Membership 101

Jan 29, 2020 - 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM CST

Where: Kaufherr Resource Center, 1 E. Erie, Suite 660, Chicago, IL 60611

Join us for a chance to hear from member leaders and staff about your union and all of the great ways to get involved. Learn new things and get answers to any questions you have about SAG-AFTRA.  Join us for Wake Up Wednesday at the Kaufherr Resource Center from 10-11am where a light brunch will be served. Hope to see you there!

RSVP: Reservations are required. Please complete form below to RSVP. Please note that you must be logged in to RSVP. 
Seeing this on your app? Please click here to log into the website and RSVP. 

Park at 10 E. Ontario. Enter on the north side of Ontario between Wabash and State, and then take a ticket. When you sign in, you will be given a complimentary four-hour ticket pass. You will need both tickets to exit the parking structure.

Visit www.sagaftra.org/chicago for more info on the Chicago Local!

This event is only open to paid-up SAG-AFTRA members in good standing — no guests are allowed. Parents/guardians of performers under 18 years old are welcome. SAG-AFTRA members, please bring your membership card or digital card from the app (paid through April 30, 2020) for admittance. This workshop is not intended to imply an endorsement of any individual or company by SAG-AFTRA. The information provided through the workshop is given for informational purposes and may not be a suitable substitute for the advice of other industry professionals. You should always use good judgment in these matters and should not act or refrain from acting based solely on information provided through the workshop.



Come Learn All You Need to Know About Talent Agency Contracts Before You Sign on the Dotted Line!

Dec 05, 2019 - 12:00 PM to 2:30 PM CST

Where: SAG-AFTRA Chicago Local Office, 1 East Erie, Suite 650, Chicago, Illinois 60611

About to sign a contract with your agent? Be fully informed of your rights before you sign on the dotted line! SAG-AFTRA’s Professional Representatives Department will hold an educational seminar on general service agreements or GSAs (i.e. the contracts that some agents have been using to represent our members instead of the standard Legacy SAG and/or Legacy AFTRA agency contracts). These GSA contracts are signed outside of SAG-AFTRA’s protection, and it is imperative that members have a working knowledge of what these contracts actually say before signing them—your professional future and your income may depend on it. Staff will also take this opportunity to address how these contracts may apply, and discuss what your options are. This educational seminar will be especially helpful to any member having trouble making sense of the complicated legal language contained in the GSAs that their agents have provided them. We look forward to seeing you all on December 5, 2019.

The event will not be taped, nor will any kind of recording device be permitted. Please bring writing materials or a laptop with you in order to take extensive notes.

Please direct all questions about this event to Kathy Byrne, Director, TV/Theatrical, Chicago Local, at (312) 867-5508.

RSVP: Reservations are required. Please complete form below to RSVP. Please note that you must be logged in to RSVP. 
Seeing this on your app? Please click here to log into the website and RSVP.

This event is only open to paid-up SAG-AFTRA members in good standing — no guests are allowed. Parents/guardians of performers under 18 years old are welcome. SAG-AFTRA members, please bring your membership card or digital card from the app (paid through October 31, 2019 or April 30, 2020) for admittance.



Commercials Regional Codes Webinar

Oct 30, 2019 - 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM CDT

Where: SAG-AFTRA, 1 East Erie, Suite #650, Chicago, Illinois 60611

You’re invited to a webinar on the new and improved Regional Codes for commercials produced and distributed in a small or mid-sized market like yours. Learn about the Codes and how you can help grow commercial work opportunities for members in your local.

Following the Commercials Regional Code webinar, there will be a short member meeting where we will introduce the Commercial Strategy team, hold member Q&As and share some of the things the Chicago Local is doing to broaden its presence and create more opportunities here and in the Midwest. We hope to see you at this very important meeting.

Where: SAG-AFTRA Chicago
1 East Erie, Suite #650
Chicago, Illinois 60611
Discounted parking passes to the 10 E. Ontario parking garage (adjacent to our building) will be available for purchase.

RSVP (for webinar): Reservations are required. Please complete form below to RSVP. Please note that you must be logged in to RSVP. 
Seeing this on your app? Please click here to log into the website and RSVP. 

RSVP (for member meeting): To attend in person, please RSVP to CommercialsRSVPChicago@sagaftra.org

This event is only open to paid-up SAG-AFTRA members — no guests are allowed. Parents/guardians of performers under 18 years old are welcome. SAG-AFTRA members, please bring your membership card or digital card from the app for admittance.



Seize the Day: Brand & Market Yourself To Compete!

Nov 23, 2019 - 8:30 AM to 2:30 PM CST

Where: KMRC - 1 E. Erie, Suite 660, Chicago, IL

SAG-AFTRA Chicago Local's Diversity Committee Presents

Seize the Day: Brand & Market Yourself To Compete!

Presenter: Tony Castillo (SAG-AFTRA, AEA) Actor, Director, Development Coach

How do you see yourself in our industry? How do others see you? How do you market yourself? How do you communicate with those you need to influence? How prepared are you for when that opportunity presents itself?

Have you ever thought about who is ultimately responsible for marketing/promoting you as a performer? Your thought could be, "that is my agent’s responsibility. I mean after all, isn’t that why they get a commission”. Interesting response, unfortunately, not realistic. The reality is, “it is your responsibility.” To be, and continue being successful in our profession, especially today, it is essential that you understand how to continuously and pro-actively navigate our environment by branding yourselves effectively using yourself, social media , and other marketing tactics. Navigating and leveraging the world of social media can be a challenging puzzle for some, while others may be highly competent but want some tips to take it to the next level. A famous quote says: “Luck, is where preparation meets opportunity." Understanding how best to brand your image, influence others, and properly market yourself, can put you in a better position to capitalize on that moment when it appears.

Join veteran actor Tony Castillo on Saturday, Nov. 23 as he shares strategies and techniques which have, and continue to help him and others like Cedric Young, brand and market themselves. Tony Castillo has been a SAG-AFTRA member for more than 25 years and has appeared on numerous tv shows as a guest star as well as having been a series regular on the Fox series Watch Over Me. Tony is a board member of the SAG-AFTRA Chicago Local as well as the chairman of the Chicago Local Diversity Committee, and has served on the National EEO Committee.

Remember, it’s all about you and the decisions you make.....Join us on November 23...We’ll be there, will you?

This event is open to SAG-AFTRA and AEA members in good standing.

Continental breakfast and a cold lunch will be provided

Learning, advice, food, raffle prizes….can’t get any better….

RSVP: Reservations are required. Please complete form below to RSVP. Please note that you must be logged in to RSVP. 
Seeing this on your app? Please click here to log into the website and RSVP. 

This event is only open to paid-up SAG-AFTRA members in good standing — no guests are allowed. Parents/guardians of performers under 18 years old are welcome. SAG-AFTRA members, please bring your membership card or digital card from the app (paid through October 31, 2019 or April 30, 2020) for admittance.



Corporate/Educational & Non-Broadcast Wages & Working Conditions Meetings Set

Oct 28, 2019 - 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM CDT

Where: SAG-AFTRA Chicago 1 E. Erie St. Ste. 650 Chicago IL. 60611

SAG-AFTRA Chicago Local is inviting all members who work the Corporate Educational & Non-Broadcast Contract to the Wages and Working Conditions Committee (W&W) meetings.

Join your fellow members to discuss issues you’d like to see addressed in the upcoming negotiations.

Your participation is vital!

Chicago Local W&W Meetings Schedule:

WHEN: October 23, 2019  Noon - 2pm OR October 28, 2019  1 -3 p.m.

WHERE: SAG-AFTRA Chicago, 1 E. Erie St., Ste. 650, Chicago, IL. 60611

Those who would like to attend at the Chicago Local, please RSVP to CommercialsRSVPChicago@sagaftra.org

Attention members who are actively producing: SAG-AFTRA members who are actively producing cannot attend the W&W Committee Meetings due to conflict of interest.

If you cannot attend a W&W meeting, please make sure your voice is heard. You may submit proposal recommendations by email at CoEdWandW2019@sagaftra.org. Recommendations must be received by Wednesday, October 23, 2019.

This event is only open to paid-up SAG-AFTRA members in good standing — no guests are allowed. Parents/guardians of performers under 18 years old are welcome. SAG-AFTRA members, please bring your membership card or digital card from the app (paid through October 31, 2019) for admittance.



Departing Seniors At The Table Reading Oct. 29

Oct 29, 2019 - 4:30 PM to 4:30 PM CDT

Where: The Kaufherr Center

You are invited to attend the At the Table reading of Departing Seniors written by Jose Nateras.

WHEN:  Tuesday, October 29, 6:30 p.m.

WHERE: Kaufherr Center at 1 E. Erie, Suite 660.

Please RSVP to kathy.byrne@sagaftra.org 

Departing Seniors, is a darkly comedic, high school horror movie with a gay, Mexican-American central protagonist. The film was written in the vein of movies such as Wes Craven’s Scream and Blumhouse Production’s Happy Death Day.

When an act of bullying sends a witty high school senior to the hospital, he wakes up having psychic visions that reveal the horrifying truth behind a rash of supposed suicides at his school, leaving it up to him and his sarcastic best friend to unmask a serial killer, who’s targeting departing seniors, before it’s too late.  

This is an unpaid table read presented to a live audience.

This event is only open to paid-up SAG-AFTRA members in good standing — no guests are allowed. Parents/guardians of performers under 18 years old are welcome. SAG-AFTRA members, please bring your membership card or digital card from the app (paid through October 31, 2019) for admittance.



Corporate/Educational & Non-Broadcast Wages & Working Conditions Meetings Set

Oct 23, 2019 - 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM CDT

Where: SAG-AFTRA Chicago, 1 E. Erie St., Ste. 650, Chicago, IL. 60611

SAG-AFTRA Chicago Local is inviting all members who work the Corporate Educational & Non-Broadcast Contract to the Wages and Working Conditions Committee (W&W) meetings.

Join your fellow members to discuss issues you’d like to see addressed in the upcoming negotiations.

Your participation is vital!

Chicago Local W&W Meetings Schedule:

WHEN: October 23, 2019  Noon - 2 p.m. OR October 28, 2019  1 -3 p.m.

WHERE: SAG-AFTRA Chicago, 1 E. Erie St., Ste. 650, Chicago, IL. 60611

Those who would like to attend at the Chicago Local, please RSVP to CommercialsRSVPChicago@sagaftra.org

Attention members who are actively producing: SAG-AFTRA members who are actively producing cannot attend the W&W Committee Meetings due to conflict of interest.

If you cannot attend a W&W meeting, please make sure your voice is heard. You may submit proposal recommendations by email at CoEdWandW2019@sagaftra.org. Recommendations must be received by Wednesday, October 23, 2019.

This event is only open to paid-up SAG-AFTRA members in good standing — no guests are allowed. Parents/guardians of performers under 18 years old are welcome. SAG-AFTRA members, please bring your membership card or digital card from the app (paid through October 31, 2019) for admittance.



The State of the Voiceover Business

Nov 05, 2019 - 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM CST

Where: KMRC - 1 E. Erie, Suite 660, Chicago, IL

Discover the latest trends in your favorite sub-genres of voiceover at this SAG-AFTRA Conservatory event, an honest discussion with local VO talent working in commercials, audiobooks, narration, interactive, promo, trailer, podcast, bilingual and beyond. Moderated by SAG-AFTRA member Deb Doetzer.

Schedulded panelists include:

Natalie Duke

Brandon Eels

Brad Grusnick

Stephanie Diaz

Tim Dadabo

RSVP: Reservations are required. Please complete form below to RSVP. Please note that you must be logged in to RSVP. 
Seeing this on your app? Please click here to log into the website and RSVP. 

This event is only open to paid-up SAG-AFTRA members in good standing — no guests are allowed. Parents/guardians of performers under 18 years old are welcome. SAG-AFTRA members, please bring your membership card or digital card from the app (paid through October 31, 2019 or April 30, 2020) for admittance.



Help Center

On-Set Emergency

On-Set Emergency: (844) 723-3773

Help Center

How can we help? Call, chat with a rep, get answers to FAQs or send us an email.