This is a bit of a touchy subject and one that I think not enough people know about. I am not saying that endorse FiCo, but I just believe in knowing all of your options before signing onto something. So, I’m putting this together to share what knowledge I do have about FiCo with other people who are interested in it since there is very little info about it online and I’ve actually have a few people approach me wanting to know more about it…


If you are SAG Financial Core you are a “dues paying non-member” that can do both SAG and non-union work. This is something that SAG does not want you to know about and in fact I know of a few actors who have asked them about it and have then received some “propaganda” in the mail. Here are the facts as I understand them. When you are FiCo:

• You can do union and non-union films
• You are paid SAG rates on SAG films and can negotiate your own rate with the non-union films
• You are not eligible for health insurance
• You are not able to vote in any SAG elections
• You still have to pay all of your SAG dues and fees
• You are basically considered to be a “scab” because if SAG strikes, you can still work
• There are those who boy-cot FiCo members because of the whole “scab” thing and will not hire you if you are FiCo
• There are also plenty of production who do not care either way if you are FiCo or not and if they want you, will hire you
• Once you join FiCo, you can never go back to being “fully SAG”

So basically, you have to decide what you want out of your career. I think a lot of actors join SAG much too quickly as soon as they are eligible (usually from background work) and then they are stuck getting no work because they don’t have the resume or experience to get the SAG work, but then cannot get the resume or experience on non-union films because they are SAG. So do you want to be able to do any film that you want and risk the “negative stigma” or do you want to follow SAG’s rules and receive all their benefits and probably get less work?

I do know a few FiCo actors who are doing just fine and are constantly working in indie films.

And some famous FiCo actors? Halley Barry, Jon Voight, Charlton Heston.

Like I said, I am not endorsing either of these, but I think it is important for people to know that this option is out there.

Here is another good article with some more FiCo info.