SAG vs. Financial Core

I will very likely never go to Hollywood.

That much is clear. I have put down roots in order to provide a small town upbringing for my son. BUT, I want to keep acting.

A year ago, I joined the Screen Actors Guild (SAG). Once you’re in SAG, you can no longer do non-SAG work. I am learning that 95% of the films and pilots filming in the DC area are Non-SAG. Additionally, most commercials are Non-SAG. If I go to NY or LA, then I NEED to be in SAG.

I have found something called “financial core” – a court decision that allows me to quit the Union, but keeps me eligible for both SAG and non-SAG work. If I ever go to LA, it will likely keep me blacklisted. In DC, it means I will work a LOT (like I did last year).

I will very likely never go to Hollywood.

That much is clear. I have put down roots in order to provide a small town upbringing for my son. BUT, I want to keep acting.

A year ago, I joined the Screen Actors Guild (SAG). Once you’re in SAG, you can no longer do non-SAG work. I am learning that 95% of the films and pilots filming in the DC area are Non-SAG. Additionally, most commercials are Non-SAG. If I go to NY or LA, then I NEED to be in SAG.

I have found something called “financial core” – a court decision that allows me to quit the Union, but keeps me eligible for both SAG and non-SAG work. If I ever go to LA, it will likely keep me blacklisted. In DC, it means I will work a LOT (like I did last year).

So, declaring “financial core” will anger SAG, put me on the outs with the 10% of DC actors who do mostly training videos and extra work – but ALL the casting agents will likely work with me.

I respect the Union, I don’t want to undercut the Union. BUT, I am no longer being called for anything except extra work, and I’m turning down independent films all the time, because I refuse to break the Union rules. Doing this will likely mean giving up the dream of going to LA, but that seems likely anyway.

Any thoughts?

5 thoughts on “SAG vs. Financial Core”

  1. Tough Decision. What do you

    Tough Decision. What do you think your likeliness for LA is?

    Sounds like you would get a lot more work out this way by declaring financial core. Will changing your status keep you from doing studio movies (big screen kind of stuff) on the east coast? I know there is a lot of shooting over the next few months coming to the area.

    I guess you have to take a realistic look at what you think your chances are and desires are for getting work out on the West Coast.

    I guess what I would be careful of is about burning bridges that can’t be crossed again. I have not been in the theatre industry since the mid 90’s, but I do know that it is a small world, and can be ruthless.

    Best of luck

  2. Bird in the hand

    Bird in the hand is my first thought. Especially at this stage in your career, where you actually have begun raising a son and own a house and all that whatnot.

    Is it worth many more years of only doing extra work just to keep that admittedly very small chance of working in LA alive?

    Or another way of looking at it: Do you want to work in movies or do you want to work in movies in LA? My guess is the former, otherwise you wouldn’t be living around here.

    So I’d say go for it. If it will mean you can re-achieve that best of both worlds thing you had going before (working in film and raising a family), then do it.

  3. Financial core

    Financial core sounds like the way to go. No point in shooting yourself in the foot on the short term in favor of a very small possibility of something that might happen in the future.

    No love lost with SAG. Most artists’ unions are not at all concerned with improving conditions for the artists – they’re simply concerned with consolidating power for the unions.

    — Ben

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