Hello - I am relatively new to the industry. Started taking some commercial classes a couple years ago, but never really had the time to really pursue a career in acting. I was laid off about six months ago and started acting full time. I have been taking classes (cold read, improv, commercial acting and soon scene study) and have been acting in various student and low budget projects as well as featured and background work in everything from TV to film, music videos, commercials, PSA, etc. My resume is starting to look decent with a couple lead roles as well as a co-star and some supporting. I got my first SAG voucher being a double and recently have been doing background work on tv shows/movies in hopes of getting my other vouchers and SAG eligibility.

The question is whether joining AFTRA will help me to get more work and hopefully the other vouchers or whether it will hinder me. For example, some have told me that once you join AFTRA, you are considered union and can't work non-union projects, but isn't that only true if it is an AFTRA project? So, for example, couldn't I still do background on SAG shows/movies?

Would I be better off waiting until I am a must join? I have saved up the money to join both unions, so that is not an issue.

The dilema/urgency stems from the fact that I understand the initiation dues are going up from $1300 to $1600 and I don't know whether I should bite the bullet and join now or whether joining will hamper my pursuit of becoming SAG-E....

PLEASE HELP!

Aspiring, I really don't want to sound snarky and impatient, but... did you even TRY "Find"?

Should I join AFTRA?

If the answer is no, please do so before continuing with questions that have been asked innumerable times before.

Yes, I did read the post, but everyone's situation is different. The person in that post was in theatre, blah, blah, blah. I also brought up the point that the union dues are increasing at the end of this month from 1300 to 1600 which is the main reason for asking the question (should I join now)? From doing some other research, however, I answered one of my other questions which was whether I can take SAG Non-union work if I am AFTRA and the answer was surprisingly no....

Once you are in one of the four sister unions, SAG, EQUITY, AFTRA and AGVA, you are to no longer take non union work. This is in all of the union rules.

The unions may not enforce this rule with an iron fist, as some members will do non union commericals or films, but if you are union, you are to respect all the unions and not take any non union work in any field, be it stage, tv, film, etc.

Whether you should join any union is always up to the actor. I say don't join unless you have to. Lots of non union work to continue to build a reel and a resume. Why cut yourself off unless you need to join? And with the bad economy, lots of good paying non union commercials right now. Just my 2 cents.

I agree with amo37

Join when you've been Taft-Hartley'd to do so (taken a job governed by AFTRA, thus forcing you to join before you can do any more work covered by that union.) BTW, AFTRA and the other unions still have not merged. They don't govern each other's jurisdiction.

quote:

Originally posted by acting family:
Join when you've been Taft-Hartley'd to do so (taken a job governed by AFTRA, thus forcing you to join before you can do any more work covered by that union.) BTW, AFTRA and the other unions still have not merged. They don't govern each other's jurisdiction.

edit

Thanks all for your insightul info.