Dear Member,
Have you ever looked at the clock and realized it was after 4 p.m. and wondered, “Where has the day gone?” Well, that’s how 2024 has been for me. I’ve had “Write a letter from the president (me)” on my to-do list for literally months! So, on this stunning late fall day, I’m finally going to churn one out. Here goes!
First off, let’s talk about all the work happening here in Oregon! We’ve actually been busy compared to the rest of the U.S., which is a huge blessing for many of you, as well as our talented Oregon crews. On top of that, we have had some of the most beautiful summer weather I can recall. As you know, Amazon’s Criminal has been filming in the Portland area all summer, and Mother Nature has sure rolled out the Oregon red carpet to all of our visiting celebs (they have not been shy about posting all the wonderful things Portland and Oregon has to offer on Instagram).
Speaking of the red carpet, some Oregon films have done very well this year, with many of them highlighting our local talent. It’s What’s Inside was the top seller at Sundance this year and was released on Netflix this October. Strange Darling has been doing great in theaters and has been called one of the best horror films of 2024. It’s now streaming as well. New Life and Because We Are Family are both streaming and feature several Portland SAG-AFTRA actors throughout the films. Please forgive me if I didn’t mention a project you are in! We all need to celebrate whenever we have cause.
Doing a little recap and forecasting … this April we held our second annual Actors Day, which was a huge success. Currently, your SAG-AFTRA Portland Conservatory Committee is putting the final touches on the Portland Actors Showcase. This event is planned for Nov. 16 and registration is open. This showcase event will be an opportunity for approximately 40–50 local actors to perform a scene or a monologue in front of an audience of local filmmakers and peers. We are also looking into streaming the event virtually for casting directors, directors and producers who aren’t able to attend in person. Be aware: The Committee will be inviting any productions coming to the area in the next six to nine months to get a sneak peek. If you know anyone doing a project soon in Oregon or Southwest Washington, please let us know at portland@sagaftra.org so we can invite them to the event.
With all this positivity in Oregon, you should know our industry is going to go into the 2025 legislative session asking for a significant increase to our film incentive fund so we can attract even more work. Efforts like lobbying for this increase and the events listed above take time and energy to pull off, and your SAG-AFTRA board and committees are 100% volunteer — so if this has inspired you to help in any way, please reach out our local’s staff at portland@sagaftra.org to express your interest. We can always use an extra pair of hands and fresh ideas!
And some final tidbits of information. We have a new Facebook page! Please like and follow it for up-to-date information from the union. Also, we will be going into Commercials Contracts wages and working conditions meetings soon, so be on the lookout for details about that and other timely information regarding commercials. Finally, you should have received an email earlier this month about the Member Empowerment Series: Low-Budget Film Contracts for Actors. This will be held virtually on Oct. 30, so please register by Oct. 29 and attend.
In solidarity,
Michelle Damis
Portland Local President
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