The Chicago Activator - Sept. 8, 2014

Official E-Newsletter of the SAG-AFTRA Chicago Local

September 8, 2014

IN THIS ISSUE Headshots: Getting it Right New Member Orientation

New Member Orientation

Celebrate the Life of Les Orear Red Hot Headshot Event LGBT Live-Stream Event

Noon - 2 p.m.

Agent Access Audiobook Mixer

Wednesday, Sept. 10

Senior Radio Players Oct. 8 Seize the Day IFP/Chicago Presents

Details below.

SAG-AFTRA Chicago Local Conservatory Presents: Headshots: The Good, the Bad and Getting It Right Let the experts help you prepare for the best headshot of your life. They will share tips about makeup, looks that will get you in the door and much more. Please bring your current headshot.

The panel will evaluate as many as possible.

Panelists include: Gail Rastorfer, Chicago Acting Studio Donna Simon-Dunn, Grossman Jack Talent Ashley Lauren, makeup artist 6 - 8 p.m. Monday, Sept. 8 Kaufherr Members Resource Center (KMRC) 1 East Erie, Suite 660 Chicago, IL 60611 RSVP to kathy.byrne@sagaftra.org or (312) 867-5508.

Park for $11 at 10 East Ontario. Enter on the north side of Ontario between Wabash and State, and then take a ticket. When you sign in, you may purchase a four-hour ticket for $11. You will need both tickets to exit the parking structure. Cash only.

New Member Orientation, Noon - 2 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 10 New members represent the future for SAG-AFTRA. The more knowledgeable they are, the stronger our union and all members are. The goal of the New Members Subcommittee of SAGAFTRA Chicago's Community Outreach, Community Organizing committee is to educate, engage and empower professional actors from the moment they become union members.

The new member orientation event is only one part of that process. Topics covered include every step involved in the union experience, from initiation fees and the dues structure to the correct way to execute member reports and contracts. Other areas include agents and commissions, casting directors, resolving claims, health coverage, set demeanor, committees, staff and a variety of member benefits.

New member orientations are not just for new members. Whether you joined yesterday or 20 years ago, all members in good standing are welcome. Plan now to attend the next new membership orientation and stay informed. The next orientation is noon - 2 p.m., Wednesday, Sept. 10. Please call Kathy Nelsen at the SAG-AFTRA Chicago office, (312) 573-8081 ext. 2541, or email Kathy at kathy.nelsen@sagaftra.org to reserve your spot.

Park for $11 at 10 East Ontario. Enter on the north side of Ontario between Wabash and State, and then take a ticket. When you sign in, you may purchase a four-hour ticket for $11. You will need both tickets to exit the parking structure. Cash only.

In Celebration of Les Orear: His Life & Times Les Orear, founder and president emeritus of the Illinois Labor History Society (ILHS), died peacefully in his sleep on May 30. He was 103 years old. Most of those years were devoted to working people and the labor movement.

On Sept. 9, you are invited to join with friends and colleagues to celebrate his life and achievements. RSVP to ilhs@prodigy.net. For more information, call ILHS at (312) 341-2247.

Donations to ILHS in Les Orear's name are gratefully accepted.

5 - 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 9 (5 p.m. reception and 6 p.m. program) Roosevelt University Library, 430 S. Michigan Ave, 10th Floor, Chicago, IL Note: A photo ID is required by Roosevelt University.

This event is being produced and administered by entities independent of SAG-AFTRA. Red Hot Headshot Event, Saturday, Sept. 13 Do you think you need a new headshot? Is your agent saying, "Hey, it's 2014. Why not get a color headshot?" Do you have a new hairstyle, or less hair or more hair? Are you looking at the old headshot and wondering who this person is? Maybe it's just time for a fresh new look.

Whatever the reason, the SAG-AFTRA Chicago Conservatory has the solution. The Red Hot Headshot Event is back. This is one of the great benefits of being a SAG-AFTRA Chicago Local member. Here are this year's photographers, the times they will be available and links to their websites.

Bryan Swisher, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. bryanswisher.com Nikki B., Grey Matter Photography, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. greymatterphoto.com G. Thomas Ward Photography, thepeoplephotographer.com Maia Rosenfeld, (all appointments are booked) letsdoshots.com Please visit each photographer's website to see samples of their work.

Cost Photographer: $135 for a half-hour session, one look, one lighting setup, one background. Bring clothing options for one change if necessary and/or time permits. The cost includes one fully realized digital 8x10 image.

Makeup artist: Add a session with your photographer's makeup artist for an additional $50. (optional) Appointments fill up fast. To schedule, call Kathy Byrne at the SAG-AFTRA Chicago Local, (312) 867-5508.

The products and services listed 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 SAG-AFTRA nor is any warranty or guarantee implied.

Work the perk! The headshot event -- like all SAG-AFTRA Chicago Local Conservatory programming -- is a benefit of your union membership and is offered to all members in good standing.

SAG-AFTRA LGBT Committee, SAG Foundation and UCLA Williams Institute present a livestreamed event LGBT in Entertainment: Sexual Orientation & Gender Identity Town Hall with featured speaker Dan Bucatinsky Don't miss this town hall discussion of the results of the first-ever study of sexual orientation and gender identity in the entertainment industry, gleaned from nearly 6,000 SAG-AFTRA respondents.

Join featured speakers, including Emmy-winner Dan Bucatinsky (Web Therapy, Scandal), representatives from the SAG-AFTRA LGBT Committee and scholars from one of the nation's premier LGBT think tanks, UCLA's Williams Institute, as we discuss the experiences of LGBT members in entertainment and what attitudes persist in the industry that encourage members to stay in the closet.

This event is live in Los Angeles and New York and will be live streamed across the nation, where members can make their voices heard about the next steps to utilize the study in the industry.

When: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 10 Where: Watch the live stream online at sagfoundation.org/livestream.

Email questions to LiveStream@sagfoundation.org or tweet to #SAGF. Video will be archived immediately after the event at youtube.com/sagfoundation.

Agent Access with Gill Hayes Talent Agency Gill Hayes Talent Agency, Chicago's newest franchised agency, will interview SAG-AFTRA members for the purpose of representation the week of Sept.29.

Deadline for submission of headshot and resume -- mail or drop off only, no email submissions -- is noon, Sept. 24. If selected for an interview, you will be notified by Monday, Sept. 29.

Please, do not submit directly to the agent for this event. Mail or drop off your submission, including headshot, resume and your SAG-AFTRA member number, to Kathy Byrne at SAGAFTRA Chicago Local, 1 East Erie, Suite 650, Chicago, IL 60611. If you have any questions, please call Kathy at the SAG-AFTRA office, (312) 573-8081, ext. 5508.

SAG-AFTRA Chicago's Casting Access/Agent Access program is an ongoing, cooperative venture for the mutual benefit of Chicago talent agents, casting professionals and SAG-AFTRA members in good standing. It is not a workshop, training or "feedback" program or a guarantee of work or future audition or employment opportunities. It is an opportunity for casting professionals and talent agents to hold "generals" and become better acquainted with the wide variety of talent in Chicago's SAG-AFTRA membership.

Get Social at the Midwest Audiobook Mixer Get together with a great mix of audiobook professionals -- producers, publishers, narrators, coaches, reviewers -- from across the heartland on Saturday, Sept. 13.

Network and meet people in the industry. Catch up on developments in audiobooks, recording, studios and more.

Hosted by the Audio Publisher's Association, please RSVP to Adam Verner.

Where: Fireside Restaurant and Lounge, 5739 N. Ravenswood, Chicago, IL 60640 When: 6 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 13 Cost:

"Pay your own way" dinner/snacks/beverages

This event is being produced and administered by entities independent of SAG-AFTRA. Next Performance of the SAG-AFTRA Senior Radio Players On Wednesday, Oct. 8, the Senior Radio Players are presenting two shows: The Great McGinty and The Great Gildersleeve.

7 p.m. (doors open at 6 p.m.) Wednesday, Oct. 8 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.

SAG-AFTRA Chicago Local's Diversity Committee Presents Seize the Day: Brand & Market Yourself To be successful in today's workplace, it is critical that everyone learn to brand and market themselves. A famous quote supports this: "Luck is where preparation meets opportunity."

Branding and marketing yourself creates luck. Give yourself some leverage. Get educated in all the things relating to branding and marketing yourself. This event is open to SAG-AFTRA and AEA members in good standing.

8:30 a.m. - 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 11 Scheduled Presenters: Tony Castillo, Cedric Young and Craig Harris Continental breakfast and a cold lunch are included.

RSVP to Kathy Byrne at kathy.byrne@sagaftra.org.

Park for $14 at 10 East Ontario. Enter on the north side of Ontario between Wabash and State, and then take a ticket. When you sign in, you may purchase a 12-hour ticket for $14. You will need both tickets to exit the parking structure. Cash only.

IFP/Chicago Presents 75 Minutes with Joe Swanberg WHEN: Tuesday, Sept. 23; Doors open at 6:30 p.m., event begins 7 p.m.

WHERE: Claudia Cassidy Theater in the Chicago Cultural Center, 78 E. Washington St. This event is free to SAG-AFTRA members.

RSVP at ifpchicago.org Join IFP/Chicago for the latest edition of its series of conversations with well-known and emerging directors, screenwriters and technical experts of independent cinema.

Joe Swanberg produces, directs, writes, edits, shoots and occasionally acts in film and television. His latest film, Happy Christmas, premiered at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival and was released nationwide on July 25 by Magnolia Pictures. His acclaimed 2013 feature Drinking Buddies debuted at SXSW. Both films were shot in and around Chicago, his home base.

IFP/Chicago's 75 Minutes with ... series has previously featured such filmmakers as John McNaughton, Neil LaBute, Rose Troche, Harold Ramis, Dylan Baker and Joe Chappelle. These intimate talks engage both filmmakers and film enthusiasts alike, providing behind-thescenes reflections and personal insights about the filmmaking process.

This event is being produced and administered by entities independent of SAG-AFTRA. 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/chicago