Author Topic: EMC pay as an ASM  (Read 7271 times)

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angelofmusic1781

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EMC pay as an ASM
« on: Oct 05, 2006, 12:59 am »
So I am working as an ASM right now.  I also just joined EMC at a SPT5 theatre.  I took what they offered, even though it was low, because I wanted to start getting my weeks in EMC and for the experience.  Now I am looking at a job in an SPT8 theatre next year for some more weeks.  I am sure the rates that different companies pay are different all over the world, but I was curious as to what I should expect in general.  Since I am not in the union officially yet, I am sure they won’t match the min rates in the rulebook.  Any thoughts on this would be great, while I get ready to negotiate upcoming deals. 


Balletdork

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Re: EMC pay as an ASM
« Reply #1 on: Oct 05, 2006, 09:29 am »
I think when I first started getting my EMC (back in '94) I was paid $225 per week. And I know I worked for $100 per week a few times as EMC as well... I don't think AEA watches what you get paid untill you're a full member.

Lady

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Re: EMC pay as an ASM
« Reply #2 on: Oct 05, 2006, 10:28 am »
I was an EMC ASM for 7 months with an SPT6 company and I made $100/week.  BUT this was an internship and we got free housing.  I was talking to guy last night who had gotten $50/week at a place in Chicago.  I honestly think it depends on the resources of the theater.
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MarcieA

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Re: EMC pay as an ASM
« Reply #3 on: Oct 05, 2006, 12:27 pm »
It honestly varies. I've made $300 a week and I've made $600 for 8 weeks (paid at the end of the 8 week. Very annoying.)

The last job I was at as an ASM paid $150 before taxes and housed if you needed it. I also worked in the box office for cash.

The theatre I'm at now as a PSM pays assistants $225-250 a week and they're on a smaller contract than the housed gig.

It's very random, and frankly, not always fair. Many larger theatres don't pay or house if you apprentice/intern there. When I was looking for apprenticeships, I refused to work for no pay, and I may have missed out on some opportunities, but I'm doing ok, I think. I just think that if you work for someone, they should pay you. Even if it's minimum wage. But that's me. I was lucky not to have any school loans and I wasn't about to take any out to go work. (Which I found out is what you're expected to do.)

But I digress...

Bottom line is it's different everywhere.
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nmno

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Re: EMC pay as an ASM
« Reply #4 on: Oct 05, 2006, 01:44 pm »
I made $390/wk to $580/week as a non-Eq asm...  I got lucky; these rates aren't typical.  Sadly, I've done AEA gigs that have paid me less than my old asm gigs...  now that I do the math, my aea SM on those asm gigs weren't getting paid much more than me.  Anyway, I digress...
As an EMC you are not part of the union (basically just a potential member) so you don't have any rights of a member, including salary rate.  The only thing the contract minimums will tell you is that your rate will be something below that; how far below depends on what the theatre is willing to pay.  Also, my rate was not affected by my EMC status (ie. I made the same whether I was EMC or not).

Balletdork

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Re: EMC pay as an ASM
« Reply #5 on: Oct 05, 2006, 02:55 pm »
Wow! I'm totally jealous- I never got housing when I was an Intern!  :'(

Now, I usually pay Interns, ASMs. Apprentices etc... minimum about $10 per hour. It usually ends up being around $300 per week for ASMs, and $200 for Interns/ Production Assts.

This has nothing to do with their EMC status (or AGMA.)

Maribeth

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Re: EMC pay as an ASM
« Reply #6 on: Oct 05, 2006, 03:34 pm »
I'm EMC, and the show I'm ASMing now pays between 9 and 10 an hour, with time and a half for overtime. When I was an apprentice it was between 7 and 8. It works out to a reasonable amount when you figure 40-50 hrs/wk in rehearsal and more than that during tech. I pick up overhire work doing painting or other things during performance weeks to make extra money. :)

SMJorge

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Re: EMC pay as an ASM
« Reply #7 on: Oct 13, 2006, 07:36 pm »
I work at an SPT 5 and we pay 100/wk for our ASMs regardless of EMC status. A lot of the times our ASMs will also do props, or other production type work to make some extra $.

VSM

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Re: EMC pay as an ASM
« Reply #8 on: Oct 14, 2006, 01:54 pm »
Balletdork is correct, Equity has nothing to say about the wages, or lack thereof, of anyone enrolled in the EMC program. Those decisions are made by the theatre's representative and the individual in question (so bone up on your negotiation skills - remember there are many things to negotiate with: salary, housing, additional shows, etc...). Once someone is a member of the Union, then they are governed by the rules of the contract that particular theatre is operating under.

So I suggest working as much as you can, for as many different people as you can.
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