Should I Join SAG-AFTRA?
To join SAG or to remain non-union? That is the question.
This is something I’ve been considering very seriously recently. As anyone who knows me or has read any of my other posts, I have been very proudly non-union for a long time, even though I’ve been eligible to join for around 5 years now. I’m at the point where I think being non-union might actually be a hindrance to me. I’ve always been of the mindset that being SAG eligible is the best place to be, because you could join at any moment if you needed to, but I’m finding that out here, no one wants to give you that extra moment to join. The competition is so tough (no surprise there) that if it comes down to you and another actor, and you need to “take a moment” to join, that they will go with the other actor. Some places won’t even call you in unless you’re union, which I think is absolutely stupid and ridiculous, but they just don’t want to have to deal with the simple extra step of you taking a second to join since sometimes, you don’t have that extra second, you need to be able to shoot tomorrow.
There is also the perception that SAG actors are “more professional”, all though especially after the merger, a lot of “people in the know” know that this isn’t necessarily true. I had one casting director, pre-merger, say that after the merger SAG was just “going to be a gigantic pool of crap”. Yet, logistically, if it’s a SAG project, it’s just easier for them to hire SAG actors. Even if they know that just being SAG doesn’t really make a difference of if you’re a good actor or not, it’s all part of playing the game – making yourself easy to hire. It’s one of those stupid, you should do it just to do it sort of things.
I keep a record of all of the auditions I go on and over half of them are SAG projects, so it’s not like I’m going to loose out on a ton of opportunities. I just have something against some “big brother” telling me what I can and cannot do. It’s a big issue for me. And yes, I know that a lot, if not the majority of SAG actors still go out for non-union work, so they really aren’t listening or playing by the rules, which I probably could do too without any issues, but I’m not keen on that idea either. I believe in sticking to a commitment when you make it, even if it means you have to miss out on some stuff – that’s the agreement you’ve made. Maybe once I’m in it, I’ll end up changing my mind on that, but from the outside, it just looks like cheating (but who said life was fair right?)…
Anyway, back to the issue at hand. If I join SAG, I’ll be giving up some really good non-union projects, however I will then fix that issue of “we only call in union”, which is for some bigger projects and ultimately where I want to be. I already have a reel and then some, so why am I sticking around being non-union? Because I want to work. That is more important to me than having a trailer or fancy catering or a big pay check. And I thought that non-union meant more opportunities, but now I’m seeing that’s not necessarily true. More in some places its true, but less in others – less in the areas that I want to move into, which is why I am so strongly thinking about joining.
If anyone out there has any advice, suggestions, or stories to share, I’d love to hear them. The only thing I’m sure of for now is that at the moment at least, I won’t be going FiCore. It’s either fully SAG or nothing.
Hi. I believe the rule of thumb(or One of them) is that once you feel
Like you have enough experience under your belt such as films tv
and etc….. Then it is Great time to make that move. You certainly have
a great resume. I know any casting director who was casting a
Union project would certainly be impressed with it. You definitely
look like your ready judging from your past work.
Try to also get some more guidance from your manager, reputable teachers or read articles on it. You can check out seminars That are always filled with industry people who can help you better evaluate the decision(for example actors Connection or the Network)
Good luck on your journey.
Thanks so much for your feedback!
I find myself asking this very same question, Sarah. I don’t have the credit list you do, but I am in a huge and fiercely competitive market (LA). I’ve worked on web series, short film and independent film, a little theater and commercial, all non-union. I’ve been eligible for about a year and a half now. When to sign has weighed on me heavily. I had the same notion as yourself. sag-e was the place to be. However, I haven’t seen anything nonunion that is of any interest to me in a long time. Everything I want to do is union work. Frankly, I don’t think anyone is looking at my resume and thinking “if only he had one more credit of nonunion work…” so I am starting to come around to the idea that if I want to be able to step up, even one rung on my path, I may need to take that plunge and commit.
For yourself, have you accomplished everything you wanted to as an artist in what is on offer in the nonunion world?
I still see awesome non union stuff that I want. There’s so many great indie projects out there shoot outside of LA that are non union but pay pretty decent…. but then again, there’s union stuff that I want as well. I don’t want to have to give up either.
That is a VERY tough place to be. I guess then it does come down to which type of work do you want more? It doesn’t seem to be a lack of professional readiness, that’s for sure.:)
Regardless of what you might have down on your resume, be willing and ready to take the leap. You’ve done most non-union work and if advancing is what you’re wanting to do, so be it. Take the step and become part of the union. Sacrifice a little bit in order to make it into the big leagues. You’re almost there, just give a little, and get your just reward.
Join the union. No question, they pay SAG-Aftra people more than non-union and treat you really well on set, hair, makeup, food, (Nothing against Non-Union). And for some reason you just can’t claim to be an official competitor in the game being non-union. I will be joining in a few weeks and nothing will stop me. You can use IActor instead of Actors Access and Backstage and go to their seminars. The Casting Directors you can meet are potentially good ones who casts Television, something good to get into or daytime. Pays the bills. You can soar from there.
For me it’s more about the work than getting paid. I’d rather have a big role in an amazing film for free than a small part in a shitty film and get paid alot.