5 — Wednesday, Joly 5, 1989 - Capilano Chronicle

You oughtta be in pictures...

IF YOU'VE always dreamed about being in the movies,
North Vancouver talent agent Nanci Davis has plenty of
advice, both cautionary and encouraging, to get you started

on the street to stardom.

_ Despite the booming film in-
dustry which has taken root in the
Lower Mainland — in B.C, more
than $200 million is spent on the
business annually — Davis notes

* that most of the movies and series
are American-produced and Amer-
ican-cast.

“The Americans aren’t using
many Canadians,”’ she rued in a
recent interview. “Acting | isn’t a
well-paying job right now.”

She emphasizes, however, that.

she is “thrilled to bits that the
Americans are up here working,”’
saying it will be an excellent chance
for Canadian actors to learn the
ropes from watching their experi-
enced, south-of-the-border
counterparts.

S. you want to be in the
movies? Talent agent Nanci
Davis tells you how to break
into show business.

A

Recently, she cscorted a few of
her actors to the closed-sei filming
of a made-for-TV movie about the
Incredible Huik, starring Bill Bix-
by. “‘They’ve all told me it’s been
one of the best experiences of their
lives,”’ reported Davis.

The future for focal actors is by
no means bleak. With the opening
of Cannell Studios on the Park
and Tilford site, Davis expects to
see ‘ta fot — a lot — of business.
(The studio) is the best thing that
could ever happen to our com-
munity.... A lot of Canadians are
going to get their big break.”’

And for those people who are
willing to act as “‘extras’’ on the
movie set, there’s plenty of work
around already.

Whether or not you intend to
make acting a full-time career,
Davis advises taking on as much
work as possible, no matter how
small. “Don’t turn anything
down,” she says, “You mever
know who you’re going to meet.”’

Potential extras, she suggests,
should bypass agencies that
specialize in placing extras —
which charge a registration fee of
about $30 and represent hundreds
of movie hopefuls — and suomit
their resume to production offices
themselves. ‘‘Mosi of my people
have done it that way, and they’ve
been in everything.”

She advises telephoning the B.C.
Film Commission - (660-3569) to

LADIES’ HEELS
MEN'S TOPY SOLES

obtain a copy of the current Film
List. This invaluable resource lists

the current features and series be-

ing produced locally, their
shcoting schedules, major. cast
members, important contact names
and the address of their production
office.

If you’re serious about being an
extra, says Davis, send the casting
director an 8’’xI0’’ bdlack-and-
white photo of yourself, a descrip-
tion of your physical appearance,
any relevant experience (not an
essential qualification) and a list of
your special skills.

The latter is important, Davis
notes. If you can ride a motorcy-

‘ cle, play golf, swim, rollerskate,

drive a truck, ride a horse, play a
musical instrument — put it all
down.

A director can’t afford to teach
such skills to extras, explains
Davis, and needs to draw on a
pool of already-trained talent.

Extras earn $4 per hour and up.
Principal extras, those whu are for
whatever reason essential to a par-
ticular scene and cannot be inter-
changed with anyone else, are paid
more and may be subjected to a
more gruelling schedule.

Very occasionally — if, for ex-
ample, an actor is suddenly taken
sick — an extra on hand may land
a small speaking part.

“That’s lucky break time,”’ says
Davis, and can result in a wage of
around $3,000 for six or seven
days’ shooting.

While extras may petition pro-
duction offices for work on their
own behalf, Davis notes that when

it comes to speaking parts and_

comsnercials, it is ‘‘very rare’’ for
someone to be able to represent
themselves.

Enter the talent agent, who for a
percentage of the actors’ earnings
will promote them to the right
people and land them (hopefully)
the right parts.

‘Davis charges 15 per cent, which
she says is standard, and a $10
sign-up fee to cover th2 cost of
assembling a client file.

Davis, who is well known on the
North Shore for her 12-year-old
school of pop singing, expanded
her business to include repre-
senting actors in January and now
has 45 clients.

Should anyone be interested in
hiring an agent, Davis recommends

FULL DRYCLEANING
SERVICES AT an VALLEY

photo Cindy Goodnan

NANCI DAVIS is wellknown on the North Shore for her 12-year-old school of pop singing, but since January
she has beer busy working as a tatent agent as well. [f you’ve always wanted to be in show business, Davis will

ieli you how.

contacting Rob Haynes of the
recently formed Vancouver
Association of Talent Agents
(VATA), a policing agency which
ensures that its members adhere to
professional standards,

VATA is located at 201-1224
Hamilton St. in Vancouver.

la14a West 15th Street

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