Hi, Bonnie.
I met you in Portland. Now I have a question.
What advice can you give on navigating the intersection of self-producing and union jurisdiction?
The prospect of becoming signatory in order to collaborate has been a barrier.
Thanks!
Keep rocking it.
In character,
David Emerson Jackson
Hiya David. My favorite part of the union’s low-budget and indie production contracts is that they don’t create hoops for producers to jump through, they instead spell out exactly what hoops producers have to jump through on ANY project, and guide you through the process.
I’ll never forget hearing a former SAGIndie staff member say, at one of the free producer orientation sessions they regularly hold in LA and NY (check with your Portland local to see if they could arrange a similar talk in your market), “Our contracts protect you, the actor, from you, the producer.” So many union actors want to over-commit themselves to their projects, putting in way more hours than they would ever put in as actors on other producers’ projects, and the union’s contracts actually make everything very clear!
Because you are a union member, you’ll want to find a way to work as a signatory producer, and I think you’ll be very pleased with the results. Having a good union rep is key: They’ll walk you through the process and help with your paperwork, permits, insurance, and referrals to payroll companies, and all sorts of other details that you may not even be aware exist, as a first-time producer!
Since you didn’t specifically state what issues feel like barriers to you, that’s really all the reassurance I can provide. Every self-producing actor I know who has gone through the signatory process has had a fairly straightforward and easy time of it, and always has felt well cared for, as they pull together their first baby!
Congrats to you for checking it all out, and good luck to you. Here’s wishing you a lifetime of fantastic self-produced projects!
Bonnie Gillespie is living her dreams by helping others figure out how to live theirs. Wanna work with Bon? Start here. Thanks!
Originally published by Actors Access at http://more.showfax.com/columns/avoice/archives/001571.html. Please support the many wonderful resources provided by the Breakdown Services family. This posting is the author’s personal archive.