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A publication of the Philadelphia Local of the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists.

December 2007

Annual Meeting Honors AFTRA Employers

Local Pres. Catherine Brown, E. D. John Kailin, Michael Colleran VP & GM of KYW-TV 3, and Associate E. D. Shelley Figures.

April 23, 2007 The annual general membership meeting of Philadelphia AFTRA was headlined by an apprecia-tion night, a salute to significant employers of AFTRA

members. Local President Catherine Brown gaveled the 2007 conclave to order (though the gavel didn’t show up till later) at the Playground/Adrienne Theater, billboarding the evening’s agenda which also featured honors and presentations to several leading lights who have served our Local, culminating with a laudatory farewell to retiring Executive Director John Kailin. Business mat-ters on the bill included finalizing the selection of Local officers plus occupants of Local and National Board seats.

In a remarkable demonstration of objective harmony, top man-agement representatives and major on-air talent from signatory stations appeared in tandem to chronicle the progress in the vari-ous shops from contentious negotiations to cooperative accom-plishments in turning out their broadcast product. Local VP Dan Hunt served as a sort of interlocutor and MC to bring on a suc-cession of performers and management people. Channel �0 an-chor Tim Lake credits local management for holding the line on layoffs and at the same time he lauded AFTRA members for their resolve in blocking requirements to have AFTRA members do cer-tain technical duties normally the purview of non AFTRA workers.

Tim welcomed WCAU-TV GM Dennis Bianchi, who expressed satisfaction with positive workplace attitudes. �0 News Director Chris Blackman, Kim Zachery and Ryan Bond lent their sup-portive presence.

Local Board member, 2nd VP and retired veteran KYW-TV news hand Dick Sheeran took the stage to introduce Channel 3 GM Michael Colleran, who praised the

By Nat Wright

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CONVENTION 2007 HITS PHILADELPHIA

Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell at the podium.

PHILADELPHIA—This past July �9-2�st the Philadelphia Local hosted the AFTRA 70th Anniversary National Convention at the Sheraton Philadelphia City Center Hotel. More than 200 AFTRA members from across the country, serving as Convention del-egates, along with AFTRA staff from the Locals and the National office descended on the city. Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell and Philadelphia Mayor John Street both delivered greetings at the Convention’s opening session. Governor Rendell even volun-teered his expertise on the unique makings of a true Philadelphia cheesesteak sandwich and implored the delegates to put their new-found knowledge to good use by patronizing the city’s restaurants. A good friend of the AFTRA Philadelphia Local, Bill Kane, Presi-dent Emeritus of the New Jersey Industrial Union Council brought the delegates to their feet with a keynote speech encouraging union members to “Flap Your Wings.” His mes-sage emphasized the importance and impact of being an active AFTRA member, saying our union is probably “the one organization in your life that gives you a little bit of power over how the world is going to be shaped.” Another memorable Convention moment came when legendary Motown singer Martha Reeves, a delegate from Detroit, wowed the Convention with an impromp-tu performance of “Dancing in the

FLASH!AFTRA President Roberta Reardon’s Letter, see page 3

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Philadelphia

SESSIONSOfficial Publication of the Philadelphia

American Federation of Television & Radio Artists215.732.0507

philadelphia@aftra.comwww.aftraphiladelphia.com

Cast & CrewShelley Figures—Editor

Contributing EditorsNat Wright, John KailinLayout—Chuck Varesko

Executive StaffJohn Kailin

Executive Director

Shelley FiguresAssociate Executive Director

StaffLynn Koenigsberg—Freelance Contracts/Signatory AdministratorMichele Dooley—Benefits &Membership Administrator

AFTRA LocalBoard of Directors

Catherine Brown—President Dan Hunt—�st Vice PresidentDick Sheeran—2nd Vice PresidentCyndy Drue —SecretaryOpen—TreasurerMel Alpern, Rob Charry, Ed Fischer, Paul Kurtz, Helen McNutt, Tom Mc-Nutt, Susan Moses, Dick Sheeran, Bill Shusta, Christy Springfield, Chuck Varesko

National Board Members:Susan Moses, Bill Shusta

For the latest info dial:

215-C-A-S-T-I-N-Gor surf to

www.aftra.comVisit the Philadelphia

AFTRA Online Talent Guide @

www.aftraphiladelphia.com

AFTRA PHILADELPHIA230 South Broad St., Suite 500Philadelphia, PA �9�02-4�2�

PHOTOS FROM CONVENTION 2007

Christy Springfield, Rob Charry, Martha Reeves (yes, of Martha Reeves and The Vandellas fame) and Cyndy Drue.

(L-R Top Row) Nat Wright, Shelley Figures, David Madden, Catherine Brown, John Kailin, Mel Alpern, Dan Hunt. (L-R Front Row) Christy Springfield, Susan Moses (holding John Kailin’s face on a stick), Cyndy Drue, Bill Shusta.

More Convention Photos are online at: www.aftraphiladelphia.com/convention

Streets.” At the conclusion of the Con-vention, Interim AFTRA National Presi-dent Roberta Reardon was elected to a full term and Philadelphia Local Presi-dent Catherine Brown was installed as a National Vice President. Full Convention highlights, speeches, resolutions and pic-tures can be found on the AFTRA website. http://aftra.com/aftra/convention.html

http://www.aftraphiladelphia.com/con-vention

National President Ro-berta Reardon with new Vice President Catherine Brown.

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Convention Hits PhillyContinued from page 1

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Don’t Let a Few Hijack Our Negotiations Dear Fellow AFTRA Member,

As your National President, I am saddened to share that at a time when AFTRA and SAG should be uniting, forces in our sister union are trying to drive us apart.

Unfortunately, mounting evidence indicates a faction among the Hollywood leadership of SAG no longer wants the cooperative relationship between AFTRA and SAG that has benefited all performers for decades. Increasing attacks on AFTRA from these quarters are purposely divisive, the most recent of which is an article attributed to SAG’s Executive Doug Allen for the fall issue of Screen Actor magazine. This latest attack is not only false, but worse, diverts attention from the most critical issue facing all per-formers: preparing for the 2008 negotiations of the TV, industrial, and commercials contracts.

Among the many misrepresentations in Mr. Allen’s article is his premise that “since 2002, AFTRA has been trying to cover scripted drama in basic cable,” and uses a chart starting from 200� to support his in-ference. Whether due to poor research or deliberate manipulation, Mr. Allen’s article ignores the fact that there were AFTRA covered scripted dramas from the �980s through 200�, including �00 Centre Street, Clarissa Tells it All, The Clinic, Hi Honey I’m Home, and others, or that by the mid-‘90s AFTRA had or-ganized and negotiated system-wide agreements covering both dramatic and non-dramatic programming on Comedy Central and Nickelodeon. Mr. Allen’s article is replete with similar omissions of fact, manip-ulated data, revisionist history, and hyperbolic conclusions to suggest that in an area of work legitimately covered by both AFTRA and SAG—basic cable—there is a contest between the two unions.

In truth, the struggle is not between our two organizations, but about the ability of working men and women to exchange differing ideas while remaining united during a time of great change. One set of ideas encourages US-based employment and growth of earnings; another set of ideas may depress job opportunities for the many by preserving employment for a select few. But in all cases, AFTRA believes ideas should be exchanged in collaborative and productive dialogue, and not through politicized propa-ganda.

AFTRA basic cable contracts provide performers with rates established in our broadcast television contracts—the envy of performers around the world. The subject of how to approach an area as diverse as basic cable has been a priority for AFTRA members since the �980s. Approaches have evolved with time, but each evolution has succeeded in raising pay and conditions for performers as the cable business has changed, shifted, and diversified during the past 25 years.

We are grateful to the working AFTRA members, such as the members who served on the negotiating committees for the most recent Comedy Central and Nickelodeon Live Action negotiations, who gave their time with great courage to continue the progress in improving rates and conditions for working performers on these networks.

Now, with the manipulative attacks and fear mongering of this faction endorsed and publicly exposed in print by an employee of SAG, it is extremely disturbing to see that: • There is a thinly-veiled campaign supported by some SAG paid staff and others, to raid another union—the cardinal sin of treachery within the labor movement. • In trying to disparage AFTRA, Mr. Allen’s article has implicitly maligned such esteemed orga-nizations as the Writers Guild of America and the Directors Guild of America, which, like AFTRA, have different contract terms for different budget levels in cable. • An official communication of a sister union has slandered working performers—volunteers all—who serve their fellow union members through service on the AFTRA National Board in supporting

A Letter From AFTRA National President Roberta Reardon:

Continued on page 4

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strong contracts and organizing employment for performers in cable and all sectors of our industry. • The dues of longtime and loyal SAG members, such as me, are expended on an agenda intended to harm a sister union, rather than focusing on the contracts that I, and thousands of my fellow actors, depend upon. • At a time when all performers must unite to make the 2008 negotiations our first priority, precious energy from one of our unions is being wasted on widening divisions and fracturing our soli-darity.

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW AS A PERFORMER: 1: Since the elected AFTRA member delegates united at the Convention and affirmed the commitment to organizing new work and maintaining strong contracts, AFTRA members are moving forward: recording artists have campaigned for both performance rights and a new Sound Recordings Code; members in medium and small sized Locals are working together to turn non-union work into union jobs; and of critical importance, AFTRA members are preparing for negotiations of the Network TV Code and six other major negotiations scheduled for 2008. 2: The AFTRA National Board unanimously voted to approve updates to long-existing contract models for basic cable productions at different budget levels. 3: At the same time, the AFTRA National Board also unanimously authorized the reactivation and expansion of the AFTRA Basic Cable Caucus to educate members and provide a forum to ex-change ideas. Working performers are being named to this caucus now. 4: AFTRA members and elected leadership are focused on preparing for the upcoming nego-tiations of the non-prime time and prime time TV contracts. These contracts are also the basis for pay rates and conditions in basic cable, and require our unified efforts.

The fact of the matter is this attack on AFTRA distracts from our efforts to focus on one of the most critical years of negotiations possibly in the history of either union.

I encourage and challenge you to become a participant in the work of AFTRA members to build the solidarity performers need to negotiate strong contracts in the 2008 round of negotiations. If you are committed to making a career in these changing industries and to keeping our contracts strong in these turbulent times, I invite you to make the investment in your future by uniting with your fellow per-formers and sending an e-mail with your name and contact phone number to AFTRA at unity2008@aftra.com or go to www.aftra.com/unity2008. I’ll make sure that you join with other AFTRA members to build strength at the bargaining table.

I look forward to continuing our work together as we face the challenges of our 2008 negotiations.

In Solidarity,

ROBERTA REARDON AFTRA National President

P.S. Our strength at the bargaining table depends on AFTRA members working together. Join with AF-TRA members across the country to win strong contracts in 2008 by emailing your contact information to unity2008@aftra.com.

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news shop for meeting the challenges of high standards and for getting the job done.

Cheryl Elias, KYW Newsradio anchor, gave testimony to a more comfortable exchange of ideas and helpful attitudes shared by the �060 toilers and supervisory honchos. News Di-rector Steve Butler stepped up to acknowledge these feelings, giving high marks to the levels of expertise within the shop.

We got more up close with Rob Charry whose affable equa-nimity makes him an ideal shop steward for WIP Sportsradio, Rob, studious Local Board member, told us the plusses of AF-TRA affiliation bring assurance to the razzle dazzle 610 squad.

Dan Hunt made sure to include radio outlets WIOQ, WMMR, WXTU and WYSP in our management/performer unity fanfare. Accolades and honors were also conveyed upon some longtime signatory loyalists. Summoned to the stage was performer and talent maven Diane Heery whose casting agency works tenatiously to stock the rosters of Philly-based TV shows with AFTRA people and to make our turf more production friendly, giving us quick outlines of the sitcom It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia and teen series What Goes On (A.K.A. The Block). Via Diane’s introduction we got to know “WGO” producer Angie Grant.

And freelancer Chuck Varesko trotted out Mark Engleman and Karen Kessler, ex-ecutives of on-hold phone service Audiomax, praising the caliber of AFTRAn’s voices on their lines.The keen camera eye of Recording Secretary Cyndy Drue captured the pre-sentations of certificates of appreciation to the various representative leaders of signator entities who employ our rank-and-filers and free lancers.

The flash of Cyndy’s camera continued to light up our in-gathering with the abounding honors deservedly awarded three luminaries from the Local’s leadership level. The ubiq-uitous Dan Hunt presented to President Catherine Brown an inscribed

Annual Meeting

ONLINE TALENT GUIDE IS NOW FREE

What you see to the left are actual pages from the AFTRA Philadel-phia Online Talent Guide. The Guide replaces and expands the old printed Talent Guide produced by the Local in the late 20th century.

Casting directors and producers can now easily browse or search The Guide and with the click of a mouse access your page in The Guide, which includes your headshot, demos, and links to any personal webpages you maintain as well as your contact info—including phone numbers and an email link.

The Guide has been in the works for over two years. The Local had intended that it be “live” earlier in 2007. The holdup has been the lack of a solid number of member listings. The old printed Talent Guide had several hundred member listings but as of this writing the Online Talent Guide has only fifty entries. Not enough to start major promotion to the production community.

To get the Guide filled with all the AFTRA talent that’s out there in the Dela-ware Valley the Board have decided that listing for Philadelphia AFTRA mem-bers is now FREE. Those who have paid for their listing will receive a refund soon. Sign up for the Online Talent Guide today!

Visit the Online Talent Guide at http://www.aftraphiladelphia.com to learn more and to sign up online. Contact the office to sign up via US mail.WWW.AFTRAPHILADELPHIA.COM

(L-R) Catherine Brown, Dick Sheer-an, Cheryl Elias, KYW PD Steve Butler, John Kailin, and Dee Patel.

Catherine Brown reads the plaque presented to Mary Locke Cavallero.Continued on page �

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MEETING PICS

AFTRAN R. D. Steele (L) and Audiomax V.P. Mark Engleman (R)

(L-R) Board member Chuck Varesko, Audiomax VP Mark Engleman, 2nd VP Dick Sheeran, Audiomax Creative VP Karen Kessler, President Catherine Brown.

(L-R) Dick Sheeran, Catherine Brown, Angie Grant of Sri and Company, Producer of “What Goes On.” Shelley Figures, Dan Hunt, Casting Director Diane Heery, John Kailin.

(L-R) Dennis Bianchi. V.P. & General Manager from NBC 10 and Tim Lake.

ALMA SARNOW, who served long and well as office man-ager of our member’s myriad performing lives, died in July of 2007. Her valued tenure, beginning in May �97�, established Alma as our Local’s longest consecutively employed staff person at the time of her departure in August �985 to assume supervision of her son’s American business interests. To state it more fully, “staff person” does not adequately describe Alma’s talents in mul-titasking. For a period after her recruitment by our renaissance executive director Bill Evans, she became a one lady band con-ductor... wielding a solo baton over files of contract and member-ship matters, responding to employers and producers while play-ing housemother to rank-and-filers... all with calm competence and affable demeanor, setting a standard for later staff additions.

Alma is survived by sons Greg and Mark and daughter-in-law Beatrice Sarnow. And, as pointed out by Mark Sarnow, Alma made the well-being and advancement of her sons priority #�, bringing this family feeling into her years at AFTRA, described as her hap-

piest in the workplace. Philadelphia-born, Alma was a prime ex-ample of the great American story involving the melding of the old and the new worlds. Her parents, who entered the U.S. via Ellis Island in the early 20th Century, imbued Alma with respect for her past. But from her matriarch Russian-born mother, Alma learned to assert her American independence in a modern quest of culture, style and travel. During World War II she worked in Washington, then came home to Philly to elope with her high school sweetheart, the late Mortimer Sarnow. Always urging her sons to be happy in achieving their goals, Alma bolstered her boys’ efforts to reach beyond her own high school level to obtain advanced degrees. “I taught you that money wasn’t everything,” she said, “but I didn’t want you to believe me.” A wonderful mother’s statement! Her sons affectionately called her “Mams”.

Memorial donations in the name of Alma Sarnow were made to the American Cancer Society and to Magee Rehabilitation Hospital.

IN MEMORIAM: Former Staffer Alma SarnowBy Nat Wright

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WMMR Gets Certificates of AppreciationThe WMMR management were unable to attend the Annual Meeting to pick up their cer-tificates of appreciation so AFTRA Board member Cyndy Drue went to the station to make a post meeting presentation.

(L-R) Jason Fehon, (Saturday morning & Pierre’s Producer), Vice President/Marketing Manager John Ful-lam, Board Member Cyndy Drue (and part-time WMMR), Program Director Bill Weston, Midday Host Pierre Robert, Night-timer Randy Kotz.

gavel (to save wearance and tearance on her knuckles at meetings). Thus fully armed to command the podium, Catherine led the house in paying homage to Mary Locke Cavallaro who served the Philly Local for nearly twelve years as Assistant Executive Director and staff counsel/business agent, quarterbacking shop forma-tions and negotiations while pursuing grievances, somehow finding time to function as a rep for National AFTRA. Mary was tendered an appropriate plaque as Cyndy Drue read for us an appreciative letter from National Ex-ecutive Director Kim Roberts Hedg-peth. Mary has vacated her AFTRA posts for private labor law practice.

The epochal event of the evening saw the acceptance by John Kailin of a plaque and special gift to grate-fully observe his forthcoming retire-ment as our Executive Director. And the attending membership and guests were treated to reminiscences and ruminations covering his 27 years of exemplary service to AFTRA, cover-ing in particular his �4 years of shep-herding the Philly flock. Typically, John led off with praise and thanks for Associate E.D. Shelley and Local staff, Local officers and Board members, shop negotiation teams and supportive al-liances with area labor groups. John fondly saluted Bill Evans Service Award winners and other union honorees in attendance. And he recounted success by labor solidarity in heading off at-tempted rollbacks of union rights by anti-unions sponsors and a business-friendly FCC. Board member Christy Springfield presented a letter from Kim Hedgpeth, followed by high deci-bel applause. Catherine reviewed initial efforts by our Board to land a successor to John at the helm of the Local’s affairs, and the executive talent search is underway. Meanwhile John has pledged to remain at his post until this vital canvass is concluded.

And this means, as Catherine pointed out in launching the business portion of the evening’s agenda, John will anchor our Local’s delega-tion in hosting Convention 2007, in which AFTRA activists union-wide will assemble at Philadelphia’s Sheraton City Center (Wynd-ham Franklin Plaza), July 19 through 21, ‘07. The Local Board is shaping up our welcoming delegates panel. Expect follow-up reports.

Four Philly Local Board sitters plus our representatives to the National Board were overwhelmingly returned via prior mail balloting by a membership, part of Catharine’s elections report. A call for nominations from the floor brought about the return by acclamation of the incumbent slate of five Local officers:

Meeting

Catherine Brown, President: Dan Hunt, �st VP/Freelance; Dick Sheeran, 2nd VP/Staff Announcer-Newsperson; Mel Alpern, Trea-surer; and Cyndy Drue, Recording Secretary. Local Board seats renewed via ballot: Catherine Brown, Staff Announcer-Newsper-son; Molly Daly, Freelance; Cyndy Drue, Freelance; and Richard Sheeran, TV Staff Announcer-Newsperson. Returned to the Na-tional AFTRA Board: Susan Moses, Freelance; and Bill Shusta, Staff Announcer-Newsperson.

Chuck Varesko, our point person for the new high tech Online Tal-ent Guide, offered updated information regarding the online cata-loging of union performer’s skills and abilities in a manner matching the computer age, far surpassing the old printed publications in the immediacy and outreach needed to market your talent. Need neces-sary forms? Ring up AFTRA (215-732-0507) or check in online at aftraphiladelphia.com.

Before the evening’s adjournment, actor/freelancer Chris John-son assumed stage front and resonated a tribute to his friend, performer Roscoe Lee Browne who died at age 80 earlier this spring in New York. Mr. Browne’s Bahamian baritone warmed the venues of stage, TV and recording studios, establishing an unsur-passed standard for projected eloquence in serious drama, comedy, and commercial spots. Chris’ curtain line consisted of a Shake-spearean oration-delivered in the style of Roscoe Lee Browne.

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CHUCK & THE CHIMP

Local Board member Chuck Varesko journeyed to the “jungles” of Queens,

New York to be the body double of HBO’s Curb Your Enthusi-asm star Larry David in promos for the new season of that show. Done in the style of a nature docu-

mentary the promo presents Larry David as the “un-natural predator.” As David approaches through the brush all the animals panic and run.Said Varesko, “I saw the notice on

Actors Access, it seemed like I fit the specs and it was an AFTRA job so I submitted myself and booked it.“The real star of the promo is

not Varesko as David but four year old chimpanzee, Louie. Louie told SESSIONS, “Va-

resko was almost as obnoxius as the real guy. I told him I’d email him and we’d hang out but hey, that’s not gonna happen.”

The Actors Fund Announces An Oppor tuni ty For Sidel ine Work

The Actors’ Fund is a national organization providing hu-man services for the entire

entertainment industry. The Fund’s Actors’ Work Program assists en-tertainment industry profession-als in identifying and finding non-industry work that complements their industry careers. Through the Actors’ Work Program, many Equity members throughout the country have gained skills and found work in such diverse fields as teaching, sales, and administra-tive support—work that allows them to continue their acting career. The Fund has been approached by

a national organization that has a speakers’ bureau focused on teach-ing/motivating high school students about choosing colleges and making the most of their college experience. Presenters are given a script, and each presentation is about an hour long. Presenters are given a schedule four to six weeks in advance, and the pay is $�00 to $250 a presentation, depending on the length of travel.If you are interested in learning

more about this opportunity, or if you would like to work with The Fund to develop a sideline or new career, contact Kathy Schrier, Director of the Actors’ Work Program. Kathy’s email is kschrier@actorsfund.org; her phone number is (212) 354-5480.

“Yeah” said Varesko, “Louie was a little clingy.”

QUESTIONS?Call the Local Office

215.732.0507

Op Ed—TAWKIN’ LIKE A PRO

Now that I’m getting on in years my tolerance threshold on a num-ber of things has gotten lower. Things that used to not bug me have be-gun to really get on my nerves. I’m not sure if this is because I’m turn-

ing into a curmudgeon, or if I’ve watched too many airings of Lewis Black’s rants on The Daily Show. In any case, I’m mad as hell and I’m not going to take it any-more! (Ancient movie reference—necessary for my creaky old curmudgeon image.)When I started in radio back in the ‘70s I had all the afflictions of a radio newbie: mush mouth, regionalisms, redundant use of “ah” and “um”, and a tendency to mispronounce words. I got my first actual broadcast experience at WDFM, the Penn State University stu-dent station. (Now WPSU.) Back then one of the first things I learned about being on the radio was that you had to speak well. The call letters were not Dubbya D FM. They were Double U D FM. Enunciation and pronounciation were essential to making listeners feel that they were tuned in to a station that, if not completely professional, was at least trying.

It is with curmudgeonly dismay that I listen to the local Philadelphia stations and hear professional announcers, and fellow AFTRA members, do all of the things that I learned were wrong. I constantly hear mispronounciation. (Once I heard someone who has been on the air around here long enough to know better say Neshaminy wrong. How often have you heard that word, or gone to that mall?) I hear the dreaded “dub-bya” (and not just in reports about the president) and I hear Philadelphia accents so thick my mouth begins to water as it evokes the taste and smell of a cheesesteak—with.

Come on people! I know we all make mistakes. I have over the course of my career had my share of mispronounciations. But at least make an effort. If you’re not sure how to say a word, before you say it on the air do some re-search. Ask a couple of people how they think it’s said. If you have a regional ac-cent do some work to diminish it or get rid of it. You don’t have to sound like Mis-ter or Miss Nowhere, just get rid of the slurs an accent adds to our language.

The majority of AFTRA members make their living by talking. It behooves us to take steps to hone our language skills and eliminate the things in our speech that make us sound less than one hundred percent professional. Nuff said? Aww right! Now say Neshaminy five times fast.

By Chuck Varesko, Local Board member.

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Listened to any good books lately? If you have, you’re in good company. According to the Audio Publishers As-sociation, audiobook sales are on the rise. In a survey

done in 2006 the audiobook market was estimated at $871 mil-lion dollars a year, an increase of 4.7 percent from 2004 to 2005.

What does this mean to you as an AFTRA mem-ber? More work possibilities. More books need to be read or performed by professional skilled actors and AF-TRA is in the forefront of negotiating this work for us.

To learn about this growing industry and to find out how we can get work in it, I attended the Audio Publishers Association’s annual Conference on May 31, 2007 at the Jacob Javitz Center in New York. During the state of the industry opening, various industry veterans noted the recent proliferation of devices in which the audience is using to listen to books. It’s not just books on tape any-more. Cassettes and CDs are making way for the mp3 player, digital downloads and even GPS systems. Soon, a GPS system in your car can be programmed to play audio about your location. At the Grand Canyon? Turn on your GPS and a profes-sional narrator will tell you all about it. And audiobooks aren’t just for traveling in the car anymore. With the popular trends of scrap booking, knitting and other crafts, many people listen to audiobooks at home during these activities.

So how can we jump in and get our piece of the pie? Two panels of industry experts addressed the narra-tors attending the conference in two separate sessions. Ron McLarty is an actor whose voice you will hear if you listen to Simple Genius, the best selling novel by author David Baldacci. Ron has performed more than 100 audiobooks over the past 20 years. He thinks the business is going to start tripling. He says the best way to get yourself in front of the producers is to send them a demo with a cover letter and follow up. According to McLarty, many companies in New York go through agents to find talent but you don’t have to have an agent to get this work. Get yourself a subscription to AudioFile, the only magazine that reviews and discusses the audiobook business. They provide address-es of all the companies that do the hiring of talent to voice the books. Although there are only a few companies in Philadelphia doing this work, we are close enough to New York where most of the work is done, and that proximity is in our favor. Especially when you consider out of the 85 or so attendees of the Narrator sessions, many were from the mid-west, and getting to New York is much tougher for them.

Another resource for getting your tape to the right person is to become a member of the Audio Publishers Association. Various networking opportunities are available in addition to this annual con-ference.

Panelists Sue Mackewich, Executive Producer for Gizmo Enter-prises and Dennis Kao, Producer for Hachette Audio both said they have hired narrators who had no agent. They listen to tapes sent to them and appreciate a “gentle” follow up call. On the demo, you should include segments of audiobooks that you have read, especially genres in which you excel. Stage actors are sometimes great at fiction but might over-act on a non-fiction book. Likewise, your forte might

be non-fiction. Put your best on the demo. If you haven’t been hired yet to read, you can simply record yourself narrating a segment of a book, or you can do some volunteer recordings for the Associated Services for the Blind. They have studios in center city Philadelphia where volunteers record magazines, books and newspapers that are then sent to blind people via a special radio. This is a good way to do community service while getting some experience for your reel.

There was much discussion on the skill required to do this kind of work. Moderator Paul Ruben, an independent producer for a company of his own name said that you are not merely a reader but a storyteller. You have to intuitively connect to what you are reading in order to emote properly. It requires that you’ve read the book—sometimes two or three times beforehand, and made choic-

es for each character you’re portraying. Barbara Rosenblat has probably won

more audiobook awards for her narration than any other actor. “There’s a lot of en-durance involved creating this art form,” she explained. “Being true to the author is only one of the challenges. You’re the director, the star, the head photographer and the wardrobe mistress. You’re every-thing if it’s a single voice narration of a novel, a romance, a mystery. You are there to create the world that your listener will hopefully stay with for 10 to 20 hours depending on how long the book is.”

“This work requires coordination of the mouth, the brain and the eye,” said Rick Har-

ris, Executive Producer for Harper Collins Publishers. “You need the ability to look at words, translate them and get them out of your mouth. You need to be fluent in the studio and know how to take direction.” It requires endurance as recording sessions can go as long as 8 hours a day. Ron McLarty took two 8-hour days to perform Simple Genius.

Producers can tell in an audition if the actor is inexperi-enced or in control and capable of the job according to Jacob Bronstein, Executive Producer of Audio and Digital Media for Random House Audio. The biggest mistakes talent make is to make every vowel and sentence important. The performance needs to have gradations. Another mistake is to read too fast.

What is the fastest growing kind of audiobook? A few years ago it was Christian books but today it is self-help, business and spiritual growth type books. Commercial fiction is still the biggest seller. The bottom line is—there are only going to be more and more voice over opportunities in the audiobook industry that will all require AFTRA professional voices, and that sounds good no matter how you say it.

Contact Cyndy Drue: cyndy@cyndydrue.com

Audiobooks Create Opportunities for AFTRANsBy Cyndy Drue Member since 1980, Board member since 1997

Cyndy Drue (L) and Barbara Rosenblat. (R)

What’s it pay?Anything that’s recorded on audio is covered by the Sound Re-cordings Code. Fees are based on intended market distribution, length of session, etc. Right now, a One Production Only con-tract is not available to use for an audio book but that could change. The rates range from $80/hour to $167/hour depend-ing on the project. Contact the local AFTRA office for details.

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In This Issue A Message from the Local AFTRA BoardOn October 24, 2007 the Local Board, re-

alizing the importance unity within the performing community voted to endorse AN OPEN STATEMENT OF UNITY TO OUR COMMUNITY OF ACTORS. The text of the Unity Statement may be viewed on the website of AFTRANow at:

http://www.aftranow.comThe Unity Statement is an important re-

minder that performers must focus on our common interests. Employers love to see ac-tors in disarray as we come to the bargaining table. More than 240 performers have already signed the statement that’s been published in Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, and Back Stage. Visit aftranow.com or call the Lo-cal office to get a copy of the Statement.

Convention 2007 In Philadelphia ........................1

Annual Meeting Honors AFTRA Employers........1

Photos From Convention 2007 ...........................2

Letter From President Reardon ..........................3

Online Talent Guide is Now Free ........................5

Annual Meeting Pictures.....................................6

Obit: Former Staffer Alma Sarnow ......................6

WMMR Gets Certificates of Appreciation ...........7

Op Ed—Tawkin’ Like a Pro .................................8

Chuck & The Chimp ...........................................8

Actors Fund Sideline Work Opportunity .............8

Audiobook Opportunities for AFTRANs ..............9

A Message from the Local AFTRA Board ............10

SESSIONS is also online atwww.aftraphiladelpia.com/sessionsRead Nat Wright’s History of The Philadelphia Local at www.aftraphiladelphia.com/convention/history.html