Personal Managers Association
Dear Agent
I spoke to a casting director this week who is insistent that the agency signs a NDA, our client wasn’t suggested for the job, we did not email the client any information or details about the job, we had insufficient and unspecific details about the production/role, so vague and the actual instructions for tape were not sides but improv. As an agency, we do not think it is necessary to sign NDAs unless there is specific confidential information. We were told that every other agency signed NDAs for their client, but it meant that covered all clients not necessarily a specific client or role. This seems to be prevalent with USA companies, to get an NDA through CDs in UK, and they still don’t know which client or what roles are even available but want the agent to sign off in advance to speed up the process. I can’t understand why directors of companies would want to limit themselves by signing NDAs when there isn’t even a job on offer.
I have also found that casting will bypass the agent with sides/info, again more so your big USA companies, direct to client (after client signs an NDA), but then the actor gets another actor/person to read and a camera person who are all privy to the information/sides but have not signed any NDA – this just doesn’t make sense …. It shows lack of trust.
One last point. Some actors do not have access to a scanner/printer during COVID and apprehensive in going out, they do not have electronic etc I would have though an email from them would be contractual? Again, as an agency we could sign on their behalf but the NDAs are so generalised it could go against all other clients under an umbrella or affect the company…. I would value your experiences and thoughts.