I just happened upon an interesting thread on a message board, where the actors discussed smoking in films. There are several factors involved in the discussion: Is the actor notified of the smoking requirement in advance of the auditions; Will smoking herbal cigarettes or their alternatives cause a recovering smoker to become addicted again, and; What should an actor do if they are morally/ethically against smoking? I found the actors’ contributions fascinating, and thought you might like to see it (to view the article, click the “interesting thread” link above.)
A while ago I responded to a reader who inquired about nudity in projects, another contentious topic. With nudity, the most important element is making sure that all details are put into writing so that all parties are protected and no one is surprised with what happens with the footage. If you don’t have an agent, you may want to consult an entertainment lawyer to help you go over the contract details. You can also look online for sample Nudity Clauses/Addendums, in case you want to provide your own before appearing nude in a project. Here is a website I found particularly helpful. And here are a few other blogs that are very useful on this issue: The Naked Truth: Part 1 and The Naked Truth: Part 2.
What other personal issues have you come up against when working on projects? Post your questions here, and I’ll answer them as soon as possible. In the meantime, hop on over to Bite-Size Resources, where I’ve organized hundreds of links to helpful sites and articles.
Erin Cronican's career as a professional actor and career coach has spanned the last 25 years in New York City, Los Angeles and San Diego. She has appeared in major feature films and on television, and has done national tours of plays and musicals. She has worked in the advertising & marketing departments of major corporations, film production companies, theater magazines, and non-profit acting organizations. To learn more, check out http://www.theactorsenterprise.org.
