Lo/No Pay Films

It isn't that expensive and to be honest if you are serious about becoming an actor it is an inductry standard... equity and spotlight.. think of all the money you spend on your average friday night out?... any hoo Annie made some good points and we all just have to be a bit savvy and not be taken advantage of...

happy friday everyone.. I for one have a massive hangover.. this is going to be a long day :)

• 16 years ago
• 21

Wow, Kenny! When did you drop out of Equity? The subscription minimum is £100 per year with a discount of 5% if you pay by direct debit. The rate only is a percentage of your earnings when it gets above £20,000 and still is LESS than any other union. The percentage is no where near your idea of it!
Unlike Spotlight which goes up every year Equity subs have stayed the same as last year.

• 16 years ago
• 22

I left Equity in 2001, I was reluctant to pay the perecentage of my gross earnings of £48,000 for 2000-01 as almost half was spent on travel and accomodation, NI, tax, then bills, mortgage, my wife, 3 kids and car took most of the rest which left me with around £3,500 in savings. £100 would have been fine, yet I requested to know why it isn't taken from your net income and wasn't even contacted with a response. I cold have claimed ignorance to my earnings (I was fortunate to never be out of work running tour to season to tour etc for a straight 27months in total, it almost cost me my marraige) and paid the sub, as many do, but I guess I am too honest for my own good!

• 16 years ago
• 23

fair point Kenny..should be net

• 16 years ago
• 24

It is net!

• 16 years ago
• 25

in which case.. not a fair point

:)

• 16 years ago
• 26

From the Equity website:

Subscription Rates
Gross Annual Income Annual Subscription
Less than £20,000 £125
Between £20,000 and £35,000 £200
Between £35,000 and £50,000 £325

Income of more than £50,000:

Members pay at the rate below which is in line with 1% of their gross income. These Rates include £25 joining fee.
£525 £775 £1,025 £1,275 £1,525 £1,775 £2,025

• 16 years ago
• 27

thank you, I thought I was losing my mind, I checked with the Equity site too, it is Gross!

• 16 years ago
• 28

I wonder if the Equity Members, who've also been going by the net annual income by mistake, should be charged a back payment fee?

• 16 years ago
• 29

Equity IS worth joining and I think the direct debit is the best way for me. ITruth is, that it has helped me and they helped me financially last year when I was in a very bad place- they have seen contracts for me and have warned me away from some agents and stood bny me with one production company which made my life hell in 2006.

No matter how much people bitch about equity more often than not they have been there for me. Period.

• 16 years ago
• 30

Kenny it sounds like you were paying way to much income-tax for your year-end 2001.

As a self-employed performer a huge amount of things are tax-deductible including travel, accommodation, agents commission, costumes, cleaning of costumes and props, renewal replacement of props and equipment, postage, stationary, professional publications such as the stage etc, scripts, sheet music, accountancy fee, photographs and repro, advertising e.g spotlight, maintenance of instruments and insurance, theatre and cinema tickets relevant to your self-employment, telephone and mobile phone costs, running a car and your EQUITY FEE.

I believe it is also possible to claim use of a room in your house as an office as a tax deductible expense and any secretary work carried out by your wife could have been claimed as a tax deductible expense.As far as I know mortgages and the cost of bringing up children is something that is not tax-deductible. However your Equity fee is definitely a tax-deductible and perhaps this is why the Equity fees are based on gross income.

Equity produce an incredibly useful booklet about Tax and National Insurance. Equity also have Max Beckmann working at the London office who is there to help Equity members with any Tax and Benefits issues. Only last month one of my fellow Equity branch members was singing the praises of Max Beckham and saying how incredibly helpful she was.

I suspect you will never rejoin Equity, but I am sure you would find the services of good theatrical accountant very useful.

Cheers
TRACEY

• 16 years ago
• 31

Just to return for a moment to the earlier question; "How is a young/inexperienced actor meant to get noticed for paid work?" Also the preceding statement " And so, anyone who does accept that work should do so in the full knowledge that they are pushing the knife that little bit further into the back of this profession". To undermine the Profession is the last thing that any Actor what 's to do, this is why I personally am in favour of strong union membership.
I am willing to wash dishes along with everyone else if it gets me through, (and have done) . I don't doubt that Film graduates feel the same. Although I am now being told i'm overqualified for washing dishes and to inexperienced to work in Drama; having not much choice in getting any other way than work for low budget, in my chosen profession, or by any other means than working with low paid non union. The unfortunate reality seems to be that Sharks who take advantage of an artist's good nature and vulnerable position in any professions. This is why having brought up a family in the eighties with no opportunity for education, working for none union firms, I have to say I am in favour of any support that Equity offers. This may be my ignorance of the business, but I have worked to long and hard to get qualified, to give up now. If there isn't another way in than swimming in the shark infested waters, then what's to do! Is there an alternative? we have to eat and pay the mortgage. That is not to say, I don't respect the right of an alternative view.

• 16 years ago
• 32

Tracey, I know you mean well by what you're saying but please do the math!
When touring, you are at the mercy of the tour schedule, costs vary from town to town so I'll use an average weekly cost.
B&B, £20pppn £7,120pa
Petrol, £200pwk £10, 400pa
Food&Drink £85pwk £5,270pa
Personal Hygiene £10pwk £520pa

Total £23,310pa
This doesn't include NI, Tax, Mortgage, Car, Paperwork, Home Bills, Family Necessities, Rates, Equipment or Phones.
You're limited as to exactly how much you can claim per year, and most of your capital gains and subsistence will be carried over to your next financial year.
Being in this business for over 18yrs, 5 as a Semi-Professional and the rest as a Fully Working Pro I can assure you I know what I am able to claim back in my annual tax return. It's a shame that before the actors NI most companies paid for travel and accommodation, but as they are now responsible for a percentage of each of its employees NI, many cannot afford to offer that luxury. And with the release of the Equity minimum there's a lesser margin of negotiation as to why pay more than what they "have" to?
A home office used to hold the requirement of a separate phone line (mobile phones not applicable) don't have one anymore, so I'd have to look that up. By the by, I didn't see how this couldn't have been handled in a private email as it really holds no relevance to the point and it still doesn't answer why Equity charges a "Gross" annual income fee?

• 16 years ago
• 33

Equity charges a fee on gross annual income because it is a tax deductible item, and because it's a fair level playing field for all. If the equity fee was based on net income then this would be very unfair because those with very very good accountants could end up paying the least of all.

Anyway we could have a whip round for you at my next equity meeting, though I suspect someone with an annual income of £48,000 per annum won't evoke much sympathy.

Cheers
TRACEY

• 16 years ago
• 34

Again Tracey, could have been private. But thank you for your continued lack of respect to anyones opinions and views, outside that of your own, in this matter, your continued commitment to shout out Equity Policy in Every single post you make, and for you tireless political stand point to skirt around subjects that effect the "Industry as a whole" just to protect your wants and needs.
It makes a mockery of everything the British Film and Theatre Industry stood for. There are lower rates set for a reason, to provide a training ground to new talent, but if you'd rather adopt the attitude that they don't need it and are equal to the pay of a 45yr old Seasoned performer, then who am I to argue?
Music Hall was Mocked, they were "Dens Of Sins" yet you revere those Old Stars, Rep theatre was one of the lowest paid jobs around for an actor, but it seperated the great from the mediocre.
John Mills, Richard Attenborough, Maggie Smith and hunders more of those we revere today took on low budget film through low budget film (even including the interest rates involved from then till now) by our modest standards today.
The sacrifices they made is what made them great! Now take politics out of the forum and let's talk about real acting and industry issues rather than whine about how much you "think" you should be worth!

• 16 years ago
• 35

ooh its getting hairy in here!


everyone has valid points, but we are all in the same boat. and some of us have to pay out the same as others without being on a steady income.

• 16 years ago
• 36

Final note, not that it should matter.
Equity couldn't resolve a problem I had with a producer that was exploiting me in 2000 as it wasn't a Equity Contract, there words not mine. I was happy for the counsel I was given upon the matter from them and they seemed honest enough in the regret that they couldn't help me as a union. Combine that with a lack of response to my query regards gross annual income and the constant deadlock of why I was paying more NI than was necessary, both Equity and the Tax Office agreed but neither could offer an explanation other than it's law. I'd said there should be one NI payment not 2 for the same job! I decided enough was enough and left.
I've had more help from Equity since leaving than I ever did as a member, oh and I get public Liability insurance for £60 a year and free legal counsel for entertainment contracts and related issues, so I am quite happy, no whip round necessary.
I still believe Unions are necessary, don't be misslead by that, but I will not have policies thrown down my throat just because their members feel they have it bad! It's the economy, there's a war on and you're too busy trying to stop new companies forming because, at presemt, you feel you're above them.

• 16 years ago
• 37

Guys,

I know that Im shoving my oar in, but perhaps its better to jsut agree to disagree than to continue the arguing. Its not going to change anything.

I can totally undertsand kennys side of things but i also totally concur with Tracey that Equity is worth joining and its without a doubt one of the best resources in the business for us. Its just not worth a blazing argument.

:)

• 16 years ago
• 38

I agree Blake, Sorry Tracey, I guess we're both very passionate in our beliefs!
Equity has always been a valuable institution and I would never deter anyone from joining. The points I've made have nothing to do with unions, just Our Industry as a whole.

• 16 years ago
• 39

Awesome Kenny. I think you and Tracey would get on great in real life- its hard to read peoples tone in print and it just exacerbates the problems.

These boards need to build us all up, noty have arguments. I speak to myself as i am convinced people can see me as arrogant through my "tone" sometimes, and usually i dont mean to be- and I knwo that you are not like that either Kenny.

:)

• 16 years ago
• 40