Hi everyone,
As money is tight at the moment, I thought it would be more worthwhile trying for Spotlight than getting an equity card. I would be grateful for some feedback from all enlightened and experienced actors out there.
Thankyou.
perhaps i'm being dim but i thought carmel meant she hadn't had an equity job, through no choice of her own, therefore she couldn't join equity, not that she was choosing to only have non-equity contracts.
Oh gosh. Sally sorry to hear about your story.
I have some tales to tell but more on the singing side of the business but I will tell it in my book (one day lol!)
As a professional actor one must be with Equity and Spotlight it is just standard practice.
Lets hope Carmel never has to deal with the shady side of the business at those times you will pray you had equity.
Thankyou for sharing that with us Sally. Unfortunately, there are rogues like that. I had a really bad experience in a non-acting job, where my former boss went out of his way to try to spoil my reputation. It was horrible. Now I'm out of there and working in a lovely place where I'm appreciated and I hear things aren't going to well for him......what goes around comes around.
Thank you the one person who actually read what I wrote!
In case it wasn't clear the first time I'm not with equity through no choice of my own, the day I get an equity contract I'll send them my application which I have at the ready in my office drawer.
It is terrible that some people have those experiences and hope I'll never have that. I have done quite a bit of work but haven't had an equity contract before. I dont think I'm so good at business I dont need equity which is what it sounds like your saying I meant.
I notice you have some theatre credits on your CV. If these credits were paid, but not on an equity contract, you could still have used them to join Equity. Theatre work does not have to be performed on an equity contract to make you eligible to join Equity. It just has to pay a realistic living wage.
So the next time you're working on a Theatre contract be it an equity one or not, please apply to join Equity we would love you to be a member. Also please note that if actors are working on non equity contract and then have some difficulty equity will and do help. I believe sometimes young actors are under the impression that equity only helps when you work on Equity contracts. This is simply not true.
I was able to join without having any contracted paid acting work, by virtue of my 1 year MA training and a couple of professional credits (expenses and fringe), and this was fine.
As with most people...I haven't needed them yet, but I don't want to be in a situation where I need them and I'm not paid up. Also I believe in such an industry where employees are often very much at the mercy of their paymasters, the membership of a union is of paramount importance, as well as being something of a moral obligation.
As for spotlight...if you don't have it most agents and quite a lot of acsting directors won't want to know...end of
Equity helped me when I joined an apparently respectable agency ( I had done some research and a number of their clients had had good jobs with TV and Corporate clients). What I did not know was that the agency was being paid by the employers but not passing on money to the clients, there were several court cases pending and county court judgements against them. Equity alerted me to this and I was able to cancel my association within 10 days of joining thanks to their swift and efficient communication. The agency is no longer in business. I had checked the "blacklist" but as the troubles were recent the agency did not appear on it at that time. I suspect Equity saved me money, heartache and embarrassment on this occasion.
Equity also stepped in on a very slow payment for a voiceover job ( which looked as if it was going to go from "slow" to "no") despite it being a non-equity contract. The payment followed withing two weeks...
Hooray for Equity I say.
Hooray for Spotlight too, as an actor I think you can be rather invisible without it.
It IS expensive but I think they are two expenses you just have to swallow.
Spotlight expect you have SOME form of recognised formal training or enough professional credits to basically prove the point.
They can be very interrogative when you first apply and after that, they are great. Its actually good, there are enough trained actors out of work, we dont need the untrained ones clogging up SPOTLIGHT!!!! I mean from this, people with no professional credits or ANY form of training.
I must admit i am in a similar boat to CARMELL. i have worked on loads of proffessional productions, but not enough paid work within the time bracket Equity requires to join.
i keep all my payslips and contracst and release forms ect. and again like Carmell, my application is ready to send off, i just havent got the required paid experience. its a swizz really.
I suggest to Nathan that you should send it off anyway. If you know of other members of Equity who are willing to vouch for you in that you are working towards making an income from professional acting work then you may find that you are still accepeted.
Just make sure that you put in all the contracts or proof of paid work you have received. Good luck.
Alan
Thanks Alan i will take your advice, and send it off anyway. what have i to lose?
lol
the only thing, if i am not acepted this time, will Equity return all my paperwork to re-send in the future?
You must login as a candidate to participate in the forum.
Please note:Messages written in the forum do not represent the views of The Mandy Network, nor have they been vetted by The Mandy Network staff.
If you read something which you believe to be offensive or defamatory, please contact us and we will take the appropriate action.
