SAG looks at reality shows

From his break in 1992 playing Bank Nerd No. 2 in the sitcom "Married With Children," to his supporting role on the HBO hit "Six Feet Under," to a part in last year's "Spider-Man 3," Tim Maculan has navigated Hollywood more successfully than most actors.New York Times in the Daily News.

Lately, though, Maculan, 45, says the actor's place in the entertainment industry's economic food chain has changed. And for middle-income working actors like him, it's not for the better. "It's not about networks being cheap or evil," Maculan said. "It's just that the industry is dramatically different than it was even five years ago."

Maculan, a sarcastic character actor with a wicked grin, rattles off a list of industry shifts that have made it harder for middle-income actors to earn a living. Reality shows have crowded out scripted programs, comedies in particular. The studios are making fewer movies, and the ones they are making are less actor-driven. Networks like NBC have virtually stopped filming pilot episodes, meaning they are hiring fewer actors. Voice-over work, once a staple for less-known actors, is outsourced to other countries or given to A-list stars.