The novelty of the agreement (in addition to the new free media platforms) is the coverage of all the main players, coverage of the top 10 substantive players in the substantive areas and the negotiable rates. The key to this process is to actively inform producers (and interpreters) of the benefits of cooperation under structured agreements. I think your article does a good job of introducing the topic for those who are curious to work with professional actors. For producers who want to take care of all the details and SAG-AFTRA contract options first, countless resources are available to www.sagindie.org/ and in www.sag-aftra.org. At first, there`s a student film contract. You have to sign up for a film program to qualify, and the union will definitely decide if it is acceptable, and you can use the student film contract. But even if you can`t use the student film contract, there are two other contracts that can be very useful. If you don`t know, the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) merged in 2012 with AFTRA (American Federation of Television Radio Actors); However, SAG-AFTRA is a butcher`s shop, which is why, for the rest of the article, I will simply refer to the merged organisation as `the Union`. It is important to know that the actor`s union is different and has nothing to do with the film and television staff union, and in general, one has no influence over the other. You can see an example of the new contract on our resources page and keep an eye on the SAG-AFTRA production center for future updates. If you have any questions about the short project agreement, SAG-AFTRA has even set up a phone line specially designed for these requests, 323.549.6680 (open Mo-Fr 9-5pm PT).
You can also contact SAGine or visit our FAQ page and we will do our best to answer all your burning questions about life (and short films). The short project agreement replaces the Short Film Agreement and the Low Budget New Media Agreement for non-episodic and non-animated projects. (Note that when you create a web series, you continue to sign the New Media Agreement.) A great advantage of the new contract is that producers no longer have to decide whether they want to create their short film at a festival or on a new free media platform – both are allowed! 1. Professional Union actors know that it is part of their work, be on time, prepared for the day of shooting, know how to beat their brands, make several takes, and keep the drama on screen and out of production. This does not mean that non-unionized actors are not professional – they are largely unreased. However, if your friend acts in your movie, he may not have the commitment you expect. Hiring union actors doesn`t mean that life won`t invade and problems won`t come up, but it does mean that the actor knows it`s not a party, it`s a job and there`s a limited amount of time to get the recordings you need. After the right role, professionalism is the most important reason to hire an actor. I wasn`t aware of the new media contract when I made my last short film in which I had union actors working, so I used the short film contract, and now I would have liked to have been aware of the new contract with the media and opting for the new contract with the media instead – it would make my short film so much easier. If you are planning your next film and you are interested in the casting of union actors, I advise you to appropriate SAG Indie to get started.