New England Local’s University Roadshow Educates Students

New England Local Board members and staff hit the ground running earlier this year, speaking with more than 100 acting and TV/film production undergraduate and graduate students across Boston.

The local spoke to students from Emerson College, Suffolk University, Boston University and the Boston Conservatory at Berklee with the aim of educating the next generation about the union. Several in-person visits and, later, online conferences featured a presentation on low-budget contracts, with specific attention given to the Student Film and Short Project Agreements, as well as tips on successfully navigating the signatory process and the advantages of working with union talent. Other classroom conversations offered an inside look at the union, its role in an ever-changing entertainment industry and how SAG-AFTRA is adapting to emerging trends.
Finally, discussions with rising actors covered joining SAG-AFTRA and the benefits of membership, working in the New England market and the relationship between SAG-AFTRA and other unions.

Photo: SAG-AFTRA Vice President, Mid-Sized Locals Michele Proude and New England Local Director of Contracts and Member Services Jessica Maher with Emerson College students.

This item originally appeared in the SAG-AFTRA magazine spring 2020 issue.