Staying Safe and Looking Forward

Greetings, My Fellow SAG-AFTRA Members! 

Can you believe it’s been almost a year since our industry was forced to shut down, for all practical purposes, due to the most destructive pandemic in modern history? And those of us in Texas and surrounding states dealt with a historic weather event that forced us even deeper into quarantine! So, how do we counter such discouraging conditions with productivity?

As we each traveled our own road throughout this difficult year, your elected leaders hope that you have found ways to practice your craft and exercise your talent and creativity, in spite of the challenges facing us performers in a world that won’t let us perform! 

The good news is that our union, SAG-AFTRA, has worked tirelessly to develop and initiate powerful on-set mitigations so that we can have opportunities to get back to work — safely. And while more and more production continues to open up across the country, we are still far behind where we want, need and will be soon.

For more than 10 years, I have chaired the SAG-AFTRA DFW Local ProACT (Professional Actor Career Training) Conservatory Committee. Our conservatory is dedicated to providing unique and relevant education workshops, seminars, creative opportunities, and social activities for our members in north Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas. Unfortunately, the pandemic has forced us to curtail all endeavors and activities not directly related to the core functions of the union, as prioritized by our limited staff, both at the local and national levels. Those functions include organizing work, negotiating and protecting wages and working conditions, health and pension benefits, enforcing contracts, among others. In other words, they are continuing to take care of us!  

But we miss you all so very much! And we will be back! As soon as we are given the green light to proceed, ProACT will be planning a new season of programs for the DFW Local, reaching out to all of our members in this local to join us. As we develop new programs, it is possible that we may begin with virtual events, allowing everyone to participate safely and conveniently via their own computers. 

Meanwhile, there are other exciting opportunities for members to learn and grow as professional performers. The SAG-AFTRA Foundation offers many online programs, including interviews with casting directors, actors and others involved in the industry. Also, the President’s Task Force on Education, Outreach & Engagement (PTEOE) responded to our needs, jumping into high gear with virtual events that provide inspiring, educational, and empowering programs for members to continue their growth and development as well-informed professionals. Be sure to watch for emails that invite you to participate in these relevant programs. FYI, you will need to RSVP to access the programs. All of these offerings are also archived and available to you at sagaftra.org/videos.

Until we meet again, please stay safe, positive and prepared for all the work opportunities ahead. ProACT will be in touch soon, but meanwhile, please feel free to reach out to our Dallas office with ideas for programs that you would like to see on the schedule. We would love to hear from you. And please, volunteer to serve! That is one of the very best ways to get the most out of your union membership and, at the same time, give back to our union that has done so much for all of us.

— By DFW Local 3rd Vice President Sharon Garrison for the DFW Local newsletter.