Union Cards.. Help?!?

Question:Okay so i live in Canada and i have an agent. and was "discovered" at an acting camp. So i've been with my agent for a few months now. But she has never mentioned anything about a union card. And when i've gone to jobs, never had any disccusion of one. So why do i need one, what are they for? Any information on the would be awsome!
Thanks. :D
And Merry Christmas! lol

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: Okay so i live in Canada and i have an agent. and was "discovered" at an acting camp. So i've been with my agent for a few months now. But she has never mentioned anything about a union card. And when i've gone to jobs, never had any disccusion of one. So why do i need one, what are they for? Any information on the would be awsome!
Thanks. :D
And Merry Christmas! lol

You have to have a union card to work union jobs.

Probably easier and cheaper in Canada. Probably a lot of non-union work.

Once you are in the union you can't work non-union jobs.

So let's compare what you're making.

Radio program host is AFTRA and thats $200 per 4 hour shift ($50 an hour).

On TV it's a $550 minimum whether you do 5 minutes on Oprah or the whole show.

SAG for filmed TV and movies is $600 for the first 8 hours work and 1 1/2 for 8-10 hours and 2x for 12+ hours.

You have to get a meal break after 5 hours of straight work or there is a penalty. A set call from 5:30 am to 9pm gets breakfast lunch and diner paid for if on location, otherwise at the studio yoiu have to pay your own meals.

SAG actors must get a dressing room or trailer.

Weekly minimum is $2,250 for SAG

Equity (stage union) is $1,950 per week.

SAG pays residuals starting with 3rd use and it's 100% minimum pay ($600 for one day work or $2,250 for one week work) scaling down to 10% after 10 years.

SAG, AFTRA and Equity have reitirement plans and medical insurance. Fully paid for if you meet the minimum yearly work.

SAG operates a nursing facility in Los Angeles for actors over 62 who have meet the minimum work rules (8 years active work prior to going in).

Under SAG work rules you can't be put into a dangerous situation without grating your express permission and the dangers must be fully explained, such as gas explosings, dogs, high locations. They also have to pay you more to do those

There more pay for being around stage smoke, having stage blood put on you.

Now the down side is each card costs about $2,000+ in one payment by certfied check and you can't work a second union day without applying for the card.

Once in SAG you must be represented by a SAG franchised agent.

You can terminate your agent after 90 days if they don't get you work (SAG work rule 6)

Once in SAG you can work in any affiate unions temporarily, thus you can work in Sydney Australia or London England on film work by just buying a local work card.

SAG also covers the first 12 extra jobs on union sets and the pay for extras is $125 for the first 8 hours.

After they fill those job they can use non-union at $40 per 8 hours for the rest of the extras.

There is no reason to have a union card without union work or the prospect of it.

You can't generally audition for a union job without at least union eligibility, unless the production company has a non-union casting producer.

A lot do and if you have a speaking or directed role you become SAG eligible the moment a US studio picks it up for distribution.

So if you do an episode of show here and there you get $2,250 for each week work minimum (some negociate more) and when that episode goes to first syndication 5 years later you get another $2,250

For the next syndiation you get $1,900

After 10 years of airings it drops to $225

That's for each episode. So if you do 4 TV shows a year for 10 years you are making about $20,000 in residuals just off those TV show reruns.

You also get paid for DVD sales. not a lot. About $75 if you appeared in one episode.

Starting soon there will be paid for re-broadcast on the internet, again not much maybe $20 for one appearance

These are flat one time rates.

A US Show broacasts in Canada you get about 60% for that if it's carried network.

In Austrailia it's about 40%

For one days work singing in a choir on a made for TV movie a SAG friend of mine got a total of about $3,000 over 10 years.

She bought her card when it was $1200 so she made some money on that.

Do 10 shows like that and you make $30,000 over 10 yeas.

We're talking 10 days of work on 10 different shows.

Now you are a regular in a series, even a small part, you make a minimum of $50,000 per year and get $50,000 when it goes to syndication

If the show runs for 10 years the first year of unemploymetn and you are still getting $20-$50,000 a year in residuals from working on that show as a door man or secretary or the mother or the quirty office girl who gets 4 lines per episdoe.

You don't get any work and you have to pay $200 a year in dues whether your work or not.

Not sure about Canada, but if you plan to do professional acting jobs here in the US, you will need an AEA (Actors Equity Association) union card. For commercials and TV work you'll need an AFTRA union card and for film work, you need a SAG card. If you join one of these three unions its possible to "buy into" the other two. Don't wait for your agent to say something to you about union membership. You need to be proactive with your career and speak with her about it. Agents can be useful in getting you auditions that you may not otherwise get on your own, but where your acting career goes is your responsibility, not hers.

Merry Christmas to you!

Apparently you do not need a union card for the jobs you are doing. I assume you will be told if and when you need one. Ask your agent about it if it is bothering you. Merry Christmas