SAG-AFTRA NY Spring 2014 • Volume 3 • No. 1
Pilots, you are cleared to land!
New York Production Landscape State Continues to Invest in Employment and Education
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n Wednesday, Feb. 26, New York Local Executive Director Jae Je Simmons attended a press conference with New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (see photo on page 2) announcing that four Marvel live-action series and one miniseries will be filming in New York beginning this summer. The 60 one-hour episodes, which will air on Netflix, are expected to create 3,000 jobs, including hundreds for SAG-AFTRA members. Officials characterized this as the biggest film or TV investment ever in New York, and tax incentives were the main reason that Disney (which owns Marvel) decided to locate the shows here. Multi-year tax incentives encourage not just one-time feature film productions, but also television series and long-term investment in post-production facilities and local infrastructure, including the expansion of Steiner Studios in Brooklyn and the brand new Broadway Stages film complex on Staten Island.
The entertainment industry is a key part of Gov. Cuomo’s overall strategy to grow the state’s economy. He has been pushing to diversify the economic base of a city that depends heavily on financial institutions. The economic downturn in 2008, he said, “was a wake-up call for the state of New York… you have to diversify.” The plan seems to be working. The Tonight Show returned to New York after 42 years, and 28 TV pilots are being filmed in the Big Apple this season, including a record 15 broadcast pilots. Of the 34 drama pilots that are filming within the regular cycle, 10 are being filmed in New York. Four years ago, that number was zero. For seven consecutive years, New York had no broadcast comedy pilots; both last year and this year, there were five. This trend is driven not only by tax incentives but also by talent. Many pilots are being top-lined by local continues on page 2 >>>
Letter from NY President Mike Hodge page 3
SAG Foundation Center Opens page 4
BROADCAST SPOTLIGHT: Dana Jacobson page 5
“I AM A NEW YORK ACTOR” Joel de la Fuente page 6
Media Center Opens in Brooklyn page 8
PERSPECTIVE: DGA Labor Leaders page 9
Safety on Set page 10
LEGISLATIVE UPDATE R ight of publicity, which concerns an
the “name, portrait, picture, voice, signature,
individual’s ability to control how their
photograph, image, likeness or distinctive
likeness is used, is an important topic for
appearance, gesture, mannerisms or other
SAG-AFTRA members. There is currently a
indicia of a deceased individual.” The persona
bill under consideration in New York State
may only be used for commercial purposes if
(S.5196 De Francisco/A.7843 Morelle) that
written consent is obtained from the individual
would establish a right of publicity for a
prior to their death, or afterwards from their
deceased individual for 70 years after their
designated representative. SAG-AFTRA
death. In legal terms, the bill would protect
supports this measure and has been lobbying
the individual’s “persona,” which is defined as
for its approval in Albany.
NY LANDSCAPE >>> continued from page 1
residents like Jane Krakowski, Greta Gerwig, Jim Gaffigan and David Schwimmer. And a rising tide lifts all contract boats. Background employment days under feature film contracts more than doubled from the first six months of 2012 to the first six months of 2013. Feature films produced in New York State jumped from 35 released in 2012 to 64 released in 2013, led by big-budget franchises like Amazing SpiderMan 2 and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. From 2011 to 2012, New York Local-covered commercial contract session earnings and covered sound
recording session earnings both went up. It isn’t just NYC that is benefiting. Syracuse, located in central New York’s Onondaga County, will soon see the development of a combined film industry and nanotechnology hub. Construction has begun on the headquarters of Film House, which plans to house a production, post-production and distribution center there. The new facility will focus on using nanotechnology (technology developed at a molecular level) to increase innovation in CGI, animation and performance capture technology. The area will soon boast the country’s first nanotechnology film school, which will teach cutting-edge technology to the central and upstate New York work force. Onondaga County is also working to create a county film commission, which would attract and support local film production.
For seven consecutive years, New York had no broadcast comedy pilots; both last year and this year we had five. This trend is driven not only by tax incentives but also by talent.
New York Local Executive Director Jae Je Simmons with New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo
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// SAG-AFTRA NY // SAGAFTRA.ORG
New York is inviting not only production but innovation. The Disney/Marvel/Netflix deal represents the future of entertainment: established studios working with cutting-edge distribution models. Keep an eye out for Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Iron Fist and Luke Cage — coming to a casting notice near you. Superheroes may wreck the neighborhood, but they do create jobs.
SAG-AFTRA NY NEW YORK COMMUNICATIONS COMMITTEE Liz Zazzi Chair Jeff Spurgeon Vice Chair //////
Anne Gartlan Mike Hodge John Metaxas Sharon Washington
EDITORIAL STAFF Richard Baldwin Communications Coordinator //////
Bernadine Goldberg Manager, Member Outreach
QUESTIONS? COMMENTS? COMPLIMENTS? We’d like to hear from you! Send your suggestions and comments to NewYork@sagaftra.org Please write
NEWSLETTER
in the subject of your email.
Moving forward! I
A LETTER FROM THE NEW YORK PRESIDENT
t’s official: SAG-AFTRA has just passed
year. AFTRA’s processing was on a local-
the two-year mark and we are on track
by-local basis. After merger, adding in
to be as good as was imagined when
the checks that resulted from the growth
merger was initially completed.
of new media, the number of checks
MIKE HODGE
This year started with the New York
grew to over 4 million per year. Our staff
Local finally moving into its new offices
has to accommodate the unique process
at 1900 Broadway (One Lincoln Plaza).
of every company whose checks we
fee to present you with opportunities.
Thankfully, that ended our having to
receive, so initially the processing time
I don’t think you should have to pay
run and plan between two offices that
grew to about 90 days. Happily, that
to work and we are looking at ways to
were six blocks apart. I invite you to
number is now below 30 days.
improve this situation. Nobody should
come by to visit 1900, and when you do,
We are experiencing a huge growth
take a look at the new SAG Foundation
in New York production right now, with
members who work the hardest to make
Actors Center. It has been important to
more work now than we’ve had in the 30
the least.
me from the start that our foundation
years I have been here. As noted in the
We have also begun the long and
services be as robust and active as
front page article, Netflix just signed a
arduous task of recapturing lost union
possible for a local as large as New
60-episode deal with Disney/Marvel to
on-camera and voiceover commercials,
York. This new space helps that happen.
be shot right here.
as well as more aggressively organizing
All in all, I am quite happy with the
This is great news for New York
be making money on the backs of our
in the areas of broadcast, recording
progress we are making. Many of you
actors, but we also need to be vigilant
are aware of how residuals processing
and attentive to what’s going on in the
slowed after the merger. That has now
market. While it is illegal for casting
we are really working to make sure that
been fixed. Before merger, SAG was
directors to charge a fee for hiring you,
everybody gets their fair share.
processing about 1.2 million checks per
call in services are allowed to charge a
artists and dancers. We have a much larger tent now, and
— In Solidarity
BRINGING HOME THE PRIZE
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his year’s Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature went to 20 Feet From Stardom, a moving and long-overdue
tribute to backup singers, the voices behind some of the most recognized singers and songs in the recording industry. Featured prominently in the film is New York’s own Janice Pendarvis, singer and
current National and New York Local Board member. And did you
Kevin Mazur/wireimage.com
know that Lupita Nyong’o, winner of both the SAG Award and the Academy Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role, lives in New York? No, we won’t tell you where. Congratulations to Janice and Lupita and all your fellow New York Local artists!
From left, SAG-AFTRA Counsel Chris Repole, New York Local Board member Verania Kenton, Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award honoree Rita Moreno, former Coordinator of EEO & Diversity Nicole Hill and National VP and New York President Mike Hodge attend the Ailes Apprenticeship Program event held at the Fox News studios in New York on Jan. 14. The diversity education program provides mentoring from network officials and external patrons, with an eye toward affording the students an opportunity to move into a full-time job at the Fox news service. SPRING 2014 // SAG-AFTRA NY //
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Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images for SAG Foundation
Celebrating the new Actors Center, from left, SAG-AFTRA National Executive Director and SAG Foundation Board member David White; SAG Foundation Executive Director Jill Seltzer; National Board member and SAG Foundation Board member Rebecca Damon; National Board member and SAG Foundation Treasurer Maureen Donnelly; members Robert De Niro and Grace Hightower; President Ken Howard; and New York Executive Director Jae Je Simmons. Above right, member Nikki Casseri tries out the new voiceover lab.
SAG Foundation Actors Center Opens Amid April Showers
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By Liz Zazzi ore than 150 performers, industry professionals and supporters of the Screen Actors Guild Foundation turned out on one of the rainiest days of the year to celebrate the ribbon–cutting ceremony for the non-profit organization’s Actors Center in New York on April 30. Some of New York’s well-known actors and broadcasters attended the event, including Robert De Niro, Len Cariou, Rich Lamb, Judith Light, Margo Martindale, Samantha Mathis, Joe Morton, Charles Osgood, Michael Potts and Isiah Whitlock Jr. After years of providing high-quality, nocost educational programming to New York performers without a dedicated space of its own, the SAG Foundation has finally found a permanent home inside the SAG-AFTRA offices at 1900 Broadway across the street from Lincoln Center. The opportunity to re-locate with the union expands the many opportunities available for all SAG-AFTRA members, whether they live in the New York area or find themselves in town. It is intended that the state-of-the-art Actors Center will become a vital resource for the New York City film, television, theater and broadcast communities. “Over the last three years, the SAG Foundation has been attracting full houses in New York City with our quality performers’
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// SAG-AFTRA NY // SAGAFTRA.ORG
programs, and our efforts to create a real home have paid off,” said Rebecca Damon, SAG-AFTRA National Board member and SAG Foundation Board member. SAG-AFTRA National Board member and SAG Foundation Treasurer Maureen Donnelly added: “The ability for all SAG-AFTRA New York members to improve their computer skills and on-camera and voiceover techniques in the new Actors Center will benefit so many performers and ideally lead to more work under our union contracts.” Newly appointed Commissioner of the Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment Cynthia Lopez attended the celebration and joined SAG-AFTRA National President and SAG Foundation Board member Ken Howard; SAG-AFTRA National Executive Director and SAG Foundation Board member David White; and SAG Foundation Executive Director Jill Seltzer for the official ribbon-cutting. Since 2010, the SAG Foundation has tripled its New York programming and events and now offers more than 220 free workshops with casting directors, panels with industry professionals, film and television screenings, Conversations events and LifeRaft seminars to more than 10,000 New York union performers annually. In addition, the SAG Foundation provides an avenue for performers to give back to their communities through its volunteer children’s literacy program BookPALS (Performing Artists for Literacy in Schools).
More than 400 SAG Foundation BookPALS read to more than 7,500 students in 130 New York public schools every week. The SAG Foundation Actors Center will officially open to SAG-AFTRA members on May 27 and will include a classroom/ on-camera audition room, a computer lab, the state-of-the-art Entertainment Industry Foundation Voiceover Lab of the SAG Foundation and permanent office space for SAG Foundation staff. The SAG Foundation Actors Center classroom will house the New York Casting Access Project workshops where SAG-AFTRA members have the opportunity to showcase their work and hone their cold reading skills for respected casting directors through master prep sessions. The Entertainment Industry Foundation Voiceover Lab of the SAG Foundation will provide new programming and access to an innovative recording studio. The computer lab will offer SAG-AFTRA members cutting edge technology and equipment to work on reels and develop necessary skills to compete in an increasingly high tech industry. To participate, simply establish your account at sagfoundation.org. Then please spread the word about this tremendous new facility for performers and we hope to see you at the SAG Foundation Actors Center in New York! – Liz Zazzi is a SAG-AFTRA National Board member and New York Local Board member.
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Dana Jacobson
By John Metaxas ward-winning sportscaster Dana Jacobson is a successful woman in a man’s world. As co-host of CBS Sports Radio’s morning drive-time program on CBS stations across the country and on the Internet, she is one of the few women to hold a prominent position in this mostly male broadcast genre. “Sports talk radio is the last bastion of ‘guy-dom,’” she quips. “It’s an interesting place to be.” Jacobson came to CBS to help launch its new program in January of last year, after a decade-long run as a sports reporter and anchor at ESPN. It’s a career interest she developed as a child, when her family became avid Lions fans while living in the suburbs of Detroit. “For me, Thanksgiving tradition was always going to the Lions game first, and then we could have dinner,” says Jacobson. Her sports fanaticism was nurtured during her years at the University of Michigan. “Definitely football and basketball are my favorites,” she said. Leaving Bristol, Conn.-based ESPN did not come easy. They gave me a “really nice offer” to stay, she says. “The only thing they couldn’t offer, though, was New York.” CBS offered the chance to live and work in New York. “For the first time in my broadcast career, I decided where I would live. That’s not something you are supposed to do.” The career move also resulted in her becoming part of a union, something Jacobson admits is new to her. But she says, “I wish I had it in my first market in Traverse City, Mich..” She says she especially appreciates the SAG-AFTRA benefits that she gets in combination with CBS benefits. CBS also offered something that was very important to Jacobson: the opportunity to do TV along with her new radio show. “I liked the fact that I could get a TV component,” she says. Every weekday morning from 6 to 9 a.m., Jacobson is teamed with her radio co-hosts and fellow SAG-AFTRA members Brandon Tierney and former Giants star running back Tiki Barber. She also does TV
assignments for CBS Sports Network, including wrap-up and halftime shows for college football broadcasts and, most recently, an assignment on the NCAA Basketball Tournament pregame show seen on the inhouse live feed at the arena. Jacobson admits that the transition to radio has been challenging. “You definitely have to talk more on radio,” she says. Working in a three-person format is also new for her. “It’s a challenge to find your way, to develop that family chemistry, to talk without stepping on each other. Brandon and I battle each other. That’s the family dynamic. Tiki likes to sit back and soak it all in. You definitely learn how to make a balance.” “I have a great respect for radio,” she says. “You have to know about everything that is going on in the sports world. When you share your opinion, it can be very real,” adding “on TV, the art of the sound bite can get annoying.” The recent March Madness was among the craziest times of year for Jacobson. She sometimes found herself working on TV assignments until past 1 a.m., with a 3:30 a.m. wakeup call looming for her morning radio program. “The hours are rough,” she admits, “and I’m not a morning person, [but] sports radio aficionados can’t get enough of it.” Jacobson thinks her position is in the sweet spot of where sports media is evolving. “Something we did very well at ESPN was to combine the platforms of TV, radio and dot-com. We have all three at CBS and we have a great opportunity to do the same.” Jacobson says she most enjoys giving the unique perspective of a woman’s voice on the air. She says she is struck by how few women sports radio hosts there are. “I’m in a unique place,” she says. “Often, they have not a clue what a woman would say. Certainly the dialogue on our show is different because a woman is there.” Jacobson will tell you she loves her career, but says, “I hope more women find a way into it.” CBS Sports Radio
BROADCAST SPOTLIGHT:
“I have a great respect for radio. You have to know about everything that is going on in the sports world. When you share your opinion, it can be very real.”
— John Metaxas is a SAG-AFTRA New York Local Board member. SPRING 2014 // SAG-AFTRA NY //
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Sabrina Usher
“I AM A NEW YORK ACTOR” 6
// SAG-AFTRA NY // SAGAFTRA.ORG
Sharon Washington Interviews Joel de la Fuente
met Joel in 1995 on the set of Space: Above and Beyond. He was a series regular and I was doing a one-day guest role. Since then, I’ve followed his career with interest and seen him play a wide variety of characters, from his recurring roles on ER and 100 Centre Street (one of the few series shooting in NYC back in the day) to his 10-year recurring role on Law & Order: SVU as TARU Tech Ruben Morales, to his current role as the very creepy Dr. Johann Pryce on the Netflix series Hemlock Grove. Joel has appeared in feature films such as The Happening and The Adjustment Bureau, and I also know him from his local stage work, particularly a wonderful production of Two Gentlemen of Verona at the N.Y. Shakespeare Festival at the Delacorte Theatre in Central Park. Most recently, he was nominated for a 2013 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Solo Performance for his portrayal of Gordon Hirabayashi in Hold These Truths. So I very much looked forward to sitting down and catching up with this busy N.Y. actor.
SHARON WASHINGTON: Where are you from originally? JOEL DE LA FUENTE: I’m from the suburbs of Chicago. I grew up loving to go to the theater, but I never thought of being an actor because nobody I ever saw looked like me on stage or TV. In high school I was in a two-hander with my best friend and thought, “This is exactly what I want to do.” But I was terrified because I wondered if my peers would accept me. I was one of the only people of color growing up in the area, and I felt I was playing a part to begin with. But everyone was amazing and really supportive. When I got to college, I thought, “Now I have to find something real to do for the rest of my life.” I ended up at Brown University. First semester, the goal was no theater at all. I was taking Neurology. I happened to run into somebody waiting in line to interview for an acting class. I stopped to talk to him and we both ended up interviewing. He didn’t get in; I did, and it affected everything. From then on, I just wanted to be an actor. But it’s like when you drop a penny that slips between the slats in a grate: The odds are so slim. In this case, it was as if the penny fell through those slats and through the slats of another grate below that and another below that. There were so many things that could’ve, should’ve stopped me, because I was so ready to stop myself. In hindsight, there was something inevitable about it all. SW: When did you join the unions? DE LA FUENTE: I joined Screen Actors Guild right before I started grad acting at NYU. I got cast in an ABC Afterschool Special miniseries directed by John Rubenstein. I was so proud to be a member of the union! I wore the little pin in my hat my first day at NYU. I got my Equity card doing Shakespeare-in-the-Park and my AFTRA card for 1OO Centre Street. As a union guy, the best thing someone can say to me is: “You did your job.” I take that as a tremendous compliment. I take tremendous pride in that. SW: How do you handle the day-to-day challenges of being a working actor? DE LA FUENTE: It’s all about paradox. You must cultivate cockiness while also cultivating a real sense of humility. The hardest thing for me is being able to take my own space. It’s harder on film and TV because there are so many people around all fighting to get their jobs done in the same constricted area. The clock is running. If you’re doing a guest spot, you’re coming into someone else’s house, typically trying to do work that requires you to be open and vulnerable while everything around you is making you want to constrict and shut down. How do you take your space without apology in that context? It’s like coming off the bench in basketball. The sixth man is the hardest job. You’re coming into a game that’s already started. You have to step into a flow that’s already been established. On SVU, I would often get called to work for the last shot on a Friday. They’ve all been there 14 hours, exhausted after a long week; they all want to go home. That can be a tough environment to walk into, especially when you’re not on set every day. I chose to see it as a compliment. I thought, “It’s because they trust you. They know you’re going to do your job quickly and well.” It enabled me to create a mindset for myself where I could take space and do my job, turning a tense situation into a positive one. And so, after a few of these Fridays, I would start walking to set and the crew would say, “The Closer is here. Here comes The Closer.” I went from feeling like the obstacle standing between the crew and their weekend to feeling like Mariano Rivera.
are always the same. We live a life where we have to constantly re-evaluate. The times I can make peace with that are the happiest. Of course, easier said than done. This elusive thing we’re chasing after … there’s nothing to catch. SW: On more production coming to New York City? DE LA FUENTE: Hemlock Grove, House of Cards, Orange Is the New Black, they all cast here — with New York actors. It’s a goldmine for these producers. They’re getting amazing actors, and viewers haven’t seen most of them on television before. It’s exciting because people are getting to play things they’ve always been good enough to play but never gotten the opportunity. I have friends on these shows whose “overnight success” took about 30 years! SW: On playing a “non-specific” role on Hemlock Grove? DE LA FUENTE: Johann Pryce was not written as specifically Asian. In fact, if you see the prequel comic book, Pryce is a 6’5” Nordic dude. Typically, when a character is specified as Asian, it means race has something essential to do with that character: He’s a martial arts master; she speaks Cantonese. It means quite often that it’s a dramaturgical necessity. As AsianAmerican actors, we need better, more complex roles to play. Why does race have to factor into everything we’re allowed to do onstage and screen? Brian McGreevy, the author of the novel Hemlock Grove, and the other producers of the show saw something in me as a person, as an actor that convinced them to entrust me with this role, and for that I am incredibly grateful. I get to play a complex character on TV. How great is that? Pryce has become one of my favorites also because he’s so peculiar, dark and weird. I’m usually the nice guy, the best friend. He’s harmful, and I adore playing him. SW: On casting and thinking “outside the box”? DE LA FUENTE: You have got to put things out fully into the world and commit to them. Even the audition you don’t give a crap about, you’ve gotta be there, because you never know what’s going to happen down the line. After 10 years on SVU. I couldn’t get an audition to save my life. What am I going to do? There is something we can do: We can keep creating, keep collaborating. There’s no prescription for how to make it happen. I think we need to create as many opportunities for ourselves as actors as we can. – Sharon Washington is a former SAG-AFTRA National and New York Local Board member.
SW: Thoughts on being a “star” vs. being a working actor? DE LA FUENTE: I always need to remind myself our friends who are “stars” are still cobbling it together like everyone else. The issues SPRING 2014 // SAG-AFTRA NY //
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Erik Fuller
Made In NY Media Center by IFP Opens In Brooklyn
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any SAG-AFTRA members create media content as well as appear in it. To those ambitious content-creators looking for practical knowledge and a stimulating artistic environment, the new Made in N.Y. Media Center by IFP may be a valuable resource. The Media Center, located at 30 John St. in the Dumbo section of Brooklyn, opened in October 2013 under the administration of former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg. The center is run by the Independent Filmmaker Project and offers functional workspace for individuals and small companies, as well as classes, panels, a media arts gallery and a state-of-the-art screening room. The center touts itself as an “incubator” of creative opportunities, and its purpose is to promote collaboration and communication across diverse artistic and technological disciplines. SAG-AFTRA members looking to create their own projects can rub elbows with directors, producers, gamers, Web designers and app developers. But the focus is not limited to filmmaking or creative connections. The center aims to create business opportunities by connecting storytellers with the resources they need to fund and distribute their work. The plan is to actualize creative visions from beginning to end — initial idea to receptive audience. The physical layout reflects the center’s
The Media Center adds to growing art and technology scene in Brooklyn. mission. Media Center members share open space working independently while forming a community. The atmosphere is open and bright, with a selection of shared and individual desks and lounge chairs. Meeting rooms and classrooms utilize glass walls, with some frosted for privacy. IFP staffers reach out to individuals to create new partnerships within the member pool and to team artists with investors and other resources to advance their projects. Corporate members include new media companies such as Astronauts Wanted. Classes, which are open to the public as well as to members, range across creative, technological and financial topics. Courses offered include scriptwriting, documentary filmmaking, advertising, career sustainability and preparing tax returns. At the moment, the center is tailored for short content, which is especially useful to SAG-AFTRA actors looking to showcase themselves in short films and webisodes, or to SAG-AFTRA broadcasters creating short news pieces. The center offers four membership tiers. Least costly is the Community Workspace,
Audiobook Narrators Meet
T
he New York Audiobooks Narrator Caucus held a
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which, at $150 per month, gives members daytime access to desks, discounts on classes, and access to media center resources and industry professionals. SAG-AFTRA members are currently being offered a 10-percent discount on Community memberships and a 15-percent discount on Incubator memberships. When applying, members should put SAG-AFTRA as a reference, and the discount will be applied when current union status is confirmed. Details on all membership levels are available on the center’s website at nymediacenter.com. Executive Director Joana Vicente commented, “We understand the multiple hats that SAG-AFTRA members wear, as performers, storytellers and entrepreneurs. Our objective is to foster connections not just for individual projects, but to build careers. It can be as simple as a filmmaker having an idea, bouncing it off a group nearby who refines the idea, [making] a connection to a Web series creator or even a funder who helps execute the project. The dialogue today is among artists, technologists and entrepreneurs, as everyone is experimenting.” the audiobook membership has been instrumental to the accelerated pace
the members on the latest
of organizing in the audiobook industry,
contract developments, including
leading to more than 30 SAG-AFTRA
meeting on February 10, 2014,
successfully concluded negotiations
contracts with audiobook employers. If
led by National Audiobook
with John Marshall Media and
you work under SAG-AFTRA audiobook
Steering Committee chair
newly minted signatories Weston
contracts and would like to be added
Richard Ferrone. Staff negotiators
Woods, Make a Hand Productions, and
to the email list, please contact Nancy
Rich Larkin and Jane Love updated
Lotas Productions. The activism of
Kelly at nancy.kelly@sagaftra.org.
// SAG-AFTRA NY // SAGAFTRA.ORG
PERSPECTIVE:
Russell Hollander
PERSPECTIVE is a new feature in which we ask questions of New York-based labor leaders in the entertainment industry. For our first edition, we contacted the New York office of our sister union, the Directors Guild of America, for an informal Q&A with Russell Hollander, the Associate National Executive Director/Eastern Executive Director of the DGA. Who does the DGA represent? The Directors Guild of America represents directors and members of the directorial team (that means assistant directors, unit production managers, associate directors, stage managers and production associates) working in film, television, commercials, documentaries, news, sports and new media. We represent more than 15,000 members who live and work all over the world. What are your members’ main concerns? The mission of the DGA is to protect and promote our members’ creative and economic rights. Right now, our members are focusing on expanding coverage and ensuring that as new distribution methods and platforms take form, our members are still appropriately compensated for the use and reuse of their work; preserving the stability of the health and pension plans; protecting the role of the director in television; making sure that the states where our members live can compete on an even playing field with other countries that offer very robust production incentives; and pushing the industry to better reflect the diversity of the world we live in. How long have you been with the DGA? I started working at the DGA in 2001. Before coming to the DGA, I was a labor law partner at Cohen, Weiss and Simon. Why did you become involved with organized labor and the DGA in particular? I grew up in a union household. When I was a child, I remember going to school while my father stayed home because he was on strike (as part of the United Federation of Teachers) — so I thought unions were the most wonderful thing in the world! In college, I studied labor relations, and then I went on to get a law degree, always with the intention of working at a labor union.
What are you most proud of about the DGA? I think one of the best qualities of the DGA, and one that has served us extremely well, is that the elected leadership and the professional staff work so collaboratively together. There are hundreds of active, working DGA members representing all categories, genres and geographic regions, working actively in the industry, who volunteer their time and energy to be part of the Guild’s leadership. They are smart and involved and dedicated, and they ask the same of the Guild’s professional staff. They expect us to provide them with knowledge and expertise and data, and to give them the honest answers — even if it is not the answer they want. I’m very proud of the significant gains the DGA has achieved in collective bargaining, including world-class pension and health plans, residual payments for the re-use of feature films and television programs in supplemental markets and, of course, the creative rights that we have negotiated for our director members. I’m also proud that the DGA has the nimbleness that allows us to anticipate the changes in our industry and make adjustments as needed to capture work in new and developing areas, such as new media and reality television, all the while keeping our focus on protecting and expanding our members’ creative and economic rights. What do you think are a union’s strongest tools when entering a negotiation? Preparation, preparation, preparation and the strong support of the membership. The DGA devotes a great deal of time, effort, and resources to research — we believe that the better we understand the changes and trends influencing the entertainment industry and how our contracts address those matters, the better prepared we can be to anticipate those changes and protect our members’ interests
no matter what happens. The benefit of doing all that research and preparation is that we know as much as or more than the people sitting across the table from us. We involve our members at every step of the process so by the time our negotiations committees step into that room, they know that they are bolstered by the strong support of the membership. How can entertainment unions best support one another? Guilds and unions are always responsible, first and foremost, to their own members, but within that framework, it’s to everybody’s advantage to do whatever we can to ensure a strong and profitable entertainment industry. So it’s important to work with our sister unions to share information where we can, work collaboratively on issues that affect our industry and to remember that it takes all of our members to create the movies, television shows and other audiovisual content that billions of people around the world enjoy every year. Unions have become a political target in recent years. How can unions reverse this trend? Unions have almost always been a political target, and the real challenge is how to overcome that by strengthening unions themselves. One of the best ways to keep a union strong is through internal organizing — making sure that the members themselves really feel like they’re part of the union. If the members themselves don’t feel like they’re part of a union, or if what the union stands for doesn’t mean anything to its members, then the organization is weakened. Member education, member involvement and member organizing are critical to building that strong union community. Any final comments? Go Giants! SPRING 2014 // SAG-AFTRA NY //
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Jim Damis
SAFETY ON SET
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s SAG-AFTRA members, we want the productions we work on to achieve the vision they seek as much as possible, that they “get the shot,” but never at the expense of jeopardizing safety. It is often assumed the production team must know what they are doing — the company is responsible for safety — but you must always be vigilant about what you are being asked to do and never take your safety for granted. Performers have to make the right decisions for themselves, and if something appears dangerous, they have the right to say no. The consent of our members is contractually required prior to performing stunts or other hazardous activity. Do not be pressured and support your fellow performers who say no. There are protections in place to prevent repercussions from the producer. Nothing is worth risking your well-being or the health and safety of your fellow cast and crew. If you find yourself facing a hazardous situation, speak to the stunt coordinator or the 1st A.D. and let them know your concerns. Speak to a SAG-AFTRA field rep, if one is on set. Our contracts require that whenever stunts or stuntrelated activity is planned, there must be a qualified individual to oversee the stunt or hazardous activity present on set. Also, a “person qualified to administer medical assistance on an emergency basis must be present” when such work is planned. If a stunt coordinator (and necessary safety support teams for specific hazardous work) and such a medic are not present, call the union. We have an emergency safety hotline members can call during non-business hours, 24/7, nights, weekends and holidays. The number is on the back of your card: (212) 517-0909. SAG-AFTRA considers performer safety the highest priority. Many provisions ensuring safety and good working conditions are in our contracts and much information can be found on our website at SAGAFTRA.org. The safety information is under the “union info” tab. There are links to all of the safety bulletins issued by the industry as well as many articles on safety from SAG-AFTRA magazine.
STAFF National Field Services SPOTLIGHT
By Liz Zazzi
W
hen I approached SAG-AFTRA Director, National Field Services Jim Damis about interviewing him for our newsletter, the first thing he said was, “OK, but we are incredibly busy.” That’s good news for New York members, where film and television work is at an alltime high. And even better news is that we have a tireless advocate in Jim, who is in his third decade of work for SAG-AFTRA.
Born and raised in New Jersey, Jim graduated from Villanova with a major
in English and a minor in communications.
“My father was a steamfitter and a member of a very strong union, so I grew
up in a blue-collar, union family and saw first-hand the benefits of unionism.” Offered a job as a business agent not long out of college with a small union local, what Jim envisioned as temporary employment became his calling to
the labor movement. “Strikes, organizing, job reinstatements: I saw it all. And playing a role in improving the lives of working people was gratifying.”
Jim and the Field Services Department monitor and enforce contracts on
location, including TV, theatrical, commercials and new media. Set coverage is prioritized towards stunts, hazardous or rough work, environmental
concerns, working conditions issues, tough locations, minor performers and crowds of background actors. Field reps work nights, weekends, holidays,
whenever necessary to cover priority sets. They must be available to respond to the emergency hotline number when SAG-AFTRA is closed. Jim notes,
“The field reps are the front lines of enforcement. We have a really dedicated team that goes the extra mile in protecting members’ rights on location.”
Jim assigns the field reps to up to three sets per day. Their consistent presence
helps ensure that management doesn’t break the rules. Field reps announce
themselves in holding areas for background actors, touch base with principals and stunt performers, and develop good relationships with crew counterparts.
Jim meets with the field staff once a week to discuss outstanding set issues
Broadcasters who work in the field: BE SAFE
and concerns, as well as other union business they need to know. He also
our SAG-AFTRA contract protects you from being forced to work in unsafe conditions. If your safety is jeopardized in the field, call your news director, your lawyer and your union representative. Read safety tips for broadcasters at SAGAFTRA.org. From the SAG-AFTRA home page go to the News & Broadcast listing in the Contracts tab, then go to News Safety Tips on the left side of the page, then click the hotlink.
other locals to train staffers on set procedures and the dynamics of location
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occasionally travels to distant locations to troubleshoot extreme situations or safety crises.
As director of national field services, Jim travels around the country to
enforcement. As producers have found new places to film, he believes
SAG-AFTRA must increase its set presence everywhere as much as possible. Next time you’re on set, take a moment to thank your field rep. You and
your safety are priority No. 1 to Jim and his staff.
– Liz Zazzi is a SAG-AFTRA National Board member and New York Local Board member.
FACING CHALLENGES? The Actors Fund can help! Business representatives from the SAG-AFTRA Field Services Department met with their counterparts from the Directors Guild of America on March 20 to share stories, discuss common challenges, and develop strategies to serve members of both organizations. Shown, from left, are DGA Business Rep Rebecca Blum; SAG-AFTRA Business Reps Justin Touretz and Carolyn Couch, and Senior Business Rep Carlton Stokes; DGA Field Rep Joe Longo; DGA Associate Eastern Executive Director Neil Dudich; SAG-AFTRA National Field Services Director Jim Damis; and DGA Field Rep Victoria Pistone.
T
he Actors Fund is one of the most valuable
resources for SAG-AFTRA members. Whether
you need emergency financial assistance, affordable housing, health care, supplemental employment or
counseling, The Actors Fund meets your needs with a unique understanding of the challenges involved in a
David Harrell
life in the arts. They offer many ongoing workshops, groups and services, all of which are free and
confidential. The Actors Fund offices are located at
729 Seventh Avenue, 10th Floor, New York NY 10019. For more, including information on the Lillian Booth Actors Home and the Conrad Cantzen Shoe Fund, please visit www.actorsfund.org.
Here is just some of what The Actors Fund has to offer: Actors Fund Work Program Orientation
An introduction to all Actors Fund Work Program services, including group and individual career counseling, job training and education, financial assistance and job placement services.
Every Artist Insured: Navigating Health Care Reform
REELABILITIES FILM FESTIVAL The 6th Annual ReelAbilities: N.Y. Disabilities Film Festival, the largest festival in the country dedicated to promoting awareness of the life experiences of people with disabilities, was held from March 6-11 in New York throughout the five boroughs, Westchester and Long Island. The SAG-AFTRA National Performers With Disabilities (PWD) Committee sponsored the festival and a screening on March 8 of the documentary Cinemability, which aims to find out if the media has had a hand in transforming the societal inclusion of people with disabilities. Following the screening, an industry panel included those pictured above: from left, Pat McCorkle, casting director (back); Teal Sherer, actor/producer; Christine Bruno, co-chair, SAG-AFTRA N.Y. Local PWD Committee; Anita Hollander, chair, SAG-AFTRA National PWD Committee and co-chair, N.Y. Local PWD Committee; Lawrence Carter-Long, public affairs specialist, National Council on Disability; Howard Sherman, interim manager, Alliance for Inclusion in the Arts.
This seminar will help you understand the Affordable Care Act and give you clear, step-by-step guidance on what your options are and how to get the most affordable coverage. Find out if you’re eligible for free insurance or subsidies. This is an excellent opportunity for unbiased counseling.
Health Care Reform for Small Businesses
Did you know there are currently tax credits for small businesses (and arts organizations) that offer health insurance to their employees? Come to this free workshop and find out answers to questions like these: What will my options be in 2014? What are my responsibilities as an employer?; How can health care reform reduce my health insurance costs? To learn more, go to actorsfund.org and look under the Services and Programs tab for Social Services & Financial Assistance. This information has been included on behalf of The Actors Fund. SPRING 2014 // SAG-AFTRA NY //
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1900 Broadway, 5th Floor New York, NY 10023
SAGAFTRA.org/NY @ sagaftrany
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Know Your Late-Night Rights!
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f you work on a theatrical or dramatic television production that runs into late-night hours, you are entitled to be
left off at a safe location. Background actors who work on productions that run past 9:30 p.m. must be provided a ride by the production company to the original pick-up point and/or one of three designated drop-off points: Grand Central Terminal, Penn Station or Port Authority. This applies unless you are dismissed from work in Manhattan within a zone bordered on the south by 34th Street, on the north by 57th Street, on the east by 3rd Avenue and on the west by 8th Avenue. It does not matter how many background actors may need a ride, even one member is entitled to a ride under the contract. If dismissal comes so late that public service transportation is no longer running, the producer must provide transportation to the member’s home. Note that your work time ends at the drop-off time of the first background actor, regardless of the time at which other background actors may be dropped off. If you encounter a problem, we urge you to call the 24-hour hotline at (212) 517-0909. If you know beforehand that you will be working a late-night production, you may call the SAG-AFTRA office ahead of time, and we can remind the production of their obligation to provide transportation. There’s no excuse for leaving our members in an unsafe situation.
NEW NAME … EVEN BETTER SERVIC E
T
he Agency Department has been rebranded and is now known as the Department of
Professional Representatives. It is the same
great staff in the same great location, but the
name has been changed to reflect the expanded
member service that now includes our members’ relationships with agents and personal
managers. For some basic information on the
newly created — and voluntary — SAG-AFTRA
Personal Managers Code of Ethics and Conduct,
please go to SAGAFTRA.org/managers and click on Code of Ethics & Conduct on the left side.
Please call us at (212) 863-4305 or (323) 549-6745 if you have any questions.