Acting : To SAG or Not to SAG by Valerie Bittner

DO NOT DROP YOUR SAG MEMBERSHIP!!! It may be hard to get it back... I have a feeling you entered SAG doing background work, right? If that's the case you need to follow their guidance when it comes to their rules. You cannot do non union work without their consent. If you do and they discover that you did, you will lose your membership and may be ban from ever joining again.. Think about what that could mean for your career.. As far as getting jobs waived, I don't know how that works, but again, go to their site and read through their guidance. Some rules are meant to be broken, but when it comes to SAG rules.. you break them at your own risk. As a final note, actors are deterred from joining SAG unless they are good and ready. Why you ask? because there is more non union work than there is union. So if you haven't established yourself as an actress, joining SAG could slow you down or put you out of commission until you book your next union gig. Which could be a while.. days, weeks, months, a year!

I actually joined SAG when I was Taft-Hartley-ed in to do a principal role. I'm in Bethlehem, PA--not a meca for SAG productions, but I have been offered many web videos and local commercials that pay well and would never pay to be a SAG production. I would never break SAG rules and possibly jeopardize a production company. As a "mature" woman, roles are dwindling and its been too long since booking a quality SAG role that pays well. A girl needs to eat.

I hear ya. I was Taft-Hartley-ed for a TV show because I looked the part, but didn't think twice about joining. Mainly cause it was background work and I was thinking further down the road. One needs non union work to build resume and experience. Union gigs is where the money is, but until you are good and ready it can be a disability. One which you are experiencing right now. Have you thought about NY? It's closer to you than LA. There are tons of Union work there.

My two principal television roles were in NYC--back in the early 2000's. But recently, I can't even book background there. I submit constantly, letting casting know I have an apartment available to me in the City for extended gigs (I know how nervous NYC casting gets about coming in from out of town), but nothing. I have a well built resume with 19+ years experience, I'm just frustrated and I want to work.

I know how you feel. It's so damn dry spells that drive actors crazy. Believe me, I've been there myself. Do you have a reel or projects online you can show/send CD's for viewing? If not, one of the things you can do is make something of your own. Say for instance, a short film you can post on youtube or vimeo. That would give you exposure and something for CD's to look at. If that is not doable, how bout a scene or two and have another actor be your scene partner. If that wont work either, enroll in an acting class and meet people who may have projects of their own or know of one that is looking to cast. For you I think is all about getting that ball rolling again. It may feel like an uphill battle at first, but try not to get too discourage. Trust me, you are not alone. There are thousands of people in your shoes. But sitting and waiting wont do you any good. If you become active on your own, in no time projects are going to come your way. Keep your head up. This dry spell will soon end!

Okay.. Maybe I should have checked out your profile before stating the above. I see you do have lots of work that shows your talent, and it all looks great! If CD's don't care for it, then again, focus on building your own vehicle and give yourself the chance that CD's wont.

If getting into the city isn't a problem for you: Have you thought about changing your profiles/resumes to say you're New York local, then going there for a week at a time whenever you get a gig and lining up auditions, background, meetings, etcetera? I did the same thing before I officially lived in Los Angeles. I wasn't having much success putting my actual city down, but when I switched all my information to say I was LA local and then submitted, I got more work offers. Whenever I got a call, I'd get my bum up there in a hurry and stay for an extra day or two adding in any extra meetings / work that I could.

I used to have a toll free number for just that purpose and used my sister's NY address but, because I live in PA, my SAG information says my local office is Philly, so yes I tried and it hasn't changed the situation. My point is that while, yes, having a SAG card has brought me a great sense of pride, its just that, pride and there is a ton of non- union, good paying work to be had.

As a Lawyer should never give up their BAR number, Union and Guild members should never give up their cards! SAG will craft an agreement based on a budget. Example- a SAG ultra low budget agreement is for budgets of 250,000 and below and the day rate for SAG talent is 100.00 a day. You can also get non-union work and keep up with your dues. SAG is somewhat more flexible and pliable about it than the 600 Int.'l and IATSE.

I don't know the difference of SAG or NO SAG... What is the difference?

Daniel: I have been weighing on going the dredged fi-core route which I know no one wants to hear, but my market does not have enough union work to sustain me. Members going fi-core status would continue to pay dues into the union but are able to do not union work in right to work states. Tiffany: I have been considering giving up my SAG card, that's what I meant by SAG or No SAG. I thought the Shakespeare pun would be gotten by my fellow thespians.

I thought the SAG wording for web series was: producer and cast to negotiate between themselves and they left it at that ?

I have looked over everything but never joined for that reason but I would bet there is a way to do it. The problem may be they wont give you the work if you hold the card.

Valerie... I've never gotten the difference though. I've heard of them both I just don't know the difference.

A fairly obvious question - doesn't your membership give you certain pension rights etc that you would lose if you were to resign your membership? If that's the case it's a big deal to walk away from that. If it isn't right you simply have to measure the jobs you can certainly get without the union against what you haven't been getting.

Selena: We have a really cool group in my area called: The Allentown Film Crew. We are a group of directors, camera operators, sound people and editors. We have produced several projects like: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cL0E5zIbWYk&feature=plcp (I'm the cougar) and recently, our Please Kill Me Again zombie film won Best Short Film at our local film festival. Here's me clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ds-rThuErPY&feature=plcp Thanks for your support!

How have things been going for you Valerie? Hope this finds you in good health and enjoying life.

I went fi-core, which allows me to do BOTH union AND non-union work. This is the way I explain it on ValerieBittner.com: "I hold Financial Core membership in both AFTRA and SAG, and am fully covered by union contracts and benefits when doing union jobs. “Financial core status” talent pays the portion of dues that covers the “financial core” of union activities, but not the portion covering any political activities the unions may undertake. Since Financial Core members do not carry a union card, vote in union elections or run for union office, we can also accept non-union work as well. While Financial Core status is not yet widely known, it is becoming more so. Its legality is recognized in accordance with the United States Supreme Court decision, “CWA v. Beck,” of June 29, 1988, and applies to all unions, not just AFTRA and SAG." Since going fi-core, I have done UNION background work on the TV Show, "Do No Harm" and TV commercials like, Skim Plus but have also done several local radio spot voice overs and public service announcements for the local women's shelter.

Look into Financial Core (FICORE). Lots of debate about it but it gives you more flexibility as a professional actor.

I realize LA/NYC SAG/AFTRA members are quite upset about fi-core, but I am in a small market and do not have access to enough union work to keep me fed. If you lived in LA, I wouldn't recommend it. If you live in a small market, like me, I would.

How do we get the ball rolling on downgrading to FICORE

I copied someone else's letter: TO: SAG Legal Department 5757 Wilshire Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90036 DATE: October 29, 2012 RE: Enable financial core status Dear David White Executive Director of the Screen Actors Guild Union: Since I object to that portion of my compulsory union dues which does not finance the contract process, I hereby resign full constitutional membership in the SAG union and declare myself a financial core status worker in all jurisdictions of your contracts with employers. I make this declaration within the meaning of “financial core worker” as defined in the series of US Supreme Court decisions culminating in CWA v. BECK. I understand that I am resigning my membership and that I will be re-classified as a “fee paying non-member”. Please recalculate my financial core dues amount owed within the existing SAG union policy and National Labor Relations Board guidelines. Signed, Your Name Member Number Address Phone. I think I followed up with a phone call to the legal department in LA about two weeks later. I left a message, and a VERY friendly women didn't ask me anything or make me feel guilty like I was anticipating. I got my adjustedSAG/AFTRA bill and paid it and that was it.

"downgrading to FICORE"? Ficore is not a union status; it is turning in your union card and becoming NON-UNION. You pay fees equivalent to the financial core of what it costs the union to work for you. Since you're no longer union, you can do non-union jobs with impunity. "But isn't that a great idea for me?" you ask. Well that depends - do you want to be an actor for the long term or the short term? Because as soon as employers know you will do non-union work, that's all they will offer you. You will work more and for less and less money. I did it for 2 years and it almost killed my career. I came back to the union and learned how to flip non-union jobs union. It's not hard, you just have to know the specifics. I put all the jobs I flip through a paymaster who is the signatory and employer of record. The companies I act for don't even know the work is being done under union contracts. They get a bill from a paymaster who sends the $$ to the proper places (me, P&H, FICA, etc). Actors willing to undercut the minimum scale is the reason there are so many low paying gigs. Doesn't matter if you're union or non-union. The reality is we are all in this together and what one of us does affects the whole acting community. Are you a person who is going to pull the rates down or up?

I wish I knew more about it! I saw a movie in a film festival in AZ and many actors were from L.A and NY. I know they were SAG. Since I know the producer so I asked her if the movie was SAG because it rarely happened anyway in AZ! She told me no, that they tried but they didn't have the budget before applying to SAG so it was somehow too complicated to deal with all the SAG rules. Anyhow she told me that actors went FI Core. They went back to LA after continuing working in the TVseries they are cast in for many years. It was the first time I heard about FI Core. I understood that pretty much it's the same with the difference that you can not vote. So if it is the case I guess what will be the point to drop SAG membership if you can do both SAG and non SAG? I'm reading the comment of Denise and it seems that going FI Core means you 're not SAG? Very confusing! A friend of mine in LA does not want to go SAG even though she is in LA because she is cast in so many independent movies non SAG and she won't be able too do if she was SAG. So if Fi Core is an option why not? I guess the point of being SAG is actually to do SAG. and to stay SAG. So it's a serious choice before getting the card. It's not that easy to obtain. I won't drop it but I understand the frustration, it could be an inconvenient more than an advantage especially if you're not in L.A.

I realize this is an older post but i'm considering joining financial core. Have any of you had any issues with that being a problem? I've heard agents stay away from fi core actors and some union films wont want to work with you if you are fi core. Any issues with that? The way I look at it is, why limit myself? I want to do whatever film project I want.

Hi Dan, I have not had any issues since going Fi-Core. I've done background on TV show's like Forever & Mysteries with Laura, Commercials like Holiday Inn Express & Movies like Trainwreck with Bill Hader & just last week I had to turn down work on CREED the latest Rocky film. I've had principle work in commercials for Skim Milk Plus & American Residential Warranty. But My bread & butter has been my non-union work. I've done web videos for a kickstarter campaign & a neighborhood organization, an in-house video for a golf club & PriceRite Super Markets, and LOTS of voice over. I even got to do my friends Independent film BREASTERDAY which got 4 out of 5 stars on Really Awful Movies, A Celebration of Low Budget Cinema. After 21 years in the business, I'm done chasing down the major roles, it I get the opportunity, that would be wonderful. I have now met other fi-core members on sets (I don't openly talk about it unless someone else mentions it) and discovered there are a lot more of us out there then you might have expected.