Official E-Newsletter of the SAG-AFTRA Chicago Local
Feb. 17, 2015
IN THIS ISSUE W&W Meetings
Be an Actorpreneur!
Be An Actorpreneur! Working on Low-Budget Films Radio Players Perform Feb. 25 John L. Dales Scholarship Collaboration Award Comedy TV Pilot Competition
Get organized and stay in control by acting like an entrepreneur. Learn the do's and don'ts of marketing and much more so you can take control of your career.
SAG Awards Viewing VITA Tax Seminar
Details below. Corporate/Educational Contracts W&W Meetings The SAG-AFTRA Chicago Local will be conducting Wages & Working Conditions meetings in preparation for the SAG-AFTRA Corporate/Educational Contract negotiations. For updates on W&W 2015, please visit the SAG-AFTRA website at SAGAFTRA.org. Proposals for this important negotiation are developed through the involvement of members like you. Make your voice heard, attend and participate in this very important process. Meetings are open to all paid-up SAG-AFTRA members (please bring your current membership card for admittance, paid thru April 30, 2015). When: Noon - 2 p.m., Monday, Feb. 23 Noon - 2 p.m., Monday, March 2 Where: SAG-AFTRA Chicago 1 E. Erie St. Ste. 650 Chicago, IL 60611 Please RSVP by contacting Sean Hennessy at (312) 867-2549 or by email at sean.hennessy@sagaftra.org and indicate which meeting(s) you will attend. Attention Members Who are Actively Producing: No member who is primarily employed as management or primarily performs the functions of management is eligible to attend committee meetings. Email Suggestions: Can't make it to the committee meeting? You can still play an active part by emailing your ideas to wandw2015@sagaftra.org. Recommendations must be received by Mar. . All proposal recommendations will be reviewed by the Wages & Working Conditions Committee.
Be an Actorpreneur! Successful entrepreneurs develop good practices and habits. Learn the tips and tricks to start treating your craft like your profitable business rather than your expensive hobby with the help of Gail Rastorfer, union actor and owner of Artistic Strategies. Get organized and stay in control by acting like an entrepreneur. Learn the do's and don'ts of marketing and the importance of balancing work and play. Stop blaming your agent, casting directors or your mother because you don't have the career you want. Take charge! 6 - 8 p.m. Monday, Feb. 23 KMRC 1 E. Erie, Suite 660 Chicago, IL RSVP to Kathy Byrne at kathy.byrne@sagaftra.org. Park for $13 at 10 East Ontario. Enter on the north side of Ontario between Wabash and State, then take a ticket. When you sign in, you may purchase a four-hour ticket for $13. You will need both tickets to exit the parking structure. Cash only please. The products and services noted herein are provided as an informational service to SAG-AFTRA members and are administered by entities independent of SAG-AFTRA. Any questions must be handled by the provider. This information is not intended to serve as an endorsement nor is any warranty or guarantee implied.
Everything You Wanted to Know about Working on Low-Budget Films, but Were Afraid to Ask 5:30 - 8 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 24 KMRC 1 E. Erie, Suite 660 Chicago, IL Are you and a bunch of your friends getting together and making short films? Webisodes? Spec TV pilots? Didn't think you needed to worry about being under contract? Well ... This is your chance to ask all of your questions about working in low-budget films. And, you'll probably get the answers to some questions you haven't even thought of yet. Remember, as a SAG-AFTRA member, you need to be under contract for all work that you do. This includes student films, your best friend's pet project, and your self-produced short film and "no-budget" features. Find out what to expect on set and how these films differ from the studio features and episodic television shows that you are used to. Learn where to find out about these auditions and how to flip a non-union film to a SAG-AFTRA signatory project. Ever wonder how to properly fill out a time sheet; how, where and when to sign your employment contract; or how to negotiate? This is the workshop for you! Space is limited. RSVP to Kathy Byrne at kathy.byrne@sagaftra.org. Dinner will be served. Park for $13 at 10 East Ontario. Enter on the north side of Ontario between Wabash and State, then take a ticket. When you sign in, you may purchase a four-hour ticket for $13. You will need both tickets to exit the parking structure. Cash only please.
SAG-AFTRA Senior Radio Players to Perform on Feb. 25 Don't miss the SAG-AFTRA Senior Radio Players' next performance on Wednesday, Feb. 25. They will present episodes from two classic radio shows, The Life of Riley and The Whistler. 7 p.m. (doors open at 6 p.m.) Wednesday, Feb. 25 Claudia Cassidy Theater at the Chicago Cultural Center 77 E. Randolph (at Michigan) Admission is free, however seating is on a first-come, first-served basis.
John L. Dales Scholarship The 2015 John L. Dales Scholarship competition is now open for SAG-AFTRA members and their dependents. The deadline for submission is March 16. The SAG Foundation John L. Dales Scholarship Fund was created in 1973 in honor of the Screen Actors Guild's longtime executive secretary. Since its creation, the John L. Dales Scholarship Fund has awarded more than $6 million in scholarships to 1,730 SAG-AFTRA members and their dependents. There are two types of John L. Dales scholarships: 
Standard scholarships are awarded to eligible SAG-AFTRA members and their dependents for study at accredited institutions of higher education.
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Transitional scholarships are awarded to eligible SAG-AFTRA members interested in pursuing related professions within the entertainment industry or changing their career paths.
John L. Dales scholarships are granted for study at accredited and licensed universities, colleges, junior colleges, adult specialty schools and trade/vocational schools. The number and amounts awarded are determined annually by a committee of the SAG Foundation. The John L. Dales Scholarship Fund is available for eligible SAG-AFTRA members and their dependents and made possible through gifts, grants and sponsorships. The SAG Foundation never draws on SAG-AFTRA dues or initiation fees. More details and an application are available online.
Women in the Arts and Media Coalition Seeking Submissions for Collaboration Award The Women in the Arts and Media Coalition Inc.'s $1,000 Collaboration Award and additional honorable mentions are designed to encourage professional women in the arts and media from different specializations to work collaboratively on the creation of a new artistic work. Submissions of films or other media projects that fall under SAG-AFTRA's jurisdiction must be signatory to the applicable SAG-AFTRA agreement. Submission deadline is 11:59 p.m. on Thursday, April 30. More information is available at SAGAFTRA.org Applications are available at womenartsmediacoalition.org. The products and services noted herein are provided as an informational service to SAG-AFTRA members and are administered by entities independent of SAG-AFTRA. Any questions must be handled by the provider. This information is not intended to serve as an endorsement by the union nor is any warranty or guarantee implied.
Call for Entries - Chicago Comedy TV Pilot Competition The Chicago Comedy TV Pilot Competition, a competition with a Hollywood jury, now in its ninth year, is accepting entries through March 11. Pilots must be comedy and made by Chicago-area residents. Submissions that fall under SAGAFTRA's jurisdiction must be signed to the applicable SAG-AFTRA agreement. The entry form is available online at witsendshorts.com or by calling (312) 642-2156. The products and services noted herein are provided as an informational service to SAG-AFTRA members and are administered by entities independent of SAG-AFTRA. Any questions must be handled by the provider. This information is not intended to serve as an endorsement by the union nor is any warranty or guarantee implied.
Chicago members and their guests gathered at the Public Hotel for a SAG Awards viewing party.
AEA to Host VITA Tax Seminar Actors' Equity Association and the Member Education and Outreach Committee invite all SAGAFTRA members to a free seminar on taxes. Where: Chicago Actors' Equity Building, Member Center First Floor, 557 W Randolph, Chicago, IL When: Monday, March 2 Time: 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. RSVP: centralrsvp@actorsequity.org or (312) 641-0393, ext. 240, Metered parking available Guest speaker Sandra Karas, director of the AEA's VITA program, SAG-AFTRA member, secretary-treasurer of AEA and SAG-AFTRA New York Local board member, will be on hand to present this year's tax updates and review expense deductions for performing artists. Go to the SAG-AFTRA New York Local page to download this year's forms and worksheets. The forms are the same across the county. Bring them with you, along with your questions and they will get you ready for tax time! This workshop is not intended to imply an endorsement of any individual or company by SAG-AFTRA. The information provided through the workshop is given for informational purposes and may not be a suitable substitute for the advice of tax preparer/professional, legal or financial counsel. You should always use good judgment in these matters and should not act or refrain from acting based solely on information provided through the workshop. In response to members' requests to stay informed, The Activator may include notice of rallies, pickets and other actions by unions and the labor movement that have not been sanctioned by the National or Chicago Board of Directors of SAG-AFTRA. This information is provided as a convenience. The information contained herein regarding workshops, vendors, special offers and the like is provided for informational purposes and is not intended to imply endorsement by SAG-AFTRA of them or the information, material, products or services provided. SAG-AFTRA makes no warranties or representations regarding the use of the material or the quality of the services or service providers.
SAG-AFTRA Chicago: (312) 573-8081 Email: chicago@sagaftra.org Website: SAGAFTRA.org