Today’s episode focuses on actor safety - with an emphasis on the pandemic. We’re talking with talent agent and actor Duane Sharp.

More about Duane 

Duane Sharp founded Chicago Talent Network, a full service non-union talent agency, in the spring of 2018 with his business partner Renee Ertl. One year later they started Milwaukee Talent Network and formed the Talent Networks Co. Duane has been a non-union talent agent in the Chicago/Milwaukee market for over 25 years.

Duane is lucky enough to be the husband of photographer and sound engineer Jenn Udoni-Sharp and father of 6 year old Joe’Ann.

As an actor Duane moved to Chicago in the late 1980’s after graduating from the University of Kansas and studied improvisation at The Second City and with the late Del Close. He has worked with Steppenwolf, Goodman, Chicago Shakespeare and Court as well as many off loop theaters.

He is a founding member of Shaw Chicago. Film & TV credits include Spike Lee’s Chi-Raq, Chicago Fire, Public Enemies, Road to Perdition and Stir of Echoes.

Duane is an active brown belt in Brazillian Jiu-Jitsu under Carlson Gracie Jr, a black belt in Shidokan Bareknuckle Karate and a veteran of 60 amateur boxing matches.

 

Stay connected with Duane and the Talent Networks Co. 

 

• Chicago Talent Network: https://www.thetalentnetworks.com/ctn
• Milwaukee Talent Network: https://www.thetalentnetworks.com/mtn

 

More on Duane: 

• Website: http://duanesharp.com/
• IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0789036/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1

 

What we talk about this episode: 

• The difference between a non union agency and a SAG franchised agency
• An overview of filming guidelines for Illinois

 

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• What boxing taught Duane that’s helpful for performers
• How to come up with your own non negotiables to help determine whether or not you’ll accept work
• How to turn down a project
• What isn’t okay to do when turning down a project
• Why actors are always afraid of being blacklisted
• The problems that come with identifying yourself as an actor
• Why *not* to stand out as an actor
• What to do set conditions are unsafe
• How to handle the uncertainty our industry is currently facing 

 

OVERVIEW OF THE ILLINOIS FILMING GUIDELINES 

• Check out the guidelines for yourself here: https://dceocovid19resources.com/restore-illinois/restore-illinois-phase-4/film-production

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Remember - we can be messy and still get the things that we want

#notperfect #stillenough