You may attend as many meetings as you'd like for no cost. If you decide to become a full member, there are annual dues, which go directly to the costs of hosting this website and to shared memberships to several industry websites. Dues range from $30 to $50 annually, depending on the number of renewing members. 100% of member dues go straight to member services; no one's gouging our writers for profit.

What type of feedback is there?

Each meeting begins with a full read-through of the script, with varying members (actors and writers) playing the roles in a round-table format.  After the read-through, the group gives constructive feedback in key areas (plot, characterization, dialogue, scene construction, etc). For more detail about group structure and meeting content, go here.

Should I be concerned about sharing my script?

We understand confidentiality, and want you to be comfortable. We find that the best way to grow comfortable sharing with the group is to come to several meetings before workshopping your own material. Many members who have personal relationships eventually share digital copies of scripts, but this is never required.

Whether you're workshopping with us or not, you should protect yourself and register your script with the WGA. For additional security, you can also copyright your script with the Library of Congress.

I'm ready to join. What do I do?

Go here to familiarize yourself with our structure, then show up for a meeting. After you've been to several, we'll talk about moving forward with your membership.

Can't find an answer to your question here?

No problem! Contact us.

"Joining" really just means you're letting our group know that you're interested in reading. Joining takes three minutes and two steps:

• Complete the NSW Actor Form
  This adds you to our (100% confidential) database of actors who are interested in working with us.
• Join the Google group
  This adds you to the forwarder that writers send casting calls to.

You're done! You'll get emails when writers send breakdowns, or you can just check our calendar and show up to read any night you feel like doing so.

If I join, am I committed to always attend?

The commitment is as large or as small as you want it to be. "Joining" only means that you're on our contact list as an actor who is interested in reading from time to time, and that our listserv (which we do not post online) forwards to your e-mail address. That's it. You can come as often or as seldom as you like.

We do ask, however, that once you have committed to coming to read a role, you honor the commitment. Writers have to prepare to be sure they have enough readers for their workshop, and no-shows and last-minute cancellations put them in a tight spot.

How will I know when I'm going to read?

If you would like to read, the best thing to do is just show up and let your interest be known. You can see loglines, genres and who is workshopping next at our group calendar.

Writers also contact actors by sending a list of the roles they need read at an upcoming workshop, with ages and character descriptions. Actors can then respond to the roles they are interested in playing.

Will I play the role when the movies are filmed?

Most of the work presented at workshop are "spec scripts" (no directors or producers attached), meaning that it is the writer's own creation and he/she will have to actively seek sale to a company. Realistically, once the script is sold, the writer will have little control over casting decisions.

There are, however, some members who have produced and filmed their own scripts (see group member Wade Wofford's Perception) - and actors from workshop have been cast in principle roles. There can be no firm guarantee, of course, that the actors playing the roles during the reading will be cast in the film.

Bottom line: it never hurts to network with writers who may see potential for future films. And worse case scenario, you gain insights as an actor as to how scripts are structured, get opportunities to practice your cold-reading skills, and become part of a filmmaking community in western Massachusetts.

I'm ready to join. What's the next step?

Go here to familiarize yourself with our structure, or just go ahead and fill out our actor profile form, which automatically adds you to our database.

Can't find an answer to your question here?

No problem! Contact us.

Instructions here.