Screen Actors Guild will present its acclaimed Diversity Acting Workshop on September 11 as part of the programming at this year’s South Dakota Film Festival.

The Capitol Theatre Stage will be the venue for this business and acting skills seminar, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. The workshop is part of ongoing outreach by the Screen Actors Guild Affirmative Action & Diversity Department and the SAG President’s National Task Force for American Indians to create opportunities for aspiring minority actors.

Panelists will include Chris Eyre (director, Smoke Signals) and Rene Haynes (casting director, Twilight Saga). Actors who will be facilitating include DeLanna Studi (Edge of America, First National Broadway Tour, Steppenwolf’s August: Osage County) and Brian Wescott (Christmas in the Clouds, We Are Still Here), both members of the SAG task force.

In the morning, workshop participants will learn what works – and what doesn’t work – when compiling resumes, headshots, audition tapes and reels. Speakers will also discuss the benefits of having representation (a manager and/or agent) and belonging to a performers union.

In the afternoon, attendees will be able to gain invaluable insight into the audition process as select participants will demonstrate how an on-camera audition is conducted with feedback from the panelists.

The SAG Diversity Acting Workshop is open to all festival and student pass holders. Adults and children 12 and over are invited to attend.

"We had such an amazing response to our last Diversity Acting Workshop, which was held earlier this year in New Mexico in conjunction with Robert Redford and Milagro at Los Luceros, that we were eager to do it again in another part of the country that is often under-served," said Adam Moore, associate national director of the SAG Affirmative Action & Diversity Department. "The well-regarded and growing South Dakota Film Festival provides that next opportunity to support local talent and educate actors in emerging market."

{jcomments on}