Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/377629
38 SAG-AFTRA | Summer 2014 | SAGAFTRA.org On Location SEASONED BROADCASTERS MENTOR STUDENTS O n April 5, the New York boardroom was overflowing with fresh, eager young student broadcasters listening intently to the wisdom of their seasoned counterparts. SAG-AFTRA New York broadcast members volunteered their valuable time to participate in the 10th Annual New York Broadcast Mentoring Program. Brimming with questions and enthusiasm, the students heard about the career paths of each mentor, learned the do's and don'ts of creating and submitting demos, and got one-on-one time with a mentor in small groups over a pizza lunch. Mentors represented a wide array of broadcast fields, including music radio DJs, sportscasters and news anchors, and reporters from both TV and radio. This year's mentors were Arthur Chi'en, Chris Cimino, Amy Lawrence, Larry Mullins, Robert Nelson, Ines Rosales, Alex Silverman, Valerie Smaldone, Jeff Spurgeon, Dave Stewart, Race Taylor and Jay Trelease. The student participants are future SAG-AFTRA broadcasters, and perhaps someday they will be addressing students as mentors themselves. MORE COMMITTEE CASTS SPOTLIGHT ON BACKGROUND T he Member Outreach, Relations and Education Committee brought back its SAG-AFTRA@Work/Business of the Biz Seminar Series on April 23 with Spotlight on Background, the committee's first seminar at the new SAG-AFTRA office at 1900 Broadway. The event consisted of a panel of members and staff who discussed employment terms for background performers on the television and theatrical contracts. The panel also discussed topics ranging from various ways of submitting for and booking background work to busting common myths that often swirl around the holding area. The panel consisted of MORE Committee member Buzz Roddy, New York Local Board member Marc Baron, New York Local Board member and Background Advisory Committee Chair Gerald Kline, Director of Theatrical Contracts Stephanie Perry, Associate Director of Television Contracts Steven Meicke, Director of National Field Services Jim Damis and Counsel Huseina Sulaimanee. National Board member and MORE Committee Co-Chair Rebecca Damon served as moderator. From left, New York Local Board member Marc Baron, MORE Committee member Buzz Roddy, and New York Local Board member and Background Advisory Committee Chair Gerald Kline. Mentors and staff for the afternoon session New York T he SAG-AFTRA office at 1900 Broadway was abuzz with activity on May 10, as the local's youngest members explored the variety of ways advertisers hire SAG-AFTRA members for work on the Internet. Is That a Commercial? Understanding Advertisements on the Web was the spring presentation of the New York Young Performers Committee Seminar Series, which is sponsored by a grant from the SAG-Producers Industry Advancement and Cooperative Fund. Members of the Commercial Performers Committee attended as well, to serve as Young performers Macy McGrail, Vincent Pavonetti, Jaden Michael and Nathanael Small rehearse their project on how to use maracas. YOUNG PERFORMERS IN A DIGITAL WORLD member mentors to the young participants. The day's activities focused on the many ways in which content from or about advertisers is distributed on the Web. "Our youngest members live in the 140-character world of 10-second Web ads and Web series that are entertaining but also sell product," said National Board member and N.Y. Young Performers Committee Co-Chair Holter Graham. "They don't 'watch TV,' they just watch content. As they grow and continue working, they will find more opportunities in the new media commercial space, not only because of the growing number of SAG-AFTRA contracts in that area, but also because 'new media' will very quickly just become 'media.'"