Mark Zuckerberg makes an NFT-related announcement, Actors’ Equity takes a step toward ending COVID restrictions, and can video games be a job? There are some folks in the Philippines who think so. All of that and (one) more in this week’s NFTheatre News.
NFTs Coming to Instagram Soon
During an appearance at SXSW (South by Southwest for the uninitiated) Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg told a crowd (via videolink) that NFTs for Instagram are in the works. Though what exactly that means is a bit unclear, Zuckerberg did say that “hopefully over time be able to mint things within that environment.”
This comes after Twitter launched its own NFT feature allowing iOS users who also are part of Twitter’s premium “Twitter Blue” service, to turn NFTs into profile pictures.
Norm Lewis to Star in American Tour of ‘A Soldier’s Play’
Roundabout Theatre Company is set to launch a North American tour of A Soldier’s Play. Beginning December 22nd, the 20-week tour stars Norm Lewis. Other cast members, as well as specific tour stops, will be announced at a later date.
Lewis, a Tony-nominated actor, will play the role of Captain Richard Davenport. The story is a loose adaptation of Herman Melville’s novella Billy Budd. The story, set on a segregation south Army base, is a murder mystery focusing on the untimely death of a Sergeant in an all-Black military unit.
Blockchain Gamers Think Playing NFT Games Could be Full-Time Job
Who says video games can’t be a full-time job? Your mom? Oh, okay. Maybe she’s right. But at least show her this article and perhaps you can start a dialog about pursuing gaming full-time.
More people see play-to-earn NFT games as a way to make a viable living. Games like Axie Infinity allow users to win real-world money in the form of crypto, and some gamers are viewing it as a possible full-time gig.
A study conducted in the Phillipines saw 32% of respondents willing to quit their day job to focus on NFT gaming.
Actors’ Equity Returns to In-Person Auditions
Another step in loosening COVID restrictions in theatre happened this week. Actors’ Equity, a labor union representing theatre performers, has announced that in-person auditions can resume.
However, there are some rules in place. For one, potential employers must use their own spaces, and cannot take advantage of Actors’ Equity locations. And actors must provide proof-of-vaccination – or a recent negative test – in order to take part in auditions.
These protocols began on March 15 and will last until May 29, 2022, at which time they will be reevaluated. Up until now, auditions have been mostly virtual, with some select casting offices offering hybrid audition models.
“Members have been asking for a return to in-person Equity auditions,” said a union spokesperson, “so we have been working closely with our health and safety consultants to figure out a way to make them happen as safely as possible.”