The Chicago Activator - March 19, 2018

Official E-Newsletter of the SAG-AFTRA Chicago Local

March 19, 2018

IN THIS ISSUE March Conservatory Safety on Set Seminar April Conservatory W&W Meeting SAG-AFTRA Foundation

SAG-AFTRA Chicago Conservatory Presents The State of Voiceover Work: Online Casting, How Do We Fit In? Thursday, March 22 details below

SAG-AFTRA Conservatory Presents The State of Voiceover Work: Online Casting, How Do We Fit In? Thursday, March 22 6 p.m. - 8 p.m.

KMRC 1 E. Erie, Suite 660 Chicago, IL Industry insiders will discuss commercial voiceover, other voiceover genres and trends in casting and advertising. Find out what our union is doing to organize new work and recapture work we've lost.

On the panel: Susan Farlick - franchised agent, Grossman Jack Talent Agency Rose Razal - executive producer, Chicago Recording Company Dave Leffel - union VO, engineer at BAM! Studios Matt Dubois - chairman, Voice Casting Hub Polly Poulos- production manager, DDB Chicago RSVP to kathy.byrne@sagaftra.org or 312-867-5508 Park 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 $13 cash, $14 Visa, MasterCard or American Express payment. You will need both tickets to exit the parking structure.

Safety On Set Seminar Cedric Jackson, SAG-AFTRA's director of stunts and safety, will be in Chicago to conduct a seminar on safety on set. If you have questions about what constitutes a stunt upgrade if you are a principal or background performer, what you should do if you feel unsafe on a set, or anything else you want to know about safety in the workplace, this is the seminar for you.

Tuesday, March 20 from 4 - 6 p.m.

1 E. Erie, Suite 660 Chicago, IL RSVP to kathy.byrne@sagaftra.org or 312-867-5508 Park 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 $13 cash, $14 Visa, MasterCard or American Express payment. You will need both tickets to exit the parking structure.

SAG-AFTRA Conservatory - Monday, April 16 from 6 - 8 p.m.

This two-hour introduction to The Black Box Method will challenge you to be the most honest and brave version of yourself. Participants will get their heart racing by reading human behavior and tapping into the power of their imagination. A limited number of people will be selected by lottery to participate in exercises, but everyone in attendance will leave with a basic understanding of how this work can be applied immediately to auditions and performances.

Darci Nalepa is a Jeff Award-nominated actor and an ensemble member at The Gift Theatre Company. She has appeared onstage at The Gift, Steppenwolf, Victory Gardens, Remy Bumppo, Northlight, Steep and many more. Onscreen, she has appeared in Chicago PD, Shameless and Stephen Cone's feature film Henry Gamble's Birthday Party. Nalepa has been teaching The Black Box Method for seven years and is also a Meisner instructor at the School at Steppenwolf.

RSVP to kathy.byrne@sagaftra.org or 312-867-5508.

Park 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 $13 cash, $14 Visa, MasterCard or American Express payment. You will need both tickets to exit the parking structure.

W&W (Wages and Working Conditions) Meeting The SAG-AFTRA Chicago Local will be convening a W&W (wages and working conditions) meeting for the upcoming contract negotiations for the National Code of Fair Practice for Network Television Broadcasting.

Shows that have recently been covered by the code in the Chicago area include The Detroiters, Hot Date and Judge Mathis.

If you have worked on any of these productions and are interested in sharing your ideas and coming up with proposals for the national negotiating committee, you are encouraged to attend.

The meeting will be held on Tuesday, March 20, at 6 p.m. at 1 E. Erie, Suite 650.

Please RSVP to kathy.byrne@sagaftra.org or call 312-867-5508 for more information.

Free parking will be available at the 10 E. Ontario garage.

SAG-AFTRA Foundation Comes to Chicago The SAG-AFTRA Foundation is bringing two exciting events to Chicago, so please take a moment to set up your Foundation account if you have not done so already.

The SAG-AFTRA Foundation is the go-to national organization for SAG-AFTRA members for financial assistance and educational opportunities. All of the Foundation's programs are available to SAG-AFTRA members at no cost. To take advantage of the opportunities the Foundation offers, you must create an account at sagaftra foundation To create an account, click the "Sign In" button in the upper right hand corner then "Create a New Account" in the new window.

The SAG-AFTRA Foundation is bringing two exciting events to Chicago, so please take a moment to set up your Foundation account if you have not done so already.

Casting Access with Bonnie Gillespie - Thursday, May 10 This is a free opportunity for actors to perform for casting director Bonnie Gillespie in a safe and intimate environment and receive specific feedback and/or redirection. This learning experience is a rare opportunity to get feedback on your performance from a casting director of Bonnie's caliber. This two-hour class will include a prepared reading session with an experienced casting professional. Scenes will be sent to confirmed participants a few days before class. Read more about this event and register here.

Beyond Branding: The Why Behind the Buzzword - Thursday, May 10 You can't throw a rock these days without hitting someone who's talking about "brand."

Truth be told, they've been talking about brand forever, but they were calling it type before. No matter what you call it, the goal is to work more, and going beyond brand is how we do that. Sure, building your reputation as a talented, consistent, professional performer is essential. But how do you do that when you can't even get into the room sometimes? In this SAG-AFTRA Foundation event, L.A.-based author and casting director/producer Bonnie Gillespie will break it all down: How to generate buzz before anything major is happening, how to get things happening on your own, and how to ensure that all of your marketing tools are teaching the buyers how to cast you before they even meet you. Already have a fan base of buyers? Awesome! Let's elevate your game by going beyond the brand. Register here.

Both events will take place in the KMRC, 1 E. Erie, Suite 660, and RSVPs will only be taken through the SAG-AFTRA Foundation website.

Park 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 $13 cash, $14 Visa, MasterCard or American Express payment. You will need both tickets to exit the parking structure.