|Viewing Single Post From: ATWT:Dylan Bruce dropped to recurring|
|Matt||Aug 24 2008, 11:31 PM|
Classic Soap Fan
You have to remember that a lot of soaps (and seemingly P&G's in particular) are known for dropping featured actors to recurring as a cost saving measure. Hell, I almost think 1/3 of GL's cast is recurring and a lot of those recurring cast members do pop up rather frequently. I'm almost certain that Kathleen Widdoes (Emma) is recurring and we see her more often than we see some contract performers. The primary difference between contract and non-contract is about the same as on-staff and freelance. Contract actors are bound to their respective shows, meaning that if the show says they have to report to work, they have to report to work. As a benefit to actors, those contracts will also stipulate that they'll be guaranteed a certain number of days per week and those days are "play or pay" (meaning that if their contract states they work 3 days a week, they have to be paid at least for those 3 days even if they don't even work). Non-contract performers aren't given those guarantees and are only paid for the days the work. Consequently, without a contract, a show cannot force a performer to work and it allows the performer to accept other roles and work only when they chose to do so. If the role is more of a supporting role with no significant storyline prominance, this isn't that big of a deal. However, if an actor is playing a character that is part of a key storyline that hinges on that character, it's often in the show's best interest to make sure that performer is on contract.|
Also, that's one reason you see some performers signed to lengthy contracts and then released at the end of the contract cycle (usually 3 months, if I'm not mistaken) with the reason being "end of storyline". If a new performer comes on and shows a certain spark, a show will often quickly sign them to a contract to "hedge their bets", so to speak, so that if the performer/character really takes off, they've already got the performer locked in and aren't at risk of losing them. Often, however, once the performer's storyline is concluded, their character is no longer needed (or no longer fits in the upcoming storyline) and is released from their contract at the end of their cycle. Then why sign them to a contract in the first place? It's kinda like an insurance policy. If I were an EP and I saw the faintest glimmer of a spark that a performer might really take off with the viewers, I'd want to jump in there quickly and make sure I've got them locked into my show rather than risk losing a potential future start to competing soap or another acting endeavor. After all, if they don't work out, I could always let them go at the end of their contract cycle.
|ATWT:Dylan Bruce dropped to recurring · General Daytime News|