Hawaii Local President’s Message

Aloha Brothers and Sisters:

The new year brings our local great opportunities and accomplishments. Here are some highlights:

• If you haven’t visited us in our new offices at 201 Merchant St., Suite 2301, do make an appointment to come down and see what a great improvement it is.

• Multiple TV shows, film, interactive media and new media projects have provided many opportunities for our members. We have enjoyed membership growth over the last year.

• Our dynamic executive director, Mericia Palma Elmore, continues to make multiple official set visits on most of the projects, observing and reporting on the productions, connecting with many members and pre-members, and listening to any concerns on set.

• To connect with members across the entire island chain, Mericia conducted a meet-and-greet event on Maui on Sept. 23, 2018, in addition to the previously reported neighbor island visits on Kauai and the Big Island last year.

• Our SAG Awards party in January was a great success, as described in more detail in the article by Local Board member Leanne Teves, who deserves, along with her committee, credit for her extraordinary efforts on putting the event together.

• In addition to several very successful conservatory individual instructor workshops, some open to pre-members, we continued to offer new conservatory panel events almost monthly.

• As a member of several national committees, I participated in webinars, including the Presidents Forum and the Disciplinary Review and Background Actors committees.

• As we start this year’s legislative session, our film tax credit law is under review. We invite you to join us as a volunteer on a local committee to help with our local’s important work. Contact Mericia in the local office, any of the Hawaii Local Board members or me for more information.

In our current political and social environment, unions are often under intense attack. Our local members are diverse and talented; we need your engagement and enthusiasm now more than ever to stay relevant, visible and effective.

In solidarity,
David C. Farmer