Houston-Austin

In these one-hour (1-2 p.m. PT / 4-5 p.m. ET) live Zoom sessions, working actor and SAG AFTRA Foundation staff member Tamika Simpkins dives deeper into questions about actors’ professional pursuits. This live program will mainly address the topics of that week’s Small Group Sessions, and members are encouraged to bring their specific questions to discuss.

Please note that members are highly encouraged to attend Small Group Sessions before coming to this program.  The Small Group Sessions preceding this program are: 

Thursday February 24th: Self-Tapes and Remote Auditions

Tamika Simpkins' bio:

Philadelphia-born Tamika Simpkins is a television, theatre and voiceover actress inching through a journey filled with purpose and wonderment. She relocated on a whim to Los Angeles to pursue her creative aspirations after losing a bet to a friend. Tamika has performed in regional theaters in the Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize-winning play DOUBT and in DEATH AND THE KING'S HORSEMAN. Her on-screen credits include GRACE & FRANKIE, DISPATCHES FROM ELSEWHERE, NCIS, SOUTHLAND and THE WIRE to name a few. Her love of storytelling has included voiceover performances in audiobooks for independent authors on Audible, video games, commercials, PSAs and most recently, Marvel’s BLACK PANTHER: WAR FOR WAKANDA video game. 

In addition to honing her craft working in front of the camera, Tamika has also worked behind the camera and has written, produced, and edited several independent film and media projects. For a few years, she was also a Commercial Casting Associate in her hometown. She also holds a double major Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science and African-American Studies and has worked over two decades in the tech industry with artists and entrepreneurs and major corporations such as Warner Bros Studios and Clear Channel Radio.

Click here for details and to RSVP.

The products and services noted herein are provided as an informational service to SAG-AFTRA members and are administered by entities independent of SAG-AFTRA. Any questions must be handled by the provider. This information is not intended to serve as an endorsement nor is any warranty or guarantee implied.

LIMITED NUMBER OF SCREENING LINKS AVAILABLE! 

All those RSVP'd to this program will receive both an online screener for ACTING: THE FIRST SIX LESSONS and a Zoom link for a live Q&A with actors Beau and Emily Bridges, moderated by Metacritic's Danielle Turchiano.

****This screening is not live - you will receive a screening link by END OF DAY on Friday, March 4, and have access to the film until 4 p.m. PT / 7 p.m. ET on Tuesday, March 8. The conversation with the actors will be held LIVE via Zoom on Tuesday, March 8, at 4 p.m. PT / 7 p.m. ET, and a Zoom link will be emailed to you an hour before the program. Members are encouraged to bring their questions about the documentary and about acting as a craft to the Q&A!***

SYNOPSIS:

Directed by Emily Bridges, ACTING: THE FIRST SIX LESSONS follows The Teacher and his student, The Creature, played by Beau Bridges and Emily Bridges. Together they explore the craft of acting and evolve in their understanding and appreciation of life itself. The story unfolds in six lessons over the course of their relationship, nested within a larger conversation with three generations of The Bridges family. 

A unique hybrid of narrative and documentary storytelling: ACTING: THE FIRST SIX LESSONS brings Richard Boleslavsky’s 1933 novel to the screen for the first time as part of an intimate glimpse into the life and craft of a multi-generational acting family with interviews featuring Jeff Bridges, Jordan Bridges, Lucinda Bridges, and never-before-seen archival interview footage of Lloyd Bridges and Dorothy Bridges.

Click here for details, speaker bios, and to RSVP.

The products and services noted herein are provided as an informational service to SAG-AFTRA members and are administered by entities independent of SAG-AFTRA. Any questions must be handled by the provider. This information is not intended to serve as an endorsement nor is any warranty or guarantee implied.

LIMITED NUMBER OF SCREENING LINKS AVAILABLE! 

All those RSVP'd to this program will receive both an online screener for Summer of Soul and a Q&A with Director/Executive Producer Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson and New York Times critic-at-large Wesley Morris.

*This is not a live screening and conversation, you will receive both of these elements via email. You do not need to log-in at any specific time. You will receive the screener by END OF DAY on Friday, Feb. 25. The screener will be live for 72 HOURS.*

SYNOPSIS:

In his acclaimed debut as a filmmaker, Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson presents a powerful and transporting documentary—part music film, part historical record created around an epic event that celebrated Black history, culture and fashion. Over the course of six weeks in the summer of 1969, just one hundred miles south of Woodstock, The Harlem Cultural Festival was filmed in Mount Morris Park (now Marcus Garvey Park). The footage was largely forgotten–until now. SUMMER OF SOUL shines a light on the importance of history to our spiritual well-being and stands as a testament to the healing power of music during times of unrest, both past and present.  The feature includes concert performances by Stevie Wonder, Nina Simone, Sly & the Family Stone, Gladys Knight & the Pips, Mahalia Jackson, B.B. King, The 5th Dimension and more.

SUMMER OF SOUL premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, where it won both the Grand Jury Prize and Audience Award. It is streaming on Hulu in conjunction with Disney General Entertainment’s Onyx Collective; Searchlight Pictures released it theatrically.

Click here for details and to RSVP.

The products and services noted herein are provided as an informational service to SAG-AFTRA members and are administered by entities independent of SAG-AFTRA. Any questions must be handled by the provider. This information is not intended to serve as an endorsement nor is any warranty or guarantee implied.

When: 9 - 11 a.m. PT/ 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. MT/ 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. CT/ 12 - 2 p.m. ET

The Actors Fund Financial Wellness Program seeks to engage, educate and empower performing arts professionals about the role of money in their lives.

This single-session, interactive workshop introduces the concept of financial wellness and addresses the fundamentals of budgeting with multiple and episodic streams of income. We will consider common financial challenges among entertainment industry professionals, and discuss approaches and strategies that make sense when you don't always earn and spend the same way each month. You will begin to solidify your financial goals, identify key resources, and learn a simple, step-by-step process for finding your financial starting point.

Intro to Financial Wellness is designed specifically to help creative professionals move toward building financial stability. Completion of Intro to Financial Wellness is required prior to enrolling in our multi-session workshops and groups, including Managing Cash Flow and Psychology of Money.

Questions? Please contact The Actors Fund at financialwellness@actorsfund.org

RSVP: Click here for details and to RSVP. 

The products and services noted herein are provided as an informational service to SAG-AFTRA members and are administered by entities independent of SAG-AFTRA. Any questions must be handled by the provider. This information is not intended to serve as an endorsement nor is any warranty or guarantee implied.

When: 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. PT/ 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. MT/ 12 - 2 p.m. CT/ 1 - 3 p.m. ET

A central challenge for many performing arts and entertainment professionals is navigating the episodic nature of their work in the industry. For many, survival work—initiated to make ends meet—ends up draining the creative professional and becoming more problem than solution. The purpose of this workshop series is to assist performing arts and entertainment professionals in their search to find meaningful work. Career Journey offers strategies to gain agency over your career.

Now that you have brainstormed potential work opportunities, how will you get there? To continue on your career journey you will:

• Navigate labor market research resources and strategies
• Learn to develop your network to find people and organizations that can help
• Learn how to test work ideas through experience

You'll evaluate your work ideas based on who you are and what you need to find a meaningful fit.

Questions? Please contact The Actors Fund at CareerCenterWest@actorsfund.org

RSVP: Click here for details and to RSVP. 

The products and services noted herein are provided as an informational service to SAG-AFTRA members and are administered by entities independent of SAG-AFTRA. Any questions must be handled by the provider. This information is not intended to serve as an endorsement nor is any warranty or guarantee implied.

When: 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. PT/ 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. MT/ 12 - 2 p.m. CT/ 1 - 3 p.m. ET

A central challenge for many performing arts and entertainment professionals is navigating the episodic nature of their work in the industry. For many, survival work—initiated to make ends meet—ends up draining the creative professional and becoming more problem than solution. The purpose of this workshop series is to assist performing arts and entertainment professionals in their search to find meaningful work. Career Journey offers strategies to gain agency over your career.

Now that you know your values, interests and personality preferences, what are the possibilities? To continue on your career journey you will:

• Identify your transferable skills
• Develop your strategic career blueprint
• Utilize career brainstorm techniques to think outside the box

You'll discover a sense of what is possible in your career moving forward.

Questions? Please contact The Actors Fund at CareerCenterWest@actorsfund.org

RSVP: Click here for details and to RSVP. 

The products and services noted herein are provided as an informational service to SAG-AFTRA members and are administered by entities independent of SAG-AFTRA. Any questions must be handled by the provider. This information is not intended to serve as an endorsement nor is any warranty or guarantee implied.

When: 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. PT/ 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. MT/ 12 - 2 p.m. CT/ 1 - 3 p.m. ET

A central challenge for many performing arts and entertainment professionals is navigating the episodic nature of their work in the industry. For many, survival work—initiated to make ends meet—ends up draining the creative professional and becoming more problem than solution. The purpose of this workshop series is to assist performing arts and entertainment professionals in their search to find meaningful work. Career Journey offers strategies to gain agency over your career.

Are you looking for meaningful work to support your artistic pursuits or new career options, but don't know where to start? In this workshop you will begin your career journey by:

• Identifying your work values to help you find meaningful work
• Identifying your interests to help you find engaging work
• Identifying  your personality preferences to help you find work environments where you thrive

You'll discover what meaningful work looks like for you while developing language you can use in a resume, interview and while networking.

Questions? Please contact The Actors Fund at CareerCenterWest@actorsfund.org

RSVP: Click here for details and to RSVP. 

The products and services noted herein are provided as an informational service to SAG-AFTRA members and are administered by entities independent of SAG-AFTRA. Any questions must be handled by the provider. This information is not intended to serve as an endorsement nor is any warranty or guarantee implied.

When: 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. PT/ 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. MT/ 12 - 2 p.m. CT/ 1 - 3 p.m. ET

An 8-week group for performing arts and entertainment industry professionals, 60 and above, that takes members through the process of reviewing their life stories via weekly writings based on questions that address major life themes. The group offers members the opportunity to focus on the meaning and purpose of their lives, while promoting well-being and creating community amongst peers.

Please note that this is not a psychotherapy group and does not provide mental health treatment. If you are in need of mental health support, please reach out to The Actors Fund: actorsfund.org/MentalHealth.

This support group is available to anyone living in the United States, Puerto Rico and US territories. 

Questions? Please contact The Actors Fund at abooke@actorsfund.org

RSVP: Click here for details and to RSVP. 

The products and services noted herein are provided as an informational service to SAG-AFTRA members and are administered by entities independent of SAG-AFTRA. Any questions must be handled by the provider. This information is not intended to serve as an endorsement nor is any warranty or guarantee implied.

When: 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. PT/ 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. MT/ 12 - 2 p.m. CT/ 1 - 3 p.m. ET

An 8-week group for performing arts and entertainment industry professionals, 60 and above, that takes members through the process of reviewing their life stories via weekly writings based on questions that address major life themes. The group offers members the opportunity to focus on the meaning and purpose of their lives, while promoting well-being and creating community amongst peers.

Please note that this is not a psychotherapy group and does not provide mental health treatment. If you are in need of mental health support, please reach out to The Actors Fund: actorsfund.org/MentalHealth.

This support group is available to anyone living in the United States, Puerto Rico and US territories. 

Questions? Please contact The Actors Fund at abooke@actorsfund.org

RSVP: Click here for details and to RSVP. 

The products and services noted herein are provided as an informational service to SAG-AFTRA members and are administered by entities independent of SAG-AFTRA. Any questions must be handled by the provider. This information is not intended to serve as an endorsement nor is any warranty or guarantee implied.

When: 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. PT/ 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. MT/ 12 - 2 p.m. CT/ 1 - 3 p.m. ET

An 8-week group for performing arts and entertainment industry professionals, 60 and above, that takes members through the process of reviewing their life stories via weekly writings based on questions that address major life themes. The group offers members the opportunity to focus on the meaning and purpose of their lives, while promoting well-being and creating community amongst peers.

Please note that this is not a psychotherapy group and does not provide mental health treatment. If you are in need of mental health support, please reach out to The Actors Fund: actorsfund.org/MentalHealth.

This support group is available to anyone living in the United States, Puerto Rico and US territories. 

Questions? Please contact The Actors Fund at abooke@actorsfund.org

RSVP: Click here for details and to RSVP. 

The products and services noted herein are provided as an informational service to SAG-AFTRA members and are administered by entities independent of SAG-AFTRA. Any questions must be handled by the provider. This information is not intended to serve as an endorsement nor is any warranty or guarantee implied.