Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/87061
For Members SAG-AFTRA REACHES OUT TO PRODUCERS to get top-tier actors, and that's by signing with SAG-AFTRA. The union has contracts for every level of production, and name talent are willing to do small, low-budget productions if the script is good, the role is intriguing and everyone involved is professional — but they won't do it if it's non-union. "It's completely possible to shoot for Darrien Michele Gipson moderated the event. For producers, there is only one place SAG-AFTRA staff, including, from left, Senior Manager, Field Services Randall Dudley; Business Representative Aaron Kemp; National Executive Director David White; and Senior Business Representative Ari Zeltzer hold up cards promoting SAG-AFTRA's Production Center. The business representatives manned the union's booth at the Produced By Conference. M one thing that hasn't is that the new union remains easy to work with, and as SAG-AFTRA National Executive Director David White says, "hard to fight." That was the message at this year's any things have changed since AFTRA and SAG merged, but Produced By Conference, where a SAG-AFTRA panel addressed more than 100 producers on June 10 in Culver City, Calif. The presentation, The Best of Both Worlds: Working with the New SAGIndie, The panel included National Board member Jason George (Grey's Anatomy); SAG-AFTRA Co-President Roberta Reardon; Assistant National Executive Directors, Contracts Ray Rodriguez and Joan Halpern Weise; and White. SAGIndie National Director PRODUCTIVE D.C. VISIT FOR SAG-AFTRA BRASS several leaders, among them Executive Director of Joining Forces Bradley Cooper, Lynley Boor of the USO, founder and Executive Director of Got Your 6 Chris Marvin and Deputy Assistant Secretary of Policy for the Department of Labor's Veterans Employment and 16 SAG-AFTRA | Fall 2012 | SAGAFTRA.org Vice President Ned Vaughn traveled to Washington, D.C., where they met with officials to discuss veterans' issues, diversity, content protection and empowering women in the entertainment industry. Vaughn had separate meetings with I n June, SAG-AFTRA Co-President Roberta Reardon and Executive Training Service Junior Ortiz. Vaughn also visited with wounded, ill and injured service members at Walter Reed Medical Center. Reardon met with Tina Tchen, SAG-AFTRA, focused on the ease of becoming a union signatory and why producers would want to do it in the first place. Sponsored by SAG-AFTRA and the moon, and I think SAG-AFTRA is the doorway to make that happen," said George. SAG-AFTRA is focusing on making the merging process as seamless as possible, and producers should notice little immediate change, since former SAG and AFTRA's contracts remain in place until the next round of negotiations. But SAG-AFTRA is also looking to to minute, and digital technology has completely changed the way actors go to work," said Reardon. "My hope for the future is that professional performers can be protected on the job, whether it's a small independent job with very little budget or a massive film, and everything in between." the future, where increasing numbers of productions will take place for the Internet. "The industry is changing minute executive director of the White House Council on Women and Girls, about working together to empower women and girls in the entertainment industry and across the country. They discussed hiring statistics, discrimination and related issues. Reardon and Vaughn also discussed efforts to support content protection with U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis and Rep. Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y. Reardon and Vaughn met with U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis, center.