I'm just wondering...
If the industry keeps going the way it's going,
employing celebrities as opposed to actors
and the wages keep going down and the actors 'Us' continue to work for expenses or worse... nothing.
(I mean seriously I can't be the only one not capable of living off the money I earn from acting)
What happens if we strike?
If no actor works untill their paid full wages.
If having an equity contract actually means something again.
If hot food is provided on set. (did i go to far)
Blake I'm very glad to hear you're going along to an Equity general branch meeting. Hope it proves a positive experience.
I recently attended a London Equity general branch meeting and I was very surprised how few young people were there, especially as my branch in Birmingham has a lot of younger members who regularly attend. Also there were only as many members at this meeting in London as I get in my meetings in Birmingham. To be honest I was very surprised by this given that thousands more Equity members live in London compared with the Midlands.
It's so important that young people support their union and find out how it all works. So like I say I am very very pleased you're making the effort to go.
Anyway I've copied a few examples from the Equity magazine of performers who are prepared to stand together when they have the help of Equity behind them. The full articles can be found on the Equity website.
"An attempt to broadcast Emmerdale without credits for a week was dropped after the cast, backed by Equity, complained to ITV in the strongest terms. - Late in February, cast members received a letter announcing that for one week Emmerdale would go out without any credits as an experiment. Apparently, ITV executives believe that excluding credits on soaps may lead to more viewers staying put to watch the commercials. Equity called the cast together and at a packed meeting members made their anger clear."
"The cast of Coronation Street, supported by Equity, has reached a new agreement with Granada following the successful resolution of talks over proposals to change some elements of existing contracts.
Members of the ITV drama serial's cast were concerned by plans to change the way payments are made for historic repeat fee supplements."
I think a very simple answer would be that all the wannabees who are desperate for their five minutes of fame and who didn't make it to the final few of a reality tv show would just jump at the chance to be seen regardless of pay.It's a sad fact but there will always be people out there who will do anything just to say they are an "actor".
If we all went on strike.. that is equity members would the big companies be in the poo? well i don't think they would because they would just move on to the wannabees of this world and pray on there vunerability and fame seeking thirst! Like so many of you have said no matter what you try to do someone will always **** it up.
We deserve to be paid a decent wage for a good job done, especially from the bigger companies that are raking it in. But all they care about is profit so it is up to the individual actor to know his worth and not be sucked into to crap contracts and pay. Check out contract take matters into your own hands speak to equity get there advice. Good Luck everyone!!!!
one thing i never understood is some big companies not paying a decent wage, i can understand new companies and indie's paying low/expenses but i have known of larger companies that have only paid say a tenner towards travel and nothing else! lol
thank god though that there ARE honest production companies out there that can offer a good wage.
As stated above, in USA union actors can not take on non-union work and vice-versa. I believe there's more that one union so there is no worry about competition laws as the actors have a choice. Unfortunately in this country we only have one union so the competition laws kick in which gives people an opt-out clause. If there were a second union then it would be possible to enforce that performers have to be in a union as they would have a choice, no matter how limited. Unfortunately this is not a situation that is likely to occur.
I'm really going to try to attend the next Equity meeting in my area as I do believe things need to seriously change and I'd like to hear from Equity themselves as to what they are doing and how we as actors can help more. I do also think that, whilst Equity has it's own area's it would like to address, we as actors can campaign on specific agenda's either individually or as a group, whether this is trying to compel all film schools to adopt either minimum wage or student equity contracts for any work done on student projects, to force all casting sites into only allowing postings for work which is minimum wage or above and thereby complimenting the law and acting in the long-term benefits of actors or whether it is being more vocal about the scandalous long-term funding and lack of long-term vision the arts council has for many theatres and institutions in this country.
Apparently, though not suprisingly, i've made an error in regards to competition laws and employment. Even with a second union, employers could not openly discriminate against non-union performers.
Apologies for being a dumb-ass :)
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