UNION!

Hello readers! Today I am blogging a bit about Unions and preforming. I often get the question from fellow actors and performers, "Should I join the Union?" or "How do I join?".Lets start with what the Unions are and go from there.


Let's start with the Screen Actors Guild, called SAG. To be eligible to join, there are three ways. First, having a a speaking role in a SAG film, commercial or TV show. Or by working as a SAG-covered background player at SAG rates for at least three days, or by being a member of a sister Union,  (ACTRA, AEA, AFTRA, AGMA, or AGVA), for a year, and being a principal performer in that Union at least once.


For TV and Radio, there is the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA). You can join simply by paying a fee.


For the stage, we have the AEA or Equity Union. Performers can qualify to join Equity by securing employment under an Equity contract; by being a member of a sister union (SAG, AFTRA, AGMA, AGVA, or GIAA) for at least one year and working as a principal, as an under-five, or for at least three days as a background player under that union's jurisdiction; or by working 50 weeks as part of the Equity Membership Candidate Program.


This is a simple breakdown, be sure and visit the sites of the Union you are interested in for more info, and of course, the list of fees. They all have fees, some pricing is rather daunting!


Next Blog, " To Join or Not To Join".

                              J.T. Turner, The Actors Sensei