Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/216003
On Location MEMBERS LEARN AUDITION SELF-RECORDING SECRETS O n Oct. 28, the Washington-Mid Atlantic Local held its first membership meeting since the August 2013 elections, and the turnout was outstanding. Executive Director Pat O'Donnell proudly announced that the local currently houses approximately 5,000 active members, making it the third largest SAG-AFTRA Local. Members in attendance received an entertaining and informative presentation from a special guest, Casting Society of America casting director Erica Arvold, who shared secrets on how to best prepare quality self-recorded auditions. Members learned how to create a solid connection through the utilization of frames, eye contact and makeshift lighting techniques. Some of Arvold's secrets included household lamps, a 99-cent sound board and an iPhone camera. "It was a wonderful meeting, I learned a lot and I'm grateful to Erica for bringing this to us," said local member Pete Papageorge. WashingtonMid Atlantic SAG-AFTRA'S GOT YOUR BACK T Houston-Austin Local President Pamela Weaver with members David Kulwin and Mike Della Vechia practicing their moves. WORKSHOP HELPS PUNCH UP ACTORS' POLICE SKILLS J eff Grossman, Austin Actors Conservatory Committee member and 25-year police/SWAT officer, brought in a team of top notch FBI agents and police officers to work oneon-one with Austin actors. Proper badge placement, lingo, the do's and don'ts of handcuffing a suspect, power stances, gun handling, and how to safely and believably clear a room were just a few of the topics covered. After actors finished learning how to avoid the "fatal funnel," the danger zone of a swinging door, and practiced "slicing the pie," a safety tactic used to scope out a room before entering, Bobby Sargent, a 35-plus-year stuntman and stunt coordinator showed them the finer points of punching, blocking, kicking, choke holds and falling. Actors learned the important role camera angles play in creating the illusion of impact and focused on always keeping safety a priority. Austin actors continue to develop the diverse skills needed to keep it real on any set and in any situation. he SAG-AFTRA Atlanta Local hosted Got Your Back! Empowerment Days 2013 on Oct. 18 and 19. The local Agent Relations Committee and the Muriel Moore/Danny Nelson Conservatory Committee treated more than 100 members to presentations on general service agreements, commissions and how to turn work union. All of this was designed to increase members' ability to protect themselves and create more union work. Zino Macaluso, SAG-AFTRA's national director/senior counsel, agency relations, led two meetings clarifying each member's obligations in paying commissions to their agents, as well as preparing them to navigate the very complicated GSAs that local ATA agents are offering SAG-AFTRA members. In addition, longtime SAG-AFTRA member Sheldon Smith presented his popular workshop How to Turn Work Union, which outlines simple, effective strategies on how to make a non-union job union. It was a real eye-opener for members, who came away empowered to organize jobs they may have once thought were out of reach. Houston-Austin Atlanta Sheldon Smith presents his workshop on turning a job union. 76 SAG-AFTRA 72-85_OnLoca_F.indd 76 | Fall 2013 | SAGAFTRA.org 11/13/13 12:10 PM