I found this website for casting notices and for breakdowns. One thing about it is that it is tailored for Asian actors and actresses. Luckily for me I am both Asian and Caucasian, so it applies to me. But there's a search box there and you can check out if there are any Caucasian, Black or Hispanic roles there. They're there, trust me. But if you're an Asian actor or actress, this the BEST site to find out if roles are available. The site is put together by some shadowy guy named "Agent X", who is possibly a big agent in Hollywood. You can email him with your headshot and resume and he might, I stress might help.

Here's the site
www.asianactorsmanifesto.com

Everything in the site is legit, up-to-date and real. There's a huge breakdown for Nip/Tuck...so get on the horse quickly. Good luck everyone!!!

So this agent is copy-and-pasting the agent-only breakdowns to his public website for anyone to see? I believe this is illegal and he could be prosecuted by breakdown services, as that is copyrighted information.

I also don't see how Agent X thinks he can increase Asian representation in Hollywood by doing this, as he states is his goal is-he's not creating roles, just possibly more competition for existing roles.

Yes, this agent is breaking copyright infringement laws and the site could be shut down. Breakdown Services is a business, remember, and the reason the notices aren't public is the CASTING people and PRODUCERS don't want them to be. The more Breakdown Services is pirated and the service abused like this, the less casting people will use it, preferring to send notices only to their favorite few agents to avoid getting tons of unsolicited submissions. I think using illegal breakdowns is, in the long run, leading to less opportunity for actors, not more....

Long Duc Dong from sixteen candles
Charlie Chan
Every Asian male that plays a shy nerd
Japanese short male perverts
Asian slutty temptresses

Those are reasons for Agent X's existence. Adn speaking as an Asian actress, this is a good thing because positive Asian roles are hard to find and if we can get a headstart to such roles, the better.

So don't get all sanctimonious about legalities or how this is hurting the business. The business is hurt already. If it takes something like this tfor ust o get ahead, that's fine....Unless you want to put us in internment camps, that's YOUR way.

quote:

Originally posted by LindsayH:
Long Duc Dong from sixteen candles
Charlie Chan
Every Asian male that plays a shy nerd
Japanese short male perverts
Asian slutty temptresses

Those are reasons for Agent X's existence. Adn speaking as an Asian actress, this is a good thing because positive Asian roles are hard to find and if we can get a headstart to such roles, the better.

So don't get all sanctimonious about legalities or how this is hurting the business. The business is hurt already. If it takes something like this tfor ust o get ahead, that's fine....Unless you want to put us in internment camps, that's YOUR way.

All of this makes no sense whatsoever, on any level-utterly ridiculous. Nevermind the legal or practical issues(I see the site's already been shut down). Bottom line, in no way is posting existing breakdowns for Asian roles on a site going to increase the number and quality of Asian roles in Hollywood! Too many actors vying for limited good roles is a dilemma every ethnicity/age/gender faces. It's the nature of the business.
Hollywood's objective is to make money. So they will make the films and TV they think will sell. Their targets are advertisers on TV and moviegoers for film-suckers who are willing to pay $11 to go see a movie in a theater or $20 for a DVD they'll view once and then stick on a shelf. It seems to be the (usually white) producers' judgement that the viewing public as a whole wants to see whites/blacks in starring roles and Asian/Middle Eastern actors in stereotyped roles. Not that they are right-in fact I don't think that they are, and it costs them money in my opinion.
In fact, I believe that the lack of number and quality of Asian roles can be at least somewhat attributable to a lack of Asian producers. They don't seem to invest in films much-I suppose preferring other, more consistent industries. This influence(or lack thereof) trickles down to writers and casting. Most big-time Hollywood producers are white, and there are very few big Asian directors-only a few like Ang Lee. So the status quo remains intact.
So my advice, if you want to help Asian actors in the long run, is to recruit Asian producers-folks willing to put up dough to get films made. Trying to get the word out to actors about roles isn't going to do it. No matter if you somehow think that the CDs or producers will see how rich the talent pool is and create better and more Asian roles-they won't. You have to aim higher up the chain because that's where decisions are made.

quote:

Originally posted by LindsayH:
So don't get all sanctimonious about legalities or how this is hurting the business. The business is hurt already. If it takes something like this tfor ust o get ahead, that's fine....Unless you want to put us in internment camps, that's YOUR way.

Well, LA Delight already made great points here--illegally posting breakdowns on the Internet is about as helpful to actors as giving them the names and addresses of all the agents at CAA. Yeah, not very. Why, because there are plenty of actors with representation and they will be the ones getting those auditions. AN unsolicited package, sent from a breakdown not meant to be public, is going to end up in the trash. This applies whether you're Asian, African, Norwegian, French....you name it.
I agree there are not enough opportunities for minority actors, but having a chance to speed your headshot into the trash isn't the answer. LADelight hit the nail on the head--shoot higher. Produce. Direct. Write. Cast. And join groups dedicated to helping Asian American actors--there are legitimate ways to tackle this issue.
I don't think LindsayH understands how breakdowns work or that it's a BUSINESS run by a guy (who's a nice guy, by the way) and that the more the system gets abused the more likely casting will skip breakdown posting altogether and just use select actors/agencies. Will that help actors? Will that help Asian actors?

As for suggesting that the advice here, which was meant to help you understand the business aspects of the issue, is akin to putting you in an internment camp!!???! You must be joking, right?!??? I'll give you the benefit of the doubt. If you were that paranoid, I'd be really worried about you.