MADORE
KRISTA MARCHAND
TANNER MATTHEWS
WILLIAM MATTHEWS
JENNIFER MATTHIES
SARAH MATTON
MICHAEL MCCRUDDEN
ZOE MCGARRY
SCOTT J MCLEOD
BRENDAN MCMURTRY-HOWLETT
KIERAN MCNALLY-KENNEDY
LEAH MCPHERSON
ANDY MCQUEEN
GEOFF MEECH
RILEY MEEKIN
SYDNEY MEYER
LEANNE MILLER
APRIL MIRANDA
MALAK MOGDADI
MARINA MOORE
JESSE MORRISON
MEYSAM MOTAZEDI
JEFF MOULTON
BARRY MOYLE
SHECHINAH MPUMLWANA
WADE MUIR
LINDSAY MULLAN
COURTNEY V. MURIAS
MIKE MUTO
ABIGAIL NADEAU
CARRIE-LYNN NEALES
EVAN NEMES
JAEDEN JOSEPH NOEL
JAMIE O'LEARY
BRANDON OAKES
NANCY OHKI
SYLVIA OSEI
SAMY OSMAN
MCKENNA OTTER
RIEL PALEY
STEF PAQUETTE
AARON PARRY
JOSH PATTYNAMA
SHAMIT PAUL
TREVOR PEASE
STEPHANIE PITSILADIS
CHRISTINA PITTS
MARINA POLEZAEV
CLINTON LEE PONTES
CHRISTIAN POOLE
ALLISON PRICE
GANNON RACKI
NATASHA RAMCHARAN
REED RAMSDEN
FREYA RAVENSBERGEN
CARSON REAUME
JESSICA REYNOLDS
REGAN REYNOLDS
DEVON RICHARDS
RACHEL RILEY
MIGUEL RIVAS
JIM ROBINSON
STEPHANIE LYNN ROBINSON
MICHAEL RODE
KIRA-JADE ROEBUCK
RONNIE ROWE
ROB ALLEN ROY
DIANE SALEMA
MARK SAMUELS
SUSANNA SAPIENZA
LAUREN SEGAL
STEPHANY SEKI
SAGINE (GG) SEMAJUSTE
JOHN SEQUEIRA
DAVID SHIN
WARREN BENTLEY SHORT
SERGEY SHPAKOVSKY
OLGA SIRAZHDINOVA
LEVON SMITH
MARC ANDREW SMITH
NICOLE LEE SMITH
NICK STEAD
GORAN STJEPANOVIC
PAUL STURINO
LIAM SULLIVAN
MEGHAN SWABY
RONALD TANG
MATTHEW TAPSCOTT
JENNIFER TAYLOR
JANE TCHOULMIAKOVA
BARBARA TEBBS
LELAND TILDEN
JENNIFER TOCHERI
IRINA TORINA
KIERSTEN TOUGH
ARBA TSAKIRIDIS
VITALIE URSU
SAAMER USMANI
AZRA VALANI
MARNI VAN DYK
COURTNEY VAN WIRDUM
SARAH VANCE
PATRICK VANDENBERG
DIMITRI VANTIS
GABRIEL VARGA-WATT
KRISTI VERRIAN
JOSH VOKEY
CHARSANDA WALL
MARLA WALTERS
RICHARD WALTERS
MAIKO WATSON
ROMY WELTMAN
GAVIN WILLIAMS
GEORGE T WILLIAMS
ALLISON WILSON-FORBES
ABIGAIL WINTER-CULLIFORD
ALEXANDER WONG
REBECCA R WOOD
JOSEPH WOODS
JACK YANG
HANI ZAKARIA
HUNTER ZEPP
ZOO
SPIRO ZOUPAS
Spring 2013
25
MEMBERS NEWS
Ferne Downey: ACTRA National and FIA President
YEAA members Elana Dunkelman, Clara Pasieka, Richard Young and Rebecca Applebaum attended
the Toronto Animation Arts Festival International.
■ Leadership: Ferne Downey, FIA Prez
Could it be any more awesome that ACTRA Toronto actor and
ACTRA National President, Ferne Downey, is now President of
the largest umbrella group of performer unions and guilds in
the world: e International Federation of Actors! Ms. Downey
also recently graduated from the Harvard Trade Union Leadership Program. Watch this woman go!
■ Visibility: YEAA networks
ose YEAA folks NETWORK! Representatives from the
Young Emerging Actors Assembly (YEAA) attended the
Toronto Animation Arts Festival International last year,
providing a visible ACTRA Toronto presence at the event and
networking with producers in the process. Networking is
central to YEAA’s raison d’être and they continue to program
meet-and-greet events with graduating filmmakers. Get
involved! Check them out at yeaa.ca
■ Kudos:
ACTRA Toronto congratulates our members awarded a spot
at the CFC Actors Conservatory this year: Diana Bentley,
Natalie Krill, Alexandra Lalonde, Alexandra Ordolis, and
Supinder Wraich.
26
ACTRA TORONTO PERFORMERS
Top Row: Diana Bentley, Natalie Krill, Alexandra Lalonde,
Bottom Row: Alexandra Ordolis, and Supinder Wraich.
Natasha Semone Vassell attends the Diversity Go-See at ACTRA Toronto.
Photo: Lisa Blanchette
■ Breaking down the closed door:
e Diversity committee sponsored another Diversity GoSee last year. Well attended by Casting Directors and Producers alike, the event introduced approximately 125
diverse performers to the folks who could hire them.
■ Charles Dickens’
A Christmas Carol
On December 10, ACTRA Toronto’s
Act Your Age Group (AYA) presented Charles Dicken’s abridged
reading version of A Christmas
Carol, the version Dickens himself
used for his own readings, together
with seasonal music. e proceeds
from the $10 cover charge went to
Actors Fund of Canada and Performing Arts Lodge Canada. Act
Your Age is a supportive community of “well-seasoned”
ACTRA members who meet regularly to flex their acting
muscles through workshops, readings, scene study and
coaching.
Sue Milling’s influence was felt strongly in the areas of women’s,
youth, diversity and stunt issues and with the expansion of our
education initiatives. She built strong relationships with producers
and members alike. Here she is seen between Sari Friedland,
Producer (le) and Tabby Johnson, actor, singer and councillor
(right). Photo by Tricia Clarke.
■ Hello and Goodbye
Sue Milling, who has served as the Director of Independent and
Broadcast Production in the Film and TV department at
ACTRA Toronto from 2010 to 2012, has returned to her
position at the United Steelworkers. Sue had been on extended
secondment to ACTRA Toronto as a part of ACTRA’s Strategic
Alliance with the United Steelworkers. She is succeeded by
Mimi Wolch who has served in senior positions with other
affiliated unions and industry groups including the Directors
Guild of Canada, IATSE and FilmOntario. Ms. Wolch is a veteran of the film and TV industry and began her career as a script
supervisor. A fond “Au Revoir” to Sue and a warm welcome to
Mimi!
■ Stunt Honourees
Matt Birman, Branko Racki, and Alison Reid will be honoured
this year with Awards to acknowledge their Outstanding
Contribution to the Stunt Community. e presentation will be
made at the Plenary/Annual General Meeting at the Members
Conference on ursday, February 21, 2013.
Spring 2013
27
Connect
With
US
ACTRA Toronto Staff
is here for YOU
ACTRA Toronto
General contact information
Tel: 416-928-2278 or toll free 1-877-913-2278
info@actratoronto.com
www.actratoronto.com
625 Church Street, 2nd Floor, Toronto, Ontario, M4Y 2G1
Commercial Agreement Interpretations
Judy Barefoot, Director, Tel: 416-642-6705
Kelly Davis, Steward, Tel: 416-642-6707
Cathy Wendt, Steward, Tel: 416-642-6714
Commercial Audition Callback Inquires
Tammy Boyer Tel: 416-642-6739
ACTRA Toronto Council
Who’s Who
PRESIDENT David Sparrow dsparrow@council.actratoronto.com
PAST PRESIDENT Heather Allin hallin@actratoronto.com
ACTRA NATIONAL PRESIDENT Ferne Downey fdowney@actra.ca
VICE-PRESIDENT, FINANCE David Macniven dmacniven@council.actratoronto.com
VICE-PRESIDENT, INTERNAL AFFAIRS Theresa Tova ttova@actratoronto.com
VICE-PRESIDENT, EXTERNAL AFFAIRS Art Hindle ahindle@council.actratoronto.com
VICE-PRESIDENT, COMMUNICATIONS David Gale dgale@council.actratoronto.com
VICE-PRESIDENT, MEMBER SERVICES
EXECUTIVE MEMBER-AT-LARGE Wendy Crewson wcrewson@council.actratoronto.com
Shereen Airth sairth@council.actratoronto.com
Kirsten Bishopric kbishopric@council.actratoronto.com
K.C. Collins kcollins@council.actratoronto.com
Richard Hardacre rhardacre@actra.ca
Karen Ivany kivany@council.actratoronto.com
Taborah Johnson tjohnson@council.actratoronto.com
Don Lamoreux dlamoreux@council.actratoronto.com
Jani Lauzon jlauzon@actratoronto.com
Colin Mochrie cmochrie@council.actratoronto.com
John Nelles jnelles@council.actratoronto.com
Jack Newman jnewman@council.actratoronto.com
Eric Peterson epeterson@council.actratoronto.com
Leah Pinsent lpinsent@council.actratoronto.com
Chris Potter cpotter@council.actratoronto.com
Nicole St. Martin nstmartin@council.actratoronto.com
Spirit Synott ssynott@council.actratoronto.com
Caucus chairs, member advocates and Ombudsman:
Shereen Airth, Apprentice Advocate sairth@actratoronto.com, ext. 6621
John de Klein, Additional Background Performer Chair jdeklein@actratoronto.com
Taborah Johnson, Children’s Advocate tjohnson@actratoronto.com
Jani Lauzon, Diversity Chair and Advocate jlauzon@actratoronto.com, ext. 6618
Shelley Cook, Stunt Committee Chair scook@actratoronto.com
Shawn Lawrence, Ombudsman slawrence@actratoronto.com, ext. 6604
28
ACTRA TORONTO PERFORMERS
Commercial Cheque Inquiries
Nicole Valentin, Examiner, Tel: 416-642-6721
Lyn Franklin, Examiner, Tel: 416-642-6730
Brenda Smith, Examiner, Tel: 416-642-6729
Commercial Payment Inquiries
Tereza Olivero, Coordinator, Tel: 416-642-6731
Laura McKelvey, Coordinator, Tel: 416-642-6728
Communications and Organizing
Karl Pruner, Director, Tel: 416-642-6726
Karen Woolridge, Public Relations Officer, Tel: 416-642-6710
Janesse Leung, Public Relations Officer - Web, Tel: 416-642-6747
Finance and Administration
Karen Ritson, Director, Tel: 416-642-6722
Independent Production Agreement (IPA), CBC TV & Radio,
CTV, City-TV, Global, TVO, VisionTV Agreements
Mimi Wolch, Director, Tel: 416-642-6719
Indra Escobar, Senior Advisor, Tel: 416-642-6702
Erin Phillips, Steward: IPA, CityTV, CTV, VISION, TIP, Documentaries, Industrials,
Reality TV, Tel: 416-642-6738 (Maternity Leave)
Gail Haupert, Steward: Audio Code, CBC, CFC, Documentaries, Industrials,
Student Films Tel: 416-642-6709
Barbara Larose, Steward: IPA, CFC, Co-op, Student Films, UAP.
Staff Liaison: Minors, Background Performers, Tel: 416-642-6712
Noreen Murphy, Steward: IPA, Animation, Dubbing, New Media, Pilots, Series,
Video Games. Staff Liaison: Digital, Voice Performers, Tel: 416-642-6708
Richard Todd, Steward: IPA, Features, Series, NFB, TVO, Global.
Staff Liaison: Health and Safety, Stunts, Tel: 416-642-6716
Clare Johnston, Steward: IPA, Features, Series.
Staff Liaison: YEAA, Puppeteers, Tel: 416-642-6746
Cindy Ramjattan, Steward: IPA, Animation, CityTV, CTV,
TIP, Reality, VisionTV, Tel: 416-642-6738
Toronto Indie Production
Tasso Lakas, TIP Coordinator, Tel: 416-642-6733
Member Training Intensive & Gordon Pinsent Studio Bookings
Stephanie Stevenson, Administrative Assistant, Tel: 416-642-6735
Membership Department Dues & Permit Payments
Contact: Membership Department Tel: 416-928-2278
Karl Pruner, Director
Advertisement
Can I
Help You?
My name is Shawn Lawrence and I am your
Ombudsperson for ACTRA Toronto. For the benefit
of new members, let me give you some background
on myself and what the position entails. I have
been an ACTRA member for over 30 years and
have served on both the National Board and the
Toronto Council, but I am not now a sitting
councillor. I am a working actor. As I've had many
years of experience with ACTRA and understand
how our Council and staff function together, I
was appointed to this position about 10 years ago.
In this position, I serve as a problem solver, an
educator and a sometime mediator. I deal with all
kinds of issues, questions and complaints,
including background performer issues. If you feel
you have cause for complaint about the service you
have received from ACTRA Toronto staff or
Council, you can come to me. I will do my very
best to investigate, answer your questions and work
toward a resolution. All of the issues I deal with are
kept confidential.
RENT should only
be a musical.
Fifteen years ago I bought a house in Toronto.
They said: “You can’t afford it... You’re an actor!”
They were all wrong.
You can own your own home for about the
same price as you rent... so why pay a
landlord when you can pay yourself?
Talk to me - let’s do it!
Nicola St. John
Sales Representative
647.408.6425
nstjohn@bosleyrealestate.com
www.NicolaStJohn.com
Bosley Real Estate Ltd., Brokerage
276 Merton St., Toronto M4S 1A9
1
1
ANNUAL
th
THE
Yours,
Shawn Lawrence
ACTRA
AWARDS
Email: slawrence@actra.ca
Voicemail: 416-642-6604
IN TORONTO
Sat. Feb 23
Corrections and Omissions
The Carlu,
College Park
444 Yonge Street, 7th floor
DRESS YOUR BEST!
Anna Leber is also a member of
the ACTRA Additional Background Performer Committee.
ATTENDANCE IS FREE
to ACTRA Toronto members.
Space is limited so please register early.
THIS EVENT WILL SELL OUT!
Spring 2013
29
Lives Lived
Bernard Behrens
Rummy Bishop
Florence Maud Clews
Frank Donaldson
Bill Haslett
Phil Robert Hughes
Nina Klowden
Marc Laroque
Eileen Lehman
Larry Palef
Begum Syeda
Terrence Slater
John Stockfish
Bernard "Bunny" Behrens
Aer a very extended run,
Bernard "Bunny" Behrens, a
c ons u m m ate C an a d i an
t h e atre, television, film, and
every-moment-of-the-day
actor, completed his final act
on this stage at 8:45 pm on
Wednesday, September 19 in
Perth, Ontario, just shy of his
86th birthday. His passing to
the next stage was peaceful
an d it app e ars t h at t h e
au d i t i o n for his next role
was successful.
Bunny, as he insisted on being
called, was married to
Canadian actor Deborah Cass, who sadly passed away in 2004,
and was father to three sons: Mark, Matthew, and Adam and
grandfather to Taylor, Spenser, and Kate. As a boy in
Depression-era London, Bunny dreamed from the age of
seven of being a Hollywood actor, and escaped the privations
of poverty when he sneaked into movie theatres to live out the
fantasy world of Cary Grant, Jimmy Stewart, Irene Dunne, and
Myrna Loy, a world he eventually immersed himself in for
more than half a century, one of the few individuals who can
say they had a good life as a working actor. As a child evacuee
during the Second World War, Bunny was forced to live by his
wits with a foster family, an experience he never forgot and
which oen haunted him throughout his life.
His path took him from the Bristol Old Vic to Canadian Players
Tours in the 1950s and 1960s, CBC TV and Radio in their
30
ACTRA TORONTO PERFORMERS
golden age, Toronto's Crest eatre, Halifax's Neptune (where
he, along with Debbie, were founding members under the
direction of Leon Major), e Stratford and Shaw Festivals,
and a decade in Hollywood, where his appearances in 1970s
TV series from Starsky and Hutch and Bionic Woman to
Columbo and Marcus Welby, MD, among many others, still
grace late night TV. Bunny, a Gemini Award winner for Coming
of Age and Saying Goodbye, appeared in hundreds of films and
TV shows, and always generously shared humorous anecdotes
about his work with folks in the business.
Diagnosed with dementia four years ago, Bunny's final gigs
were the much-loved Young Farley in the Shaw Festival
production of Belle Moral, along with a brief appearance in the
TV program Living in Your Car. His final years were spent in
Niagara-on-the-Lake and, for the past year, in Perth, Ontario,
where he met the actors and enjoyed a performance at the
Classic eatre Festival, run by his daughter-in-law Laurel
Smith. e last show he attended was a production of Mary,
Mary in Perth, in which he starred 50 years ago in the
Canadian première at the Neptune eatre. Bunny's picture
(alongside of fellow Canadian actor Ted Follows), graced the
Festival lobby throughout the summer.
When Bunny suffered a major stroke in August, an attendant
who recognized him asked if Bunny used to be an actor.
Despite difficulty talking and moving, Bunny responded, with
his trademark tongue and attitude, "I still AM an actor!"
Donations in Bunny's memory may be made to the Classic
eatre Festival (www.classictheatre.ca).
Matthew Behrens
CONTRIBUTORS
Performers
Volume 22 * Issue 1* Spring 2013
Heather Allin
PUBLISHER
David Gale
dgale@council.actratoronto.com
Kelly Davis
EDITOR
Chris Owens
editor@actratoronto.com
STAFF EDITOR
Karen Woolridge
kwoolridge@actratoronto.com
EDITORIAL COMMITTEE
Art Hindle
Heather Allin, David Gale, Art Hindle, Chris Owens, Karl Pruner, David Sparrow,
Brian Topp, Karen Woolridge
DESIGN and LAYOUT
Erick Querci
Creative Process Design
ADVERTISING SALES
Tabby Johnson
Karen Cowitz
kcowitz@rocketmail.com 416-461-4627
CONTRIBUTORS
Shawn Lawrence
Heather Allin
Kelly Davis
Art Hindle
Tabby Johnson
Shawn Lawrence
Chris Owens
Nicole St. Martin
Brian Topp
Theresa Tova
Cathy Wendt
Karen Woolridge
ADDRESS EDITORIAL CORRESPONDENCE TO:
Chris Owens
Performers magazine
c/o ACTRA Toronto
625 Church Street, Suite 200
Toronto, ON M4Y 2G1
Fax: (416) 928-2852
editor@actratoronto.com
JOIN THE TEAM
If you’re an ACTRA Toronto Member and want to write an article or contribute original
artwork or photos, we’d love to hear from you. Send an email to editor@actratoronto.com.
Nicole St. Martin
Printed in Canada by union labour at Thistle Printing on 50% recycled paper.
NEXT COPY DEADLINE IS: April 15, 2013
The magazine invites members to submit notices of births, marriages, obituaries and letters
to the editor. Article submissions must be sent via email to editor@actratoronto.com.
We reserve the right to edit or omit any material for length, style, content or possible
legal ramifications.
Brian Topp
Performers magazine is published three times a year by ACTRA Toronto. The views
expressed in unsolicited and solicited articles are not necessarily the views of ACTRA
Toronto, its council or this committee. The presence of an advertisement in Performers
Magazine does not imply ACTRA Toronto’s endorsement of the advertised company,
product or service.
Publications Mail Agreement number 40069134
ISSN 1911-4974
www.actratoronto.com
Theresa Tova
Cathy Wendt
Cover Photo: Tim Leyes
(www.timleyesactors.com)
Karen Woolridge
Spring 2013
31
Baby it’s
cold outside...
but at our Winter Conference you can cozy up with
ACTRA Toronto’s
3-Day Winter
MEMBERS’ CONFERENCE
February 20 to 22, 2013
Tantoo Cardinal and Zoie Palmer, get sweaty doing
stunts with the pros, and heat up the casting room
with hot celebrity scene partners and, of course, your
smokin’ skills. Childcare will be available upon
request, see website for details.
Tantoo Cardinal
Zoie Palmer
For more information, check out
www.actratoronto.com
ACTRA Toronto Performers
625 Church Street, 2nd floor
Toronto,ON
M4Y 2G1
Printed in Canada
C a n a d a Po s t C o r p o r a t i o n
Publication Mail Agreement No.
40 07 019 6