Step 1: No paper need to exchange hands. All things are done by Social Security number. We can receive an email each time Residuals are sent to us. You can click on the email and it will take you to the SAG-AFTRA site, where you’ll be prompted to login, and then it will default to a simple screen…just like what your checks come in to show you the “pay stub” information. If you wish to print it you may, if not, if just remains in your history.

Step 2: Then you, me, we have an account which we can then go to and see all of the payments that have been made to us. We have the option to just let it sit there if we wish. That would be a pseudo “escrow” account holding it by our Union, and when we want to “take our money” we simply process a simple (EFT) Electronic Funds Transfer. This is absolutely no different than PayPal has been doing for YEARS and YEARS. We are left with the ability to move money as often or as little as desired. There can be a number of “EFT’s” that are free and then over a certain amount has a small processing fee attached.

Step 3: Then the system can be easily set up to “Auto-process” a YEAR END, at-a-glance PDF which is automatically emailed or just an email reminder that then again takes you to the site where you can print/download the year-end master overview report. Simple.

Take a moment, with 160,000+ plus members nationwide, and try to imagine the amount of paper, admin time and cost that would be saved over the course of just a few years. You want a more efficient system, you want ONE union that’s going to work for you, to protect you, to help you, to SAVE the resource money needed to make our lives, careers, and monies better…then this is an ABSOLUTE necessity. PERIOD.

What else would this allow? Simple, it would give you the ability to “save up” Residuals so that you may then transfer those monies for your Dues if needed. Realize there are literally thousands of members like me who get senseless checks for under a 1.00 all year long. It is more of a hassle to have to get them, copy them, account for them, track them etc. etc. then to just let them sit in an account. I URGE you to not let this issue sleep. It must be improved and this must be a priority of our “new leadership.”

My best always, Kevin E.

We absolutely do, indeed, and it is time for our leadership to stop pandering and falling down in front of our employers and the television conglomerates and television advertisers and the program directors and media buyers in this country. It is absolutely beyond manageable to create a system, a technological system, to ENSURE that at least 98% of our monies, based on usage, as it pertains to our mutually negotiated contracts be tracked, monitored and documented. This alone, in today’s world and marketplace, would generate thousands upon thousands more dollars for its members …which in turn means more money for the Union in dues, and also makes our pension plans much more solvent, more trusted and more valuable. It is a flippin…win / win / win / win. And that is just a ridiculous corporate overreach of a cheesy phrase…but it is TRUE.

We have had Google Analytics for HOW long now? Jesus, Facebook is now a public company with a value in the billions. You don’t think that Google, YouTube and Facebook don’t track every single piece of information down to the latest number of hits on a video with a dog “eating balloons.” Of course they do, and we can too, if it WE finally say “Hey this shit matters” and we MUST get it done. Yes, we can be the generation of actors who changed the concept of making a living as a professional performer forever. We can be the generation who saw that merging the unions can be better, better in strength, efficiency, technology, in resources, in defending working conditions, AND in finally being responsible for creating the greatest tracking/monitoring system ever devised media distribution fraud.

So if you have a friend who has worked in this field, if you know someone who is passionate about “creating a genius” new piece of software that in some way might become the next best “model” for tracking usage and money in media tell them that this is desperately needed. Get on it. Get them involved, put them in contact with SAG, and let us start with the soon to be imperative needs with our new Commercial contract. Be sure to look for the rest of this series as I cover “Intelligent Admin, Limiting Modified Producers” and much more!! My best always, Kevin E.

The first item I am addressing is eligibility, and how you become a union card holder. One of the reasons I was “slightly pro-merger” this time around…is because they CLOSED the union, which it should be. You shouldn’t be able to just walk up, write a check, and carry a professional union card. However, ever so close and similar in its absurdity, has been the voucher system which has done nothing more (in my opinion) than make it “appear” to have more cache to have become ELIGIBLE for the union by what…sitting around on a set breathing (3) times. Allow me to be clear, I have NOTHING against background work or calling yourself a background artist…but we all know that the voucher system is totally corrupt and MOST notably…does not engender a “stronger union.” If it does not, then WTF is it doing in our system. It HAS to go. If you’re a pretty gal, dressed just so, and the 2nd 2nd AD is a dude (which they commonly are) all you have to do is sit around (not acting) smile, and maybe get a voucher. Does that mean all background people have this mentality…no. But background work does not require you to audition (perform when the chips are down) in front of the true employers of this industry, and sitting “closer to the camera” to call yourself a FEATURED extra doesn’t mean diddly…at all.

At the other end of the spectrum you have athletes, celebrities from other professions, who sometimes do a commercial or a cameo in a studio feature film…and get their union card. It is quite often possible that they will never really “work the card” ever again, or very little over a long extended period of time. This ISN’T about me suggesting affected voting for actors (not broadcasters) or membership exclusion…but it is about making this union STRONGER with professionally MINDED performers.

I believe there has to be two monster adjustments with eligibility, both how you achieve it, and how you maintain it. First and foremost, let’s take a page out of the Equity book. With all of the modified and new media contracts we should REWARD the actor…who is honestly trying to ACT their way into the union by creating a “points system” whereby if you do a certain number of a collection of “smaller contracts” inclusive of documented student projects and/or shorts…then you should be able to apprentice your way into the union…rather than sitting around breathing eating doughnuts for 3 days. PERIOD. This is easy for our union to track, and would add members to our union nationwide who are striving to audition and participate in ACTUAL WORK, as well as those who are being pro-active enough as actors-creators-producers to create projects and work for others. There will be more later in my series about “LIMITING” this value as well. But in the end, we should be changing our eligibility requirements in this NEW UNION to promote actual acting, not just “learning by sitting around all day watching.” There IS value in the observation gained from doing background work, absolutely, but at the end of the day you’re NOT on the spot, it is NOT on you…and you’re not acting, you’re just sitting.

Finally, there should be some type of “secondary status” (not Financial-Core”) that allows one-time paid performers to remain union members but limit their presence in some way. I’m not talking about the person who has a tremendous history and career who goes cold for several years …not working. NO. I’m talking about the person who did one job, and for whatever reason, never really worked again. Maybe they became a doctor or lawyer or were just the flavor of the week on CNN…or whatever. And yes, there should be an easy mechanism to “upgrade their status” in the future if they become a more active performer in terms of “working the card” but otherwise we have thousands and thousands of members who are not actively “trying to work the card.” This is right in line with the requirements of Unemployment, only I believe in today’s technology world, we can build a better mousetrap to track this, than the city and federal government currently has. So there you have it, think about it, write out notes/ideas and present them at the first ever LA Convention for our NEW UNION. You can bet your ASS…I will be. Cheers always, Kevin E.

As I have said for years and years, being an actor is one thing, but being a working professional who makes a living at it is an entirely different story. Just because someone carries one of the SAG or AFTRA cards does not “necessarily” makes them a pure actor who should shun the thought of being associated with or near someone who only sings, or broadcasts the news…for a living. Yes, I do recognize the artistic difference, but they both require talent. So to predicate this argument on that element has never been MY argument and why I have stood AGAINST merger for as long as I first heard it presented to me. It has always been about the plan and the construct of the union itself. Be clear, the Pension and Health plans are certainly part of our livelihood but they’re NOT a part of the Constitution of HOW the union is constructed or run, which is why we have By-Laws and Constitutions.

Merging Pension funds n’ such involves a lot of papers, numbers, fair market values, trustee’s, lawyers, representatives, and crunching lots of numbers. This is not to be muddied or underestimated, but also not politicized just for the purposes of ruin, destruction, divide because it is not an emotional problem it is a mathematical one and it could get done…and done well.

When I look at the FUTURE of life for the actor, much like this year’s national general election for President, I look at where we are today, where we’ve been and what we’ve lost or stand to gain. I want to feel that the next time we step to the negotiating table that our elected officials really can WIN, and I mean WIN BIG. At the end of the day, we need to and I mean BIG. We need not just a collective, but a collective strong clear front heading at you when you’re across the table from us. I would like to see us find a way to get BACK many of the things we’ve lost long before 2008. I want to end admin duplicity, have a complete pension and health plan that considers, covers, and helps us all, once again be flown FIRST class anywhere not just some zones randomly chosen, get back the (8) places studios can go outside of the 30-mile zone (which is 90%) and still not have to pay for a performer’s gas to get there, and get the greatest deal in increases in the history of SAG and AFTRA, as well as maybe the potential reestablishment of an ATA agreement with SAG-AFTRA in terms of our agency contracts.

Because I’m not a celebrity, but a journeyman television actor, my thoughts should be taken from that perspective. I’ve spent time out on the picket lines over the years, and rarely do any of the TOP TOP stars of our profession actually come out. Sure some medium celebs do or some folks who are not as currently hot but part of union/collective power is having 100% of your constituency ON the lines. But you have to remember they don’t have to, because when you make 10 or 20 million for one movie, you do not need a union. Much like the 1% in America, this is the same for our middle class in our unions. The ability to make 50, 60, 70 or a 100 grand as a performer annually without fail is incredibly difficult and it isn’t being made easier by what we’re doing and where we’ve been. Many of SAG’s movie stars are dual card holders. Why? If we only need SAG, why are so many DUAL card holders. Easy answer: technology and types of work. Technology once again has closed the gap, as we’ve watched since the turn of the century that there is FAR less of a gap between doing movies, TV, new media, web series, commercials, etc.

I do know that this series comes across that I’m pro-merger, but it really it has been so much about trying to bring a simple clear voice to a crazy conversation and situation. Since the day I founded The Actors’ Network, I have never told people what to do in terms of the organization itself. I don’t run the organization pushing “Kevin’s opinion about the business as gospel” as an individual actor ON anyone…as a mandate. I’m suggestive, offer my opinion, my experiences and also that it comes from a place of being a fairly successful veteran with balance, fairness and perspective. What I want is for my fellow actors to know WHY they’re voting the way they are and not just say “well, it seems bad” or “we HAVE to merge now” or “I don’t know…it just seems bad” or worst of all just espousing shit that you heard on a website somewhere written by someone with pure agenda, and no perspective.

Make your own decision, but do it with knowledge, no propaganda, do it with your mind with your career firmly in mind, with what you see around you everyday. I owe a world of thanks to all those who have come before me, to those from both sides who have questioned me, informed me, answered me, debated me, given their time to me, and who have given their time to both unions in a way that I never have. But the time I have given has been through this organization…nearly 21 YEARS OF MY LIFE trying to assist an often confused and lost community of artists trying to figure out how to “work” as an actor in Hollywood. The folks in those positions earned the right to have me stand by and listen, stand by and learn, stand by and absorb. I have earned the right to write this Blog, and stand before The Actors’ Network constituency on a weekly basis or any of the other speaking engagements I’ve done across the U.S.

I want you to go to: http://www.sagaftra.org/ because this is the site that is LEGALLY held to a standard of vetted information in reporting facts not propaganda or rhetoric.

I don’t care how much you have or haven’t worked, I don’t even care if you’re a union member or not, what I care about is that you care more about the ENTIRE concept of what is being discussed not just some momentary thought over a coffee with an actor friend while discussing the hideous dresses at the Oscars. I am trying to function from a simple standpoint. The standpoint is this…recent history. I’m one of those “definition of insanity” guys. If you keep doing the same thing over and over again…and get the same result then MAYBE consider doing something else. I don’t think that the plan for merger is perfect, I don’t, but I also don’t think that the “initial plan” to marry any two elements like this will ever be perfect in its inception. I, however, think that it is about an 90% solid. I also think that for as long as SAG and AFTRA have been dating, there is a way to start this “marriage” with the construct that has been put forth. Will there be bumps along the way, sure, and will there be some massaging to make everything fit right over the next few years…sure. But at this time in the history of our profession, technology I do not think waiting much longer is the best play for the fiscal future because we don’t have to just deal with a negotiation once every 3 years…we have CONSTANT negotiations with every contract that comes up. You know where I stand I now leave the rest to you, and thank you for reading if you did and passing the link on to others.

I don’t mind hearing comments, I don’t mind being told I’m wrong, and most of all…I don’t actually mind being wrong. What I can’t be, what is beyond me, is to stand still and continue to just “hold.” Pioneers make tough decisions, leaders lead into difficult valleys and new things are forged out of risk. I have risked a ton in my life, I have made monstrous strides from whence I came and have also made many mistakes. But in the end, wisdom comes from learning and learning comes from tough times and tough decisions. I think this is a tough decision, whose time has come.

I am always on your side,
Kevin E.

Do bear in mind that I would LOVE to have an impact study done but at least a feasibility report exists and don’t forget that dozens of conglomerates have merged retirement plans in this country, so it makes it a bit less of an overall concern moving forward based on how the potential new constitution is constructed. It isn’t like it is something that has never been done in American history. Is the effort to merge these two easy, uh NO. But this doesn’t have to be rushed into place even IF the merger vote passes.

Remember folks that between these two Unions there are a number of different contracts. Those contracts ALL remain in force AS IS, until their maturation date…and the potential new SAG-AFTRA would then negotiate “new deals” as they come up. Be reminded, the first one up, is our Commercials contract. So you can stop asking or wondering what happens to our agreements. Did I like AFTRA going off and negotiating a Primetime TV contract no their own in 2008…uh NO. But again, I remind us all, we should NEVER have gotten to 2008 with (2) different Primetime contracts when digital is being used in TV, movies and everywhere else in New Media. We can spend all day, more years, etc. arguing over how we got here but technology is making so much of our differences a non-conversation…we MUST have this conversation.

NO one is going to lose their pension and both unions have enough funds to not forfeit or weigh down the concept and actual execution of merging them. I think the thing, that yes I am HOPEFUL about…is that so much of the current leadership is vested in SAG…just as I am. It is similar to the question about air travel, when you have to ask yourself…do you think the pilot wants the plane to crash? Of course not, and I don’t believe that the current leadership and the folks who will likely continue to be VOTED in as the potential first set of officers and national board of a potentially new union would also likely be very vested in SAG. So it is difficult for me to be so fearful of all of them not handling the process with incredibly careful and intelligent hands, and bear in mind, they’ll be under a huge amount of oversight and scrutiny in doing so.

Yes, you’ll continue to hear the argument that we CANNOT merge if we don’t know and I get it. However, some of the greatest accomplishments and achievements in the history of this country have been done with partial information…it just depends on the integrity of purpose. I know, and have an immense amount of respect for many of the people on BOTH sides of this argument and conversation and I know that they feel strongly about their feelings and opinion. I do think there is a LOT of conversation and difficulty ahead if this vote passes, but I am more afraid of the TRAIN we can’t stop (technology for the world) then I am of our own people…in one room figuring out with actual experts, how to best get it done.

There is also the fear of there being this huge rush on people joining AFTRA to get into the union before this vote goes down, but again, this just hasn’t happened. Yes there has been a spike in the Hawaii local because of Hawaii 5-0 but beyond that it just isn’t a reality. And again, I still look at the wrecked voucher system allowing an addition of SAG members that I don’t feel make SAG any stronger about 90% of the time. Don’t forget 80% of the pilots this year having gone to AFTRA, …because they’re perceived as less likely to strike and more flexible with their contracts, especially in basic cable and even with after 4 years of 80-90% of pilots going to AFTRA, we still have not seen a ridiculous explosion.

Remember I am totally against an open union without distinct qualifications, and this merger agreement closes it up just like SAG’s current criteria, but also remember that we are a business of new faces. It’s easy for producers to go “non union” since there is access to talent. But that talent ultimately wants to make movies and television so when we get them off the street and we can make more new media projects and more signatory projects then the producers have less access to non-union talent. This door will only be open for a few weeks so I just don’t see it as much of an issue as it relates to this conversation.

One of the other sticky issues has been related to compensation citing that Roberta Reardon, is paid, on which indeed I had actually had my personal facts corrected. The current SAG language has been interpreted to allow for reimbursement policies that include child-care and other items that are outside of what might traditionally be considered expense reimbursement.  So it is theoretically possible that the SAG National Board could interpret this language to allow someone to be reimbursed for lost work, for example, but I don’t know the particular history of this issue in the SAG boardroom and whether such an interpretation was ever considered and rejected.  While the language in the SAG-AFTRA Constitution contains the possibility that the National Board could determine it to be appropriate to pay some form of compensation to a board member or officer, it is also important to note that NOTHING in the Merger Agreement or the Constitution actually provides for anyone in any elected position to receive compensation. Therefore I do think If you spent 40 hours a week, away from home, unable to work more at one’s career at all traveling the country in service of your union, I could see some sort of compensation being arrived at, so long as it had an end date.

Additionally, while I do not personally know Ms. Reardon, she is not the President of SAG, nor its 1st National VP, so I know that moving forward if this vote goes through I don’t believe this becomes much of a conversation. But at the same time, and respect to someone that I don’t know, it is true that IMDb credits do not include one’s voice over career. I still believe the predominant number of key positions moving forward with SAG-AFTRA, would be held (as elected both by ballot and convention) by mostly well-heeled professionals familiar with the plight of work and pensions…of actors.

And finally I did ask, why the resistance to do a P&H Impact study? Now there will be a ton of resistance to the lack of an answer. Well what I’d at least like you to consider is the fiscal responsibility and a responsibility to honest debate and conversation to you and for us. An actuarial study costs upwards of millions. If this were performed simultaneously while working on a merger plan and any SKEWED or partial inaccurate part of the study were to be leaked which somehow unfairly killed the merger then we would have wasted millions of union members’ money. It’s very important to understand that the UNIONS have X number of Trustees to the Plan. There is an equal number of Trustees on the Management side. Remember that management doesn’t want us to merge. Why would they? When they split us it is far more beneficial to them when you really think about it. We all know that from the most simple move from one apartment to another, moving in with a new girlfriend or boyfriend, there are indeed certain things you simply must do in a particular order to be able to focus your time and resources on others. I know that an actuary study is possible, so that means that I also know, there is a solid reason why not having done one fully on this subject to date can only be because of two things: Fear that it’s doable, or the politics of fear. Think about it.

My best always,  Kevin E.

5500 Self-identified Broadcasters. (3.5%, Anchors, editors, Sports, between both unions.)
5000 Recording Artists (aka, singers)
12,500 (A mix of soap actors, actors that have only worked on AFTRA shows, background actors, and folks who probably just joined AFTRA and have never qualified for SAG. You can’t assume or call them “the others” really because believe me, there are a ton of SAG only and dual card holders that would fall into the one-time athlete who does a commercial or a person who got (3) vouchers and hasn’t worked since.)

So as an actor only individual I get why WE from the SAG side of things would say…why in the HELL do we need to merge. How about we just have the 45,000 actors just defect to SAG and we keep that as the “ACTOR UNION” and let “the others” have their ABBRA (American Broadcasters, Background and Radio Artists) Please note this doesn’t exist…I just made it up for this Blog.

Well while I get this, the answer for me is fairly simple. It is America, and we have options and dreams. Why should 45,000 have to defect if they’re already performers. A background person can book work, build a career…and maybe one day become a star and indeed singers do…from time to time (Jennifer Hudson / Whitney Houston) do movies and win actual Oscars. This is what makes this pile of “Mixed Nuts” so unique to discuss, negotiate, represent and collectively bargain for with our contracts.

The new merger agreement and constitution have a couple of KEY provisions in it to help alleviate certain concerns by those of us (and I do mean ME) about the perceived WEAKNESS of “the others” all being under one roof. The Broadcaster argument kinda comes down to this lovely little element they’ve put into the merger called, the Single work-unit (Keeps broadcasters in a box). Yes. A small portion of the Broadcasters can do that one job to retain their work DUES STATUS, but of course WE can work every contract. This is a way to keep the broadcasters happy and not wanting to decertify from the union but also protect actors. And sure broadcasters CAN step outside of their box, and work in movies or television and other contracts…but if they DO…then their dues % cost almost doubles and they can NEVER, repeat NEVER get back to the “Single Unit Work” Broadcaster only % even if they do just (1) job…with the new merger constitution.

And do remember that Affected Member voting exists. (It’s in the constitution as “Affected Thereby”) But, due to Phase 1, contracts negotiated under Phase 1 had to be sent to the ENTIRE membership for ratification. Which is why broadcasters can “vote on your contract.” This will be more defined. AFTRA did not send the interactive contract to the entire membership as Phase 1 was over. Just to the affected members. So do be sure that you bear in mind that IF everyone were under one roof, we’re able to alter and amend the constitution to make the MIXED NUTS be the most effective…by being “Affected only.”

Also a huge question I had, because I do believe strongly in the STRENGTH of going on strike and am commonly in FAVOR of striking when we need to, had to do with how a union of predominately actors but still with a mixed union then calls a strike under this new SAG-AFTRA one-union construct. The answer is that strikes may be called when 75% of the members affected thereby voting on the question approve.

The National Board will determine who is affected by a contract, for either ratification or strike votes. This will ultimately be at the discretion of any given board, but I would always argue for a narrow interpretation of who is affected. I don’t believe actors would ever be given determinative voting power over broadcast contracts – except to note that actors will dominate both the national board and executive committee, and could, if they chose, exert influence in that way. But I can’t see actors ever being allowed to participate in the underlying strike vote of a broadcast contract. Just as, similarly, Broadcasters would not be involved with the voting and/or work stoppage of the performers contracts.

Plus you have the whole Broadcaster “walking across the hall” issue and working non-union because of the failure to organize (meaning unionize) that work over the years with the Networks could have a different future. With this agreement/merger it doesn’t guarantee anything but keeping the Broadcasters more in a “box” as a resolution, coupled with “One Union” but there is a certain logic to “hope to” in the future be able to organize more of that Larry King work. Remember, that we’re not just one group, even as actors as you’ll see in Part 4 with regards to Contracts and Money, but when the employer for one union contract is the SAME employer who is NOT making certain types of work union, it does logically stand that you might have a better shot when you’re one group. Certainly there’s no way to do it without being one, because it hasn’t happened to date. Lastly it also improves the chances of creating better background zones and figuring out a better solution to the 3-voucher system, which I’ve already mentioned I will be writing a proposal for IF the vote passes.

And finally in the bag of “Mixed Nuts” is once again the election of officers and the board as it pertains to “the others.” The convention is a smaller body than the full membership, no doubt, but the delegates are all directly elected by the membership. This requires more buy in and involvement by those who want to be a part of the process. I can see it being very democratic and involving and most modern unions have a convention. It’s a unique way to meet your actor counterparts across the country but also a way for the actor folks to meet broadcasters. We may not all be immediate family but in the end, we are all related in this crazy business. Knowing your neighbor makes it easier to work with and for your neighbor. Keeping them strangers foments fear and antipathy. But remember my big statement about the difference that this agreement (if passed) makes about convention, NO proxy voting, and the ballot election of the Prez, Sec./Treasurer and National Board.

In the end, yes, I’m completely biased and partial to actors, whether they’re in movies, TV, daytime TV, V/O, Commercials or anywhere else. But the ONE equalizer in this Mixed Nuts conversation is technology and technology is making us all more ONE (as people a part of the entertainment process and product) in terms of what we’re fighting for when it comes to COLLECTIVE bargaining. We cannot afford to go any further backwards, and I don’t see too much based on the proposed new Constitution that has me thinking that being 80% actors, and 20% “the others” is going to keep us from being incredibly strong. Humans, by nature, do not like change…and I say with complete confidence after my time in L.A. that actors likely even dislike change more than the average person so I am respectful of how afraid of a change this feels.
My best always,
Kevin E.

Will SAG-AFTRA be an open union that any person can walk in off the street and join? NO! The merger agreement adopts exactly what SAG’s current guidelines are. That is a terrific victory for the concept of merging. And do all “in good standing members of SAG and AFTRA” become members of the union once it is merged? YES! (As it should) And be reminded that of the nearly/approximate 70,000 members of AFTRA 45,000 of them are dual card holders with SAG (me being one of them). That means that approximately 115,000 of a total of 140,000 are already members …of both. So it isn’t like a merger is “giving” SAG value and clout to the majority…it is the minority…so this is a nice SAGcentric element of the current merger agreement. This was a real important element for me because SAG is my parent union. And for the record, I HATE (using the word hate here) HATE the voucher system of entry. Hate it. It may not be walking in off the street like AFTRA has been, but it has sure added a lot of actors to the union that are not exactly pursuing a real performance career…aside from the collusion and corruption associated with “who gets a voucher when/why.” Personally, if this merger goes through I will be proposing an “Apprenticeship” type of “earned entry” into the new SAG-AFTRA union with all of the contracts and forms of work now available. This is a much smarter way to build union membership from people who are actually ACTING in signatory work…as opposed to just sitting around on a set. That isn’t against background performers, it is simply a pro-performer, pro-active attitude about “how you get into the union.” But this new union would be CLOSED …with qualifications…just like SAG is.

Here are a few others. The National Headquarters for the new union…are right here in Hollywood…where about 50% of the union members, nationwide, would reside. That is a good thing. The first convention, will be held in Los Angeles, and that is a good thing.

While it seems silly, it isn’t, in that the NAME of the new Union still bears both and that SAG is first. It isn’t silly, because one of the cries is about the fact that SAG is made up of …actors at its core, and AFTRA has some “mix” in terms of type of work or performing. SAG is a global brand because of the movie industry which still rules worldwide. Keeping that name…on the name was paramount to me.

Also, have you not ever heard the argument or statement that SAG really “isn’t a union, it is a GUILD.” Well that is true, and if the merger were to go through, that could no longer be stated or intimated because it would be one…AND nationwide the new constitution would establish that all locations would be called “a local” just like all other unions. There’s a New York local, and a Hollywood local, an Atlanta local…and so on and so on.

Lastly for me, in terms of the SAGcentric part of this “merger concept” was the vast difference between the By-Laws of SAG and the Articles/Constitution of AFTRA in the area that applies to Elections versus Conventions. This was a HUGE sticking point for me because while I “get” that the delegate convention thingy works in politics and other areas the difficulty for me was that mixing these two groups still isn’t 100% actors. It is overwhelmingly the majority of actors…but nonetheless…not a 100%. So be clear on the following about the merger agreement and the potential new SAG-AFTRA Constitution:

1. President 2. Executive Vice President 3. Sec/Treasurer 4-7. Regional Vice Presidents, determined by the size of the local. 8. Actor/Performer Vice President 9. Broadcaster Vice President 10. Recording Artist Vice President.

Total of 80 Board members, including the 10 elected officers, determined by the size of the locals. The board members have weighted votes with more weight to larger locals and less to smaller. No one gets less than 1 vote. So, Portland Board Member’s vote equals 1 vote, but LA’s equals about 3.9 votes.

Currently, SAG members directly elect their President and Secretary Treasurer and National Board by ballot. Likewise, AFTRA members also directly elect their National Board and delegates to Convention by ballot. However, AFTRA also uses a Convention delegate system to elect their officers, whereby popularly elected delegates vote for the officers. AFTRA’s current system allows for Proxy Voting. (I HATE that) Proxy voting is where an elected delegate can skip going to the Convention and “hand off” his convention votes to another elected delegate who will attend. This attending delegate is now holding multiple proxies and can do with those votes whatever the HELL he/she feels like once at convention.. If the non-attending delegate chooses to do so, he can currently “direct” his attending proxy to vote a specific way on a matter but it doesn’t really force the non-attending delegate to CARE about being AT the damn convention. Ok.. I digress..

Anyway, the new merger agreement and constitution makes the following adjustment and to me intelligent compromise since these two areas are so different: The President and the Secretary/Treasurer MUST be elected by ballot, which is SAGcentric. At the first election, if a merger goes through, the entire National Board will be elected by the membership. Then after the first election, half of the board seats will be up for election in a staggered manner. The 8 National Officer positions: 2, 4-10, as listed above…are all elected at the convention…BUT…proxy voting would now be STRICTLY PROHIBITED. Halle-flippin-lujah. That is also SAGcentric and personally a huge deal to me because it removes the collusion or favoritism of proxy voting, which helps make the convention process and concept less vulnerable to cronyism. If you can’t get to the convention, your vote goes begging, no handing it off to someone else…thank god.

These are some key elements to point out with regards to how the proposed merger agreement and constitution really do lean towards what SAG currently is in a lot of ways and hopefully I’ve also answered a few key questions for you as well. My best always, Kevin E.

SAG was established in 1933, when several of that day’s top movie stars…all walked off the set. AFTRA, wasn’t AFTRA it was AFRA, without the T because we didn’t have television yet…just radio artists and it was established in 1937. Since that day, you can get that there was an absolute internal “class war” with Radio performers versus Movie Stars. And as we got into the inception, of the golden age of TV, the T got added.  At the time, way back in the day, it made sense that SAG organized the work in Primetime television being shot on film because that is what movies were shot on…as well as organizing most of the Commercials also shot on film in a separate negotiation and contract. It made sense that AFTRA organized all of the Television (mostly sit-coms like All in the Family) that were “taped” in front of a live audience and shot on Video-TAPE. Additionally, Daytime TV which was shot on tape was so clearly and distinctly separate from Primetime it made sense to have a separate contract negotiated separately just like Commercials. So there ya go. Now you have the early formations, and evolutions of the construct of the two. When you add in the clear separation of animation and V/O for commercials and film by SAG, and Books on tape for AFTRA, plus the Broadcasters and weather folks being clearly different, you have a perfect marriage of two unions that makes sense to have the “handshake” agreement to always negotiate as a JOINT collective bargaining arrangement. Just peachy.

The lethal blow, historically and in my very strong opinion, that was leading us to the hell and in-fighting we’ve witnessed for the last 20 years is that neither union either out of arrogance or stupidity cared to address the ONCOMING train way before it got to the tunnel WE actors were headed into. That train was and is today, technology. The concept that film would one day be extinct (Kodak recently filed Chapter 11) and that digital would rule the day…was fairly obvious to John Q citizen by the mid-90′s but these two unions…ignored it. I say this because I feel very strongly all of this mess could have been avoided. It could have been managed without threats, law-suits, one side making a deal without the other union’s approval etc. etc. Why? Because the straw that broke inevitability’s back…was the Primetime Television contract negotiation in which AFTRA made a deal with the AMPTP without SAG.

This could have easily been avoided…but when they tell you it ain’t “about the money” I assure you…it’s about the money…and ego. Why in the world would we get to the year 2000, and still have two SEPARATE Primetime contracts with SAG and AFTRA when videotape was clearly extinct as a medium which was always the clear distinction between SAG and AFTRA’s by-laws/constitution and also simply the medium in which the necessity for the two existed? It boggles my mind, but they let it stand and let it stand and let it stand. Stooooopid. So that is where we’ve been and along with other elements I’ll bring up over the next 4 blogs on this subject, how we got here.

This was just a real rough, and simplistic overview of the last 55 years. This is so you just have a foundational way to read the next 4 in this series without being too lost, because yes the inception, beginning and history of ANYTHING…matters. My best always.

This is yet another installment by me to point out our wonderful LOVE of technology and what it is really doing to the nuts n’ bolts areas of our profession. Being a performer, is one thing, but being an actor in L.A. is a whole other issue and I’ve been preaching this for over 20 years. The amount of VALUE in personal connection in this industry simply cannot be measured. There are thousands of talented actors in this marketplace, as well as NYC, Chicago, London, Sydney…and in little towns…all over the world. What makes Hollywood so very difficult is getting through the maze, getting the attention of the proper folks in the proper way at the proper time…over and over again.  However, slowly but surely technology is improving the efficiency and man power needs for all sorts of positions. One of those is casting, but even larger than that, is the simple mechanism of a 30-second conversation. What you, me and every actor has to be very wary of, is continually counting on technology to “showcase us” in this new era…when a good laugh, good joke and just all around “fun person to hang with” still has its rewards for making you a unique product, person and memorable.

What did this have to do with the future of Casting? The fact that over the next 5 years, I GUARANTEE you…it won’t be the last casting department you see shut down and I would even go so far as saying that they’ll eventually have casting for all shows…by Network, in one location, with the auditions being parsed out to the appropriate people to watch.

Mark my words. Since 1991 I have predicted a number of the realities we now see today because it is just simple math, and this means WE have to be better and better with our social skills, conversation skills, making sure we remain “out” in the city enough to create and continue professional associations…with brief moments of personal uniqueness.

What are you going to do differently this year from last year?  If you do the same things as you did last year, you’ll likely have the same results!  Are you OK with that?Here’s one thing that I’m doing differently #ThisYear.  I’m modeling out how I’m going to make my moolah.  A little history for you.  For longer than a decade I’ve supported myself (and sometimes my husband) via this wacky business; however, I’ve always just taken the jobs as they’ve come, without much planning.  #ThisYear I’m doing it like a businessperson would.  After all, it is called show BUSINESS!

I have a financial goal for my overall career which is broken down into sub categories such as hosting, infomercial, VO… you get the picture.  In a non-arbitrary fashion, I assigned a dollar amount to each category.  That was kinda fun!

Then, I devised a plan (that will morph as the year carries on) on how I’m actually going to attain those financial goals via auditions, meetings, phone calls, emails, snail mail packages, etc.

Finally, I have a tracking system in which I will input each financial success, so I can see what is and isn’t working.  Nothing is set in stone here.  It’s a work in progress to be amended as time goes one.

Then, next year, I’ll have some historical data to which I can compare my new goals and hopefully beat them.  Final thought, my parents own a wine shop in Washington, DC and they have this exact system in place and have for over 45 years.  They call it their Beat Book.  So, here’s to you’re and my Beat Books gets beaten every year!

In the infamous words of my husband, Marty Metro, “Good luck and be yourself!”

PS:  Follow me on Twitter and i’ll give you a buck! @TracyMetro