To be in Equity or not to be?

Private User
Actor

I just wanted to make one thing clear about our beloved Equity.

I have been in and out of acting for over a decade and from my experience Equity is only good if you don't have an agent, or if you had an agent and left them and still get residuals or payments for past jobs, Equity receive those payments and hold onto them until you join - I believe this to be wrong.

In the past you had to be a member of Equity to get professional work, that no longer applies, they offer very little with regard to protecting actors rights and have no benefit in joining other than the above mentioned.

So be careful not to feed the protectionist part of the Industry that only works for those that already work!


  • 13 years ago
  • 5,694
  • 46
Private User
This profile is private

OK Gregory, I understand - Yes its better to have one if you can afford it.

I need a coffee forget tea luv.

Just one note. I can type Essays and I do have spell check, next time I will write a PhD instead of just chat format, I really thought I would be chatting to other actors on our terms and in no way intended to upset anyone, although one person in particular I have absolutely no time for - posting a private email on a forum I think is downright rude and in bad taste. But putting that aside these are the main points I think we have gathered:

* There is strength in numbers , the stronger the union the more power we as artist have.

*Equity's intentions are good and noble, but it is currently run by middle class self-centred bureaucrats and is not representative of the ethnic diversity or class that is prevalent in the industry today.

*Without Equity, there would be no protection from exploitation. The negotiated equity contracts, as we all know, are a lot better than most that are on offer these days.

* If you can afford it, join it, if you can't don't panic.

* next time I post on this forum I will be disguised as Tibetan monk to save any embarrassment.

Word out!


  • 13 years ago
  • 41
Private User
This profile is private

I am just about to renew my subs for another year. I know it seems as though Equity should/could do more....but Alan makes a valid point about council....I think they are very out of touch, and give out a bad image at times.

However, actors should all be part of the union....we all benefit from the work a few stalwarts do on our behalf.

At the end of the day...a Union is only as strong as its membership and or the actions of its membership. I met an actor recently moaning about "everything going" ….but he was not a member of the Union and was busy saying how he gets his own work etc. However, the work he was referring too was 3 jobs….2 Unpaid and 1 big corporate job well below the "going rate!" That makes things even harder for the union I fear?


  • 13 years ago
  • 42

Exactly which class is it that's prevalent in the industry? I'm not sure i cld pin it down to one class in particular. Although i suppose i would fall into the self-centred middle classes, which seems like a bit of a generalised term. To be fair. I think you'll find that bad manners stretches across the classes.


  • 13 years ago
  • 43
Private User
This profile is private

This whole exchange reminds me of the crucible by arthur miller. ;)


  • 13 years ago
  • 44
Private User
This profile is private

Ha ...which character or Speech for you Rob? "I will have my name...please leave me my name?"

or

"Hang them high over the city?"


Something like that anyway! ......great play!


  • 13 years ago
  • 45
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.