Should we quit having CASA General Assemblies?

[Karen Hemmerle]

Right now, we have three people (other than Darla and me) signed up to attend the October GA. There's just no way this is a workable number of people for a GA. I understand the reasons why people quit attending in 2008, but over the last year, we really haven't seen attendance come back to the numbers that make the GA work. At this point, I'm seriously tempted to cancel the General Assemblies.

Do you hundreds of CASA members want the GAs to continue? Will you attend them? Is there some change we can make to lure you back?

I really need to hear some feedback, and know that someone is going to attend.

Karen

[Leigh Ann Otte]

I'd probably go more often if I weren't moving. I got a lot out of them--namely, learning how to rely on instincts thanks to the frigid reading experience. But one thing that used to help get me there were reminders on, say, the Thursday before. Being only once a month, they're easy to forget and a last-minute reminder might also catch people on the fence who realize, well, I don't have anything better to do. :-)

I also do want to know there will be a good turnout. I go in part to get feedback and I like to hear it from a variety of points of view. So I guess that's a catch-22.

Finally, I suspect part of the problem may be CASA's negative reputation with some people in the community. That's not something you can change overnight. In fact, I don't know if it'll ever be changed. But maybe Mikey's idea of reaching out would work--if you tried to reach people outside the ones already entrenched in the indie scene. Maybe think outside Denver. Down here in the Springs, for example, there's nothing for actors. I bet the same can be said for many surrounding cities.

That said, I can't tell you how many times I've mentioned CASA to actors on set and they've never heard of it. Like most Denver indie groups, I think CASA's quite insulated. It needs new blood but they won't come if they don't know about it.

Do we have a Facebook group?

Leigh Ann Otte

[Jim Brennan]

'Leigh Ann Otte"

It just sounds right ;-)

[Leigh Ann Otte]

Hee. Thanks.

[Jim Brennan]

Great question Karen. For me, it has been nothing more than a scheduling issue the past months. (Gotta pay the mortgage!)

2 points I'd like to bring up

1) We have gone through this before as a group. Sometimes we get a great turn out and sometimes we don't. How do we keep the numbers at a workable level? We have discussed and implemented various modifications over the years to make it more appealing and more valuable, with mixed results in the long term. At its root, the GA is an opportunity for writers and actors to show their stuff and network. I have heard actors say it is more of a benefit to writers, and writers say it is more of a benefit to actors. For me, it is clearly both if you understand the value of the opportunity. Which frankly, most people don't. When I tell colleagues in other states about CASA they love the idea. They wish they had something like that. So, why don't people come? For one thing, not a lot of people know about it. Secondly, most people don't understand the benefit of it. I don't have an answer here, I am just trying to further the discussion.

The GAs have always been a serendipitous or synergistic experience for me. I always get something out of it, but the really great days come from the people who attend. Sometimes it is someone brand new, and sometimes it's someone that has been there many times. And that is not something you can really count on. (BTW, I wonder how accurate that RSVP on the site really is. Is that typically the way it turns out?) It's alchemic in a way. For me, this coming Saturday will hopefully be the last one where I have a commitment. After that I was hoping to resume my regular attendance.

It has become increasingly obvious to me over the years that the largest portion of our community does what they do out of self-interest. I am not saying that to insult anyone, that's just the way I see it. My point is that there is only a small handful of people who have over the years put forth an effort to benefit the community as a whole. (I don't think that is specific to us, our state or our vocations. I also don't see it changing.) So people don't show up to the GA to "support CASA", which is a bit sad seeing as the CASA and the GA has been such a great resource for so long. I have spoken to more than a few people over the past few years who no longer come to the GA because they don't see that there is anything in it for them.

All that being said...

2) As far as canceling the GA's as a whole, as long as there is a place to have them, and someone willing to host I think we should keep having them. I think everyone would understand if there was any one person who did not feel it was worth it for them to host anymore. It is a big commitment, and I am sure it feels like a waste of time to sit there and not have anyone show up.

just my 2 cents.

BTW, what were you referring to when you said "I understand the reasons why people quit attending in 2008"

[CoachDalton]

I have oly attended a few in the last couple years due to Saturdays are just not good for me, personally. But in those times, many months apart, the GA's were not any different, except for the size of attendance. I'll share my perspenctive.

1. I think the main problem is with it being an ogoing repeating event that doesn't change hardly ever in format. "Been there, done that" thinking will creep in to those who have been around for awhile. I would suggest rotatiing topics or special guest speakers in addition to the regular fomat.

2. I think it does benefit the writers more than the actors because there is usually more constructive direction given to the writers. The actors just get a brief comment about their read, but no one really addresses how the actors can improve. Writers can share ideas simply through discussion, but actors need a little more hands-on coaching and practice. So, is this just cold read practice for actors?

3. The negative rep that CASA get, (and I have heard it) is generally "lacking authority". It's seen to some as a tiny bubble, a microcosm community that just speaks to it's own choir. Again, guest speakers would help, but more importantly, CASA needs to raise it's own bar. That takes work and planning.

That's my 2 cents worth.
CoachDalton

[Karen Hemmerle]

Interesting comments. Thank you all.

The negative comments I've heard about CASA have come from people who no longer attend because they feel they are too good to read with new actors who are still pretty rough, or to read the work of new writers who are also rough.

David, by "lacking authority", do you mean that I'm not bossy enough or that my credentials aren't good enough?

Karen

[CoachDalton]

Karen,
Of course not! You da woman.
It's an overall thing. There's a mentality, albeit sad, that if you aint from LA, or a big name CD, Agent or Actor, you don't know what's up. There's been a slew of "hollywood connected" out-of-towners flying through giving workshops and some folks are dazzled by them. I'm not saying the perception is accurate; it is what it is.

When I trained as a coach, the first thing they taught us was to establish 3 things in order to teach, influence or even sell the "audience"

1. Authority - You had to at least you look like you know what you're talkin about. The event location had to lend authority, they way you dress, and even the company you have with you.
2. Doctrine or paradigm - A strong POV or doctrine in which supports your authority. A resume, diploma, a published methodolgy, philosophy or technique would do.
3. Relative Emotional Impact - Make them FEEL something. Move them with your words and practice. get them to feel something postive about what they expected from the presentation.

This model is also used in advertising. Something to consider.

-CoachDalton

[Mark Dissette]

My experience with CASA has been negative. I feel the group has become protective and cliquish and the general attitude I've faced is that my opinions and skills are not wanted. It's difficult to participate as an equal when you are not treated as such and it certainly doesn't encourage me to attend GA's. My experience level is high I work in the industry on a national basis and I come to CASA with a desire to help however I am met with a closed environment that to me is hostile. Perhaps that is part of the issue I can only voice my experiences but I do think it is valuable if this issue could be addressed.

[Jim Brennan]

I think that does need to be addressed. Even if many of us feel that CASA is a very open community, we need to understand why someone would feel differently.

[Karen Hemmerle]

David, CASA was set up to be a mutually supportive community, not a lecture series. Until Cheryl decides to change the focus, that's the CASA we have. In the past, we've seen people want to come "teach" (this is NOT a reference to you), with the sole goal of lining up paying students for their classes, and no intention of participating further with CASA. Likewise, members who have started teaching classes and workshops have refused to tell their students about CASA, in an effort to remain the 'only expert' in their students' eyes. As the film community has gained experience, it's gone from mutually supportive to every man for himself.

Mark, I hope you'll try CASA again. I know many people had the same experience (myself included). All I can say is that experienced people are VERY welcome, and your opinions are valued. People with experience helped me when I was starting out, and the day that I'm too good to help the new people who are starting in the business is the day that someone needs to smack me upside the head.

And Jim, you know why many experienced people left CASA. We all know why, and no one wants to point fingers or name names.

Frankly, what matters now is letting people like Mark know that they are welcome and valued, and hope that they will come back.

Those people who think they're too talented to get anything from a CASA GA, please consider coming back and GIVING something to a new actor or writer.

Karen

[Jim Brennan]

Actually Karen I don't know. Maybe I'm just being obtuse (and if so I apologize).

[Haylar Garcia]

concerning Jim, David and Karen'scomments, maybe it is a hybrid version that will best be suited. Understanding that the meeting should be mutual and benficial is one thing, but the reality that peopel want to know the "value" of something before they expend energy is another. So i think some type of guest speaker per meeting is a great idea (as long as they are not just pimping themselves)
Where the CASA meeting scene-work is concerned:
The fact is if people were REALLY getting something out of the format they would come in droves, it must not be working somehow. How about cutting down the amount of scripts, maybe focusing one or two single writers and a set group of actors for the night, giving the ability to give direction, discuss tone make adjustments and actually make the scene work would be of more interest.

I for one would be happy to share scenes with my peers in this manner, if after all the discussion and critique, the actors were able to try it again, maybe threee times. That way actors and writers get to see and participate in the ACTUAL evolutionary process of pre-production.

At the moment I don't think actors or writers leave with the feeling that they made it work, so in the end it is somewhat unsatisfying... just my two cents.

ALSO THERE IS ANOTHER PROB WE ARE UNKNOWINGLY UP AGAINST-

I will go out on a limb here and say that the new CASA interface could be acting as a double edged sword. This new facebook style interface is far superior in every way to the former CASA website. So superior in fact that it may be curbing people's need to actually meet in person. It is the way of things these days, as technology becomes more of our social pipeline, going out of the front door becomes less and less attractive.

I for one believe that social interaction breeds good art, and more inportantly a good art community.
I say we continue the meetings. But refocus on one guest speaker and two scenes a night where we commit to actually making those scenes better by the end of the night for the writer and the actors.
Each night should have a feeling of achievment to it.
attendees should leave with answers not more questions about their scenes.

I for one will hereto for commit to being at every single meeting provided I am in town.
(no matter what the format change or no change, The efforts of thosae who have come befire us and those like darla and karen now should at least be symbioticly yanged by my showing up)