Author Topic: Adding stage management wording to Equity's "How to Hire Me" document?  (Read 3619 times)

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smejs

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For years now, there has been a document that the Denver liaison committee has had available to actors to get the smaller companies in the area to understand that they COULD hire a union actor for their shows. I've tried several times to get it to include stage management wording or to have a similar document for us. I just brought it up again to our local committee and while they admit they haven't overly pressed, there's been so much turnover in the LA office they're not sure who to go to.

Actors are certainly much more visible and easier to understand why a theatre would want to work with Equity on getting...but I just saw an audition notice for Special Appearance that was only $200 stipend and didn't appear to say a thing about health or pension. There are a few one-off gigs I'd love to be able to slip in, but still try to do legally....though I certainly don't want to kill myself working all $200 jobs!

Thoughts?

VSM

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I have never seen this document.
Who put it together?
Did the Committee do it or was it written by staff at AEA?
Ordo ab chao

BayAreaSM

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I remember hearing about a document like that in the Bay Area. I'm going to ask my Liaison about it and post back.

Post Merge: Oct 17, 2013, 10:55 am
I checked with my Liaison for the SF Bay Area and this document is something created by each Liaison committee, and then approved by staff, VSM. For us, the file is called "Bay Area Producer Letter" - aka, the "How to Hire Me" letter. Since it's a locally made file, it's not available on the AEA website. Our Liaison hands out copies of the letter at our GM meetings.

For our area's version, we list 5 different options: Special Appearance, Guest Artist, Periodic Performance, our local contract: MBAT (levels 1 & 2) and the Bay Area Staged Reading. Each item explains - in a quick reference style - the basic rules for each contract (seating, performance max, health contributions -if any, etc).

Only under the MBAT listing do you see this language:

  "Actors Salary is $xxx.00, for both Levels.  An AEA Stage Manager is not required but Stage Managers weekly minimum salary for both Levels is $xxx.00, Assistant Stage Managers Weekly Minimum salary $xxx.00.
 
We aren't mentioned anywhere else in the document. It may be because actors tend to outnumber SMs when it comes to looking for work. Usually SMs aren't the ones on Special Appearance or Guest Artist contracts (I have had several Periodic Performance contracts). I am not familiar with your local contract offerings, but perhaps just suggest a sentence that mentions Stage Managers and what the minimum salary would be.

Another way you can take this: just get a copy of the file from your area Liaison and send it to a local non-AEA Producer you would like to work for. In the Bay Area, we are told to take this to Producers to tell them how easy it is to hire (and pay!) AEA members. It's up to the membership to get these non-AEA Producers on board, so be proactive, take the file to a potential producer and say, "This applies to me too! Hire me under an AEA contract."
« Last Edit: Oct 17, 2013, 10:55 am by BayAreaSM »

smejs

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Argh. Having trouble with the mobile version of smnetwork on my iPad (and the full site won't load). Didn't realize I wasn't set up for automatic reply notification.

My understanding is the liaison created it, with guidance from L.A. IPad will only let me attach photos, so will try to upload when I get to a computer again. I do have it electronically.

Post Merge: Oct 24, 2013, 05:49 pm
Here's the document as it stands, now that I'm at a computer.

Also, thanks to Kay for trying to figure out my mobile issues. Evidently part of it was that I timed it right during some server maintenance! Whee.
« Last Edit: Oct 24, 2013, 05:49 pm by smejs »