MOVE L.A. Hits the Ground Running

On Feb. 7, Pilot Season 2: Another Year, Another Opportunity for More Greatness covered the basics of pilot season and what to expect as an actor. Organized by event Chair Tohoru Masamune and committee Chair Ellen Crawford, it featured National Board member Jon Huertas (This Is Us) and actor Janina Gavankar (True Blood), ABC’s Vice President of Drama Development Juan Alfonso, casting director Liz Dean and SAG-AFTRA Television and New Media National Director Beth Millman. Members left understanding the life of a pilot from inception to casting to airing.

A few weeks later, on Feb. 22, the committee produced another panel, Finding Your Voice in TV/Film Animation, which featured nine industry professionals working in varying facets of animation and voiceover. Moderated by voiceover actor Sara Cravens (Injustice 2), the panel included singers/vocal contractors Laura Dickinson (Michael Bublé’s Nobody But Me), Sally Stevens (The Simpsons) and National Board member Jasper Randall (La La Land), talent agents Alyssa L. Gentile of VOX Inc. and James Murray of Abrams Artists Agency, voiceover actor/director Mary Elizabeth McGlynn (Cowboy Bebop), and voiceover actors Bob Joles (Jungle Book 2) and Kari Wahlgren (Rick and Morty). The dynamic bunch covered in-person singing, voiceover auditions and the process of self-recording, editing and emailing auditions.

Finally, on March 22, MOVE L.A. held a panel titled Creating a Business to Survive and Engage the Industry. It explored how performers can parlay their unique talents and interests into rewarding moneymaking ventures to help stay secure and give back to the industry while pursuing roles. The panel featured a group of working actors and singers, including event Chair Jen Faith Brown (Sing), UpCast app founder Drew Doyon, acting coach James Eckhouse (High and Mighty, The Avengers), diversity activist Diana Elizabeth Jordan (7th Heaven), demo producer A.J. Teshin (Transformers 5, Jurrasic World) and vocal coach Gerald White (Frozen). Nina Brissey (Amazing Grace, Emmet in Peopleland) moderated. All agreed that individual passions are crucial to being a successful performer and help develop a person’s individuality, boost confidence and separate oneself from the crowd.

For more MOVE L.A. panels and to learn how to get involved, follow the SAG-AFTRA MOVE L.A. Committee on Facebook and Twitter or on the SAG-AFTRA website at sagaftra.org.

Top photo: Attendees of the March 22 Creating a Business to Survive and Engage the Industry panel were inspired by fellow member entrepreneurs, including Diana Elizabeth Jordan, who explained how she parlayed her performance talent to create a side business. Members Gerald White, left, and Drew Doyon also served on the panel.