A Message from the Nevada Local President

By Barbara Grant

Whew, what a spring and early summer we had! It was great to see so many of our members working on the set again in Mall Cop 2, the untitled Gerardo Naranjo project, Killers at Play, Modern Family and more! I want to address a few things that came up several times over the course of these projects.

The first is that, as much as I care about the members of our Nevada union, I am not the one to call and ask about on-set issues. Neither is Julie Crane. Our roles with the union, mine as an elected volunteer and hers as director of locals administration, do not include on-set issues or processing member grievances.

Here’s a link to the SAG-AFTRA Nevada Local Support Contact List. It’s a good idea to program some of these numbers in your cell phone or print the list out and keep on hand. Also, the 24-hour safety hotline number for SAG-AFTRA is on the back of your membership card if a safety issue or other urgent matter occurs while working.

Although it is not the union’s role to get you a job, it is the union’s role to protect you while on set. It is your responsibility to know the rules and what to do if you encounter a problem on set. For example, if you have questions about how often you should get a meal break, receive a wardrobe bump, minimum turnaround time for multiple day bookings, zoning, etc., the SAG-AFTRA website has links to everything you will need to answer your questions. The website is the best source, as information does sometimes change and the most updated information is available there.

It is important that you handle on-set issues using the proper protocol to show that you are a knowledgeable member of the union and a true professional on the set. I know from experience it can be frustrating sometimes on a long shoot, but complaining loudly without following proper protocol does nothing to help you. It is more likely to result in a resolution of your problem if you go through the proper channels and documentation, to file a claim. Write down everything, the date, the time, the situation, the person(s) involved, so that your claim is as specific as possible. The forms for this are on the SAG-AFTRA website here. Please be aware that the more issues that are filed in the proper manner, the more the production companies will see that we mean business.

One more thing: If you are hired as a background actor and you speak, and it is picked up, you are not going to be bumped up to day player unless you were specifically directed by the director to speak the line. Also, while working as a background actor, do not stare directly at the camera, this is called “spiking.”

Lastly, remember, as a union member, you have benefits. One of them is discounts, which you can find on the SAGAFTRA.org website. There are discounts on AT&T Wireless, IMDBPro, Backstage, Zipcar, Hertz, Avis, Budget, UPS Stores and more!

This item was originally featured in the August 2014 local newsletter.