Jackson Ross's Lounge Discussions

I copied someone else's letter: TO: SAG Legal Department 5757 Wilshire Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90036 DATE: October 29, 2012 RE: Enable financial core status Dear David White Executive Director of the Screen Actors Guild Union: Since I object to that portion of my compulsory union dues which does not finance the contract process, I hereby resign full constitutional membership in the SAG union and declare myself a financial core status worker in all jurisdictions of your contracts with employers. I make this declaration within the meaning of “financial core worker” as defined in the series of US Supreme Court decisions culminating in CWA v. BECK. I understand that I am resigning my membership and that I will be re-classified as a “fee paying non-member”. Please recalculate my financial core dues amount owed within the existing SAG union policy and National Labor Relations Board guidelines. Signed, Your Name Member Number Address Phone. I think I followed up with a phone call to the legal department in LA about two weeks later. I left a message, and a VERY friendly women didn't ask me anything or make me feel guilty like I was anticipating. I got my adjustedSAG/AFTRA bill and paid it and that was it.

"downgrading to FICORE"? Ficore is not a union status; it is turning in your union card and becoming NON-UNION. You pay fees equivalent to the financial core of what it costs the union to work for you. Since you're no longer union, you can do non-union jobs with impunity. "But isn't that a great idea for me?" you ask. Well that depends - do you want to be an actor for the long term or the short term? Because as soon as employers know you will do non-union work, that's all they will offer you. You will work more and for less and less money. I did it for 2 years and it almost killed my career. I came back to the union and learned how to flip non-union jobs union. It's not hard, you just have to know the specifics. I put all the jobs I flip through a paymaster who is the signatory and employer of record. The companies I act for don't even know the work is being done under union contracts. They get a bill from a paymaster who sends the $$ to the proper places (me, P&H, FICA, etc). Actors willing to undercut the minimum scale is the reason there are so many low paying gigs. Doesn't matter if you're union or non-union. The reality is we are all in this together and what one of us does affects the whole acting community. Are you a person who is going to pull the rates down or up?

I wish I knew more about it! I saw a movie in a film festival in AZ and many actors were from L.A and NY. I know they were SAG. Since I know the producer so I asked her if the movie was SAG because it rarely happened anyway in AZ! She told me no, that they tried but they didn't have the budget before applying to SAG so it was somehow too complicated to deal with all the SAG rules. Anyhow she told me that actors went FI Core. They went back to LA after continuing working in the TVseries they are cast in for many years. It was the first time I heard about FI Core. I understood that pretty much it's the same with the difference that you can not vote. So if it is the case I guess what will be the point to drop SAG membership if you can do both SAG and non SAG? I'm reading the comment of Denise and it seems that going FI Core means you 're not SAG? Very confusing! A friend of mine in LA does not want to go SAG even though she is in LA because she is cast in so many independent movies non SAG and she won't be able too do if she was SAG. So if Fi Core is an option why not? I guess the point of being SAG is actually to do SAG. and to stay SAG. So it's a serious choice before getting the card. It's not that easy to obtain. I won't drop it but I understand the frustration, it could be an inconvenient more than an advantage especially if you're not in L.A.

I realize this is an older post but i'm considering joining financial core. Have any of you had any issues with that being a problem? I've heard agents stay away from fi core actors and some union films wont want to work with you if you are fi core. Any issues with that? The way I look at it is, why limit myself? I want to do whatever film project I want.

Hi Dan, I have not had any issues since going Fi-Core. I've done background on TV show's like Forever & Mysteries with Laura, Commercials like Holiday Inn Express & Movies like Trainwreck with Bill Hader & just last week I had to turn down work on CREED the latest Rocky film. I've had principle work in commercials for Skim Milk Plus & American Residential Warranty. But My bread & butter has been my non-union work. I've done web videos for a kickstarter campaign & a neighborhood organization, an in-house video for a golf club & PriceRite Super Markets, and LOTS of voice over. I even got to do my friends Independent film BREASTERDAY which got 4 out of 5 stars on Really Awful Movies, A Celebration of Low Budget Cinema. After 21 years in the business, I'm done chasing down the major roles, it I get the opportunity, that would be wonderful. I have now met other fi-core members on sets (I don't openly talk about it unless someone else mentions it) and discovered there are a lot more of us out there then you might have expected.

Great information, thanks. I've been going back and forth on signing up for Voice 123; doesn't sound like it's worth the cost.

I think it depends on how much time you want to put into it, and which leads you choose to respond to. Some of them seem to be looking for free production. There seem to be legitimate leads, but it seems like you would have to spend a fair amount of time every day recording new auditions. Without direction, it's often hard to understand what they are looking for. It also seemed like there might be some correlation between the number of leads I responded to and the quality of leads I received. I just couldn't afford to spend the time. I know some voice talent that is very successful and makes tons of $$. I think connections are the absolute most valuable part, and niche is the second most important. I know a guy who has nailed down the brit voice gigs for the Hispanic voice market. Go figure. They love him.

There's another site called Voices.com. Have you worked with them?

nope. After my Voice123 experience, which as I said was several years ago, I haven't tried another clearing house. Plus I'm too busy to mess with it!

That's great! One day I hope to be too busy as well.