Back Stage 411 - Casting FAQ

Tips for Foreign Actors Needing a U.S. Work Visa

If you have acting credits in other countries (such as your home country) and a temporary job offer in the U.S., then you can apply for an O-1 Visa, which is the U.S. work visa for individuals that can demonstrate an “extraordinary ability in the sciences, arts, education, business, or athletics which has been demonstrated by sustained national or international acclaim and who are coming temporarily to the U.S. to continue work in the area of extraordinary ability.” The O-1 Visa is one of the most popular visas for actors and other performers that want to work in the U.S.

For more info, see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/O-1_visa and the excellent Artists from Abroad website, which calls itself “The Complete Guide to Immigration & Tax Requirements for Foreign Guest Artists.” You might also want to check out the visa-consultant and legal services at sites like http://www.hooyou.com/o-1/faq.html and http://www.actorsevolution.com/visa.php. And visit the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) website for a list of additional visas.

Alternately, you could become a student at an acting school in the U.S., and use a student visa or J-1 Exchange Visitor Visa to enter the country.

Finding Open-Mike Nights -- Calls for Comedians, Singers, Musicians, Dancers, and Variety Performers

Back Stage lists a variety of Open Mike (aka, Open Mic) opportunities every week in the casting/jobs section of BackStage.com and the Back Stage print editions.

These opportunities are listed in various categories, depending on the type of talent being called for. And the opportunities being listed may vary from day to day and week to week, depending on what information Back Stage has available.

However, the two Back Stage categories where Open Mike Night and Club Talent opportunities are most commonly found are:

• Comedy & Improv -- this category includes calls for stand-up comedians, improv comics, and comedy duos, groups, and acts.

• Cabaret & Variety -- this category includes calls for singers, dancers, some comics, new cabaret acts, club talent, and variety performers

The following Back Stage categories are also  worth checking out for Open Mike, Club Talent, Variety Show, Burlesque, Cabaret, and Talent Showcase  opportunities, competitions, gigs, and jobs:

Advanced Casting/Job Search -- Customize and Personalize Your Search!

To run an Advanced Casting/Job Search -- to filter the casting/job notices by location, job category, character age-range, character-ethnicity, character gender, pay ranges, keywords, etc. -- visit http://tinyurl.com/AdvancedCastingJobSearch.

Search Tips:

To search for casting notices, click on one of the BackStage.com toolbar links labeled "Search Casting" or "Search Notices," or visit the Actor's Toolbox page located in the casting area of BackStage.com. The Actor's toolbox features links to advanced casting and résumé tools, and on the right-hand side of the Actor's Toolbox page there's a Simple Casting Search box for your convenience.

In the casting search-engine area of BackStage.com, you can fill out as much or as little search criteria as you'd like. The more details you enter, the more refined your search will be; the less you enter, the more results you'll see.

Advanced Search Filters:

Back Stage Casting/Job Notices: Help With Union Contracts

How Union Contracts Are Referenced in Back Stage Casting/Job Notices:

The following article is designed to help you understand how Back Stage verifies union information and the union-, union/nonunion-, and nonunion-specific language used by Back Stage in its casting and job notices.

For instance, read below to find out why phrases such as "pending" and "plans to apply for" are used in some union-contract descriptions, and view a comprehensive list of SAG, AFTRA, Equity (AEA), AGMA, AGVA, AFM, and ACTRA contracts and agreements, along with helpful union website links and other related info.